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CE101 LEC4 Distance Measurement

This document discusses various methods for measuring distances in surveying, including pacing, odometers, rangefinders, subtense bars, tachymetry (stadia), taping, electronic distance measurement, and satellite systems. It provides details on how each method works, its precision, and common uses. Key methods covered in more detail include pacing, tachymetry using stadia rods, taping over level and sloping ground, and examples of calculations for pacing, stadia, and subtense bar measurements.

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Gerard Co
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177 views34 pages

CE101 LEC4 Distance Measurement

This document discusses various methods for measuring distances in surveying, including pacing, odometers, rangefinders, subtense bars, tachymetry (stadia), taping, electronic distance measurement, and satellite systems. It provides details on how each method works, its precision, and common uses. Key methods covered in more detail include pacing, tachymetry using stadia rods, taping over level and sloping ground, and examples of calculations for pacing, stadia, and subtense bar measurements.

Uploaded by

Gerard Co
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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CE101 – LECTURE 4

(DISTANCE MEASUREMENT)
Introduction
• One of the fundamentals of surveying is the need to measure
distance.

• Distances are not necessarily linear, especially if they occur on


the spherical earth.

• In the present subject we will deal with distances in Euclidean


(geometric) space, which we can consider a straight line from
one point or feature to another.
Methods of Measuring Distances
These include:
• pacing
• odometer readings
• optical rangefinders
• subtense bars
• tacheometry (stadia)
• taping
• electronic distance measurement (EDM)
• satellite systems, and others.
Methods of Measuring Distances
Method Precision Uses
Pacing 1/50 to 1/200 Reconnaissance and rough planning
Odometer 1/200 Reconnaissance and rough planning
Stadia 1/250 to 1/1000 Formerly used for mapping, rough
surveys, and for checking more
precise work
Subtense bar 1/1000 to 1/5000 Use only when taping is not feasible
Taping 1/10000 to 1/30000 Land surveys and construction works
Electronic 1/20000 to 1/300000 Land development, land surveys, and
distance precise construction work
measurement
Global Up to and > 1/1000000 Locating importantcontrol pointsand
positioning for determining positions
system
Methods of Measuring Distances
Pacing
• Practical measure of
distance
• Consist of counting the
number of steps or paces
in a required distance
• Varies with uphill,
downhill, and your age.
• Low accuracy
• No equipment needed
Methods of Measuring Distances
Pace
• Length of a step in walking.
• May be measured from heel to heel or from toe to
toe.
• The length of pace of an individual should be
checked with an accurately measured distance in
order to determine the so-­­called Pace Factor
Methods of Measuring Distances
Pace Factor
• The ratio of the measured distance in the number
of paces made by an individual to cover the
measured distance or

measured distance
PF 
number of paces
Methods of Measuring Distances
Odometer Readings
• Useful for preliminary surveys
• Utilizes an odometer
• A device attached to the
wheel which does the
counting and from the
circumference of the
wheel converts the
number of revolution to a
distance.
Odometer from the Greek word hodos, meaning "road" or "trip".
Methods of Measuring Distances
Optical range finder

• Operate on the same


principle as rangefinders on
single – lens reflex camera

• Suitable for reconnaissance


or checking more accurate
observations for mistakes
Methods of Measuring Distances
Tachymetry
• Means “swift measurements”
• Surveying method used to quickly determine
horizontal distance to, and elevation of, a point.
• Employs subtense bar and stadia
Methods of Measuring Distances
Tachymetry
• Subtense Bar
-­­ a tachymetric method that was occasionally
used until a few decades ago for rural property
-­­ had been replaced by electronic distance
measuring devices
Methods of Measuring Distances
Tachymetry
• Stadia
-­ introduce in 1771 by James Watt
-­ precision for stadia method depends upon the
following factors:
• refinement with which the instrument was
manufactured
• skill of the observer
• length of the measurement
• Effect of refraction
Methods of Measuring Distances
Tachymetry
• Stadia
-­ Equipmentconsist of the following:
• telescope
• Stadia rod

-­­ Distance can be computed using the formula shown below:


D = Ks + C
where: K = stadia interval factor
s = stadia interval
= difference between upper and lower hair reading
C = stadia constant
= distance from the center of the instrument
to the principal focus
Methods of Measuring Distances
Tachymetry
• Stadia
Methods of Measuring Distances
Taping (or chaining)
• Chaining is applied to measurement with a steel tape
or synthetic tape (plastic or fiberglass).

