PROBLEMS IN ROUTE

SURVEYING WITH SOLUTIONS

BY: M.R. ESGUERRA,CE, MATE-MATH

PROBLEM 1: (SIMPLE CURVE)
A simple curve has a central angle of 36° and a degree of curve
of 6°.
a. Find the nearest distance from the midpoint of the curve to
the point of intersection of the tangents.
b. Compute the distance from the midpoint of the curve to the
midpoint of the long chord joining the point of curvature
and point of tangency.
c. If the stationing of the point of curvature is at 10+020,
compute the stationing of a point on the curve which
intersects with the line making a deflection angle of 8° with
the tangent through the PC.
SOLUTION:
a. Distance from midpoint of curve to PI
1145.916 1145.916
R   190.99 m
D 6
 I   36 
E  R  sec  1  190.99  sec  1  9.83 m
 2   2 
b. Distance from midpoint of curve to the midpoint of long
chord
 I  36 
M  R 1  cos   190.99 1  cos   9.35 m
 2  2
c. Stationing of point A:
   
S  R  190.99 16     53.33 m
  180  
Sta. @ A: 10  020   S  10  020   53.33  10  073.33
PROBLEM 2: (SIMPLE CURVE)
The tangent distance of a 3° simple curve is only ½ of its radius.
a. Compute the angle of intersection of the curve.
b. Compute the length of curve
c. Compute the area of the fillet of the curve.

SOLUTION:
a. Angle of intersection:
I
T  R tan  
2
R I
 R tan  
2 2
I 1
tan   
2 2
I  53.13
b. Length of curve
Lc 20

I D
Lc 20

53.13 3
Lc  354.20 m
c. Area of fillet of curve
1145.916
R  381.972 m
3
1 1
T  R  381.972  190.986 m
2 2
A  area of the two triangles -area of the sector
 1  1
A  2  TR   R 2 I
2  2
1 1   
A  2   190.986  381.972    381.972   53.13  
2

 
2 2  180 
= 5304.04 m2

PROBLEM 3: (COMPOUND CURVE)

The common tangent AB of a compound curve is 76.42 m with an
azimuth of 268°30’. The vertex V being inaccessible. The azimuth
of the tangents AV and VB was measured to be 247°50’ and
282°50’, respectively. If the stationing of A is 43+010.46 and the
degree of the first curve was fixed at 4° based on the 20 m chord.
Using chord basis
a. Determine the stationing of the PC
b. Determine the stationing of the PCC
c. Determine the stationing of the PT
SOLUTION:
a. Stationing of the PC
I1  26830 ' 24750 '  2040 '
I 2  28250 ' 26830 '  1420 '
D1 10
sin 
2 R1
4 10
sin 
2 R1
R1  286.56 m
 I1   2040 ' 
T1  R1 tan    286.56 tan    52.25 m
2  2 
PC   43  010.46   52.25
  42  1010.46   52.25  42  958.21
b. Stationing of the PCC
Lc1 20

I1 D1
Lc1 20

2040' 4

Lc1  103.34 m
PCC  Sta. PC  Lc1  42  958.21  103.34  43  061.55

c. Stationing of the PCC

T1  T2  76.42

52.25  T2  76.42
T2  24.17 m
  I2 
T2  R2 tan  
2
 1420 ' 
24.17  R2 tan  
 2 
R2  192.233 m
D2 10
sin 
2 R2
D2 10
sin 
2 192.233
D2  558'
Lc 2 20

I2 D2
 Lc 2 20

1420' 558'
Lc 2  48.18 m

PT  Sta. PCC  Lc 2  43  061.55  48.18

 43  109.73
PROBLEM 4: (COMPOUND CURVE)
The long chord of a compound curve makes an angle of 20° and
38°,respectively with the tangents. The common tangent of the
compound curve is parallel to the long chord that is 185 m long
a. What is the radius of the small curve.
b. What is the radius of the bigger curve
c. What is the length of the curve
SOLUTION:
a. Radius of the small curve
I1 20 I 2 38
   10    19
2 2 2 2
  180      180  10  19  151

From triangle ABC:

AB BC AC
 
sin  sin  sin 
AB BC 185
 
sin19 sin10 sin151
AB  124.2346 m
BC  66.2629 m
 AB
 I1 
sin    2
 2  R1
124.2346
 20  2
sin   
 2  R1

R1  357.7192 m

b. Radius of the bigger curve

BC
 I2 
sin    2
 2  R2
66.2629
 38  2
sin    R2  221.057 m
 2 R2
c. Length of curve
Lc  Lc1  Lc2  R1  I1   R2  I 2 
       
