Fieldwork No.

LAYING OF A SIMPLE CURVE BY THEODOLITE AND TAPE

(The Incremental Chord and Deflection Angle Method)
OBJECTIVES:

To be able to lay a simple curve by deflection angle

To master the skill in leveling, orienting and using the theodolite
effectively.

INSTRUMENTS:

Theodolite
50 meter tape
2 range poles
Chalks

ORGANIZATION OF PARTY:

Chief Of Party

(COP)
Instrument men
Recorder

PROCEDURES:
o The professor gives the description of the curve that we are to layout
including its radius, backward tangent direction, forward tangent
direction, station of the vertex.
R= 200m
o

Backward Tangent direction: N 47 E

o

Forward Tangent direction: S 63 E

Location of Vertex: 14 + 001
Adopt Full chord length of ____m

o Compute first all the data needed before proceeding on the field to
save time and effort.
If the azimuths of the backward and forward tangents are given, the
intersection angle I can be solved using:
I =azimuth of the forward tangent azimuth of thebackward tangent

The tangent distance must be solved using:

T =R tan

1
2

The middle ordinate distance (M) can be computed using:

1
M =R [1cos ]
2
The length of the curve (Lc) can be computed using:
Lc=

RI
; when I isdegrees
180

Lc=RI ; when I isradians

The station of PC can be computed using:

PC=PI T
The station of PT can be found by:
PT=PI + Lc

The length of the first sub chord from PC, if PC is not exactly on a full
station (otherwise C1= a full chord length)
C 1=First full station on the curvePC

The length of the last sub chord from PT, if PT is not exactly on a full
station (otherwise C2= a full chord length)
C 2=PT last ful l station on the curve
The value of the first deflection angle d1:
d 1=2 sin

C1
2R

The value of the last deflection angle d2:

d 2=2 sin

C2
2R

o Borrow the instruments needed for the fieldwork in the surveying

shop.
o Proceed to the field. Examine first the field if the description of the
curve will fit on it, if not; use the method of scaling in the
measurements.
o Setup the theodolite over the vertex, level the instrument and
site/locate the point of curvature (PC) and the point of tangency (PT)
by marking it with chalk and measuring its length by the 50 meter
tape.
o Transfer the instrument over PC, level and start locating points of the
curve using the following procedures.
o Initialize the horizontal vernier by setting to zero reading.
Tighten the upper clamp and adjust it with the upper tangent
screw.
o Using the telescope, sight the vertex or point of intersection (PI)
with the vernier still at zero reading.

o Tighten the lower clamp and focus it using the lower tangent
screw.
o With the lower tangent screw already tight, loosen the upper
clamp and start to measure half the first deflection angle. Mark
the direction with a range pole. Along this line, using a chalk,
mark point A measured with a tape the length of the first sub
chord.
o Locate the next point B, a full chord length from point A but this
time intersecting the line sighted at an angle of half the sum of
d1 and the full of the degree of the curve.
*Note: The theodolite is still positioned over station PC.
o Proceed in locating other points on the curve following step e
until you cover all full chord stations on the entire length of the
curve.
o Measure the distance C2(last chord of the curve) and from the
last full station on the curve

and intersecting the line of sight

with a deflection angle equal to half the intersection angle, mark

the last point as PT.
o Check the position of PT by determining the length of PC from PT
and compare it to the computed total length of the chord of the
simple curve.

Fieldwork No. 1

LAYING OF A SIMPLE CURVE BY THEODOLITE AND TAPE

(The Incremental Chord and Deflection Angle Method)
DATE: 29 OCTOBER 2015

GROUP NO. 5

TIME: 9:00 AM 12 NN

LOCATION: Intramuros

WEATHER: SUNNY

PROFESSOR: Engr. Cervantes

Data Supplied:
R= 200m
o

Backward Tangent direction: N 47 E

o

Forward Tangent direction: S 63 E

Location of Vertex: 14 + 001
Adopt Full chord length of 20_m

Station
Occupied

PC =
13+871.1
2

Observed

Incrementa
l Chord

Central
Incremental
Chord

Deflection Angle
form Back
Tangent

13 + 880

8.88

23138

116

13 + 900
13 + 920
13 + 940
13 + 960
13 + 980
14 + 000
14 + 020
14 + 040
14 + 060
14 + 080
14 + 100
14 + 101.5

20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
1.5

543
543
543
543
543
543
543
543
543
543
543
555047

4749
659
95049
124219
153349
182519
211649
24819
265949
295119
324249
33

Computed Length of the Chord:

Actual Length of the Chord:

