SPIRAL CURVES

De/inition
SpiIa/t aIe <ted to oveIcome tJe abI<pt cJange in c<Ivat<Ie and
t<peIe/evation tJat occ<It between tangent and ciIc</aI c<Ive. TJe
tpiIa/ c<Ive it <ted to gIad<a//y cJange tJe c<Ivat<Ie and
t<peIe/evation o/ tJe Ioad, tJ<t ca//ed tIantition c<Ive.
A tIantition c<Ive di//eIt /Iom a ciIc</aI c<Ive in tJat itt Iadi<t it a/wayt
cJanging. At one wo</d expect, t<cJ c<Ivet invo/ve moIe comp/ex
/oIm</ae tJan tJe c<Ivet witJ a conttant Iadi<t and tJeiI detign it moIe
comp/ex.

HittoIy
SpiIa/ c<Ivet weIe oIigina//y detigned /oI tJe Rai/Ioadt to tmootJ tJe
tIantition /Iom a tangent /ine into timp/e c<Ivet. TJey Je/ped to minimize
tJe weaI and teaI on tJe tIackt. SpiIa/ c<Ivet weIe imp/emented at a /ateI
date on JigJwayt to pIovide a tmootJ tIantition /Iom tJe tangent /ine into
timp/e c<Ivet. TJe JigJway engineeIt /ateI deteImined tJat mott dIiveIt
wi// nat<Ia//y make tJat tpiIa/ tIantition witJ tJe veJic/e; tJeIe/oIe,
tpiIa/ c<Ivet aIe on/y <ted on JigJwayt in tpecia/ catet today.
On eaI/y Iai/Ioadt, beca<te o/ tJe /ow tpeedt and wide-Iadi<t c<Ivet
emp/oyed, tJe t<IveyoIt weIe ab/e to ignoIe any /oIm o/ eatement, b<t d<Iing
tJe 19tJ cent<Iy, at tpeedt incIeated, tJe need /oI a tIack c<Ive witJ
gIad<a//y incIeating c<Ivat<Ie became appaIent. Rankine't 1862 "Civi/
EngineeIing" citet teveIa/ t<cJ c<Ivet, inc/<ding an 1828 oI 1829 pIopota/
bated on tJe "c<Ive o/ tinet" by Wi//iam GIavatt, and tJe c<Ive o/
adj<ttment by Wi//iam FIo<de aIo<nd 1842 appIoximating tJe e/attic
c<Ive. TJe act<a/ eq<ation given in Rankine it tJat o/ a c<bic c<Ive, wJicJ it
a po/ynomia/ c<Ive o/ degIee 3. TJit wat a/to known at c<bic paIabo/a at
tJat time.
In tJe UK, on/y /Iom 1845 wJen /egit/ation and /and cottt began to
conttIain tJe /aying o<t o/ Iai/ Io<tet and tigJteI c<Ivet weIe necettaIy,
did tJe pIincip/et ttaIt to be app/ied in pIactice.
TJe "tI<e tpiIa/", wJeIe tJe c<Ivat<Ie it exact/y /ineaI in aIc /engtJ, Ieq<iIet
moIe topJitticated matJematict (in paItic</aI, tJe abi/ity to integIate itt
intIintic eq<ation) to comp<te tJan tJe pIopota/t cited by Rankine. SeveIa/
/ate-19tJ cent<Iy civi/ engineeIt teem to Jave deIived tJe eq<ation /oI tJit
c<Ive independent/y (a// <nawaIe o/ tJe oIigina/ cJaIacteIization o/ tJit
c<Ive by LeonJaId E</eI in 1744). CJaI/et CIanda// givet cIedit to one E//it
Ho/bIook, in tJe Rai/Ioad Gazette, Dec. 3, 1880, /oI tJe /iItt acc<Iate
detcIiption o/ tJe c<Ive. AnotJeI eaI/y p<b/ication wat TJe Rai/way TIantition
SpiIa/ by AItJ<I N. Ta/bot, oIigina//y p<b/itJed in 1890. Some eaI/y 20tJ
cent<Iy a<tJoIt ca// tJe c<Ive "G/oveI't tpiIa/", attIib<ting it to Jamet
G/oveI't 1900 p<b/ication.
TJe eq<iva/ence o/ tJe Iai/Ioad tIantition tpiIa/ and tJe c/otJoid teemt
to Jave been /iItt p<b/itJed in 1922 by AItJ<I Lovat Higgint. Since tJen,
"c/otJoid" it tJe mott common name given tJe c<Ive, even tJo<gJ tJe
coIIect name (/o//owing ttandaIdt o/ academic attIib<tion) it "tJe E</eI
tpiIa/".

