What Is a Delta Angle?

Delta angles are common in road construction.
••• big highway image by Galyna Andrushko from Fotolia.com

A delta angle, a term well known to civil engineers, is a measurement used in designing roadways. The delta angle is used to make other relevant calculations, or it can be determined using known measurements.

Definition

A delta angle is the measurement in degrees where two straight lines, also known as tangents, intersect.

Horizontal Circular Curve

A horizontal circular curve is a mathematical calculation determining the optimal arc between two tangents. The measurement of the central curve on the arc is equal to the delta angle.

Use in Transportation

The intersection of roadways illustrates two tangents intersecting. Engineers focused on traffic flow use horizontal curves to create better traffic patterns between the roads. Delta angles are an important measurement used to determine the best arc to connect the roadways and prevent motorists from having to make sharp turns.

Calculation

When the delta angle is provided, it can be used to determine measurements including radius or chord lengths, both of which are used in the design of horizontal highway curves.

Related Articles

How to Figure a Delta Angle
How to Calculate the Deviation of Inclination & Azimuth
How to Calculate the Angle of Impact
How to Find the Area of a Parallelogram With Vertices
How to Calculate Hydraulic Flow
Difference Between Algebra II & Trigonometry
How to Convert RPM to MPH With a Calculator
What Are Some Real-Life Applications of Trigonometry?
How to Do a 45 Rolling Offset
Real Life Uses of the Pythagorean Theorem
How to Calculate Radians From a Slope
How to Calculate Arc Area
How to Calculate the Deviation of Inclination & Azimuth
How to Calculate the Diameter of a Rectangle
How to Multiply Vectors
How to Calculate Catenary
How to Calculate the Surface Area of a Circle
How to Calculate Superelevation
How to Find the Distance of Y in a Right Triangle

Dont Go!

We Have More Great Sciencing Articles!