• It is fairly quick, easy and cheap, and hence is the


most common form of distance measurement.
Methods of Measuring Distances
Taping (or chaining)
Methods of Measuring Distances
Taping (or chaining) Accessories

1. Range pole
-­made of wood, steel, or aluminum are about 1 in
thick and 6 to 10 ft long
-­ used as temporary signals to indicate the location
of points or the direction of lines, and to mark
alignment
Methods of Measuring Distances
Taping (or chaining) Accessories

2. Chaining Pins
-­ are used to mark tape lengths

3. Plumb bob
-­are used to protecting the tape ends to
the ground when the tape must be
suspended above the measured line
Taping (Field Process)

1. Lining In
--using a range pole, the line to be measured
should be marked at both ends, and at intermediate
points where necessary

2. Applying Tension or stretching the tape


--a specified tension, generally between 10 and 25
lbs is applied
Taping (Field Process)
3. Plumbing
• One end of tape is raised to maintain a horizontal
measuring plane. ONLY one end is elevated
• This allows measurements to be made on uneven ground
4. Marking tape lengths
5. Reading the tape
6. Recording the distance
Methods of Measuring Distances

Taping over:
• Level Ground
• Uniformly Sloping Ground
Methods of Measuring Distances
Taping over Level Ground

Rod Rod

A A1 A2 A3 A4 B
Methods of Measuring Distances
Taping over Level Ground
Methods of Measuring Distances
Taping over Level Ground

Length AB = 4 x Full tape distance + 1 Short


section

REMEMBER ! It works only on smooth ground surfaces


Methods of Measuring Distances
Taping over Uniformly Sloping Ground

• Should the ground be sloping there are three


taping methods that can be used.
• These methods include the following:
-­­ tape held horizontally with one or both of the
tapemen using plumb bobs
Methods of Measuring Distances
Taping over Uniformly Sloping Ground

• One steeper slope, where a 100-­­ft length cannot


be held horizontally without plumbing above
shoulder level, shorter distances are measured
and accumulated to total a full tape length. This
procedure is know as Breaking Tape.
Methods of Measuring Distances
Taping over Uniformly Sloping Ground
Methods of Measuring Distances
Taping over Uniformly Sloping Ground

• Should the ground be sloping there are three taping


methods that can be used.
• These methods include the following:
-­­ tape held horizontally with one or both of the
tapemen using plumb bobs
-­­ tape may be held along the slope, the slope
determined, and a correction made to obtain horizontal
distance
-­­ the sloping distance may be taped, a vertical angle
measured for each slope, and the horizontal distance later
computed.
Methods of Measuring Distances
Taping over Uniformly Sloping Ground

d  L sinα
H  L cos α

H  L d
2 2
EXAMPLE # 1 - PACING
A 45m- course, AB, on level ground was paced by a
surveyor for the purpose of determining his pace factor.
The number of paces for each trial taken are shown in the
table.

a. Determine his pace factor.


b. If the surveyor then took 771, 770, 768, 770, 772 and
769 paces in walking an unknown distance CD, what is
the length of the line?
c. Assuming that the taped length of the line CD is 667.0m,
determine the relative precision of the measurement
performed.
EXAMPLE # 1 - PACING

TRIAL LINE TAPED DIST NO. OF PACES


1 AB 50
2 BA 53
3 AB 45.0m 51
4 BA 53
5 AB 52
6 BA 53
EXAMPLE # 2 - Stadia

A stadia rod, held at a distant point B, is


sighted by an instrument set up at A. The
upper and lower stadia hair readings were
observed as 1.300m and 0.900m, respectively.
If the stadia interval factor (K) is 100, and the
instrument constant is (C) is zero, determine
the length of the line AB.
EXAMPLE # 3 – Subtense Bar

The following subtended angles were read on


a 2m long subtense bar using a theodolite:
0ᵒ54’13”, 0ᵒ22’20”, 0ᵒ32’06” and 0ᵒ19’46”.
Compute the horizontal distance from the
theodolite to each position of the bar.

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