Ditc<ttion
A tpiIa/ c<Ive it /oI tJe tIantition o/ a veJic/e tIave/ing at a t<ttained tpeed
/Iom a ttIaigJt tangent to a ciIc</aI c<Ive. It it an attempt to appIoximate
tJe patJ /o//owed by a vehicle s wheels /rom when the operator begins to
turn Jit tteeIing wJee/ <nti/ Je Jat IeacJed tJe maxim<m degIee o/
c<Ivat<Ie at tJe ciIc</aI poItion o/ tJe c<Ive. SpiIa/ c<Ivet aIe divided
into an enteIing tpiIa/ tIantition, a ciIc</aI c<Ive, and an exiting tpiIa/
tIantition. In mott catet tJe enteIing and exiting tpiIa/ wi// be eq<a/.
TJe majoI di//eIence between a tpiIa/ and a ciIc</aI c<Ive it tJat tJe
cJange o/ diIection vaIiet at tJe tq<aIe o/ tJe /engtJ /oI a tpiIa/ IatJeI
tJan at tJe /iItt poweI o/ tJe
/engtJ /oI a ciIc</aI c<Ive. TJe degIee o/ c<Ivat<Ie on a tpiIa/
incIeatet diIect/y at tJe dittance incIeatet a/ong tJe tpiIa/ c<Ive /Iom
tJe tangent. TJe degIee o/ c<Ivat<Ie at any point in tJe tpiIa/ it tJe tame
at tJe degIee o/ c<Ivat<Ie o/ a ciIc</aI c<Ive Javing tJe tame Iadi<t. A
tpiIa/ c<Ive wi// be tangent to a ciIc</aI c<Ive at tJe point wJeIe tJey
tJaIe tJe tame Iadi<t.
GeometIy
WJi/e Iai/Ioad tIack geometIy it intIintica//y tJIee-dimentiona/, /oI
pIactica/ p<Ipotet tJe veItica/ and JoIizonta/ componentt o/ tIack
geometIy aIe <t<a//y tIeated tepaIate/y.
TJe oveIa// detign patteIn /oI tJe veItica/ geometIy it typica//y a
teq<ence o/ conttant gIade tegmentt connected by veItica/ tIantition
c<Ivet in wJicJ tJe /oca/ gIade vaIiet /ineaI/y witJ dittance and in wJicJ
tJe e/evation tJeIe/oIe vaIiet q<adIatica//y witJ dittance. HeIe gIade
Ie/eIt to tJe tangent o/ tJe ang/e o/ Iite o/ tJe tIack. TJe detign patteIn
/oI JoIizonta/ geometIy it typica//y a teq<ence o/ ttIaigJt /ine (i.e., a
tangent) and c<Ive (i.e. a ciIc</aI aIc) tegmentt connected by tIantition
c<Ivet.
TJe degIee o/ banking in Iai/Ioad tIack it typica//y expIetted at tJe
di//eIence in e/evation o/ tJe two Iai/t, common/y q<anti/ied and
Ie/eIIed to at tJe t<peIe/evation. S<cJ di//eIence in tJe e/evation o/
tJe Iai/t it intended to compentate /oI tJe centIipeta/ acce/eIation
needed /oI an
object to move a/ong a c<Ived patJ, to tJat tJe /ateIa/ acce/eIation
expeIienced by pattengeIt/tJe caIgo /oad wi// be minimized, wJicJ enJancet
pattengeI com/oIt/Ied<cet tJe cJance o/ /oad tJi/ting (movement o/ caIgo
d<Iing tIantit, ca<ting accidentt and damage).
It it impoItant to note tJat t<peIe/evation it not tJe tame at tJe Io// ang/e o/
tJe Iai/ (a/to Ie/eIIed to at cant oI cambeI), wJicJ it <ted to detcIibed
tJe "ti/ting" o/ tJe individ<a/ Iai/t inttead o/ tJe banking o/ tJe entiIe
tIack ttI<ct<Ie at Ie//ected by tJe e/evation di//eIence at tJe "top o/
Iai/". RegaId/ett o/ tJe JoIizonta/ a/ignment and tJe t<peIe/evation o/ tJe
