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FUNDAMENTALS
OF SURVEYING 2
Engr. Miguel G. Cabanit

AGENDA
Steps in Undertaking a Survey
Geometry of Circular Curves
Sharpness/Degree of Curve
1

Railroad and Highway Curves

Elements of a Simple Curve
Formula for the Elements of a Simple Curve
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Fundamentals of Surveying 2 3

STEPS IN UNDERTAKING A SURVEY

• Reconnaissance Survey
- a survey made without the use of basic surveying
equipment

• Preliminary Survey
- a survey made to pin and mark the points for
construction

• Final Survey
- a survey used/undertaken during the construction
phase

GEOMETRY OF
CIRCULAR CURVES
2
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Fundamentals of Surveying 2 5

IN THE STUDY OF CURVES, THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES

SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED:

1. An inscribed angle is measured by one half its intercepted arc.

A B
ѳ
∠ACB = (1/2) ∠AOB

O
C ѳ/2

Fundamentals of Surveying 2 6

IN THE STUDY OF CURVES, THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES

SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED:

2. Inscribed angles having the same or equal intercepted arc are equal

A B 3

∠ACB = ∠ADB

C ѳ
ѳ
D
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Fundamentals of Surveying 2 7

IN THE STUDY OF CURVES, THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES

SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED:

3. An angle formed by a tangent and a chord is measured by one half its

intercepted arc

A
ѳ/2
∠BAC = (1/2) ∠AOB
O ѳ C ∠ABC = (1/2) ∠AOB

ѳ/2
B

Fundamentals of Surveying 2 8

IN THE STUDY OF CURVES, THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES

SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED:

4. Tangents from an external point of a circle are equal

A 4

AC = BC
C

B
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SHARPNESS OF THE CURVE IS

EXPRESSED IN TWO (2) WAYS:

1. Degree of Curve (D) – Arc Basis

2. Degree of Curve (D) – Chord Basis

Fundamentals of Surveying 2 10

1. DEGREE OF CURVE (D) – ARC BASIS

is the angle at the center subtended by an arc of 20m. This is the method
generally used in the highway practice.

20 m
R
R D

R
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Fundamentals of Surveying 2 11

1. DEGREE OF CURVE (D) – ARC BASIS

is the angle at the center subtended by an arc of 20m. This is the method
generally used in the highway practice.

20 m 20 2𝜋𝑅
=
𝐷 360

D ( )
D=

.
D=
Perimeter = 2πR Perimeter = 20m
Angle = 360° Angle = D

Fundamentals of Surveying 2 12

1. DEGREE OF CURVE (D) – CHORD BASIS

is the angle at the center subtended by an chord of 20m.

20 m
10 m
6

sin =
D
D/2
R=
sin
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13

RAILROAD AND HIGHWAY CURVES

In highway or railroad construction, the curves most generally used
presently are circular curves although parabolic and other curves are
sometimes used. These types of curves are classified as Simple,
Compound and Reversed Curves.

14

SIMPLE CURVE
Point of Curvature (PC) – point of
tangency where the curve
PI
leaves the tangent I

Point of Tangency (PT) – point of

tangency where the curve 7

meets the other tangent

PC PT

Point of Intersection (PI) – point

of where the two tangents meet
I
Central Angle (I) – angle of
intersection of the tangents
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15

SIMPLE CURVE
Tangent Distance (T) – distance
measured from PC or PT to the
PI
vertex or PI I
T T
Length of Curve (LC) – arc length
from PC to PT
LC
PC PT
Long Chord (C) – straight line
drawn from PC to PT

Radius (R) – radius of the circular R I

curve

16

SIMPLE CURVE
External Distance (E) – distance
measured from the vertex to the
PI
midpoint of the curve I

Middle Ordinate (M) – measured T E T

from the midpoint of the curve 8

to the midpoint of the chord LC M

PC PT

R I
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Fundamentals of Surveying 2 17

