Department of Land Management

Faculty of Islands and Oceans

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC

Curve Ranging: Setting out

Horizontal Curves
„ Methods
„ Radial from Centre of Curvature
„ Deflection Angles & Chords from the Tangent Point
„ Chords & ‘Double’ Chords
„ Intersection using two theodolites
„ Offsets
„ Polar Rays from Intersection Point
„ Polar Rays from Random Point
12 October 2006 GM 103: Geomatics 1
 Types of Curves
Circular Curve – constant radius
Transition Curve – varying radius

Department of Land Management

Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 2
 Horizontal Curves - Roads
„ straights and horizontal curves form the horizontal
alignment of the road or railway
„ Circular curves ensure that vehicles travel safely from
one straight section of road to another straight section
„ 2 main types of Horizontal curves:
„ Circular curves, Transition curves

Department of Land Management

Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 3
 Geometry of Circular Curve

P Q

Department of Land Management

Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 4
 Circular Curves
„ Two straights, PT and UQ in Figure 12.5 are
connected by a circular curve of radius R:
1. when projected forward, the straights meet at I, the
intersection point
2. angle θ at I is called the angle of intersection or the
deflection angle, and equals the angle subtended at O,
the centre of the curve
3. the curve commences at or from T and ends at U – these
points are called the tangent points
4. Distances TI and UI are the tangent lengths and are
calculated from: Tangent length (TL) = R tan θ/2
5. the length of curve TPU is the arc length and is obtained
from: Arc length = Rθ (where θ is in radians)
Department of Land Management
Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 5
 Circular Curves
6. distance TU is called the main chord or long chord and is
calculated from:
sin θ = SU = ½ chord TU
2 UO R
Î Long Chord TU = 2Rsinθ/2
7. IP is the external distance (or apex distance or crown
secant) from I to the midpoint (P) of the curve and is:
in triangle IUO, cos θ/2 = R/IO Î IO = R/cosθ/2 = Rsec θ/2
IP = IO – OP = IO – R = Rsecθ/2 – R
Î Crown Secant IP = R (sec θ/2 – 1)

8. distance PS is the rise or mid ordinate and equals:

in triangle USO, cosθ/2 = OS/OU = OS/R Î OS = R cos θ/2
but PS = PO – OS = R – OS = R – R cos θ/2
Î Mid Ordinate PS = R (1- cos θ/2 ) = R vers θ/2
Department of Land Management
Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 6
 Chainage along a circular curve

Department of Land Management

Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 7
 Through Chainage along a circular curve
„ Through Chainage : horizontal distance from the starting
point of a scheme to the particular point in question
„ In Figure 12.9 ~
„ if distance from start of route (Chn 0.00m) to tangent point T is
2115.50m, then chainage of T is 2115.50 and is written as: Chn
2115.50m
„ if route centre-line is being pegged or staked out at 20-m chord
intervals, then the peg immediately before T must have a chainage of
2100 m (integer no. of 20m intervals)
„ the next peg on the centre-line will therefore have a chainage of 2120
„ Î length of 1st subchord on curve from T will be (2120 – 2115.50) =
4.50m
„ similarly, if chord interval was 30m, peg chainage before T = 2100m and
next peg on the centre-line/curve would be 2130m then:
Î 1st subchord will be (2130 – 2115.50) = 14.50m
„ if chainage at I is known, then chainage at T = Chn I – TL
but chainage at U = Chn T + arc length (since chainage measured
along centre-line of curve or arc)
Department of Land Management
Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 8
 Setting out a Curve from the Centre of
Curvature : Radial Method

Comps:
Department of Land Management
Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 9
 Setting out a Curve from the Tangent
Point : Deflection Angles

Given arc lengths, radius and deviation angle (θ)

β1 (radians) = arc AB ; α1 = β1 ; Chord AB = 2R sin α1
Department of Land Management R 2
Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 10
 Curve Ranging: Deflection Angles from Tangent Point
Given arc lengths, radius and deviation angle (θ) :
„ β1 (radians) = arc AB ; α1 = β1 ; Chord AB = 2R sin α1
R 2
„ β2 (radians) = arc AC ; α2 = β2 ; Chord AC = 2R sin α2
R 2
etc.
„ β4 = θ ; α4 = θ/2 ; Chord AE = 2R sin α4
„ When the bearing AY is known bearings of the chords AB, AC, AD
and AE may be deduced, as may the bearings of the chords BC, CD
and DE. Chord lengths BC, CD and DE may be computed
„ Brg AB = Brg AY + α1 (α1 = β1/2 = δ1/2);
„ Brg BC = Brg AB + δ1+ δ2 ; Brg CD = Brg BC + δ2+ δ3 ;
2 2
„ Brg DE = Brg CD + δ3+ δ4 ; Brg YE = Brg DE + δ4 = Brg AY + θ
Department of Land Management
2 2
Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 11
 Chords & ‘Double’ Chords

Department of Land Management

Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 12
 Chords & ‘Double’ Chords
„ Computations :
All chords as shown should be computed i.e. bearings
and lengths. From A both B&C are set out; from C
both D&E are set out and a check is made back to B;
from E both F & G are set out and a check is made
back to D; F is checked from G. It is preferable that G
be set out independently initially (e.g. via the I.P. or
by chord AG) so that a close is obtained via the
double chords. Triple (or more) chords may also be
used with checks by chord length and offset (see No.
5). Alternatively, a series of single chords may be set
out.
Department of Land Management
Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 13
 4. Two Theodolites - Intersection
„ This requires that deflection angles (and /or
bearings) be computed from both tangent
points and that these angles (or bearings) be
intersected from theodolites, one at each T.P.

Department of Land Management

Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 14
 5. Offsets

Department of Land Management

Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 15
 Offsets
„ Computations: Compute the deflection angles (or
bearings) and chords lengths from A to B, C, D, E & F.
Drop the perpendiculars from B,C,D & E to the long
chord AF at J, K, L & M respectively. The results will
provide the perpendicular offsets JB, KC, LD & ME as
well as the lengths AJ, AK, AL & AM from which JK,
KL, LM & MF may be deduced. If chord lengths AB,
BC, CD, DE & EF are computed then these can be
measured as a check.
„ This method is particularly suitable for large radius
curves (where offsets are short) and has the
advantage that no theodolite is required once the
T.P.’s have been established.
Department of Land Management
Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 16
 Polar Rays from Intersection Point

Department of Land Management

Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 17
 Polar Rays from Intersection Point
„ Computations:
Compute the tangent lengths AY & EY and the
bearings and lengths of the chords AB, BC, CD & DE.
Coordinate all points (from a true or assumed origin)
and compute joins YB, YC & YD.

Department of Land Management

Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 18
 Polar Rays from Random Point
„ This is similar to No. 6. In this case the random point
must be connected to the alignment of the curve
through one (or more) of the tangent points and / or
the intersection point. Joins, from the coordinates,
are computed between the random point and the
points on the curve.
„ This method applies particularly at the construction
stage of a project (e.g. highway construction). With
EDM in particular, setting out can be done from
convenient points clear of construction.

Department of Land Management

Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GM 103: Survey Computations 1 Slide no. 19
 Department of Land Management
Faculty of Islands and Oceans
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC

Summary
„ Methods
„ Radial from Centre of Curvature
„ Deflection Angles and Chords
„ Chords
„ Intersection
„ Offsets
„ Intersection Point
„ Random Point
12 October 2006 GM 103: Geomatics 1