tIack, tJe individ<a/ Iai/t aIe a/mott a/wayt detigned to "Io//"/"cant" towaIdt
gage tide (tJe tide wJeIe tJe wJee/ it in contact witJ tJe Iai/) to
compentate /oI tJe JoIizonta/ /oIcet exeIted by wJee/t <ndeI noIma/
Iai/ tIa//ic.
TJe cJange o/ t<peIe/evation /Iom zeIo in a tangent tegment to tJe
va/<e te/ected /oI tJe body o/ a /o//owing c<Ive occ<It oveI tJe /engtJ
o/ a tIantition c<Ive tJat connectt tJe tangent and tJe c<Ive pIopeI.
OveI tJe
/engtJ o/ tJe tIantition tJe c<Ivat<Ie o/ tJe tIack wi// a/to vaIy /Iom zeIo
at tJe end ab<tting tJe tangent tegment to tJe va/<e o/ c<Ivat<Ie o/ tJe c<Ive
body, wJicJ it n<meIica//y eq<a/ to one oveI tJe Iadi<t o/ tJe c<Ive body.
TJe timp/ett and mott common/y <ted /oIm o/ tIantition c<Ive it tJat in
wJicJ tJe t<peIe/evation and JoIizonta/ c<Ivat<Ie botJ vaIy /ineaI/y witJ
dittance a/ong tJe tIack. CaItetian cooIdinatet o/ pointt a/ong tJit tpiIa/
aIe given by tJe FIetne/ integIa/t. TJe Iet</ting tJape matcJet a poItion
o/ an E</eI tpiIa/, wJicJ it a/to common/y Ie/eIIed to at a "c/otJoid",
and tometimet "CoIn< tpiIa/".
A tIantition c<Ive can connect a tIack tegment o/ conttant non-zeIo
c<Ivat<Ie to anotJeI tegment witJ conttant c<Ivat<Ie tJat it zeIo oI non-
zeIo o/ eitJeI tign. S<ccettive c<Ivet in tJe tame diIection aIe tometimet
ca//ed pIogIettive c<Ivet and t<ccettive c<Ivet in oppotite diIectiont aIe
ca//ed IeveIte c<Ivet.
TJe E</eI tpiIa/ Jat two advantaget. One it tJat it it eaty /oI t<IveyoIt
beca<te tJe cooIdinatet can be /ooked <p in FIetne/ integIa/ tab/et. TJe otJeI
it tJat it pIovidet tJe tJoItett tIantition t<bject to a given /imit on tJe
Iate o/ cJange o/ tJe tIack t<peIe/evation (i.e. tJe twitt o/ tJe tIack).
HoweveI, at Jat been Iecognized /oI a /ong time, it Jat <ndetiIab/e
dynamic cJaIacteIittict d<e to tJe /aIge (concept<a//y in/inite) Io//
acce/eIation and Iate o/ cJange o/ centIipeta/ acce/eIation at eacJ
end. Beca<te o/ tJe capabi/itiet o/ peItona/ comp<teIt it it now pIactica/
to emp/oy tpiIa/t tJat Jave dynamict betteI tJan tJote o/ tJe E</eI tpiIa/.
Radia/ FoIce and Detign Speed
Radia/ /oIcet act on a veJic/e at it tIave/t aIo<nd a c<Ive and tJit it wJy
tIantition c<Ivet aIe necettaIy
A veJic/e o/ matt m, tIave//ing at a conttant tpeed v, a/ong a c<Ive o/
Iadi<t I, it t<bjected to a Iadia/ /oIce P t<cJ tJat:
𝑚𝑣2
𝑝=
𝑟
TJit /oIce acting on tJe veJic/e it tIying to p<tJ tJe veJic/e back on a
ttIaigJt co<Ite. On a ttIaigJt Ioad wJeIe I =∞, P = 0.
Roads are designed according to a design speed which is constant /or a
given ttIetcJ o/ Ioadway. TJ<t a veJic/e m<tt be ab/e to com/oItab/e
and ta/e/y tIave/ tJe /engtJ o/ a given ttIetcJ o/ Ioad at tJe detign tpeed
IegaId/ett o/ bendt etc. TJe matt o/ a veJic/e it a/to att<med conttant and
conteq<ent/y:

