Review Innovations CE Review April 2025 – Surveying 3

SIMPLE CURVE 2. It is desired to lay out a curve at right angle. The curve is
Problem 1: compound with radius R1 equal to 310m and radius R2 equal to
Two tangents adjacent to each other having bearings N 65°30’ 260m. If the distance from the vertex to PC is 290 m, what is the
E and S 85°10’ E meet at station 11+157.98. If the radius of the distance from vertex to PT?
simple curve connecting these two tangents is 249.17 m,
determine the following: Situation 1:
a. Tangent Distance A simple curve has tangents AB and BC intersecting at a
b. Long Chord common point B. AB has an azimuth of 1800 and BC has an
c. Middle Ordinate azimuth of 2300. The stationing of the point of curvature at A is
d. External Distance 10+140.26. If the degree of curve of the simple curve is 40,
e. Degree of Curve determine the following:
f. Length of Curve 3. Length of the long chord
g. Stationing of PT 4. Stationing of a point “X” on the curve on which a line passing
through the center of the curve makes an angle of 580 with line
Problem 2: AB, intersects the curve at point “X”.
A simple curve has a radius of 120 m and an angle of
intersection of 36°. A new curve was designed such that the Situation 2:
new forward tangent is moved out at a perpendicular distance The common tangent BC of a reverse curve is 280 m and has an
of 12 m. Without changing the direction of the tangents and the azimuth of 3120. AB is tangent of the first curve whose azimuth
position of the PC remains the same, determine the following: is 2520 and a distance of 320 m while CD is tangent of the
a. Radius of the new curve second curve whose azimuth is 2180 and a distance of 260 m. If
b. Length of the new curve the radius of the second curve is 190 m, determine the
c. Stationing of the new PT if the PC is at Sta.10+020. following:
5. radius of the first curve
6. length of the second curve
COMPOUND CURVE 7. total area of road from A to D using a width of 10m
Problem 3:
A compound curve has the following elements: Situation 3:
I1= 30° I2= 24° A compound curve connects three tangents having an azimuth
D1= 4° D2= 5° of 254°, 270° and 280° respectively. The length of the chord is
If the stationing of the vertex is 4+620, 320 m long measured from the PC to the PT of the curve and is
a. Compute the length of the common tangent. parallel to the common tangent having an azimuth of 270°. If
b. Find the stationing of PC. the stationing of the PT is 6+520, determine the following:
c. Compute the length of long chord of the curve. 8. total length of curve
9. stationing of PCC
10. stationing of PC
REVERSE CURVE
Problem 4: Situation 4:
The perpendicular distance between two parallel tangents of The perpendicular distance between two parallel tangents of a
the reverse curve is 35 m. The azimuth of the back tangent is reversed curve is 7.5 m and the chord distance from the PC to
270° while the common tangent is 300°. The first radius of the the PT is equal to 65 m.
curve is 160m and the stationing of PRC is 2+578. Determine 11. Compute the central angle of the reversed curve.
the following: 12. Compute the common radius of the reversed curve.
a. Radius of the second curve. 13. If the stationing of PC is at 4+560.40, find the stationing of
b. Stationing of PC. PT.
c. Stationing of PT.
14. For a given intersection angle, tables of the functions of a
Problem 5: one-degree curve show the tangent distance to be 324 m. For
Given the lines and direction as follows: AB = 57.6 m due east, the same intersection angle and a curvature of 40, what is the
BC = 91.5 m, N 68° E, CD = 102.6 m, azimuth of 312°. A reverse value of the tangent distance?
curve is to connect these three lines thus forming the centerline
of a new road. If the first tangent has a distance of only ¼ that
of the common tangent measured from the point of intersection
of the first curve, determine the following:
a. Intersection angle of the first and second curve.
b. Radius of the first and second curve.
c. Total length of the new road.
Answers:
1. 285.33 m 8. 322.62 m
2. 270 m 9. 6+321.77
Problems for Practice: 3. 242.14 m 10. 6+197.38
1. Two tangents AB and BC intersect at an angle of 240. A point 4. 10+300.26 11. 13.250
P is located 21.03 m from point B and has a perpendicular 5. 132.07 m 12. 140.87 m
distance of 2.79 m from line AB. Calculate the radius of the 6. 311.72 m 13. 4+625.55
simple curve connecting the two tangents and passing point P. 7. 7500.20 m2 14. 81 m

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 Review Innovations CE Review April 2025 – Surveying 3

ELEMENTS OF A SIMPLE CURVE

Simple Curve – a circular arc, extending from one tangent to the next.
-Point of Curvature (PC) – point where the curve leaves the back tangent (first tangent).
-Point of Tangency (PT) – point where the curve joins the forward tangent (second tangent).
-Intersection Angle (I) – angle of intersection of tangents.
-Vertex or Point of Intersection (V or PI) – intersection of back tangent and forward tangent.
-Tangent Distance (T) – distance from vertex to the PC or PT.
-Chord Distance (C) – line connecting PC and PT.
-External Distance (E) – distance from the vertex to the curve.
-Middle Ordinate (M) – line joining the middle of the curve and the middle of the chord.

I 
a. T = R tan tangent distance d. L C = RI length of curve
2 180

I  I 
b. C = 2R sin long chord e. E = R  sec − 1 external distance
2  2 

1145 .916  I
c. D= degree of curve f. M = R1 − cos  middle ordinate
R  2

This review material is exclusively for the personal use of Review Innovations’ reviewees. Unauthorized reproduction, use, or
dissemination, uploading or downloading is strictly prohibited and shall be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.