AASTU

ARCH 3124
Chapter Two
Measurement of Horizontal Distance
March 19, 2023 Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal Distance 1
 Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal
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Distance
Out line
Introduction
Methods of Distance measurement
Principle of Chain Surveying/Taping
 Miscellaneous Taping & Ranging Operation
Correction for errors in Taping measurement

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 Introduction

Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal

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Distance
 Introduction
• One of the fundamental objective of surveying is the need to
measure distance

• In surveying distance is one of the basic engineering

measurements , between two points,

• Distance is required in many instances, e.g. to give scale to a

network of control points, to fix the position of topographic
detail by offsets or polar coordinates, to set out the position of a
point in construction work, etc. required in chain surveying,
traverse surveying, and other types of surveying.

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Methods of Distance Measurement

Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal

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Distance
 Methods for Distance measurements
The method used for any particular job depends upon
the:
. nature of the ground,
. the range,
. the accuracy,
. the number of distances to be measured,
• the time available, and
. the cost and the availability of the equipment.
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Distance
 Methods for Distance measurements…
• Their relative merit depends upon the degree of
precision required.
• Therefore, in general, four methods of making linear
measurements are discussed under:
 Direct method
A. Approximate methods
B. Taping
 Optical instruments
EDM

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 Methods for Distance measurements…
A. The approximate methods: are commonly used in
reconnaissance surveying for the measurement of
horizontal distances.

• These methods are also used sometimes to detect large

mistakes. Some of them are described as follows:
• Pacing
• Measuring Wheel
• Odometer
• Pedometer
March 19, 2023
Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal
Distance
9
Methods for Distance measurements…
1. Pacing: Pacing is used for rough measurements
and is used to check accurate
measurements against gross errors.
A person can determine the distance walked by
counting the number of paces made.
The distance can be obtained by multiplying the number
of paces by the average length of the paces.

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Distance
Methods for Distance measurements…
2. Measuring wheel: A measuring wheel consists of a wheel
mounted on a lower end of rod about 1 m long through a fork.
• The upper end of the rod has a handle.
• The wheel is pushed along the ground. The distance traversed is
recorded on the dial attached the wheel. (see, Figure bellow)

Analogue Measuring Wheel Digital Measuring Wheel

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Distance
Methods for Distance measurements…

3. Speedometer: All automobiles have a speedometer to indicate

the speed and the distance travelled. If the ground is smooth, the
Speedometer can be used to measure the distance.

4. Odometer: Based on diameter of tires (no. of revolutions X wheel

diameter); this method gives a fairly reliable result. provided a
check is done periodically on a known length.

B. Optical methods: the distances are measured and is computed

indirectly. (Example: stadia tachometry, Subtence bar).

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Distance
 Methods for Distance measurements…
C. Electro-Magnetic Distance Measuring (EDM): distances
are measured with instruments that rely on propagation,
reflection and subsequent reception of radio waves, light
waves or infrared waves.

b
Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal
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Distance
Principle of Chain surveying/ Taping

Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal

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Distance
Principles of Chain Surveying/Taping
Taping (chaining): -
• Chaining surveying is the branch of surveying in which the
distances are measured with a chain and tape and the
operation is called chaining.
• this method involves direct measurement of distances with a
tape or chain. Steel tapes are most commonly used.
• It is available in lengths varying from 5m to 100m.
• Formerly on surveys of ordinary precision, lengths of lines were
measured with chains.
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Principles of Chain Surveying/Taping
D. Taping: distances are actually measured on the ground with the
help of a chain or a tape.
Tapes
• Measuring tapes can be classified
• depending upon the material used in their manufacture.
1. Linen or cloth tapes
2. Glass-fibre tapes
3. Metallic tapes
4. Steel tapes
5. Invar tapes
March 19, 2023 Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal Distance 16
 Tapes
Linen or cloth tapes: These tapes are made of linen or cloth.
The tape is light and handy but not very accurate.
These tapes are available in length of 10m, 20m, 25m and 30m.
Glass–fibre tapes: These tapes are similar to linen and plastic coated tapes
but they are made of glass-fibre. The tapes are quite flexible, strong
and non-Conductive
Metallic tapes: These tapes are similar to linen tapes but are made of water
proof fabric or glass-fibre in which metallic wires are interwoven.
Steel tapes: The steel tapes are the most commonly used tapes in
surveying. They are more accurate than metallic tapes. The steel tapes
are made of steel or stainless steel strip.
Invar Tapes: Invar tapes are made of an alloy of steel (64%) and nickel
(36%), which has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion. Invar
tapes are used for linear measurements of very high precision

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Distance 17
 Tapes
• Tapes are available in lengths up to 100 meters;
precision of 1/1,000 to 1/5,000 are commonly obtained.

• For engineering work the lengths are generally

10 m, 30 m, 50 m and 100 m.

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Distance
 Miscellaneous Taping &
Ranging Operation

Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal

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Distance
 Taping accessories
• In addition to a tape, the following small
instruments and accessories are required for the
determination of the length of a line.

– Arrows (Chain pins)

– Pegs

– Ranging rods

– Plumb bobs or rod levels

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Arrows/ Chain Pins Ranging Pole
Clinometers

Pegs

Tension Handler
Tape

Hand levels
Spring Balance

PLUM BOBS
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 Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal
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Distance
 Taping accessories...
Ranging : The process of locating a number of points on
a long survey line is called ranging.

Ranging rods: are used to locate intermediate points

such that these points lie on the straight line joining
the end stations. Ranging rods are made of well-
seasoned, straight-grained timber.

