“I can do all things through Christ,

who gives me strength”

—Phil. 4:13
SPIRAL
CURVE
90⁰-I/2

90⁰-Ic/2
SPIRAL CURVE
- The spiral is a curve which has a
varying radius. It is used on railroads
and some modern highways. Its
purpose is to provide a transition
from the tangent to a simple curve or
between simple curves in a
compound curve.
In engineering construction, the surveyor
often inserts a transition curve, also known
as a spiral curve, between a circular curve
and the tangent to that curve. The spiral is a
curve of varying radius used to gradually
increase the curvature of a road or railroad.
Spiral curves are used primarily to reduce
skidding and steering difficulties by gradual
transition between straight-line and turning
motion, and/or to provide a method for
adequately super-elevating curves.
The spiral curve is designed to provide for a
gradual super-elevation of the outer pavement
edge of the road to counteract the centrifugal
force of vehicles as they pass. The best spiral
curve is one in which the super-elevation
increases uniformly with the length of the spiral
from the TS or the point where the spiral curve
leaves the tangent. The curvature of a spiral must
increase uniformly from its beginning to its end. At
the beginning, where it leaves the tangent, its
curvature is zero; at the end, where it joins the
circular curve, it has the same degree of
curvature as the circular curve it intercepts
ELEMENTS OF SPIRAL CURVE
1. TS = the point of change from tangent to spiral
2. SC = the point of change from spiral to circular
curve
3. CS = the point of change from circular curve to
spiral
4. ST = the point of change from spiral to tangent
5. SS = the point of change from one spiral to
another (not shown in the figure)
Note: The symbols PC and PT, TS and ST, and SC
and CS become transposed when the
direction of stationing is changed.
ELEMENTS OF SPIRAL CURVE
6. i = the angle between the tangent at the TS and the
chord from the TS to any point on the spiral
7. ic= the angle between the tangent at the TS and the
chord from the TS to the SC
8. b = the angle at any point on the spiral between the
tangent at that point and the chord from the TS
9. B = the angle at the SC between the chord from the TS
and the tangent at the SC
10. c = the chord from any point on the spiral to the TS
11. C = the chord from the TS to the SC
 ELEMENTS OF SPIRAL CURVE
12. D = the degree of curve at any point on the spiral
13. Dc = the degree of curve of the circular arc
14. Sc = Spiral angle at S.C.
15. I = the angle of intersection between initial and final
tangents; the total central angle of the circular curve
and spirals
16. Ic = the angle of intersection of the simple curve
17. k = the increase in degree of curve per station on the
spiral
ELEMENTS OF SPIRAL CURVE
18. L = the length of the spiral from the TS to any given
point on the spiral
19. Lc = length of the spiral from TS to SC
20. P = Length of throw. The ordinate of the offsetted PC;
the distance between the tangent and a parallel
tangent to the offsetted curve
21. r = the radius of the osculating circle at any given
point of the spiral
22. Rc = the radius of the simple curve
23. s = the length of the spiral in stations from the TS to
any given point
 ELEMENTS OF SPIRAL CURVE
24. S = the length of the spiral in stations from the TS to the SC
25. u = the distance on the tangent from the TS to the
intersection with a tangent through any given point on the
spiral
26. L.T. = the distance on the tangent from the TS to the
intersection with a tangent through the SC; the spiral Long
Tangent
27. v = the distance on the tangent through any given point from
that point to the intersection with the tangent through the
TS
28. ST = the distance on the tangent through the SC from the SC
to the intersection with the tangent through the TS; the
short tangent of the spiral
 ELEMENTS OF SPIRAL CURVE
29. x = the tangent distance from the TS to any point on the
spiral
30. xc = the tangent distance from the TS to the SC
31. Y = the tangent offset of any point on the spiral
32. Yc = the tangent offset of the SC
33. Z = the tangent distance from the TS to the offsetted PC (Z
= X/2, approximately)
34. Ts = the tangent distance of the spiraled curve; distance
from TS to PI, the point of intersection of tangents
35. Tc = the tangent distance for the circular curve
36. Es = the external distance of the offsetted curve
PI or V – Vertex or Point of intersection of Sc - the Spiral angle at S.C.
tangents from TS and ST ic - the angle between the tangent at
T.S. - Point of change from tangent to spiral the TS and the chord from the TS
PI or V to the SC
S.C.- Point of change from spiral
to curve I - the angle of intersection between
90⁰-I/2 initial and final tangents
C.S. - Point of change from curve
to spiral Ic - Angle of intersection of the
Short Tangent (ST) Tc simple curve