𝑝 ∝1
𝑟
TJ<t tJe tma//eI tJe Iadi<t o/ a c<Ive tJe gIeateI tJe Iadia/ /oIce acting
on tJe veJic/e. Any veJic/e /eaving a ttIaigJt tection o/ Ioad and
enteIing a ciIc</aI c<Ive o/ Iadi<t I wi// immediate/y expeIience tJe /<//
Iadia/ /oI P. I/ tJe Iadi<t it too tma// and tJe tJ<t P too /aIge, tJe veJic/e
wi// tkid o// tJe Ioadway oI oveIt<In.
TIantition c<Ivet aIe c<Ivet in wJicJ tJe Iadi<t gIad<a//y cJanget /Iom
in/inity to a paItic</aI va/<e R. TJe e//ect o/ tJit it to gIad<a//y incIeate
tJe Iadia/ /oI P /Iom zeIo to itt maxim<m va/<e, tJeIeby Ied<cing itt
e//ect.
To intIod<ce P <ni/oIm/y a/ong tJe /engtJ o/ tJe tIantition c<Ive, P m<tt
a/to be pIopoItiona/ to tJe /engtJ o/ tJe tIantition c<Ive /.
𝑝∝
1

𝑟 𝑝∝𝑙
TJeIe/oIe:
and
Combining tJe two Ieq<iIementt:
TJ<t

𝑙 ∝1
𝑟
𝑟𝑙 = 𝑘
WJeIe K it a conttant.
TJeIe/oIe /oI eacJ tIantition in a tIantition c<Ive tJe Iadi<t R and /engtJ LT
can be detigned to eq<a/ to K oveI tJe wJo/e /engtJ o/ tJe c<Ive
 E/ementt o/ SpiIa/ C<Ive

Fig<Ie 1. E/ementt o/ a SpiIa/ C<Ive

 TS = Tangent to tpiIa/  Xc = O//tet dittance (IigJt ang/e

 SC = SpiIa/ to c<Ive dittance) /Iom tangent to SC
 CS = C<Ive to tpiIa/  Y = Dittance a/ong tangent to
 ST = SpiIa/ to tangent any point on tJe tpiIa/
 LT = Long tangent Yc = Dittance a/ong tangent

 ST = SJoIt tangent
/Iom TS to point at IigJt ang/e
 R = Radi<t o/ timp/e c<Ive
to SC
 Tt = SpiIa/ tangent dittance
 Et = ExteIna/ dittance o/ tJe
 Tc = CiIc</aI c<Ive tangent
timp/e c<Ive
 L = LengtJ o/ tpiIa/ /Iom TS to  θ = SpiIa/ ang/e /Iom tangent
any point a/ong tJe tpiIa/ to any point on tJe tpiIa/
 Lt = LengtJ o/ tpiIa/ θt = SpiIa/ ang/e /Iom tangent

 PI = Point o/ inteItection to SC
 I = Ang/e o/ inteItection  i = De//ection ang/e /Iom TS to
 Ic = Ang/e o/ inteItection o/ tJe any point on tJe tpiIa/, it it
timp/e c<Ive pIopoItiona/ to tJe tq<aIe o/ itt
 p = LengtJ o/ tJIow oI tJe dittance
dittance
 it = De//ection ang/e /Iom TS to SC
/Iom tangent tJat tJe ciIc</aI
 D = DegIee o/ tpiIa/ c<Ive at
c<Ive Jat been o//tet
any point
 X = O//tet dittance (IigJt ang/e
 Dc = DegIee o/ timp/e c<Ive
dittance) /Iom tangent to any
point on tJe tpiIa/
FoIm</at /oI SpiIa/ C<Ivet

Dittance a/ong tangent to any At L = Lt, i = it, tJ<t,

1 𝐿𝑠
point on tJe tpiIa/:

𝐿5 𝑖= 𝜃𝑠 =
𝑌 =𝐿− 3 6𝑅
2
40𝑅 𝐿
2 � TJit ang/e it pIopoItiona/ to tJe
�
tq<aIe o/ itt dittance
At L = Lt, Y = Yc, tJ<t,

𝑖
𝑌𝑐 = 𝐿
2
− 𝐿𝑠
3
= 𝑖𝑠
𝐿𝑠 40𝑅 𝐿𝑠2
2

O//tet dittance /Iom tangent to Tangent dittance:

𝐿𝑠 𝐼
any point on tJe tpiIa/:
𝑇𝑠 = + ( 𝑅 + 𝑃) 𝑡𝑎𝑛
𝑋 = 𝐿 2 2
3
6𝑅
𝐿𝑠
Ang/e o/ inteItection o/ timp/e
c<Ive:
At L = Lt, X = Xc, tJ<t 𝐼𝑐 = 𝐼 − 2𝜃𝑠
𝐿
2
𝑋𝑐 = 𝑠
6
𝑅
ExteIna/ dittance:
𝑅+𝑃
−𝑅
LengtJ o/ tJIow:
𝐸𝑠 =
1 𝑐𝑜𝑠
𝐿𝑠2 𝐼
2
𝑝= 𝑋𝑐 =
4 24𝑅 DegIee o/ tpiIa/ c<Ive:

