Setting out

Curves
Horizontal_Circular
• Purpose of circular curves is to join straight sections of
roads in such a way that vehicles can safely negotiate a
corner at the DESIGN SPEED.

Circular Curves
Circular Curves
• Circular curves form part of the geometric design process
of a road. Geometric design includes Vertical and
Horizontal alignment

Circular Curves
• Specified according to their design Radius
• Turn either to the Right or to the Left as observed in the
direction of increasing SKD’s (aka SV’s aka Ch)

Circular Curves
• Design information is displayed on the Layout drawing
and on the Longitudinal Section

Circular Curves
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Circular curves
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 Setting out of the curve requires some calculations to
produce setting out data.

Please tabulate your setting out data

Circular Curves
 Standard Formulas
𝒂
𝜶𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔 =
𝟐𝑹

𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒅 = 𝟐𝑹𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜹 or 𝟐𝑹𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜶

𝑰
𝑻𝑳 = 𝑹𝒕𝒂𝒏
𝟐

𝑨𝒓𝒄 𝑳𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 = 𝑹 × 𝑰𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔

Circular Curves
 MOST BASIC CURVE CENTRE LINE SETTING OUT
PROCEDURE FOR TECHNICIANS

Curve Right from BCC

• Set out the start and the end of the straights (PI’s)
• Measure the Tangent length from the PI back to the BCC and ECC
• Set up the instrument at the BCC and orientate 0°00’00” onto the PI (360°00’00”
for a LH curve)
• Turn off the off-set angle α1 and measure the distance to the first full SKD peg.
Place the centreline peg
• Turn off the cumulative off-set angle α1 + α2 and measure the distance to the next
SKD peg from the previous peg at the required peg interval. Place the peg.
• Continue to turn of the cumulative off-set angles until the last full SKD peg is
placed.
• To close on the ECC turn off the cumulative angles α1 + ∑α2 + α3 and measure the
balance of the length from the last full SKD to the ECC

Circular Curves
 EXAMPLE

Provide tabulated centreline setting out data for a right

hand circular curve in 20m peg intervals. The first
straight has its origin at SV 0m and has a total length
2140m. The radius of the curve is 600m and the
intersection angle of the straights is 18°24’00”

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 Draw the curve and fill in the data on the sketch

Circular Curves
 • Determine the tangent length using the formula,

𝑰
𝑻𝑳 = 𝑹𝒕𝒂𝒏
𝟐
• TL = 97.179m

Circular Curves
 FINDING THE SV OF THE BCC

As the tangent length is now known we can determine the

SV at the beginning of the curve.
The length of the straight was given as 2140m with the
origin at SV 0m.

The SV at the BCC is therefore….

2140m – 97.179m = SV 2042.821m (measured from the start

of the road)

Circular Curves
 FINDING THE SV AT THE ECC

From the BCC the road continues along the arc of the curve
until it meets the following straight. The point at which the
arc and the straight meet (at the end of the curve) is called
the ECC. To find the SV of the ECC we need to determine
the arc length and add it to the SV of the BCC.
𝜋
[ multiply by 180]
𝑨𝒓𝒄 𝑳𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 = 𝑹 × 𝑰𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔

Arc length = 192.684m

SV at ECC = SV 2235.505m

Circular Curves
 FINDING THE CHORD DEFLECTION ANGLES
Deflection angles for various chord lengths may be found using the
formula
𝒂
𝜶𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔 = 180
[Multiply by ( ) to get degrees]
𝟐𝑹 𝜋

In most cases a circular curve will have 3 different chord lengths

and thus 3 different chord deflection angles (α1 , α2 and α3)

The chord angles and lengths vary according to the peg interval selected
for the curve. PEGS ARE PLACED ON FULL SV’s in multiples of the
selected peg interval. In this case 20m intervals were specified.

Circular Curves
 FINDING THE CHORD DEFLECTION ANGLES

NB: for the setting out to be accurate chord length must be

𝑹
less than or equal to . When values are within this range
𝟐𝟎
the chord length is virtually the same as the arc length. This
simplifies calculations and creates a very small closing error.

Circular Curves
 FINDING THE CHORD DEFLECTION ANGLES

The first chord length is the difference between the next full
SV in the specified peg interval and the SV at the BCC.
In this case the fist chord length would be…

SV 2060m – SV 2042.821 = 17.179m

The next chord length(s) would be at the interval specified

(20m).

The final cord length would be

SV 2235.505m – SV 2220m = 15.505m

Circular Curves
 FINDING THE CHORD DEFLECTION ANGLES

With the three chord lengths known we can now apply the
formula and record the chord deflection angles.

Chord deflection Chord length angle

angle (α) (a) or (𝒍) DMS
α1 17.179m 0°49’13”
α2 20m 0°57’18”
α3 15.505m 0°44’25”

Circular Curves
 TABULATING THE SETTING OUT DATA

As the chord deflection angles have been established we can

compile the centreline setting out data table.
Road alignment is provided on full SV’s e.g. intervals of 5m,
10m, 20m. The curve data table will use the same interval
spacing as the road alignment or any other interval that may
be specified.
Remember that setting out starts on the BCC which will not
be a full SV.

Circular Curves
 SV Chord Instrument Polar distance Chord length

Type equation here.

deflection
angle
direction
(𝜹)
𝟐𝑹𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜹 peg to peg
𝟐𝑹𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜶
(α)

2042.821 - 0°00’00” - -
(BCC) (to PI)
2060 0°49’13” 0°49’13” 17.179m 17.179m

2080 0°57’18” 1°46’31” 37.175m 20.000m

2100 0°57’18” 2°43’49” 57.161m 20.000m

2120 0°57’18” 3°41’07” 20.000m

2140 0°57’18” 4°38’25” 20.000m

2160 0°57’18” 5°35’43” 20.000m

2180 0°57’18” 6°33’01” 20.000m

2200 0°57’18” 7°30’19” 20.000m

2220 0°57’18” 8°27’37” 20.000m

2235.505 0°44’25” 9°12’02” 191.868m 15.503m

(ECC)

Circular Curves Must = 2

I = 𝐴𝑟𝑐 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ?
 Exercise:

Provide tabulated centreline setting out data for a left

hand circular curve in 20m peg intervals. The first
straight has its origin at SV 0m and has a total length
1140m. The radius of the curve is 600m and the
intersection angle of the straights is 18°24’00”

Circular Curves
• Roads are not constructed around centreline pegs. During
construction profiles are placed along the edge of the road to
delineate the road horizontal alignment. These profiles are
also used to construct the road to the correct vertical
alignment.

• When setting out a curve these profiles are placed

perpendicular to the road centre line. The line extends from
the origin of the curve radius through the centreline pegs on
the curve.

• The profiles are offset at a standard distance from the

centreline. Enough space must be allowed for the box-cut and
working space for the grader.

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