CURVES

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 CURVES
IRICEN BOOK ON
“RAILWAY CURVES”

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 WHAT & WHY?
•Curve is a line of which no part is
straight and which changes
direction without angles
•Necessity arises due to physical &
geographical features
– Necessary evil
– Impediments for higher speeds
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 APEX DISTANCE

OPTION I (Min.
Radius computed)

OPTIMUM
OPTION

OPTION II

CHOOSING APPROPRIATE CURVE 7

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Wheel set on Curve

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 Guidance of wheel on track

• Straight track
– Sinusoidal motion
• Curved track
– Shifting of center of gravity of wheel set
– Actual guidance of the wheel flange by
the outer rail in sharper curves
• Slipping/skidding of wheels on sharp curves
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Angularity of axle while negotiating a
curve

Angle of
α attack

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 Curve designation
• On IR, curves are designated by degree
• Radius For Calculation
• Minimum Radius of Curve on BG – 175 m

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 DEGREE OF CURVE
ANGLE SUBTENDED BY 30.5m CHORD AT THE CENTRE

30.5m (100 feet )

D = 1750/R

R
R D

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ON IR, THE CURVES ARE MEASURED BY VERSINE-
WHICH IS MID CHORD OFFSET ON 20m CHORD

By Property Of Circle, V*(2R-V) = C/2*C/2

i.e. Versine, V = C2/8R [NEGLECTING V2]
If C=11.8m, the V in cm will give degree of curve

V
C 2R-V
R
2R C
V
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 PARAMETERS OF CURVES
• RADIUS, R AND DEGREE OF CURVE, D
• ACTUAL CANT Ca
• CANT DEFICIENCY Cd
• CANT EXCESS Cex
• EQUILIBRIUM CANT Ce / EQUILIBRIUM
SPEED Ve
• RATE OF CHANGE OF ACTUAL CANT rca
• RATE OF CHANGE OF CANT DEFICIENCY
rcd
• CANT GRADIENT, i
• LENGTH OF TRANSITION, L
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 Effects of curves
• Vehicle (Mass–M) Running at Speed
of V on a Curve of Radius R
experiences A Centrifugal Force =
MV2/R
• UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS
– Possible passenger discomfort
– Possible displacement of loads
– Risk of vehicle overturning 17
 Effects of curves
• Risk of derailment
• High lateral force resulting in
maintenance problems
– Wear of rail & wheel flange
– Lateral force on track structure
– Curve resistance

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 Compensation for curvature
on gradient
• Compensation allowed on
Gradients due to Curvature
– 70/R %
– 0.04% PER DEGREE

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Superelevation/ Cant

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SUPERELEVATION / CANT
• The effect of centrifugal force is
eliminated/reduced by raising the
outer rail by a specified amount.
This raising of outer rail over inner
rail is called
SUPERELEVATION/CANT
• The force due to the raising of the
outer rail is exerted inwards and is
called CENTRIPETAL FORCE
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 Advantages of Superelevation

• It ensures better distribution of load on

both rails
• It reduces wear and tear of rails and rolling
stock.
• It helps to neutralize the effect of lateral
forces.
• It helps to reduce discomfort to
passengers.
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 VEHICLE ON A CANTED
TRACK

Centrifugal 
Force
Centripetal Force Wsinθ

SE
G


W
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 EQUILIBRIUM CANT
When on circular motion , if the resultant of weight &
centrifugal force is perpendicular to the plane of rail &
passes through the center of track, the
corresponding speed is called EQUILIBRIUM
SPEED & the cant is called EQUILIBRIUM CANT.
In this case Centrifugal force gets fully balanced with
the weight component.

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 EQUILIBRIUM CANT
W*sinθ = Centrifugal Force = M*V2/R
i.e. M*g*SE/G = M*V2/R
i.e. Equilibrium Cant, SE=G*V2/(g*R)
=G*V2/127*R

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 ACTUAL CANT Ca
• Maintenance criteria
– High cant will cause rolling of ballast & flattening
of inner rail
• Overturning at inner rail
– Sensitive to wind force
• Safety against derailment
– Empty wagon stopped & started
• Comfort criteria
– No appreciable discomfort upto 180 mm
• Limited to 1/8 to 1/10 of dynamic gauge
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 Maximum Cant
• EQUILIBRIUM CANT (406(1)(a))
– C=GV2/127 R
• MAXIMUM CANT (406(1)(d)(i))
– 185 MM for group A, B routes
– 165 MM for other routes

– Consider 185 MM cant for locating

the structures
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Cant Deficiency: fast trains

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 EFFECTS OF VEHICLE WITH
CANT DEFICIENCY
Speed more than equilibrium speed
Centrifugal force > Centripetal Force

• Ro>Ri

• More wear
on outer rail
SE gauge face
G
 29
 CANT DEFICIENCY Cd
• Comfort criteria
– Discomfort if Unbalanced Lateral Acceleration is
greater than 0.1g
• ULA = g/G * (Cd)
• ULA should be between 0.4 to 0.7 m/s2

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 VEHICLE WITH CANT
DEFICIENCY
Centrifugal force > Centripetal Force
Reaction On
Outer Rail Is
More Than Inner
 Rail, So Outer
Spring Deflects
More Than Inner
SE
G
Spring
 31
 VEHICLE WITH CANT
DEFICIENCY
Centrifugal force > Centripetal Force
Actual cant
deficiency
experienced by
 vehicle is more
than the
calculated value
SE
G
 32
 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• MAX. CANT DEFICIENCY(406(2))
– For Nominated Stock: 100/150 MM
– For Other Rolling stock : 75 MM

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Cant Excess: slow trains

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 EFFECTS OF VEHICLE WITH
CANT EXCESS
Speed less than equilibrium speed
Centrifugal force < Centripetal Force

• Ri>Ro

• More wear
on inner rail
SE top table
G
 35
 CANT EXCESS Cex
• No Comfort Consideration
• Maintenance consideration
–Excess wear on inner rail

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 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• CANT EXCESS (406(3))
– Max. 75 mm
–Sections carrying predominantly
goods traffic shall have less cant
to reduce wear on inner rail
–Worked out for booked speed of
goods trains. 37
Transition Curves

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 TRANSITION CURVE
Transition curve is an easement curve
introduced between straight & curved track
to facilitate gradual change of versines &
superelevation

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 REQUIREMENT FROM
TRANSITION CURVES
• Curvature shall vary uniformly with
distance
– Curvature 1/R
– Versines shall vary uniformly
• Cant shall vary uniformly
• Transition curve shall be tangential to the
straight as well as circular curve
– Radius infinity at junction with straight
– Radius R at junction with circular curve 40
DESIRABLE VERSINE AND CANT
DIAGRAM OF A CURVE

V Ca

Transition Transition

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 TRANSITION CURVE
•The spiral, which changes the direction
angle uniformly, is the ideal transition
•There is little difference in the layout of
the spiral and cubic parabola
•On Indian Railways, cubical parabola is
adopted as transition curve; with the
equation: y = kx3

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 SHIFT TRANSITION
CURVES

INSERTING TRANSITION CURVES 43

 SHIFT ON TRANSITION
CURVE
CIRCULAR CIRCULAR
EXTENDED CURVE WITH CURVE WITHOUT
CIRCULAR TRANSITION TRANSITION
CURVE

C D B

E
TRANSITION CURVE
S H TANGENT

S/2

A L/2 F L/2 G

SHIFT, S = L2/24R
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BG=L2/8R DE=L2/6R
 LENGTH OF TRANSITION
• COMFORT CRITERIA
– Rate of change of Cd shall not exceed 50
mm /sec (desirable) but can go upto 60
mm /sec in exceptional cases
– For slower speeds, the actual cant causes
similar comfort problems
– Rate of change of Ca shall not exceed 50
mm /sec (desirable) but can go upto 60
mm /sec in exceptional cases
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 LENGTH OF TRANSITION
• TWIST CRITERIA
– Cant gradient causes twist in track
– Cant gradient should not exceed 1.4
mm/m or 1 in 720
– In Exceptional Cases, it can be 2.8
mm/m or 1 in 360

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 LENGTH OF TRANSITION
• Desirable Length of
transition will be max. of
• L1 =0.0056 Ca*Vm
• L2 =0.0056 Cd*Vm
• L3 =0.72 Ca

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 LENGTH OF TRANSITION
• Minimum Length of
transition will be max. of
• L1 =0.0047 Ca*Vm
• L2 =0.0047 Cd*Vm
• L3 =0.36 Ca

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V

VIRTUAL
TRANSITION

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 VIRTUAL TRANSITION
• If there is no space for transition,
circular curve immediately follows
the straight but the Bogie Length
becomes the virtual transition
– For BG - 14.785 m
• Cant is provided in virtual transition length
– half in straight and half in circular curve

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REVERSE CURVES
Length of transition will
be MAX. of -
L1=0.0056*(Ca1+Ca2)*Vm
L2=0.0056*(Cd1+Cd2)*Vm
L3 =0.72 (Ca1+Ca2)

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 REVERSE CURVES
• For high speeds in Group A and B
routes, a straight with minimum length
of 50m length shall be kept
• Otherwise, increase the transition
length to eliminate the straight

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Compound Curves

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 COMPOUND CURVES
• For Compound Curves:
Length of transition will be MAX. of -
– L1 =0.0056 (Ca1-Ca2)*Vm
– L2 =0.0056 (Cd1-Cd2)*Vm
– L3 =0.72 (Ca1-Ca2)
– If length is coming less than virtual transition
then common transition is deleted and the cant is
run out on the length of virtual transition
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Vertical curves

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 VERTICAL CURVES
• Vertical Curves are provided at locations
where algebraic difference between the
grades is equal to or more than 0.4%
(4mm/m)
ROUTE Min. RADIUS (m)
A 4000
B 3000
C,D,E 2500
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Extra Clearances on curves:
Lean and Sway

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 CLEARANCE ON CURVES-
LEAN
L

