TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES

938 Aurora Boulevard, Cubao, Quezon City

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

Civil Engineering Department

CE 403
Engineering Surveying

Simple Curve Report

SUBMITTED BY:
Group 1
Group Leader:
Tabuzo, John Jake V.
Group Member:
Hautea, Dianne Rose
Laysico, Bernard
Llait, Rei Kenneth
Montero, Louise Alexandra

CE41FA2

SUBMITTED TO:
Engr. Alden N. De Guzman
Instructor
November 28, 2017
 SIMPLE CURVE

By studying, the surveyor learns to locate points using angle and distances. In construction
surveying, the surveyor must often establish the line of a curve for road layout or some other
construction.

The surveyor can establish curves of short radius, usually less than one tape length, by holding
one end of the tape at the center of the circle and swinging the tape in an arc, marking as many points as
desired.

As the radius and length of curve increases, the tape becomes impractical, and the surveyor
must use other methods. Measured angles and straight-line distances are usually picked to locate
selected points, known as stations, on the circumference of the arc.

A horizontal curve may be simple, compound, reverse, or spiral. Simple curve is an arc of a circle.
It is the most commonly used. The radius of the circle determines the “sharpness” or “flatness” of the
curve. The larger the radius, the “flatter” the curve.

A simple curve has the same radius throughout and is a single arc of circle, with two tangents
meeting at the intersection.

THE SIMPLE CURVE (Representation)

 ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE CURVE

 Point of Intersection (P.I.)

- the point where the back and forward tangents intersects, sometimes it is designated as
Vertex (V).
 Intersecting Angle (I/∆)

- the deflection angle (interior angle) of the P.I. Its value is either computer from the
preliminary traverse angles or measured in the field.
- equal to the central angle formed by two radii drawn from the center of the curve to the
P.C. and P.T.
 Radius of the curve (R)
- always perpendicular to back and forward tangents.
 Point of Curvature (P.C.)
- the point on the back tangent where the circular curve begins.
 Point of Tangency (P.T.)
- the point on the forward tangent where the curve ends.
 Length of Curve (Lc)
- it is the distance from P.C. to P.T. measured along the curve.
 Tangent Distance (T)
- The distance along the tangents from the P.I. to the P.C. or the P.T.
 Long Chord (C)
- straight line distance from the P.C. to the P.T.
 Sub-arc (c)
- curve distance from the P.C. to the first station or from P.T.
 External Distance (E)
- distance from the P.C. to the first station or from P.T.
 Middle Ordinate (M)
- distance from the midpoint of the curve to the midpoint of the long chord.
 Degree of Curve (D/∆)
- the sharpness or flatness of the curve.
- it is the angle at the center subtended by an arc of 20 meters.
- in metric system or 100 feet in English system. This is the method generally used in
Highway practice.

DERIVATION OF FORMULAS

1) Degree of curve: Arc Basis

a. Metric system:
By ratio and proportion:

b. English System
 (5 times the metric system)

2) Tangent Distance 5) Length of chord

3) External distance 6) Length of curve

4) Middle Ordinate

SAMPLE PROBLEM
1) Find BC & EC station, Length of Chord (C), Middle-ordinate (M), & External distance (E). (By
derivation method formula)
D =16�38'
Given: R = 1000 ft.
PI station 6+26.57

2) Find BC & EC, Radius (R), Tangent distance (T), External distance (E), Middle-ordinate (M), Length
of Curve (LC), & Length of Chord (C). (By Formula method)
 D=3� 45'
Given: D = 31�
PI station 10+631.74

LAYING OUT SIMPLE CURVE

I. To lay out the simple curve (arc definition) just computed above, you should usually use
 the procedure that follows.

1. With the instrument placed at the PI, the instrument man sights on the preceding PI or at a distant
station and keeps the chainman on the line while the tangent distance is measured to locate the PC.
After the PC has been staked out, the instrument man then trains the instrument on the forward PI to
locate the PT.

2. The instrument man then sets up at the PC and measures the angle from the PI to the PT. This angle
should be equal to one half of the I angle; if it is not, either the PC or the PT has been located in the
wrong position.

3. With the first deflection angle (3°10’) set on the plates, the instrument man keeps the chainman on
line as the first sub-chord distance (42.18 feet) is measured from the PC.

4. Without touching the lower motion screw, the instrument man sets the second deflection angle
(6°55’) on the plates. The chainman measures the chord from the previous station while the instrument
man keeps the head chainman on line.

5. The crew stakes out the succeeding stations in the same manner. If the work is done correctly, the last
deflection angle will point on the PT. That distance will be the sub chord length (7.79 feet) from the last
station before the PT.

II. INACCESSIBLE PI

1. Mark two intervisible points A and B on the tangents

so that line AB clears the obstacle.

2. Measure angles a and b by setting up at both A and B.

3. Measure the distance AB.

4. Compute inaccessible distance AV and BV using the formulas given in Figure below.

5. Determine the tangent distance from the PI to the PC on the basis of the

degree of curve or other given limiting factor.

6. Locate the PC at a distance T minus AV from the point A and the PT at a

distance T minus BV from point B.

 SOLVING AND LAYING OUT A SIMPLE CURVE

Now let’s solve and lay out a simple curve using the arc definition, which is the definition you
Willmore often use as an EA. In figure 11-10, let’s assume that the directions of the back and forward
tangents and the location of the PI have previously been staked, but the tangent distances have not
been measured. Let’s also assume that stations have been set as far as Station 18 + 00. The specified
degree of curve(D) is 15°, arc definition. Our job is to stake half-sat-tons on the curve.

SOLVING A SIMPLE CURVE

We will begin by first determining the distance from Station 18 + 00 to the location of
the PI. Since these points have been staked, we can determine the distance by field measurement. Let’s
assume we have measured this distance and found it to be 300.89 feet. Next, we set up a transit at
the PI and determine that deflection angle I is 75°. Since I always equal A, then is also 75°, Now we can
compute the radius of the curve, the tangent distance, and the length of curve as follows: