calculating coordinates along a clothoid betwen 2 curves












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I need to write a program that will calculate coordinates along the designed rails of a proposed subway. The designed polyline representing the rail is composed of lines, arcs (circular curves) and transition spirals which are clothoids (Euler spirals). My problem concerns the clothoids. The simplest case is as follows: A tangent line to a clothoid to an arc to another clothoid to another tangent line. See the first image below.
standard clothoid transition spiral



After searching the internet I found a solution for the standard case. It is possible to calculate the variables y and x which are the distance along the tangent and the perpendicular distance to a point on the spiral, defined by the length along the spiral. Using y and x it is easy to calculate the coordinate of the point on the spiral in relation to the tangent line. The given or known values for the solutions are extracted from the Autocad design drawing. They include the coordinates of the tangent points, start and end of arcs, start and end of clothoids, radiuses of arcs and lengths of clothoids. The formula used to calculate y and x are shown above. The calculation is an expansion of Fresnel integrals. A clothoid is used as a transition spiral because the radius changes linearly along the length of the spiral from infinity at the tangent point to the radius of the arc segment at the end of the spiral.
My problem is with the more complicated cases the first of which is as follows:
Tangent line to Spiral to Curve to Sprial to CURVE to Spiral to Tangent line. The difference between this and the first case is, how do I solve a spiral that is between two arcs? See the spiral labled S2 below:
a spiral between 2 arcs



Thank you
John










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    $begingroup$


    I need to write a program that will calculate coordinates along the designed rails of a proposed subway. The designed polyline representing the rail is composed of lines, arcs (circular curves) and transition spirals which are clothoids (Euler spirals). My problem concerns the clothoids. The simplest case is as follows: A tangent line to a clothoid to an arc to another clothoid to another tangent line. See the first image below.
    standard clothoid transition spiral



    After searching the internet I found a solution for the standard case. It is possible to calculate the variables y and x which are the distance along the tangent and the perpendicular distance to a point on the spiral, defined by the length along the spiral. Using y and x it is easy to calculate the coordinate of the point on the spiral in relation to the tangent line. The given or known values for the solutions are extracted from the Autocad design drawing. They include the coordinates of the tangent points, start and end of arcs, start and end of clothoids, radiuses of arcs and lengths of clothoids. The formula used to calculate y and x are shown above. The calculation is an expansion of Fresnel integrals. A clothoid is used as a transition spiral because the radius changes linearly along the length of the spiral from infinity at the tangent point to the radius of the arc segment at the end of the spiral.
    My problem is with the more complicated cases the first of which is as follows:
    Tangent line to Spiral to Curve to Sprial to CURVE to Spiral to Tangent line. The difference between this and the first case is, how do I solve a spiral that is between two arcs? See the spiral labled S2 below:
    a spiral between 2 arcs



    Thank you
    John










    share|cite|improve this question









    $endgroup$















      1












      1








      1


      1



      $begingroup$


      I need to write a program that will calculate coordinates along the designed rails of a proposed subway. The designed polyline representing the rail is composed of lines, arcs (circular curves) and transition spirals which are clothoids (Euler spirals). My problem concerns the clothoids. The simplest case is as follows: A tangent line to a clothoid to an arc to another clothoid to another tangent line. See the first image below.
      standard clothoid transition spiral



      After searching the internet I found a solution for the standard case. It is possible to calculate the variables y and x which are the distance along the tangent and the perpendicular distance to a point on the spiral, defined by the length along the spiral. Using y and x it is easy to calculate the coordinate of the point on the spiral in relation to the tangent line. The given or known values for the solutions are extracted from the Autocad design drawing. They include the coordinates of the tangent points, start and end of arcs, start and end of clothoids, radiuses of arcs and lengths of clothoids. The formula used to calculate y and x are shown above. The calculation is an expansion of Fresnel integrals. A clothoid is used as a transition spiral because the radius changes linearly along the length of the spiral from infinity at the tangent point to the radius of the arc segment at the end of the spiral.
      My problem is with the more complicated cases the first of which is as follows:
      Tangent line to Spiral to Curve to Sprial to CURVE to Spiral to Tangent line. The difference between this and the first case is, how do I solve a spiral that is between two arcs? See the spiral labled S2 below:
      a spiral between 2 arcs



      Thank you
      John










      share|cite|improve this question









      $endgroup$




      I need to write a program that will calculate coordinates along the designed rails of a proposed subway. The designed polyline representing the rail is composed of lines, arcs (circular curves) and transition spirals which are clothoids (Euler spirals). My problem concerns the clothoids. The simplest case is as follows: A tangent line to a clothoid to an arc to another clothoid to another tangent line. See the first image below.
      standard clothoid transition spiral



      After searching the internet I found a solution for the standard case. It is possible to calculate the variables y and x which are the distance along the tangent and the perpendicular distance to a point on the spiral, defined by the length along the spiral. Using y and x it is easy to calculate the coordinate of the point on the spiral in relation to the tangent line. The given or known values for the solutions are extracted from the Autocad design drawing. They include the coordinates of the tangent points, start and end of arcs, start and end of clothoids, radiuses of arcs and lengths of clothoids. The formula used to calculate y and x are shown above. The calculation is an expansion of Fresnel integrals. A clothoid is used as a transition spiral because the radius changes linearly along the length of the spiral from infinity at the tangent point to the radius of the arc segment at the end of the spiral.
      My problem is with the more complicated cases the first of which is as follows:
      Tangent line to Spiral to Curve to Sprial to CURVE to Spiral to Tangent line. The difference between this and the first case is, how do I solve a spiral that is between two arcs? See the spiral labled S2 below:
      a spiral between 2 arcs