 357.719  20     221.057 38  
  180    180 
 271.478 m
PROBLEM 5: (REVERSED CURVED)
Two parallel tangents 10 m apart are connected by a reversed
curve. The chord length from the PC to the PT equals 120 m
a. Compute the length of tangent with common direction
b. Determine the equal radius of the reversed curve
c. Compute the stationing of the PRC if the stationing of A at the
beginning of the tangent with common direction is 3 + 420.
SOLUTION:
a. Length of tangent with common direction
 I  10
sin   
 2  120
I  934'
10
sin I 
AB
10
sin 934' 
AB
AB  60.17 m
b. Radius of reversed curve
2T  AB
2T  60.17
T  30.085 m
 I
T  R tan  
2
 934 ' 
30.085  R tan  
 2 
R  359.78 m
c. Stationing of PRC
  
Lc  RI  359.78  934 '    60.07 m
 180 
Sta. PC  sta. A  T   3  420   30.085  3  389.92

Sta. PRC  sta. PC  Lc   3  389.92   60.07

 3  449.99
PROBLEM 6: (REVERSED CURVED )
A reversed curve of a railroad track has the following properties:
D1  3 I1  18
D2  2 I 2  24
Stationing of PT =32 + 121

What is the stationing of PC? Use chord basis

SOLUTION:

 D  10
sin  1  
 2  R1
 3  10
sin   
 2  R1

R1  382.016 m
    
Lc1  R1I1  382.016 18     120.014 m
  180  
 D  10
sin  2  
 2  R2
 2  10
sin   
 2  R2
R2  572.987 m
   
Lc 2  R2 I 2  572.987  24     240.012 m
  180  

Sta. PC  sta. PT  Lc 2  Lc1   32  121  240.012 -120.014

  31  1121  240.012 -120.014
 31  760.97
PROBLEM 7: (SPIRAL CURVE)
A spiral 80 m long connects a tangent with a 6°30’ circular curve.
If the stationing of the TS is 10 + 000 and the gauge of the tract
on the curve is 1.5 m, determine
a. The elevation of the outer rail at the midpoint if the velocity
of the fastest train to pass over the curve is 60 kph,
b. The spiral angle at the first quarter point,
c. The deflection angle at the end point,
d. The offset from the tangent at the second quarter point.

SOLUTION:
a. elevation of the outer rail

1145.916 1145.916
R   176.30 m
D 6.5
 1145.916 1145.916
R   176.30 m
D 6.5
0.0079  60 
2 2
0.0079 K
e  1.5  0.241 m (outer rail)
R 176.30
0.241
e  0.1205 m
2

b. Spiral Angle at the First Quarter Point

 
2
L  180 
2
20  180 
s       0.81
2 Rc Ls    2 176.30  80    
c. Deflection Angle at the End point
Ls  180  80  180  s 13
s       13 is    4.33
2 Rc    2 176.30     3 3
 d. Offset from the tangent at the 2nd quarter point
 80 
2
Ls 2
xc    6.05 m
6 Rc 6 176.30 
 L   40 
x  xc    6.05    0.756 m
 Ls   80 

PROBLEM 8: (SPIRAL CURVE)

The tangents of a spiral curve has azimuths of 226° and 221°
respectively. The maximum length of spiral is 40 m with a
maximum superelevation of 0.10 m/ m width of roadway. The
maximum velocity to pass over a curve is 70 kph. Assume width
of roadway to be 9 m. Use 0.004K 2
e
R
a. Determine the degree of simple curve
b. Determine the length of spiral at each end of simple curve
SOLUTION:

a. Degree of simple curve

0.004K 2
e
R
0.004  70 
2

0.10 
R
R  196 m
1145.916 1145.916
D   5.85
R 196

b. Length of spiral at each end of simple curve

0.036  70 
3 3
0.036 K
Ls    63 m
Rc 196
PROBLEM 9: (SYMMETRICAL VERTICAL PARABOLIC CURVE)
On a railroad a – 0.8% grade meets a + 0.4% grade at station 2 +
700 whose elevation is 30.000 m. The maximum allowable change
in grade per station having a length of 20 m is 0.15%. It is desired
to place a culvert to drain the flood water during heavy
downpour.

a. Where must this culvert be located?

b. At what elevation must the invert of the culvert be set if the
pipe has a diameter of 0.9 m and the fill is 0.3 m high? Neglect
the thickness of the pipe.