Yc - tangent offset of the SC

V1
90⁰-Ic/2
C
ic
S.T. - Point of change from
spiral to tangent
Ts = Tangent distance of the
spiraled curve
Xc - tangent distance from TS to SC
L.T. - Long Tangent of the Spiral
Rc - Radius of the simple curve
ST - Short Tangent of the Spiral
Lc - Length of spiral from TS to SC
C - Chord from the TS to the SC
IMPORTANT FORMULAS FOR SPIRAL CURVE:
𝐋𝟐 𝟏𝟖𝟎 (spiral angle at any point on the spiral)
1. S = x
𝟐 𝐑 𝐜 𝐋𝐜 𝝅

𝑫𝒄 𝑳𝒄
2. Sc = (spiral angle at S.C.) arc basis, metric system
𝟒𝟎

𝐋𝐜 𝟏𝟖𝟎
3. Sc = x (spiral angle at S.C.)
𝟐 𝐑𝐜 𝝅

𝐋𝟐𝐜 (offset distance from tangent at S.C.)

4. Xc =
𝟔𝐑 𝐜
IMPORTANT FORMULAS FOR SPIRAL CURVE:
𝐋𝟑
5. X = 𝑿𝒄 𝟑 (offset distance from tangent at any point on
𝑳𝒄
the spiral)

𝐒
6. i = (deflection angle at any point on the spiral)
𝟑

𝐋𝟓 (distance along tangent at any point in

7. Y = L-
𝟒𝟎 𝐑𝟐𝐜 𝐋𝟐𝐜
the spiral.)
𝐋𝟑𝐜 (distance along tangent at S.C. from T.S.)
8. Yc = 𝑳𝒄 −
𝟒𝟎𝑹𝟐𝒄
IMPORTANT FORMULAS FOR SPIRAL CURVE:
𝑳𝒄 𝑿𝒄 𝑰
9. Ts = + (𝑹𝒄 + ) tan (tangent distance for spiral)
𝟐 𝟒 𝟐

𝑿𝒄 𝑰
10. Es = (Rc + ) sec – Rc (External distance)
𝟒 𝟐

11. Ic = I – 2 sc (angle of intersection of simple curve)

𝒙𝒄 𝑳𝒄 𝟐
12. P = = (length of throw)
𝟒 𝟐𝟒𝑹𝒄
IMPORTANT FORMULAS FOR SPIRAL CURVE:
𝟎.𝟎𝟎𝟕𝟗 𝐊 𝟐 (super-elevation) where K is the
13. e =
𝐑 velocity/speed in kph)

𝟎.𝟎𝟎𝟒 𝐊 𝟐 (considering 75% of K to counteract

14. e =
𝐑 the super-elevation)

𝟎.𝟎𝟑𝟔 𝑲𝟑 (desirable length of spiral)

15. Lc =
𝑹

𝒊 𝑳𝟐 (deflection angles vary as the square

16. = 𝟐
𝒊𝒄 𝑳𝒄 of the length from the T.S.)
IMPORTANT FORMULAS FOR SPIRAL CURVE:
𝑫 𝑳 (degree of curve varies directly with the
17. =
𝑫𝒄 𝑳𝒄 length from the T.S.)

