•By:
•Shoukat Ali Soomro
Surveying and •Assistant Professor
Levelling •Department of Land and Water
Management
•Faculty of Agricultural Engineering
Obstacles in Chaining of a Line
• It sometimes happens that a survey line passes through some object such as a pond, a
building, a river, a hedge (bushes) etc. which prevents the direct measurement of that part
of the line which the object intersects.
• The interfering object in such a case is called an obstacle.
• It is necessary to overcome obstacles so that chaining may be continued in a straight line.
• The three main obstacles in chaining of a line are of the following types:
• 1. Chaining Free, Vision Obstructed
• 2. Chaining Obstructed, Vision Free
• 3. Chaining and Vision Both Obstructed.
1. Chaining Free, Vision Obstructed:
• In this type of obstacles, the ends of the lines are not
intervisible
• e.g. rising ground, hill or jungle intervening.
• Here two cases may arise:
• (i)
• Both ends may be visible from any intermediate
point lying on the line such as in the case of a hill.
• The obstacle of this kind may easily be crossed over
by reciprocal ranging and length measured by
stepping method of chaining.
1. Chaining Free, Vision Obstructed:
• (ii)
• Both ends may not be visible from any intermediate point
such as in the case of a jungle.
• The obstacle of this kind may be crossed over by “Random
line method”.
• In fig. 3.20, let AB be the line whose length is required.
From A, run a line AB’ called a random line, in the
approximate convenient direction of AB and continue it
until point B is visible from B’ Chain the line to B’ where BB’
is perpendicular to AB’ and measure BB’.
• Similarly a number of points can be located on the true line.
• The line is then cleared and chained.
• The typical obstacle of this type is a sheet of
water, the width of which in the direction of
measurement exceeds the length of the
2. Chaining chain or tape. The problem consists in
finding the distance between convenient
Obstructed, points on the chain line on either side of
Vision Free: obstacle.
• Two cases may arise:
(a) When the obstacle can be
chained around, e.g. a pond.
• Set out equal
perpendiculars AC
and BD [Fig. 3.21 (a)].
Measure CD which is
equal to AB.
(a) When the obstacle can be chained around,
e.g. a pond.
• Erect perpendicular
AC [Fig .3.21(b)] of
such a length that
CB clears the
obstacle and
measure AC and CB.
(b) When the obstacle
cannot be chained around
e.g. a river.
• Select two points A and B on the
chain line on opposite banks of
the river. [Fig. 3.22 (a)]. From A
and C, erect perpendicular or
parallel lines AD and CE, such
that E, D and B are in line.
Measure AC, AD and CE. If a line
DF is drawn parallel to AC,
meeting CE in F, the triangles
ABD and FDE are similar.
(b) When the obstacle
cannot be chained around
e.g. a river.
• Select two points A and B on the
chain line on either side of the
river [Fig. 3.22. (b)]. Set a
perpendicular AC and mark its
midpoint D. From C, erect CE
perpendicular to AC such that E,
D and B are in the same range
and measure CE. Then triangles
ABD and CED are congruent.
Therefore AB = CE.
(b) When the obstacle
cannot be chained around
e.g. a river.
• Select two points A and B as
before [Fig. 3.22 (c)]. Erect a
perpendicular AC and using
an optical square at C, find
D on the chain line so that
∠BCD is a right angle.
Measure AC and AD.
Triangles ABC and ACD are
similar.
• A building is a typical
3. Chaining example of this class of
and Vision obstacles. The problem in
Both this case consists both in
Obstructed: prolonging the line beyond
the obstacle and finding the
distance across it.
Chaining and Vision Both Obstructed:
Select two points A and B on the
chain line [Fig. 3.23 (a)].
At A and B, erect equal
perpendiculars AC and BD.
Join CD and produce it past the
obstacle.
Select two points E and F on it. At E
and F, set out perpendiculars EG
and FH, each equal in length to AC.
The points G and H then lie on the
chain line and BG = DE.
Best of Luck