SOLUTION:
a. Location of the lowest point of the curve.
Length between 2 stations = 20 m
 g2  g1
r
n
0.4   0.8
0.15 
n
n  8 stations
L  n  20   8  20   160 m

g1 L 0.008 160 
S1    106.667 m
g1  g 2 0.008  0.004
L
Sta. PC  Sta. C 
2
Sta. PC   2  700   80  2  620

Sta. E (lowest point)  Sta. PC  S1

  2  620   106.667
=2  726.667
b. Elevation of invert
L
Sta. PT  Sta. C 
2
  2  700   80
 2  780
L
Elev.PC  Elev.C  g1    30  0.008  80   30.64 m
2
L
Elev.PT  Elev.C  g 2    30  0.004 80   30.32 m
2
Elev. PC  Elev. PT 30.64  30.32
Elev. A    30.48 m
2 2
AC  Elev. A  Elev. C  30.48  30.00  0.48 m
AC 0.48
H   0.12 m
2 2
By squared property of parabola:
H y
2
 2
L x
 
2
S2  L  S1  160  106.667  53.333
0.12 y

80   53.333
2 2

y  0.053 m
L 
Elev. D  Elev. C  g 2   S 2   30  0.004(80  53.333)  30.107 m
2 
Elev. E  lowest point   Elev. D  y  30.107  0.053  30.16 m
Elev. Invert  Elev. E - Height of backfill - diameter of pipe
 30.16  3  0.9
 28.96 m
PROBLEM 10: (SYMMETRICAL VERTICAL PARABOLIC CURVE)
A horizontally laid circular pipe culvert having an elevation of its
top to be 26 m crosses at angle under a proposed 120 m highway
parabolic curve. The point of intersection of the grade lines is at
section 5 + 216 and its elevation is 27 m while the culvert is
located at station 5 + 228. The backward tangent has a grade of
+3% and the grade of the forward tangent is – 1.6%. Under this
condition, what will be the depth of cover over the pipe?

SOLUTION:
L 120
H   g1  g2    0.03  0.016  0.69 m
8 8
z  sta. culvert  sta. V   5  228    5  216   12 m
L
x   z  60  12  48 m
2
 y H

x 2  L 2
 
2
y 0.69

 48  60 
2 2

y  0.4416 m

.  g 2 z  27  0.016 12   26.808 m

Elev. A  ElevV
Elev.B  ELev. A  y  26.808  0.4416  26.3664 m

Depth of cov er  Elev. B  Elev. culvert  26.3664  26  0.3664 m

PROBLEM 11: (UNSYMMETRICAL VERTICAL PARABOLIC CURVE)
An unsymmetrical parabolic curve has a forward tangent of – 8 %
and a back tangent of + 5 %. The length of the curve on the left
side of the PI is 40 m while that of the right side is 60 m. The PC is
at station 6 + 780 and has an elevation of 110 m. An outcrop is
found at station 6 + 800 has an elevation of 108.40 m.
a. Compute the height of fill needed to cover the outcrop.
b. Compute the elevation of curve at station 6 + 820.
c. Compute the elevation o the highest point of the curve.

SOLUTION:
a. height of fill needed to cover the outcrop
L1L2  g1  g 2  40  60  0.05  0.08 
H   1.56 m
L1  L2 2  40  60 
x  sta. outcrop  sta. PC   6  800    6  780   20 m
 H y1
 2
 L1 
2
x

1.56 y1
 2
 40 
2
20

y1  0.39 m

Elev. B  Elev. PC  g1 x  y1
 110  0.05  20   0.39
 110.61 m

depth of fill at the outcrop  Elev. B  Elev. outcrop

 110.61  106.40
 2.21 m
b. Elevation of curve at station 6 + 820
Elev. C  Elev. PC  g1L1  H
 110  0.05  40   1.56
=110.44 m

c. Elevation o the highest point of the curve.

L1 g1 40  0.05
 1 H
2 2
0.05  40 
2 2
g1L1
S1    25.64 m from PC
2H 2 1.56 
H y2

L12 S12

1.56 y2
 y2  0.64 m
 40   25.64 
2 2
 Elev.E  Elev. PC  g1S1  y2  110  0.05  25.64   0.64
 110.642 m

PROBLEM 12: (UNSYMMETRICAL VERTICAL PARABOLIC CURVE)

A forward tangent of + 6% was designed to intersect a back
tangent of – 3% at a proposed underpass along Epifanio delos
Santos Avenue so as to maintain a minimum clearance allowed
under a bridge which crosses perpendicular to the underpass. A
200 m curve lies on the side of the back tangent while a 100 m
curve lies on the side of the forward tangent. The stationing and
elevation of the grade intersection is 12 +530.20 and 100 m
respectively. The centerline of the bridge falls at station 12 +
575.20. The elevation of the underside of the bridge is 117.48 m.
determine the minimum clearance of the bridge if it has a width
of 10 m.
SOLUTION:
L1L2  g 2  g1  200 100  0.06  0.03
H  3m
2  L1  L2  2  200  100 
z  sta. centerline of bridge  sta. PI
= 12  575.20   12  530.20 
 45 m

 width of bridge 
x1  L2   z  
 2 
 100   45  5 
 60 m
y1 H

x12 L2 2

y1 3
 y1  1.08 m
602 1002
  width of bridge 
Elev. A  Elev. PI  g 2  z  
 2 
 100  0.06  45  5 
 102.40 m