FORMULA OF THE ELEMENTS OF A

SIMPLE CURVE

Tangent Distance
𝐓
𝐈 𝐓
𝐭𝐚𝐧 =
𝟐 𝐑

I/2 R 𝐈
𝐓 = 𝐑 𝐭𝐚𝐧
𝟐

Fundamentals of Surveying 2 18

FORMULA OF THE ELEMENTS OF A

SIMPLE CURVE
𝐈 𝐆𝐇
External Distance 𝐜𝐨𝐬 =
𝟐 𝐅𝐇
F 𝐆𝐇 = 𝐑
E F𝐇 = 𝐄 + 𝐑
𝐈 𝐑 9
G 𝐜𝐨𝐬 =
𝟐 (𝐄 + 𝐑)
R 𝐑
(𝐄 + 𝐑) =
I/2 𝐈
R 𝐜𝐨𝐬
𝟐
𝟏
(𝐄 + 𝐑) = 𝐑
H 𝐈
𝐜𝐨𝐬
𝟐
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Fundamentals of Surveying 2 19

FORMULA OF THE ELEMENTS OF A

SIMPLE CURVE
External Distance
𝟏
F 𝐄=𝐑 −𝐑
𝐈
𝐜𝐨𝐬
E 𝟐

G 𝟏 𝐈
= 𝐬𝐞𝐜
𝐈 𝟐
R 𝐜𝐨𝐬
𝟐
I/2 𝐈
R 𝐄 = 𝐑 𝐬𝐞𝐜 −𝐑
𝟐

H 𝐈
𝐄=𝐑 𝐬𝐞𝐜 −𝟏
𝟐

Fundamentals of Surveying 2 20

FORMULA OF THE ELEMENTS OF A

SIMPLE CURVE
Middle Ordinate 𝐈 𝐇𝐉
𝐜𝐨𝐬 =
𝟐 𝐆𝐇
F
𝐇𝐉 = (𝐑 − 𝐌)
G𝐇 = 𝐑
M 10

G J G
𝐈 (𝐑 − 𝐌)
𝐜𝐨𝐬 =
R 𝟐 𝐑
(𝐑 − 𝐌)
I/2 I/2 R 𝐈
𝐑 − 𝐌 = 𝐑 𝐜𝐨𝐬
𝟐
𝐈
H −𝐌 = 𝐑 𝐜𝐨𝐬 −𝐑
𝟐
𝐈
𝐌 = −𝐑 𝐜𝐨𝐬 +𝐑
𝟐
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Fundamentals of Surveying 2 21

FORMULA OF THE ELEMENTS OF A

SIMPLE CURVE
Middle Ordinate
𝐈
F 𝐌 = −𝐑 𝐜𝐨𝐬 +𝐑
𝟐

M
G J G 𝐈
𝐌 = 𝐑 − 𝐑 𝐜𝐨𝐬
𝟐
R
(𝐑 − 𝐌)
I/2 I/2 R
𝐈
𝐌 = 𝐑 𝟏 − 𝐜𝐨𝐬
𝟐
H

Fundamentals of Surveying 2 22

FORMULA OF THE ELEMENTS OF A

SIMPLE CURVE
𝐈 𝐆𝐉
Long Chord 𝐬𝐢𝐧 =
𝟐 𝐆𝐇
F 𝐆𝐉 = 𝐂/𝟐
G𝐇 = 𝐑
M C/2 𝐂 11
G J G 𝐈
𝐬𝐢𝐧 = 𝟐
𝟐 𝐑
R
(𝐑 − 𝐌)
I/2 R I/2 R 𝐂 𝐈
= 𝐑 𝐬𝐢𝐧
𝟐 𝟐
H
𝐈
𝐂 = 𝟐𝐑 𝐬𝐢𝐧
𝟐
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Fundamentals of Surveying 2 23

FORMULA OF THE ELEMENTS OF A

SIMPLE CURVE
Length of Curve
Perimeter = Lc
𝐋𝐜 Angle = I
R & P:
20 Lc
=
I D I
𝟐𝟎𝐈
Lc =
D
20m
Perimeter = 20m
Angle = D
D

STATIONING OF CURVES

Station PC = Station PI - T
Station PT = Station PC + LC
12

Standard Format for Stationing:

Station: 00+000.00