CE101 – LECTURE 5

TAPE CORRECTIONS
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

´ To identify the effect of an incorrect tape length and sloping

distances to the actual measure of a certain distance.
´ To apply the correction equations due to incorrect length and
sloping distance.
´ To recognize the effect of the temperature change and tension
applied to a tape in measuring.
´ To utilize the correction equations due to temperature and tension
in measuring using a tape.
´ To explain how tape sagging affect the measured horizontal
distance and apply its correction formula.
´ To apply the various corrections to the measured distance.
TYPES OF CORRECTIONS
Five major areas in which the surveyor may need
to apply corrections with a tape are as follows:

1. Incorrect tape length or standardization error

2. Temperature variations
3. Slope
4. Sag
5. Incorrect tension
TYPES OF CORRECTIONS
Once appropriate errors are determined, the
corrected distance for a measured line can be
determined by substituting into the following
equation. The application of this equation will
always be correct, provided the correct algebraic
sign is used for each correction.

Corrected distance =
Measured distance + Σ corrections
 1
CORRECTION DUE TO INCORRECT TAPE
LENGTH OR STANDARDIZATION ERROR
INCORRECT TAPE LENGTH

• Cause by tapes to be kinked, worn, and

imperfectly repaired after breaks.

• a tape stretches with time.

• Standardization needs to be carried out

frequently by using reference tape or
baseline.
 INCORRECT TAPE LENGTH
Corrections to taping are applied by the use of the
following rules:

1st Rule: When a line is measured with a tape that is too long,
the corrections are applied to the observed length by adding.
2nd Rule: When a specified or required length is to be laid
out with a tape that is too long, the corrections are
subtracted from the known length to determine the
corrected length to be laid out.
3rd Rule: When measuring or laying out lengths with a tape
that is too short, the corrections are applied opposite to
those stated in the first two rules.
INCORRECT TAPE LENGTH

“When measuring with tape too long, add;

tape too short, subtract. Do the reverse
when laying out.”
 INCORRECT TAPE LENGTH

• The absolute value for the correction per tape

length (corr) is determined from the difference
between the true or actual length of tape (TL)
and the nominal length of tape (NL) or

Corr = TL - NL

Where:
ML = measured length or length to be laid out
NL = nominal length of tape
 INCORRECT TAPE LENGTH

• Corrected distances which are measured or laid out

with a tape that is too long or too short can be
determined from the following equations:
ML
Cl Corr( )
NL
CL ML r Cl
Where:
Cl = total correction to be applied to the measured length or
length to be laid out
CL = corrected length of the line to be measured or laid out
EXAMPLE 1

The length of a line AB measured with a 50-m

tape is 465.285m. When the tape is
compared with a standardized tape it is
found to be 0.016m too long in almost the
same conditions of support, tension, and
temperature that existed during
measurement of the line. Determine the
correct length of AB.
EXAMPLE 2

A building 38m x 45m is to be laid out with a

50m long metallic tape. If during
standardization the tape is found to be only
49.950m, determine the dimensions to be
laid out, using this tape, in order that the
building shall have the desired dimensions.
 2
CORRECTION DUE TO TEMPERATURE
CORRECTION DUE TO TEMPERATURE

• Steel tapes lengthen with rising temperature and

shorten with falling ones.

• A temperature change of approximately 15oF will

cause a change in length of approximately 0.01 ft
in a 100 – ft tape.

• The coefficient of linear expansion for steel tapes

is 0.0000065 per degree Fahrenheit and
0.0000116 per degree Celsius.
CORRECTION DUE TO TEMPERATURE

Ct = C L (T – Ts)
Ct = correction due to temperature
C = coefficient of linear expansion
L = length of line measured
T = observed temperature
Ts = temperature at which the tape was
standardized
EXAMPLE 3

A steel tape is known to be to 50m long at 20°C.

The tape was used to measure a line which
was found to be 532.28m long when the
temperature was 36°C. Determine:
a. Temperature correction per tape length
b. Temperature correction for the measured
line
c. Correct length of the line
EXAMPLE 4

A steel tape, known to be of standard length

at 20°C, is used in laying out a runway
2,500.00m long. Determine the
temperature correction and the correct
length to be laid out when the
temperature is 42°C.
 3
CORRECTION DUE TO SLOPE
CORRECTION DUE TO SLOPE

