Visayas State University

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

GEng 112c – General Surveying II

Laboratory Exercise No. 2

Inclined stadia sights

Name: _______________________ Date Performed: _______ Score: _______

Course and Year: _____________ Date Submitted:_______

I. INTRODUCTION
 Prepare your introduction with emphasis on the importance of inclined stadia sights.
II. LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the laboratory class, the students should be able to:
 Compute for the inclined distance and its horizontal and vertical components
 Determine the elevation of a distant point
III. MATERIALS AND TOOLS NEEDED
 Transit/theodolite
 Stadia rod
 Stakes/pins (if necessary)
IV. PROCEDURE
1. On one end of the designated line set up and level the instrument such as at
point A (refer to the accompanying sketch of a sample set up, fig. 1.).
2. Direct the rodman to hold vertically a leveling or stadia rod at the other end of
the line (point B) and take a foresight on the rod.
3. Observe through the telescope the apparent location of the stadia hairs on
the rod and record the upper stadia hair reading (a) and the lower stadia hair
reading (b).
4. Also note the apparent location of the horizontal cross hair on the rod and
record this as the rod reading (c or RR).
5. Read the vertical angle (alpha) and record the quantity. Indicate its
corresponding sign. An angle of elevation is a plus (+) angle and an angle of
depression is a minus (-) angle.
6. With the use of the graduated level (or stadia) rod, measure the actual height
of the instrument above the occupied point and record this as the HI.
7. Tabulate all measured and computed values accordingly. Refer to the
accompanying sample format for the tabulation of field data.

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Vision: The premier university of science and technology in the Visayas.
Mission: Provide excellent instruction, conduct relevant research and foster community engagement that produce highly competent
graduates necessary for the development of the country.
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 Figure 1. Inclined stadia sight

Sample table format

HI: Elevation of Point A: K:

Sta. Sta. Hair Reading S Vert. Stadia Distance
Occ. Obs. Upper Hor. Lower Angle HD VD ID
A B

A. COMPUTATIONS:
1. The stadia interval (s) is the apparent distance between the points on the rod
where the upper and lower stadia hairs intersect the rod. It is determined by
subtracting the lower stadia hair reading (b) from the upper stadia hair
reading (a) or, s = a – b.
2. The horizontal, vertical, and inclined distances are determined by the
following formulas:

HD = KsCos2(α) + CCos(α)
VD = KsCos(α)Sin(α) + CSin(α)
ID = KsCos(α) + C

Where: HD = horizontal distance from the center of the instrument at A

to
the rod held at B
VD = vertical distance from the instrument’s horizontal line of
sight
to the apparent position of the horizontal cross hair on
the
rod held at B.
ID = inclined distance from the center of the instrument to the
apparent position of the horizontal cross hair on the rod
held
at B. As a computational check the inclined distances
may
also be computed by adding the square of HD to the
square
of VD and extracting the square root.

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Vision: The premier university of science and technology in the Visayas.
Mission: Provide excellent instruction, conduct relevant research and foster community engagement that produce highly competent
graduates necessary for the development of the country.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 K = given or predetermined stadia interval factor of the
instrument
used and is usually equal to 100.
C = distance from the center of the instrument to the principal
focus. For external focusing telescope, C may be
considered
as 30 cm (1.0 ft.), and for internal focusing telescopes, C
is
negligible and assumed to be zero.
α = the observed vertical angle (alpha) when the rod reading (c
or
RR) is taken.

3. The difference in elevation (DE) between points A and B will be obvious if a

sketch is correctly drawn.
a) For positive (+) sights: DE = HI + VD – RR
b) For negative (–) sights: DE = VD + RR – HI
4. From the prepared sketch, the elevation of the distant point B will also be
obvious.
a) For positive (+) sights: Elev. of B = Elev. of A + DE
b) For negative (–) sights: Elev. of B = Elev. of A – DE

V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

 Site or explain one application.
 Present the results of your work by taking picture (optional) and explain.
 Describe your understanding in performing the laboratory.

VI. SKETCH
VII. REFERENCE
VIII. REMARKS, HINTS & PRECAUTIONS
1. The determination of horizontal distances and differences in elevation by the stadia
method is common in traverse and leveling for topographic surveys, field completion
surveys employing photogrammetric procedures, and in route and hydrographic
surveys.
2. The two end points (A and B) should be so selected such that a considerable
difference in elevation is apparent between these points.
3. Using the stadia method, horizontal distances may be determined with a relative
accuracy to about 1/500. Similarly, differences in elevation can be obtained to within
plus or minus 3 cm.
4. The elevation of the instrument point (A) may be assumed if it is not known or
predetermined.
5. The stadia interval factor (s) is usually determined by setting the lower stadia hair on
a whole meter (or foot) mark and then reading the location of the upper stadia hair.
By this process, the stadia interval is mentally computed more easily and with less
chance of mistakes than if the lower stadia hair were allowed to take a random
position on the rod.
6. Whenever possible, it is convenient to read the vertical angle when the rod reading
equals the height of instrument. Since the rod reading and HI are opposite in sign, if
equal in magnitude the two quantities cancel each other and may be omitted from the
computation of difference in elevation.
7. The setting of the horizontal cross hair on a full meter (or foot) mark on the rod also
simplifies the arithmetic involved.
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Vision: The premier university of science and technology in the Visayas.
Mission: Provide excellent instruction, conduct relevant research and foster community engagement that produce highly competent
graduates necessary for the development of the country.
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 8. Whenever the stadia interval is in excess of the length of the rod used, the separate
half intervals are observed and their sum is taken.

LAB/FIELD WORK RELATED DEFINITIONS:

1. STADIA – derived from a Greek word meaning a unit of length originally applied in measuring
distances for athletic contests. A stadia denoted 600 Greek units or 184 m 93 cm (606 ft 9 in)
by present-day international standards. The term is now applied to the cross hairs and rod
used in making indirect measurements.
2. STADIA INTERVAL FACTOR (K) – an instrument constant which depends on the spacing
between the stadia hairs. It is expressed by the ratio, f/I, which is usually made equal to 100.
The stadia interval factor is computed for each sight by dividing the distance from the principal
focus to the stake (or rod) by the corresponding stadia intercept.
3. STADIA INTERVAL OR INTERCEPT (S) – is the apparent distance between the points on
the rod where the upper and lower stadia hairs intersects the rod. It is determined by
subtracting the lower stadia hair reading from the upper stadia hair reading.
4. STADIA CONSTANT (C) – the distance from the center of the instrument to the principal
focus. For external focusing telescopes, C may be considered as 30 cm (1.0 ft) and for
internal focusing telescopes, C is negligible and assumed to be zero.
5. HORIZONTAL STADIA DISTANCE (HD) – the horizontal distance from the center of the
instrument to the rod held and sighted at a distant point.
6. VERTICAL STADIA DISTANCE (VD) – the vertical distance from the instrument’s horizontal
line of sight to the apparent position of the horizontal cross hair on the rod held and sighted at
a distant point.
7. INCLINED STADIA DISTANCE (ID) – the inclined distance from the center of the instrument
to the apparent position of the horizontal cross on the rod held and sighted at the distant
point.
8. STADIA LEVELING – a method of indirect leveling which is similar to differential leveling and
is well suited for leveling operations in rough and hilly terrain where a relatively low order of
accuracy is acceptable. The only difference is that the line of sight may be inclined from the
horizontal.

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Vision: The premier university of science and technology in the Visayas.
Mission: Provide excellent instruction, conduct relevant research and foster community engagement that produce highly competent
graduates necessary for the development of the country.
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