CIVL361 Transportation

Engineering
Horizontal and Spiral Curves
Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt
04/11/2013
Horizontal Curve Types

Simple
Compound
Reverse Curve

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 2

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 3
AZIMUTH AND BEARING

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 4

Azimuth and Bearing

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 5

EQUATIONS

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 6

Equations for Horizontal Curves

T R tan Tangent
2

Example:
A horizontal curve has a radius of 320
m, and deflection angle of = 24 o.
Please compute L, T, M, E, C.

Solution:
T = 320 * tan( 24 /2.)= 68.02 m

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 7

Equations for Horizontal Curves

M R R cos Middle distance
2
Example:
A horizontal curve has a radius of 320
m, and deflection angle of = 24 o.
Please compute L, T, M, E, C.

Solution:
M = 320 - 320 *cos( 24 /2.)= 6.99 m

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 8

Equations for Horizontal Curves
R
E R External Distance

cos
2
Example:
A horizontal curve has a radius of 320
m, and deflection angle of = 24 o.
Please compute L, T, M, E, C.

Solution:
E = 320 /cos( 24 /2.) - 320 = 7.15 m

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 9

Equations for Horizontal Curves

C 2R sin Chord
2

Example:
A horizontal curve has a radius of 320
m, and deflection angle of = 24 o.
Please compute L, T, M, E, C.

Solution:
chord = 2* 320 *sin( 24 /2.)= 133.06 m

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 10

Equations for Horizontal Curves
L Rc rad Length

Example:
A horizontal curve has a radius of 320
m, and deflection angle of = 24 o.
Please compute L, T, M, E, C.

Solution:
L = 320 *( 24 /(180./pi))= 134.04 m

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 11

 Example
For a horizontal curve with radius of 350 meters and deflection angle of
24 degrees please obtain the T, M, E, C and L values.

SOLUTION
>>> hcall(350,24,0)
Horizontal Curve Parameter Computations
INPUT
======
Radius = 350 m
Deflection Angle = 24 degrees
COMPUTATIONS
============
Tangent, T = 74.4 m Function: T = hct(Radius,delta)
Middle distance, M = 7.6 m Function: M = hcm(Radius,delta)
External distance, E = 7.8 m Function: E = hce(Radius,delta)
Chord, C = 145.5 m Function: C = hcchord(Radius,delta)
Length of the curve,L = 146.6 m Function: L = hcl(Radius,delta)

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 12

Plot of a Horizontal Curve

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 13

 L

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 14

 T

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 15

 M

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 16

 E

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 17

 Example
For a horizontal curve with radius of 350 meters and
deflection angle of 24 degrees please obtain the T, M, E, C
and L values.

SOLUTION
>>> hcall(350,24,1)
Radius = 350
Deflection angle = 24
Tangent = 74.4
Middle distance = 7.6
External distance = 7.8
Chord = 145.5
Length of the curve = 146.6

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 18

 Example
For a horizontal curve with radius of 350 meters and
deflection angle of 24 degrees please obtain the T, M, E, C
and L values.

SOLUTION
>>> hcall(350,24,2)
Input: Radius, deflection angle
350 24
T,M,E,C,L
74.4 7.6 7.8 145.5 146.6

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 19

 Deflection Angle
x
dx
2 R RAD

cx 2R sin d x

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 20

 Example
Prepare a table giving chords and deflection angles
for staking out a 400-m radius circular curve with a
total deflection angle of 30o . The TC point is at
station 44+60. Give the deflection angles and chords
for 0.25L, 0.5L, 0.75L and L.
x L Rc rad
dx
2 R RAD
cx 2R sin d x

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 21

 Example
Prepare a table giving chords and deflection angles for staking
out a 400-m radius circular curve with a total deflection angle
of 30o . The TC point is at station 44+60. Give the deflection
angles and chords for 0.25L, 0.5L, 0.75L and L.
x SOLUTION
dx
2 R RAD X values are equal to 0.25 L, 0.5L, 0.75L and L

L = 400*30/57.295 = 209.44 m
cx 2R sin d x X = 0.25L =52.36 m
dx = (52.36/(2*400)) = 0.0654
cx = 2*400*sin(0.0654) = 52.32 m
L Rc rad

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 22

 Example
Prepare a table giving chords and deflection angles for staking
out a 400-m radius circular curve with a total deflection angle
of 30o . The TC point is at station 44+60. Give the deflection
angles and chords for 0.25L, 0.5L, 0.75L and L.
x SOLUTION
dx And all of the calculations can be computed as
2 R RAD follows:

Length of the curve = 209.44 m 2.09 sta

cx 2R sin d x Station X dx cx
44+60 0.0 0.0000 0.000
45+12 52.36 0.0654 52.323 (computed in previous page)

L Rc rad 45+64 104.72 0.1309 104.421

46+16 157.08 0.1963 156.073
46+68 209.44 0.2618 207.056

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 23

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 24
Stopping Sight Distance on
Horizontal Curves

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 25

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 26
SUPERELEVATION

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 27

Superelevation

V2
Rc
127 f e

Rc = Radius of the curve

V = Speed of the vehicle, km/h

f = coefficient of side friction

e = superelevation rate

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 28

Table 4.5 Values of side friction
recommended by AASHTO
Design Speed, Maximum side
km/h friction factor
30 0.17
40 0.17
50 0.16
60 0.15
70 0.14
80 0.14
90 0.13
100 0.12
110 0.11
120 0.09

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 29

Table 4.6 Recommended minimum radius of
curvature
Design Minimum curve
Speed, km/h radius, m
30 35
40 60
50 100
60 150
70 215
80 280
90 375
100 490
110 635
120 870

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 30

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 31
SPIRAL CURVES

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 32

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 33
 Spiral of Theodorus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_of_Theodorus
Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 34
Spiral curve parameters
Ls
s
2 Rc
A Ls Rc
L5s
X s Ls
40A 4
L3s L7s
Ys 2
6
6A 336 A

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 35

;
Spiral curve parameters
Ls L5s L3s L7s
s A Ls Rc X s Ls Y
2 Rc 40A 4 s 6 A 2 336 A 6

p Ys Rc 1 cos s

T ' Rc p tan
2
k X s Rc sin s
Lc Rc rad Ls

c X 2 Y 2
Y 1
d tan
X
Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 36
 Problem
A roadway goes from tangent alignment to a
250-m circular curve by means of a
80-m-long spiral transition curve. The
deflection angle between the tangents is 45.
Use formulas to compute Xs Ys p, and k.
Assume that the station of the P.L,
measured along the back tangent, is 250 + 00,
and compute the stations of the TS,
SC, CS, and ST.
Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 37
Solution

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 38

Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 39
Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 40
Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt 41