Civil Engineering Department

De La Salle University-Manila

Fieldwork No. 2
LAYING OUT A HORIZONTAL SIMPLE CURVE BY SUB-CHORD-DEFLECTION
METHOD

Name: _____________________________ Section: ____

Date: __________________________

Professors Signature: ________________________

Objective:
1. To be able to compute the parts of a horizontal circular curve by chord-deflection
method.
2. To be able to lay out a horizontal circular curve through a location of points on
the curve by deflection angles and sub-chord distances.

Given Data:

Radius of the simple curve, R =

Angle of Intersection, I =
Station of PC :

Procedure:

1. Compute the elements of simple curve needed to define the circular curve to be
laid out such as the degree of curve, tangent distance, among others.
2. Compute the deflection angle and sub-chord length for every even station and
tabulate the values as follows:

Example shown here may be different from your computed values:

Station Point fro m Angle from Deflection Sub-Chord Remarks
PC PC Angle Length
0 + 012.6 PC 0 0
0 + 020 First even 1 1/2 SC1
station
0 + 040 2nd even 1 + D (1 + D)/2 SC2
station
0 + 060 3rd even 1 + 2D (1 + 2D)/2 SC3
station
0 + 177.526 PT I I/2 SC4

3. Define a point (PI) in the field by staking out a flag.

4. Set up and level the instrument at the designated vertex or point of intersection
(PI).
5. Establish the point of curvature (PC) on the ground by laying out the computed
tangent distance (T) using the steel tape.
6. Set the Vernier to zero and sight the PC. Measure the angle (180 - I) from the
back tangent.
 7. Through the line of sight of the instrument, establish the point of tangency (PT)
of the forward tangent by laying out the tangent distance.
8. Transfer the instrument to PC. Set the vernier to zero and sight on PI. Keeping
the horizontal circle clamped, set off the deflection angle of the first even station
on the vernier.
9. Establish the first even station by laying out the first sub-chord distance from the
PC. Stake out the point with a flag.
10. Set the vernier to read the second deflection angle (still with instrument at PC).
The second sub-chord distance is laid off from the first staked out point (first
even station). The forward chainman of the group (with the rear chainman on the
first even station) swings the tape about the first even station until the end of the
chain (equal in sub-chord distance) is in line with the line of sight of the
instrument. The intersection of the line of sight of the telescope and the end of
the tape (sub-chord distance) defines the second even station. Stake out the
point.
11. Set the vernier to read the third deflection angle. With the beginning of the tape
at the second even station, the tape (whose length is equal to sub-chord distance
for one full station) is swung until the end of the tape intersects with the line of
sight of the telescope. Stake out the intersection to mark the third even station.
12. The procedure is repeated up to the last even station and the PT.
13. Notify your professor after the curve is laid out for checking purposes.

Tabulated individual data:

Station Point fro m Angle from Deflection Sub-Chord Remarks

PC PC Angle Length

Computation:
 Show complete computation here:

ILLUSTRATION:
Draw/illustrate the parts of the curve to be laid out: