CE 323: ENGINEERING SURVEYS LECTURE

SPIRAL CURVE

Spirals are used to overcome the abrupt change in

curvature and super elevation that occurs between
tangent and circular curve. The spiral curve is used to
gradually change the curvature and super elevation
of the road, thus called transition curve.

X
Xc
Y
Yc
Es

s
i

is
D
Dc

= length of throw or the distance from tangent

line that the circular curve has been offset
= offset distance (right angle distance) from
tangent to any point on the spiral
= offset distance (right angle distance) from
tangent to SC
= distance along tangent to any point on
spiral
= distance along tangent from TS to point at
right angle to SC
= external distance of the simple curve
= spiral angle from tangent to any point on the
spiral
= spiral angle from tangent to SC
= deflection angle from TS to any point on the
spiral, it is proportional to the square of its
distance
= deflection angle from TS to SC
= degree of spiral curve at any point
= degree of simple curve

Formulas for Spiral Curves

Distance along tangent to any point on spiral:

=

At L = Ls, Y = Yc, thus,

=

Offset distance from tangent to any point on the spiral:

At L = Ls, Y = Yc, thus,

=

Length of throw:
Elements of Spiral Curve
TS
= tangent to spiral
SC
= spiral to curve
CS
= curve to spiral
ST
= spiral to tangent
LT
= long tangent
ST
= short tangent
R
= radius of simple curve
Ts
= spiral tangent distance
Tc
= circular curve tangent
L
= length of spiral from TS to any point along
the spiral
Ls
= length of spiral
PI
= point of intersection
I
= angle of intersection
Ic
= angle of intersection of the simple curve

ENGR. S.R. DOMINGUEZ

Spiral angle from tangent to any point on the spiral (in

radians):

At L = Ls, = s, thus,

Deflection angle from TS to any point on the spiral:

= =

This angle is proportional to the square of its distance:

CE 323: ENGINEERING SURVEYS LECTURE

Tangent distance:

c.

= + ( + )

Angle of intersection of simple curve:

=
External distance:
=

Degree of spiral curve:

=

Super elevation:
=

Considering 75% of K to counteract the super

elevation:
.
=

Desirable length of spiral:

=

Illustrative Examples:
1.

2.

A spiral 80m long connects a tangent with a

630 circular curve. If the stationing of the TS
is 10 + 000, and the gauge of the tract on the
curve is 1.50m,
a. Determine the elevation of the outer rail
at the midpoint, if the velocity of the
fastest train to pass over the curve is
60kph.
b. Determine the spiral angle at the first
quarter point.
c. Determine the deflection angle at the
end point.
d. Determine the offset from the tangent at
the second quarter point.
A simple curve having a radius of 280m
connects two tangents intersecting at an
angle of 50. It is to be replaced by another
curve having 80m spirals at its ends such that
the point of tangency shall be the same.
a. Determine the radius of the new circular
curve.
b. Determine the distance that the curve will
nearer the vertex.

ENGR. S.R. DOMINGUEZ

3.

Determine the central angle of the

circular curve.
CE Board May 2010. The tangents of a spiral
curve form an angle of intersection of 25 at
station 2 + 058. Design speed is 80kph. For a
radius of central curve of 300m and a length
of spiral of 52.10m,
a. Find the stationing at the point where the
spiral starts.
b. Find the stationing of the start of central
curve.
c. Find the length of the central curve.