MODULE 10: Compound Curves (Circular Curve)
Topics:
Elements of a Compound Curve
Field procedure in locating P.C. and P.T.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the course the students should be able to explain fully the concepts and
application of compound curve, a classification of circular curves.
Discussion:
A compound curve is two or more simple curves which have different centers, bend in
the same direction, lie on the same side of their common tangent, and connect to form a
continuous arc. The point where the two curves connect (namely, the point at which the PT of
the first curve equals the PC of the second curve) is referred to as the point of compound
curvature (PCC).
Elements of a Compound Curve
𝑃𝐼 =Point of Intersection
𝑃𝐶 = Point of Curvature
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝑇 − 𝐿 − 𝐿
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶𝐶 − 𝐿
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐼 − 𝑥 − 𝑇
𝑃𝐶𝐶 = Point of Compound Curve
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶𝐶 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶 + 𝐿
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶𝐶 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝑇 − 𝐿
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶𝐶 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐼 − 𝑥 − 𝑇 + 𝐿 𝐿
𝑃𝑇 = Point of Tangency 𝐿
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝑇 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶 + 𝐿 + 𝐿
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝑇 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐼 − 𝑥 − 𝑇 + 𝐿 + 𝐿
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝑇 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶𝐶 + 𝐿
𝑅 = Radius of the curve PC to PCC
𝑅 = Radius of the curve PCC to PT
𝐼 = Angle of Intersection/Central Angle
𝐼 =𝐼 +𝐼
𝑇 = Tangent Distance of first curve
𝑇 = Tangent Distance of second curve
𝑇 + 𝑇 = Length of common Tangent
=measured from 𝑉 𝑡𝑜 𝑉
𝑉 = Vertex of the first curve
𝑉 = Vertex of second curve
𝐿𝐶 = Long Chord from PC to PT
𝐿𝐶 = Length of first chord
𝐿𝐶 = Length of second chord
𝐿 = Length of first curve
𝐿 = Length of second curve
𝜃 = 180° − 𝐼
𝑥 and 𝑦 can be found from triangle 𝑉 𝑉 𝑃𝐼
1
Note: 𝑃𝐼 to 𝑃𝐶𝐶 is not a straight line
Sample Problems
Problem 1. The common tangent of AB of a compound curve is 76.42m with azimuth
of 268°30′. The azimuth of the tangents AV and VB was measured to be 247°50′ and 282°50′,
repectively. Of the stationing of A is 43 + 010.46 and the degree of the first curve was fixed at 4°
based on the 20m chord. Using Chord basis.
a. Determine the stationing of PC
b. Determine the stationing of PCC
c. Determine the stationing of the PT
Note: if not mentioned, use arc basis always
ARC BASIS CHORD BASIS
20 2𝜋𝑅 𝜋𝑅𝐼 𝐷 10 𝐼 (20)
= 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐿 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐿 =
𝐷 360 180 2 𝑅 𝐷
Solution:
Given: Sta. A = 43 + 010.4
2
𝑇 + 𝑇 = 76.42𝑚
𝐷 = 4°
a. Stationing of PC
Using Chord Basis
𝐷 10
𝑠𝑖𝑛 =
2 𝑅
4° 10
𝑠𝑖𝑛 = ; 𝑅 = 286.537𝑚
2 𝑅
° .
𝑇 = 𝑅 𝑡𝑎𝑛 = 286.537𝑡𝑎𝑛 = 286.537𝑡𝑎𝑛 = 52.246𝑚
Sta PC = Sta. A − 𝑇 = (43 + 010.46) − 52.246
Sta PC = 42 + 958.214
b. Stationing of PCC
𝐼 (20)
𝐿 = = 103.335
𝐷
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶𝐶 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶 + 𝐿
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶𝐶 = (42 + 958.214) + 103.335
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶𝐶 = 43 + 061.545
c. Stationing of PT
𝑇 + 𝑇 = 76.42; 𝑇 = 76.42 − 52.245 = 24.175𝑚
° .
𝑇 = 𝑅 𝑡𝑎𝑛 ; 24.175 = 𝑅 𝑡𝑎𝑛 = 𝑅 𝑡𝑎𝑛 ; 𝑅 = 192.269𝑚
𝐷 10 𝐷 10 𝐷 10 10
𝑠𝑖𝑛 = ; 𝑠𝑖𝑛 = ; = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 ; 𝐷 = 2𝑠𝑖𝑛 5.96°
2 𝑅 2 192.264 2 192.264 192.264
𝐼 (20)
𝐿 = = 48.097𝑚
𝐷
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝑇 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶𝐶 + 𝐿
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝑇 = (43 + 061.545) + 48.097
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝑇 = 43 + 109.642
3
Problem 2. The long chord from the PC to the PT of a compound curve is 300𝑚 long and the
angles it makes with the longer and shorter tangents are 12° and 15° respectively. If the
common tangent is parallel to the long chord.
a. Fine the radius of the first curve
b. Find the radius of the second curve.
Solution
Given
𝐿𝐶 = 300𝑚 ∅
𝐼 = 12°
𝐼 = 15°
a. Radius of the first curve
∅ = 180 − 6 − 7.5 = 166.5°
Considering triangle ABC
= ; 𝐴𝐶 = 167.739𝑚
. ° . °
= ; 𝐵𝐶 = 134.329𝑚
. ° °
/
sin =
𝑅 = 802.36𝑚
b. Radius of the second curve
/
sin =
𝑅 = 514.55𝑚
4
Problem 3. The elements of a compound curve are as follows:
𝐼 = 18°
𝐼 = 23.5°
𝐷 = 2°
𝐷 = 4°
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐼 = 42 + 089.6
Find the stationing of PC.
Solution
Since it is not mentioned: use arc basis
2𝜋𝑅 20
= ; 𝐷 = 2°; 𝐷 = 4°
360 𝐷
𝑅 = 572.958𝑚; 𝑅 = 286.479𝑚
𝑡𝑎𝑛 = ; tan(9°) = ; 𝑇 = 90.748𝑚
.
𝑡𝑎𝑛 = ; tan(11.75°) = ; 𝑇 = 59.588𝑚
.
5
.
= ; 𝑥 = 90.469𝑚
. .
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐼 − 𝑥 − 𝑇
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶 = (42 + 089.6) − 90.469 − 90.748𝑚
𝑆𝑡𝑎 𝑃𝐶 = 41 + 908.383