SURVEYING

& LEVELLING

Lecture # 3
Chain surveying
CHAIN SURVEYING

The principle of chain surveying is triangulation

In triangulation, the area to be surveyed is divided into

number of small triangles which should be well
conditioned

In chain surveying the sides of the triangles are directly

measured on the field using chain or tape, and no angular
measurements are taken

It is usually recommended when the area to be surveyed

is small and ground surface is more or less leveled
WELL-CONDITIONED AND ILL-CONDITIONED
TRIANGLES

WELL-CONDITIONED ILL-CONDITIONED

25O
60O
75O
90O
60O 60O

All anlges are between An angle is less than

30o and 120o 30o or more than 120o
TESTING OF A CHAIN

Due to continuous use, a chain may be elongated or

shortened

So, the chain should be tested and adjusted accordingly

If full adjustment is not possible, then the amount of

shortening (known as “TOO SHORT”) and elongation
(known as “TOO LONG”) should be noted clearly for
necessary correction applicable to the chain

For testing the chain, a test gauge is established on a

level platform with the help of a standard steel tape
The steel tape is standardized at 20 oC and under a tension
of 8 kg

The test gauge consists of two pegs having nails at the top
and fixed on level platform a required distance apart (20 or
30 m)

The incorrect chain is fully stretched by pulling it under

normal tension (8 kg) along the test gauge

If the length of the chain does not tally with the standard
length, then an attempt should be made to rectify the
error

Finally, the amount of elongation or shortening should be

recorded
 20 m or 30 m

TEST GAUGE

Allowable error for 20 m chain = 5mm

Allowable error for 30 m chain = 8mm
ADJUSTMENT OF CHAIN

When the chain is too long, it is adjusted by;

1. Closing up the opened joints of the rings

2. Hammering the elongated rings

3. Replacing some old rings by new rings

When the chain is too short, it is adjusted by;

1. Straightening the bent links

2. Opening the joints of the rings

3. Replacing the old rings by some larger rings

SCALE FOR MAPS
Scales are generally represented in terms of
Representative Factor (R.F.) or scale factor

If 1 cm on map represents 10 m on ground then R.F. is

given as

(Read as “1 is to 1000” or
“1 ratio 1000”)

A map having R.F. of less than “1 is to 500” is considered to

be a large-scale map, otherwise its is considered to be a
small-scale map
CHAINING ON LEVEL GROUND

To chain the line, the leader moves forward by dragging

the chain and by taking with him a ranging rod and arrows.

The follower stands at the starting station by holding the

other end of the chain

When the chain is fully extended, Leader holds the

ranging rod and the ranging process is done with the help
of directions given by the follower

Then the follower holds the zero end of the chain by

touching the station point
The leader stretches the chain and finally place it on the
line. Once done he inserts an arrow in the ground at the
end of the chain

Now the leader moves forward by dragging the chain with

arrows and the ranging rod and the whole process is
repeated again but this time there should be a surveyor on
the starting station to conduct the ranging operation
CHAINING ON SLOPING GROUND

To chain the line, the leader moves forward by dragging

the chain and by taking with him a ranging rod and arrows.

The follower stands at the starting station by holding the

other end of the chain

When the chain is fully extended, Leader holds the

ranging rod and the ranging process is done with the help
of directions given by the follower

Then the follower holds the zero end of the chain by

touching the station point
Suppose line AB is to be measured. The line AB is first
ranged properly

The follower holds the zero end of the tape at A while the
leader selects a suitable length AP1 so that P1 is
approximately at chest height and AP1 is just horizontal

Horizontality is maintained by the eye estimation

The point P2 is marked on the ground by plumb-bob, so that

point P1 is just over P2 . Then horizontal length AP1 is noted

In same way other horizontal lengths are measured as P2P3,

P3P4 and so on. The total horizontal length is simply
summation of all of these segmental horizontal lengths
 P1
P3 A
P5 P2
P7 P4
P6
P9
P8
B
CHAIN CORRECTIONS

1. CORRECTION FOR INCORRECT LENGTH

Where,
L Standard/ true length of chain (m)

Lm Measured length of the line (m)

Lt True length of the line (m)

L’ True length ± error (m)

(Positive when chain is too long and negative when chain is too short)
 2. CORRECTION FOR INCORRECT AREA

Where,
L Standard/ true length of chain (m)

L’ True length ± error (m)

Am Measured length of the line (m2)

At True area (m2)

TAPE CORRECTIONS

1. TEMPERATURE CORRECTION

This correction is necessary because the length of the

tape or chain may be increased or decrease due to rise
or fall of temperature, respectively, during
measurement

The sign of correction may be positive or negative

Coefficient of thermal expansion for the steel tape can

be assumed to be 11 x 10-6 per degree centigrade, if
not known
Where,

Ct Correction for temperature (m)

Tm Temperature during measurement (oC)

To Temperature at which tape was standardized (oC)

L Length of the tape (m)

α Coefficient of thermal expansion (oC-1)

( 11 x 10-6 per degree centigrade if not given)

2. PULL CORRECTION

Due to the elastic properties of the tape material,

when pull is applied, the strain will vary according to
the variation of applied pull, and hence necessary
correction should be applied

The sign of correction may be positive or negative

Modulus of elasticity of the tape may be assumed to be

2.1 x 106 kg/cm2, if not known
Where,

Cp Pull Correction (m)

Pm Pull applied during measurement (kg)

Po Pull at which tape was standardized (kg)

L Length of the tape (m)

E Modulus of elasticity (kg/cm2)

2.1 x 106 kg/cm2, if not known

A Cross-sectional area of tape (cm2)

3. SLOPE CORRECTION

(EXACT)

(EXACT)

(APPROXIMATE) B

Where, L
h
Ch Slope correction (m) C
h Vertical distance between A
two points (m) Ch (always negative)
4. SAG CORRECTION

This correction is necessary when the measurement is

taken with tape in suspension (always negative)

When unit weight is given

Where,

Cs Correction for sag (m)

Pm Pull applied during measurement (kg)

n number of spans

weight of tape per unit length (Kg/m)

length of tape in meters

5. NORMAL TENSION

The tensions at which the effect of pull is neutralized

by the effect of sag is known as normal tension

At this the elongation due to pull is balanced by the

shortening due to sag. Mathematically,
Let, Pn be the Normal tension or pull, then

(Considering n = 1)

By substituting the values of Po, W, A and E, we get the

final equation of the following form,

Pn is determined by trial and error method

CONCLUDED