Elev. B  Elev. A  y1  102.40  1.08  103.48 m

Clearance on the left side  Elev. underside of bridge  Elev. B
 117.48  103.48
 14 m
x2  x1  width of bridge  60  10  50 m
y2 H
2
 2
x2 L2
y2 3
 y2  0.75 m
50 1002
2
  width of bridge 
Elev.C  Elev. PI  g 2  z  
 2 
 100  0.06  45  5 
 103 m

Elev. D  Elev. C  y2
 103  0.75
 103.75
Clearance on the right side  Elev. underside of bridge  Elev. D
 117.48  103.75
 13.73 m

 Minimum clearance  13.73 m

PROBLEM 13: (STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE)
A 5% grade intersects a – 3.4% grade at station 1 +990 of
elevation 42.30 m. Design a vertical summit parabolic curve
connecting the two tangent grades to conform with the following
safe stopping sight distance specifications:

Design velocity = 60 kph

Height of driver’s eye from the road pavement =1.37 m
Height of an object over the pavement ahead = 100 mm
Perception-reaction time = ¾ second
Coefficient of friction between the road pavement and the tires =
0.15

a. Determine the stopping sight distance,

b. Determine the length of curve,
SOLUTION:
a. stopping sight distance
km  1000m  m
v  60    16.67
h  3600s  s
v2
SSD  vt 
2g  f  G 
16.67 
2
3
=16.67   
 4  2  9.81 0.15  0.05 
 83.32 m

b. Determine the length of curve (assume SSD < L)

A  SSD 
2

L
 
2
100 2h1  2h2
 5  3.4 83.32 
2


100  2 1.37   2  0.10  
2

 131.92 m  SSD  OK as assumed 

PROBLEM 14: (PASSING SIGHT DISTANCE)
The length of sag parabolic curve is 130 m with a design speed of
100kph. The back tangent has a slope of – 2.5%.
a. Compute the slope of the forward tangent,
b. Compute the distance of the lowest point of the curve from
the PC,
c. Compute the length of the sight distance.

SOLUTION:
A. Slope of the forward tangent

AV 2
L
395
A 100 
2

130 
395

A  5.135
 A  g 2  g1
5.135  g 2   2.5 
g 2  2.635%

b. Distance of lowest point from the P

g1 L
S
g1  g 2
0.025 130 

0.025  0.02635

 63.29 m
c. Length of the sight distance (Assume PSD< L)
A  g 2  g1  2.635  2.5  5.135
A  PSD 
2

L
122  3.5  PSD 
 5.135  PSD 
2

130 
122  3.5  PSD 
PSD  115.38 m

PROBLEM 15: (EARTHWORK)

Given the cross section notes of an earthwork between station 10 +
100 to 10 + 200. assume both stations to have the same side slope
and width of the base.

STATION 10 + 100

LEFT CENTER RIGHT

6.45 0 4.5
2.3 1.5 1.0
STATION 10 + 200

6.0 0 6.9
2.0 x 2.6
a. Compute the width of the base
b. Compute the value of x at station 10 + 200 if it has a cross
sectional area of 14.64 m2
c. Compute the volume between stations 10 + 100 and 10 +
200 using end-area method with prismoidal correction.

SOLUTION:
B
 2S  6.45    Eqn. 1
2
B
 S  4.5      Eqn.2
2
From eqns. 1 and 2:
S  1.5
From eqn.2,
B
 1.5  4.5
2
B6 m

b. value of x at station 10 + 200

1 1 1 1
A   2  3   6  x    6.9  x    2.6  3
2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1
14.64   2  3   6  x    6.9  x    2.6 3
2 2 2 2
x  1.2 m
c. Volume between stations 10 + 100 and 10 + 200
1 1 1 1
A1   2.3 3  1.5 6.45   4.51.5  31  13.1625 m2
2 2 2 2
A2  14.64 m2
1 1
VE   A1  A2  L  13.1625  14.64 100   1390.125 m3
2 2
L 100
VP   C1  C2  D1  D2   10.95  12.9 1.5  1.2 
12 12
 4.875 m3
VCP  VE  VP  1390.125   4.875   1395 m3