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 Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal
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Distance
 Taping accessories...

Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal

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Distance
 Taping accessories...
• Plumb bobs: The plumb bob plays a very important role
in surveying.
• As a freely suspended plumb bob always points towards
the gravity, it indicates the direction of the vertical line.
• In linear measurements plumb bobs are used for
measuring distances on sloping ground.

plumb bob

Ranging rods hold by ranging rod tripods

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Distance
 Taping accessories...
Arrows (Chain pins): - used to mark the position of the
ends of the tape on the ground.
Pegs: Wooden pegs are used to mark the position of the
survey stations or the end points of the survey line.

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Distance
 Taping Technique

Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal

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Taping Techniques

Range pole is set at each end of the line and

the tape is unwind and laid out on the ground
with the zero ends forward.
The front tape person then takes the zero end
of the tape hands one pin to the rear tape
person, and moves forward along the line.

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Distance
 Taping Techniques…
Measuring horizontal distance over level ground
• The simplest taping operation is measuring over level
ground where the tape can be stretched out while fully
supported by the ground as shown in the figure below.

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Distance
Taping Techniques…

Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal

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 Taping Techniques…
Measuring horizontal distance over Slope ground
• Consider two point A and B which are several tape
lengths apart along a slope.
• The horizontal distance between the two points can be
measured by supporting the tape at the two ends only
• Assuming that the distance is to be measured downhill,
the front tape person holds one end of the tape at a
comfortable height above the ground so that the straight
line joining the two ends are approximately level.
• Tension is applied and the position of the end of the tape
is transferred by means of a plumb bob to the ground.
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Distance
 Taping Techniques…

• The tape is stretched a second time and the

mean of the two measurements will be taken.

• It is hardly possible or good practice to hold the

tape more than 5 ft above the ground; if the
slope is more than 5ft per tape length it is
necessary to break tape.

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Distance
Taping Techniques Cont…

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Distance
Taping over Sloping Ground

If the taping is done

over sloping ground
where there is no
underbrush, the
taping must be done
in sections, referred
to as breaking the
tape

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Distance
Taping over Sloping Ground

Holding the tape more than five feet above the

ground is difficult, therefore slopes greater than 5 ft
per 100 ft will require runs of less than 100 ft

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Taping over Sloping Ground

Hold the tape level

Use a plumb bob to locate

the point
Height less than
5 feet

40 feet 30 feet 35 feet

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 Corrections For Systematic
Errors in Taping

Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal

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Distance
Corrections For Systematic Errors in Taping

• Steel tapes are calibrated under a specific temperature

and tension.

• Change in temperature, tension and mode of support

affect the result of taping.

• The errors caused by these sources behave according to

physical laws and can be expressed with mathematic
expressions and those they are systematic errors.

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Distance
Common Systematic Errors in Taping

The common errors in taping are:

- Tape not standard length/erroneous tape-length
(error of standard)
- Tape not horizontal ( error of slop)
- Variation in Temperature ( temperature error)
- Variation in Tension ( tension error)
- Sag in the Tape ( sag error)

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Distance
1. CORRECTION FOR STANDARDIZATION
• Is required if the absolute length or true length
of tape is not equal to the nominal length or the
designated length
• Correction per tape length (C) = l' - l
Where, l = nominal length of the tape
l’ = actual length of the tape
• Total correction in the measured distance (L)
l' l
Ca  ( )L
l
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1. CORRECTION FOR STANDARDIZATION Cont...
Tape too long – recorded measurement (29.9 m) too short

Tape too short – recorded measurement (30.1 m) too long

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Distance
Rules for Standardization Correction
Rule (1) When the tape is too long, the distance
measured appears too short, and the correction
is therefore positive. The reverse is the case
when the tape is too short.
Rule (2) When setting out a distance with a tape the rules
in (1) are reversed.

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Distance
2. CORRECTION FOR TENSION OR PULL
• If a tape is used in the field under a tension different
from the standard tension, the tape will change length
a slight amount, the correction will be:
Cp 
P  PS  L
AE

Where; P is the tension applied in the field.

Ps is the standard/ calibration tension
A is the cross sectional area of the tape.
E is Young's modulus of elasticity for the tape
material (N/mm2)
To apply this correction a tension handle is needed
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. Distance
3. CORRECTION FOR SAG

Chapter Two Measurement of Horizontal

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3. CORRECTION FOR SAG
• A tape supported only at the ends will sag in the
centre by an amount that is related to its weight
and the pull (tension).
w2 L3
Cs  
24P 2

Where; w-the weight of the tape per unit length

L-observed length (unsupported length)
P- tension applied in the field.
Note: Correction for sag is always negative
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Distance
4. CORRECTION FOR TEMPERATURE
• If a tape is used at a field temperature different
from the standardization temperature, then the
correction is

Ct  L T  Ts 
Where:
- coefficient of thermal expansion
of the tape material
Ts - standard temperature
T - field temperature
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5. CORRECTION FOR SLOPE

When a distance is measured along a uniform slope

or
Cg  S ( 1  Cos )
Where;
h: is the difference in height between the end points
S: is the measured slope distance
Cg: is the correction of height due to slope
θ: measured vertical angle

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Summery of Systematic corrections

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Degree of Accuracy in Taping
•The degree of accuracy depends up on the
purpose and extent of the work and is expressed
in ratio (1/n).
•If a great deal of taping measurement is take
place, then all the corrections should be applied.

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Distance