217.86 m_

218 m_

217.86218 100
218
ERROR=
ERROR=0 .64

Computations:
I = 1213138

C=2 Rsin

D = 543

( 2I )

C=349.04 m

For the Tangent Line:

T =R tan

For the External Coordinate:

( 2I )

E=R
121 31' 38 ' '
T =200 tan
2

1
I
cos
2

()

T =357.325 m

For the Middle Ordinate

Distance:

M =R 1cos

( 2I )]

M =102.32 m

E=209.49m
Station of the Vertex: 10+002
For the Point of Curvature (PC):
PC = V - T

For the Length of the Curve:

LC =

RI
180

LC=424.21 m

PC = 10+001 + 357.325
PC = 9+643.657
For the Point of Tangency (PT):

For the Long Chord:

PT = PC + LC

PT

= 9+643.657 + 424.21

d 1=2 sin 1

( 2CR )

d 1=2 31 38

d 2=2 sin1

C2
2R

d 2=55 50 47

PT = 10+067.885
C1 = First Full Station - PC
C1 = 13+880 - 9+643.657

( )

C1 = 4+232,643

C2 = PT - Last Full Station

C2 = 10+067.885 14+100
C2 = 4+032.115
Deflection Angles:
A=

B=

d 1 2 31 38
=
=1 16
2
2

d 1 +5 D 2 31 38 +7(5 43 ' )
H=
=
=21 16 49
2
2

I=

d 1+5 D 2 31 38 + 8(5 43' )

=
=24 8 19
2
2

J=

d 1 +5 D 2 31 38 +9 (5 43' )
=
=26 59 49
2
2

d 1+ D 2 31 38 +5 43 '
=
=4 7 49
2
2

C=

d1 +2 D 2 31 38 + 2(5 43' )
=
=6 59
2
2

D=

d 1 +3 D 2 31 38 +3(5 43 ' )
=
=9 50 49
2
2

d 1 +4 D 2 31 38 + 4(5 43 ' )
E=
=
=12 42 19
2
2

d 1 +5 D 2 31 38 +10(5 43 ' )
K=
=
=29 51 19
2
2
d 1+ 5 D 2 31 38 +6(5 43 ' )
L=
=
=32 42 49
2
2

I 49
PT= = =33
2 2

d1 +5 D 2 31 38 + 5(5 43' )
F=
=
=15 33 49
2
2
Actual Length of Chord: 119.60
m
d 1 +5 D 2 31 38 +6(5 43' )
G=
=
=18 25 19
Computed Length of Chord:
2
2
118.81 m

|217.16218|

ERROR=

218

ERROR =0 .64

100

SKETCH:

DISCUSSION:
The fieldwork is laying off a simple curve by transit and tape with the
use of deflection angle method. In this method, curves are staked out by
the use of deflection angles turned at the point of curvature from the
tangent to points along the curve. The method is also known as Rankines
method.

Figure: Laying out a circular curve by deflection angle.

For computation of curve properties, the instructor gave the following data:
o

backward tangent of N 47 E; forward tangent of S 63 E; vertex location of

14+001; and full chord length of 20m. By using those given, we obtain the
radius of the curve which is 200M, angle of intersection I which is
1213138, tangent distance which is 357.325m, station PC which is
9+643.657, station PT which is 10+067.885, the length of the curve which
is 218m, and computed length of chord which is 217.16m.

Looking at those values, it is impossible to simply lay it off in a small

ground, the length of the chord itself is 349.04m which is almost third a
kilometer. So we use scaling, in this case 1:40. Since it is a big curve, laying
off station by station will take forever, so two sub chords are initially
computed using the value of full station, stations of PC and PT. It will then
be laid off and joined when d1 and d2 are obtained.
The length of the curve is then measured from PC to PT. The degree of
the curve in this field work is computed by arc basis- the degree of curve is
the central angle subtended by an arc, 20 meters in this case. Therefore,
given the radius, the degree of curve will be the ratio of arc length and
radius. Note that the angle computed here is in radians.

CONCLUSION

In this fieldwork, we were able to lay off a simple curve by deflection

angle method. Also, we were able to utilize the theodolite, which is more
efficient than the transit.

Referring to the given and computed length of chord, scaling is

needed to lay off the curve. In my opinion, a chord length of 20m is too
much, a length of 2m to 5m will void scaling and can make laying off curve
easier.

From the result of the actual length of chord, which was obtained after
laying the full curve, it is close to the computed value of the length of chord.
I can say that this fieldwork is a success.

As for possible sources of error, it could be instrumental like sagging

of the tape. Precise readings and sightings on the theodolite, however
eradicated further more error.