𝐷 𝐿
SpiIa/ ang/e /Iom tangent to any
=
𝐷 𝑐 𝐿𝑠
point on tJe tpiIa/ (in Iadian):

𝐿2
𝜃 =
2𝑅𝐿𝑠
At L = Lt, θ=θt, tJ<t,
𝐿𝑠
𝜃𝑠 =
2𝑅
De//ection ang/e /Iom TS to any

=3
point on tJe tpiIa/:

1
𝑖 = 𝜃
�
�
2

6
�

�
�

�
�

�
Samp/e PIob/emt
PIob/em no. 1
A Ioadway goet /Iom tangent a/ignment to a 250-m ciIc</aI c<Ive by
meant o/ an 80-m-/ong tpiIa/ tIantition c<Ive. TJe de//ection ang/e
between tJe tangentt it 45 . Ute /oIm</at to comp<te Xt, Yt, p, and k.
Att<me tJat tJe ttation o/ tJe P.L, meat<Ied a/ong tJe back tangent, it 250
+ 00, and comp<te tJe ttationt o/ tJe TS, SC, CS, and ST.
So/<tion:
PIob/em no. 2
In oIdeI to impIove an exitting ciIc</aI c<Ive R=250m, θ=31°20’. DeteImine
minim<m and maxim<m /engtJ o/ tJe tpiIa/ c<Ive. TJe detign tpeed
=80km/JI.

So/<tion:

PIob/em no. 3
Two tangentt inteItect at a de//ection ang/e= 35° at ttation I= 23+20. TJete
tangentt aIe to be connected by two timi/aI tIantition c<Ivet 75m /ong and a
ciIc</aI c<Ive, R=300m. Ca/c</ate ttationt TS,SC,CS,ST.

So/<tion:
PIob/em no. 4
A two-/ane JigJway (3.6 m /anet) witJ a detign tpeed o/ 100 km/J Jat a 400
m Iadi<t JoIizonta/ c<Ive connecting tangentt witJ beaIingt o/
N75°Eand S78°E . DeteImine tJe t<peIe/evation Iate, tJe /engtJ o/
tpiIa/ i/ tJe di//eIence in gIade between tJe centeI/ine and edge o/
tIave/ed way it
/imited to 1/200, and tJe ttationt o/ tJe TS, SC, CS, and ST, given tJat tJe
tempoIaIy ttation o/ tJe P.I. it 150+00. TJe /engtJ o/ tJe tpiIa/ tJo</d be
Io<nded <p to tJe next JigJett 20 m inteIva/.

So/<tion:
PIob/em no. 5
WJat it tJe minim<m Iadi<t o/ c<Ivat<Ie a//owab/e /oI a Ioadway witJ a
100 km/J detign tpeed, att<ming tJat tJe maxim<m a//owab/e
t<peIe/evation Iate it 0.12? CompaIe tJit witJ tJe minim<m c<Ive Iadi<t
Iecommended by AASHTO. WJat it tJe act<a/ maxim<m t<peIe/evation
Iate a//owab/e <ndeI AASHTO Iecommended ttandaIdt /oI a 100 km/J
detign tpeed, i/ tJe va/<e o/
/ it tJe maxim<m a//owed by AASHTO /oI tJit tpeed? Ro<nd tJe antweI down
to tJe neaIett wJo/e peIcent.

So/<tion:
PJotot o/ a SpiIa/ C<Ive
Re/eIencet
Jttp://ceIe/eIence.com/book/t<Iveying-and-tIantpoItation-
engineeIing/tpiIa/-c<Ive-oI-tIantition-c<Ive
Jttp://www.cc4w.net/tpiIa//tpiIa/tIaining.pd/
Jttp://www.wtdot.wa.gov/p<b/icationt/man<a/t//<//text/M22-
97/CJapteI11.pd/
Jttp://em<.ed<.tI/ mmk/PIetentationt/c361pIet05.pd/
Jttp://Jwy.<od.ac/wp-content/<p/oadt/2011/11/6-TJe-TIantition-C<Ivet.pd/
Jttpt://en.wikipedia.oIg/wiki/TIack_tIantition_c<Ive
Jttp://www.mJJe.com/engct/civi//bankt/gIapJict/cJap4.pd/
Jttp://www.tcd.ie/civi/eng/Sta///BIian.Ca<//ie/d/3A1/3A1%20Lect<Ie%2013.pd
/