      Thank you
      John







      geometry differential






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      asked May 15 '16 at 5:56









      JohnJohn

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          You have the special case where the radius of curvature of the clothoid is $0$ at one endpoint. To obtain the general case with two non-zero radii of curvature, $R_1$ and $R_2$, calculate two sets of coordinates along a clothoid, with the radius of curvature $0$ at one endpoint, $R_1$ at the other endpoint in one calculation and $R_2$ in the other calculation. Then, if you want to, you can translate the coordinate system such that the point with radius of curvature $R_1$ is at the origin and rotate it such that the tangent at that point points along the $X$ axis. The angle of rotation is the total angle subtended by the clothoid up to that point, as given in your first image (with $R=R_1$).






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          • $begingroup$
            Thank you for your help. After trying hard I am unable to visualize your explanation (I am only a survey engineer and not a mathmatician). If it is possible I think a diagram and/or an example would be very helpful.
            $endgroup$
            – John
            May 16 '16 at 13:01











          Your Answer





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          $begingroup$

          You have the special case where the radius of curvature of the clothoid is $0$ at one endpoint. To obtain the general case with two non-zero radii of curvature, $R_1$ and $R_2$, calculate two sets of coordinates along a clothoid, with the radius of curvature $0$ at one endpoint, $R_1$ at the other endpoint in one calculation and $R_2$ in the other calculation. Then, if you want to, you can translate the coordinate system such that the point with radius of curvature $R_1$ is at the origin and rotate it such that the tangent at that point points along the $X$ axis. The angle of rotation is the total angle subtended by the clothoid up to that point, as given in your first image (with $R=R_1$).






          share|cite|improve this answer









          $endgroup$













          • $begingroup$
            Thank you for your help. After trying hard I am unable to visualize your explanation (I am only a survey engineer and not a mathmatician). If it is possible I think a diagram and/or an example would be very helpful.
            $endgroup$
            – John
            May 16 '16 at 13:01
















          0












          $begingroup$

          You have the special case where the radius of curvature of the clothoid is $0$ at one endpoint. To obtain the general case with two non-zero radii of curvature, $R_1$ and $R_2$, calculate two sets of coordinates along a clothoid, with the radius of curvature $0$ at one endpoint, $R_1$ at the other endpoint in one calculation and $R_2$ in the other calculation. Then, if you want to, you can translate the coordinate system such that the point with radius of curvature $R_1$ is at the origin and rotate it such that the tangent at that point points along the $X$ axis. The angle of rotation is the total angle subtended by the clothoid up to that point, as given in your first image (with $R=R_1$).






          share|cite|improve this answer









          $endgroup$













          • $begingroup$
            Thank you for your help. After trying hard I am unable to visualize your explanation (I am only a survey engineer and not a mathmatician). If it is possible I think a diagram and/or an example would be very helpful.
            $endgroup$
            – John
            May 16 '16 at 13:01














          0












          0








          0





          $begingroup$

          You have the special case where the radius of curvature of the clothoid is $0$ at one endpoint. To obtain the general case with two non-zero radii of curvature, $R_1$ and $R_2$, calculate two sets of coordinates along a clothoid, with the radius of curvature $0$ at one endpoint, $R_1$ at the other endpoint in one calculation and $R_2$ in the other calculation. Then, if you want to, you can translate the coordinate system such that the point with radius of curvature $R_1$ is at the origin and rotate it such that the tangent at that point points along the $X$ axis. The angle of rotation is the total angle subtended by the clothoid up to that point, as given in your first image (with $R=R_1$).






          share|cite|improve this answer









          $endgroup$



          You have the special case where the radius of curvature of the clothoid is $0$ at one endpoint. To obtain the general case with two non-zero radii of curvature, $R_1$ and $R_2$, calculate two sets of coordinates along a clothoid, with the radius of curvature $0$ at one endpoint, $R_1$ at the other endpoint in one calculation and $R_2$ in the other calculation. Then, if you want to, you can translate the coordinate system such that the point with radius of curvature $R_1$ is at the origin and rotate it such that the tangent at that point points along the $X$ axis. The angle of rotation is the total angle subtended by the clothoid up to that point, as given in your first image (with $R=R_1$).







          share|cite|improve this answer












          share|cite|improve this answer



          share|cite|improve this answer










          answered May 15 '16 at 9:59









          jorikijoriki

          170k10183343




          170k10183343












          • $begingroup$
            Thank you for your help. After trying hard I am unable to visualize your explanation (I am only a survey engineer and not a mathmatician). If it is possible I think a diagram and/or an example would be very helpful.
            $endgroup$
            – John
            May 16 '16 at 13:01


















          • $begingroup$
            Thank you for your help. After trying hard I am unable to visualize your explanation (I am only a survey engineer and not a mathmatician). If it is possible I think a diagram and/or an example would be very helpful.
            $endgroup$
            – John
            May 16 '16 at 13:01
















          $begingroup$
          Thank you for your help. After trying hard I am unable to visualize your explanation (I am only a survey engineer and not a mathmatician). If it is possible I think a diagram and/or an example would be very helpful.
          $endgroup$
          – John
          May 16 '16 at 13:01




          $begingroup$
          Thank you for your help. After trying hard I am unable to visualize your explanation (I am only a survey engineer and not a mathmatician). If it is possible I think a diagram and/or an example would be very helpful.
          $endgroup$
          – John
          May 16 '16 at 13:01


















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