Visayas State University

College of Engineering
Department of Geodetic Engineering
Visca, Baybay City, 6521-A, Leyte, Philippines

GEng 112c – General Surveying II

Laboratory Exercise No. 1

DETERMINING STADIA INTERVAL FACTOR

Name: _______________________ Date Performed: _______ Score:_______

Course and Year: _____________ Date Submitted:​ ​_______
Introduction​. Make your own.

II. Objective(s):
To determine the stadia interval factor of an instrument.

III. Instruments and Accessories:

Any surveying instrument with a telescope and stadia hairs, Stadia or Leveling Rod, Stakes or
Pegs, and Steel Tape.

IV. Procedure:
A.
1. Set up and level the instrument on fairly level ground where a horizontal sight can be
obtained up to 90 meters.
2. Set 5 stakes on a straight line from the instrument’s position such that the first stake
is 30 m away and all other succeeding stakes exactly 15 m apart. Use a steel tape in
laying off the prescribed distances. From the accompanying figure it will be noted that
D​1​, D​2​, D​3​, and so on are the distances of successive points (A, B, C, and etc) from
the instrument set up at point O. Also, these distances measure 30, 45, 60,…and 90
m, respectively from point O.
3. With the leveling (or stadia) rod held plumb on each stake, determine the upper and
lower stadia hair readings (i.e., a and b) and record these observed data.
 Figure 1. Determining stadia interval factor.

4. Tabulate all measured values accordingly. Refer to the accompanying sample format
for the tabulation of field data.

TADIA HAIR READINGS TADIA INT

STADIA
TRIAL DIST. FACTOR
UPPER LOWER INTERCEPT(S)
(K)
1 30.00
2 45.00
3 60.00
4 75.00
5 90.00
AVE K =

B. COMPUTATIONS:
1. The stadia interval (or intercept) at each stake is determined by subtracting the lower
stadia hair reading from the upper stadia hair reading or
Where: s = stadia interval or intercept
s=a–b a = upper stadia hair reading
b = lower stadia hair reading

Successive values of s are determined such as s​1​ = a​1​ – b​1​, s​2​ = a​2​ – b​2​, s​3​ = a​3​ – b​3​, and so on.

2. The stadia interval factor (K) is computed for each sight by dividing the distance from the
center of the instrument to the stake (D) by its corresponding stadia interval (a) or

K = D/s or D/(a – b)

Where: K = stadia interval factor

D = distance from the center of the instrument to the stake
s = stadia interval ( or a – b)

Successive values of K are determined by the relationships K​1 = D​1​/S​1​, K​2 = D​2​/S​2​, K​3 = D​3​/S​3​,
and so on.

3. The mean of the computed stadia interval factors is taken as the stadia interval factor of
the instrument or
K = (K​1​ +K​2​ + K​3​ . . . . . . . . . .+ K​n​) /n

Where:
K = stadia interval factor of the instrument
n = number of points sighted
K​1​= stadia interval factor for the sight on the rod held at the first point (A).
Similarly, K​1​ , K​2​ , K​3​ , K​4​ , and etc. represent the stadia interval factor for the
other sights taken on other points such as B, C, D, and etc.

V. Results and Discussion

VI. Conclusion

VII. Recommendation(s): Optional

VIII Reference(s):