AML710 CAD

LECTURE 11

SPACE CURVES

Space Curves
Intrinsic properties
Synthetic curves

SPACE CURVES
A curve which may pass through any region of threedimensional space, as contrasted to a plane curve
which must lie on a single plane.
Space curves are very general form of curves
The generation of curves is a problem of curve fitting for
given set of points or approximating a curve for these data
points

Curve Applications
Many real engineering designs need curved mechanical
parts, civil engineering designs, architectural designs,
aeronautics, ship building

Synthetic Curves
The limitations of the analytic curves prompt us to
study the synthetic curves

SPACE CURVES - Definitions

Curve definition
A continuously differentiable curve (function) is called
smooth. To define the curvature it is convenient to use
the Frenet frame, which is actually a pair of orthogonal
coordinates having origin at the point of interest, P.
n
b
P

Frenet Frame

Curvature
Frenet formulae

dt
= k ( s).v( s ).n( s )
ds
dn
= k ( s ).v( s ).t ( s )
ds

Binormal b=txn

SPACE CURVES
An example of a space curve
A helix can be generated by the following parametric
relations x = r cos t
y = r sin t
z = bt

r , b 0, t

50
40
30
20
10
0
5
5
0

0
-5

-5

SPACE CURVES
Exercise 1
A cubical parabola can be generated by the following
parametric relations. Generate the space curve
and also its components (x,t), (y,t) and (z,t).
x=t
y = t2
z = t3

0 t 1

SPACE CURVES
Another example of a space curve
The seam on a tennis ball can be generated by the following
parametric relations
x = a cos( + 4 ) b cos 3( + 4 )

y = a sin( + 4 ) b sin 3( + 4 )
z = c sin(2 )

c 2 = 4ab, = 2t ;0 t 1

SPACE CURVES
A conical helix can be generated by the following
parametric relations with frequency a and height of
the cone h
hz
x=

r cos(az )
h
hz
y=
r sin(az )
h
z=z
0 zh

FUNDAMENTAL THEOREM OF SPACE CURVES

If two single-valued continuous functions k(s) (curvature) and
t(s) (torsion) are given for s>0, then there exists exactly one
space curve, determined except for orientation and position
in space, where s is the arc length, k is the curvature, and t
is the torsion.
In other words, a relation f(k,t,s)=0 uniquely defines the space
curve.
The spherical curve taken by a ship which travels from the south pole to
the north pole of a sphere while keeping a fixed (but not right) angle
with respect to the meridians. The curve has an infinite number of loops
since the separation of consecutive revolutions gets smaller and smaller
near the poles.
It is given by the parametric equations

x = cos t cos c
y = sin t sin c
z = sin c

c = tan 1 (at )

Serret-Frenet Formulae for SPACE CURVES

t 0
D n =
b 0

0 t
0 n
0 b

Here all quantities are functions of s, the arc length

which is a natural parameter for this situationt(s),
n(s), b(s) are all functions of s.

b = tn
Db = n

Synthetic Curves
When we combine polynomial segments to represent a desired curve, it is
called a synthetic curve

Generation

Piecewise splines of low degree polynomials are

combined to construct a curve
Low degree polynomials both reduce the computational
effort and numerical instabilities that arise with higher
degree curves.
However as low degree polynomials cannot span a large
number of points, small segments of these curves are
blended together to construct any desired curve in the
practical design applications
A common technique is to use series of cubic spline
segments with each segment spanning only two points.
Cubic spline is the lowest degree curve which allows a
point of inflection and which has the ability to twist
through space.

Types of Synthetic Curves

1. Cubic spline
2. Bezier Curve
3. B-spline Curve

Local control Vs Global Control

This aspect is application driven. How and where the
slope, curvature etc are specified.
Smoothness and Order of Continuity
This gives an idea about the change of curvature

ORDER OF CONTINUITY
Curves are represented by joining segments of splines
(piecewise polynomials) connecting them end to end.
Therefore, the type or order of continuity becomes
important for accepting them in design applications. The
minimum continuity requirement is position continuity. This
ensures the physical connectivity between different
segments of the curve
POSITION CONTINUITY C0 CONTINUITY

P3(t)
P2(t)

P1(t)

Q1(t)

P3(t) = Q1(t)
Q2(t)

Q3(t)

SLOPE CONTINUITY C1 CONTINUITY

Q1(t)
P3(t)

P2(t)

P1(t)

Q2(t)

P3 (t ) = Q1 (t )

Q3(t)

P3 ' (t ) = Q1 ' (t )

CURVATURE CONTINUITY C2 CONTINUITY

P3(t)

Q1(t)

P2(t)
Q2(t)
P1(t)

P3 (t ) = Q1 (t )

Q3(t)

P3 ' (t ) = Q1 ' (t )

P3 (t ) = Q1 (t )