L = H*Ca/G
H is the height of
the structure or
Ca
H
maximum height
of vehicle
whichever is less
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 ADDITIONAL ALLOWANCE
DUE TO SWAY
• Inside
–¼ of lean due to superelevation
• Outside
– Not to be considered if lean is there
• We do not take advantage of the
extra clearance given by lean away
from outer side structures 59
Extra Clearances on Curves:
Platforms and structures

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Clearance On Curves- Effect
of Chords

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 ADDITIONAL CLEARANCES
ON CURVES
OVER THROW Vo
CENTRE
LINE
OF
COACH

BOGIE
CENTRES CENTRE
14.7 LINE
OF
85 TRACK

Vo=14.785 /8*R
2
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 ADDITIONAL CLEARANCES
ON CURVESOVER THROW Vo
CENTRE
LINE END
OF COACH THRO
W VE

14.7 CENTRE
85 LINE

21.3 OF TRACK

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VE=(21.34 -14.785 )/8*R
2 2
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 EXTRA CLEARANCE DUE
TO CURVATURE
• Structures
• Inside of curve
– (VO+L+S) mm
• Outside of curve
– VE mm
• Platforms
• Inside of curve
– (VO+L+S-51) mm
• Outside of curve
– (VE-25)mm 64
Extra Clearances on
parallel curved tracks

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 EXTRA CLEARANCE DUE
TO CURVATURE
• BETWEEN ADJACENT TRACKS
VO+ VE+2*(L/4)
• In new works, if c/c track is 5300 mm, extra
clearance is to be provided for curves
beyond 5 degrees only.

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Turnouts taking off from
curve

Curved
Re
main
Line
Rs R
Rm

Straight Main Line 67

Similar flexure

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Contrary Flexure
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 Equivalent curvature
• The train moving on the turnout side
experiences dual curvature
– Due to the main line curve
– Due to the turnout itself
• The curvatures get added up
– Curvature=1/Radius

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 TURNOUT IN SIMILAR
FLEXURE
Re=Rm*Rs/(Rm+Rs)
Rm: MAIN LINE
RADIUS
Rs: SWITCH
RADIUS
Re: EQUIVALENT
RADIUS

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Turnout With Contrary
Flexure
• EQUIVALENT
RADIUS
Re=Rm*Rs/(Rm-Rs)

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 TURNOUTS OF CONTRARY
FLEXURE
• Curves of contrary flexure
– Equilibrium super elevation for turnout side
• C= G * V2 / (127 R)
• V: Speed (in kmph) for turnout,
– Superelevation For Main Line (Negative
Superelevation For Turnout) is 75-C

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Speed on curve having Turnout
• Trains move on main line as well as the
turnout side
– Allowable cant to be found after checking for
both the tracks
• Similar flexure: turnout side train moves with
slower speed and more cant is there on main line
so check for cant excess
• Contrary flexure: Turnout side train with Negative
cant. Check for cant deficiency

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 Restriction on turnouts on curves
• The turnouts have inbuilt curvature as a part of the design.
Therefore, it is desirable that laying of turnouts should normally be
avoided on curved main line from the consideration of maintainability
& comfort.
• If the laying of turnout on curved main line is inevitable due to site
constraints, following stipulations shall be followed:
(i) for laying of turnouts with 1 in 12 or flatter crossings taking
off from curve, it shall be ensured that the resultant lead curve radius as
well as the radius of main line curve shall not be less than 350m.
(ii) 1 in 8.5 turnout shall not be laid from inside of a curved track
(iii) 1 in 8½ turnout with curved switches may be laid from
outside of a curve up to five degree in exceptional circumstances with
the approval of PCE, where due to limitation of room it is not possible to
provide 1 in 12 turnout.

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CHECK RAILS ON CURVES

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 CHECK RAILS ON CURVES
TOO MUCH WEAR
ON OUTER RAIL IN
SHARP CURVES
CHECK
CLEAR-
RAIL
ANCE
• PARA 426 IRPWM
• CL. 4, CHAPTER 1, BG SOD
• ON CURVES OF 8 DEGREES & ABOVE
• MIN. CLEARANCE = 44 mm
• CLEARANCE = 44 + (G*-1676)/2
• G*: Actual wide gauge on the curve 77
 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• LATERAL WEAR ON RAILS IN CURVES
GROUP A AND B : 8 MM
– GROUP C AND D : 10 MM
• MINIMISING WEAR ON OUTER RAIL
– RAIL FLANGE LUBRICATORS SHALL BE
PROVIDED IN CURVES LESS THAN 600 M
RADIUS. FIRST LUBRICATOR SHALL BE
BEFORE START OF THE CURVE

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Example on T/O from curve
• A 1 in 8.5 turnout takes off from the outside
of 600 m radius curve having maximum
permissible speed of 130 kmph on this
route. Determine the cant to be provided
and also the permissible speed for
Rajdhani express and for other trains on
main line curve. A speed of 30 kmph is to
be provided on the turnout.

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Example on T/O from curve
• A 1 in 12 crossover is laid between two
curved parallel tracks having a radius of
600 m. Determine the cant to be provided
and maximum permissible speed on two
main line tracks. The sectional speed is
130 kmph and the speed on crossover is
30 kmph.

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