S
Ch
d
ϴ

h
S
CORRECTION DUE TO SLOPE
1. Gentle Slopes (less than 20%)
Ch = h2/2s
d Ch
ϴ

S
h
CORRECTION DUE TO SLOPE
2.Steep Slopes (between 20% and 30%)
Ch = h2/2s + h4/8s3
3.Very Steep Slopes (Greater than 30%)
Ch = s ( 1 --cosϴ)
CORRECTION DUE TO SLOPE
4. For any slope classification, the horizontal
distance (d) is determined by subtracting the slope
correction Ch from the measured slope distance (s)

d = s – Ch

5. The slope in percent % :

Slope (%) = (h/d) x 100%
EXAMPLE 5

Slope distances AB and BC measures

330.49m and 660.97m, respectively. The
differences in elevation are 12.22m for
points A and B, and 10.85m for points B
and C. Use approximate slope correction
formula for gentle slopes, determine the
horizontal length of line ABC. Assume that
AB has a rising slope and BC a falling
slope.
 4
CORRECTION DUE TO SAG
CORRECTION DUE TO SAG
• If the tape cannot be supporte
supp
supporteded for
for
its length then it will hang freely
under the influence of gravity. The
shape of the tape will take is
known as (sag) and can be
determined mathematically.

Weight of tape
per unit length Angle of slope

w L cos T
2 3 2
Cs 
24 u P 2
Tension applied to the ends

Note: the effect of sag always causes shortening of tape, Hence, the
correction must always be negative or subtracted.
CORRECTION DUE TO SAG
• For correction due to sag, the following expression
may be used:
w2L3 W 2L
Cs  Cs 
24P 2 24P 2

Where:
CS = correction due to sag or the difference between the tape
reading and the horizontal distance between supports (m or ft)
ω = weight of tape per unit length (kg/m or lb/ft)
W = ωL =total weight of the tape between supports (kg or lb)
L = interval between supports of the unsupported length of
tape (m or ft)
P = total tension applied to the tape (kg or lb)
EFFECT OF SAG ON TAPING

CS
steel tape

CS = CS1+CS2

CS = CS1+CS2+CS3
EXAMPLE 6
A 50-m steel tape weighs 0.04 kg/m and is
supported at its end points and at the 8-m
and 25-m marks. If a pull of 6kg is applied ,
determine the following:
a. Correction due to sag between the 0-m
and 8-m marks, 8-m and 25-m marks,
and the 25-m and 50-m marks.
b. Correction due to sag for one tape length.
c. Correct distance between the ends of the
tape.
 5
CORRECTION DUE TO TENSION
CORRECTIONDUE TO TENSION

• A steel tape stretched when it is pulled, and if the

pull is greater than that for which it was
standardized, the tape will be too long.

• An average value of the modulus of elasticity for

steel is approximately 2 x 106 kg/cm2 or 2.9 x 106 psi.
CORRECTIONDUE TO TENSION
Cp = (Pm – Ps) L / AE
Where:
Cp = total elongation in tape length due to pull or the
correction due to incorrect pull applied on the tape (m or ft).
Pm = pull applied to the tape during measurement (kg or lb)
Ps = standard pull for the tape or pull for which the tape is
calibrated (kg or lb)

L = tape length (m or ft)

A = cross--sectional area of the tape (cm2 or in2 )

E = modulus of elasticity of the tape material (kg/cm2 or lb/in2)

CORRECTIONDUE TO TENSION
Cross--sectional area: A
A = W/L ɣ

Corrected length due to tension

L’ = Lm ± Cp

W = total weight (kg or lb)

ɣ = unit weight of the tape (kg/m3 or lb/ft 3 )
Lm = measured length of line (m or ft)
L’ = correct length of the measured line (m or ft)
EXAMPLE 7

A 30-m steel tape weighing 1.45kg is of

standard length under a pull of 5kg,
supported for full length. The tape was used in
measuring a line 938.55m long on smooth
level ground under a steady pull of 10kg.
Assuming E=2.0x10^6 kg/cm^2 and the unit
weight of steel to be 7.9x10^-3 kg/cm^3,
determine the correct length of the line
measured.
NORMAL TENSION

´ By exerting a sufficiently greater amount of

pull on the tape when it is suspended and
sagged, the tape will be stretched and a
considerable decrease in the amount of sag
results.
´ The applied pull which will lengthen the tape
to equal the shortening caused by sag is
referred to as the normal tension.
EXAMPLE 8

´ A steel tape weighing 0.85 kg has a cross-

sectional area of 0.05 sq.cm. The tape
measures exactly 30.00m when supported
throughout its length under a standard pull of
5.5 kg. If the modulus of elasticity is 2.10 x
10^6 kg/cm^2, determine the tension
required to make the tape equal to its nominal
length when supported only at the end points.