𝟎.𝟎𝟎𝟒 𝐊 𝟐 (considering 75% of K to counteract

14. e =
𝐑 the super-elevation)

𝟎.𝟎𝟑𝟔 𝑲𝟑 (desirable length of spiral)

15. Lc =
𝑹

𝒊 𝑳𝟐 (deflection angles vary as the square

16. = 𝟐
𝒊𝒄 𝑳𝒄 of the length from the T.S.)
Problems
1. A 4° 05’ 33” circular curve based on a 20 m. arc
connects the tangents intersecting at an angle of
50°. It is to be replaced by another having 80 m.
spirals at its ends such that the points of
tangency shall be the same. Find
a. the radius of the new curve
b. The distance the curve will move nearer the
vertex.
c. The central angle of the circular curve.
d. The deflection angle of the end point of spiral.
e. The distance along tangent of the midpoint of
spiral.
Solution: V
48⁰
D = 4⁰ 5’ 33” (arc basis), I = 50⁰,
Lc = 20 m. SC
}h
Ic
CS
𝟏,𝟏𝟒𝟓.𝟗𝟏𝟔 𝟏,𝟏𝟒𝟓.𝟗𝟏𝟔
R= = TS
𝑫 𝟒⁰ 𝟎𝟓′ 𝟑𝟑" PC
Rc Rc ST
R = 280 m. PT

𝐓𝐬 𝐓𝐬
Tan 25⁰ = = R 24⁰
𝐑 𝟐𝟖𝟎 R
48⁰
Ts = 130.57 m.
𝑳𝒄 𝑿𝒄 𝑰 O
Ts = + (𝑹𝒄 + ) tan 1. A 4° 05’ 33” circular curve based on a 20 m. arc connects the tangents
𝟐 𝟒 𝟐 intersecting at an angle of 50°. It is to be replaced by another having 80 m. spirals
at its ends such that the points of tangency shall be the same. Find
𝑳𝒄𝟐 𝒙𝒄 𝑳𝒄𝟐 a. the radius of the new curve
xc = = b. The distance the curve will move nearer the vertex.
𝟔𝑹𝒄 𝟒 𝟐𝟒𝑹𝒄 c. The central angle of the circular curve.
d, The deflection angle of the end point of spiral.
e. The distance along tangent of the midpoint of spiral.
Solution: V
𝑳𝒄 (𝟖𝟎)𝟐 48⁰
Ts = + (𝑹𝒄 + ) tan 25⁰
𝟐 𝟐𝟒𝑹𝒄
Ic
𝟖𝟎 𝑳𝒄𝟐 𝑰 SC
130.57 = + (𝑹𝒄 + ) tan }h CS
𝟐 𝟐𝟒𝑹𝒄 𝟐
TS
PC
Rc Rc ST
R = 286.479 m. PT

𝐓𝐬 𝐓𝐬
Tan 25⁰ = = R 24⁰
𝐑 𝟐𝟖𝟔.𝟒𝟕𝟗 R
48⁰
Ts = 127.549 m.
O
1. A 4° 05’ 33” circular curve based on a 20 m. arc connects the tangents
intersecting at an angle of 50°. It is to be replaced by another having 80 m. spirals
at its ends such that the points of tangency shall be the same. Find
𝑳𝒄𝟐 𝒙𝒄 𝑳𝒄𝟐 a. the radius of the new curve
xc = = b. The distance the curve will move nearer the vertex.
𝟔𝑹𝒄 𝟒 𝟐𝟒𝑹𝒄 c. The central angle of the circular curve.
d, The deflection angle of the end point of spiral.
e. The distance along tangent of the midpoint of spiral.
Problems:
2. Two tangents having azimuths of 240° and 282°
are connected by an 80 m. spiral curve with a
6° circular curve. The width of the roadway is
10 m. If the design velocity is 60 kph,
determine the following:
a. superelevation at quarter points
b. deflection angle at the end points (S.C,)
c. external distance
Problem Sets:
1. A spiral curve was laid out in a certain portion
of the Iloilo coastal road. It has a length of
spiral of 80m. And an angle of intersection of
the two tangents of 42°. If the degree of curve
is 5°, determine the following elements of the
spiral curve to be laid out:
a. Length of long and short tangent
b. External distance
c. Length of throw
d. Maximum velocity that a car could pass
through the curve without skidding.
Seatwork:
2. The length of a spiral curve is 80 m.. With a
radius of 280 m. at the central curve.
a. Determine the offset distance from the
tangent on the first quadrant point of the
spiral
b. Compute the length of throw for the spiral
curve
c. What is the maximum velocity that a car
could pass through the easement curve.