TAPE CORRECTION

Note:
In measuring distance:
Add – if the tape is too long
Subtract – if the tape is too short

In Laying Out :
Subtract – if the tape is too long
Add – if the tape is too short
1. Correction for Absolute Length Example 1: A measurement was recorded as 171.278m
with a 30m tape that was only 29.996m under standard
conditions. What is the correct measurement?
𝑪 = 𝒍𝒂 − 𝒍
where: C = Correction
la= Actual length of tape
l = nominal length of tape

If the total length measured is L, the total

correction in the given distance is :
𝑪
𝑪𝒂 = 𝒍 𝒙 𝑳
Thus, the corrected length is :
𝑪𝑳 = 𝑳 ± 𝑪𝒂
If A is the measured area, the corrected area is
given by:
𝐥 𝟐
𝐚
𝑪𝑨 = × 𝑨
𝐥
2. Correction for Pull
If pull applied while standardizing the length of the tape
and pull applied in the field are different, this correction is
required.
Example 2: Let’s say we measured 2306.34m
distance by a steel tape made at 7kg tensile
force, the pull applied to the tape was noted as
10kg in the field. And we are asked to work out
the correct distance if the sectional area of the
tape is 0.08 sq.cm, and E= 21 x 105 kg/sq.sm.

𝑷−𝑷𝒐 𝑳 𝟎.𝟐𝟎𝟒𝑾 𝑨𝑬
𝑪𝒑 = 𝑷𝒏 =
𝑨𝑬 𝑷 −𝑷𝟎

where: Cp = Correction for pull

P = Pull applied during measurement
Po= Standard Pull
L = measured length
A = cross sectional area of the tape
E = Young’s Modulus of elasticity
Pn= Nominal Pull
3. Correction for Temperature
𝑪𝑻 = 𝑲 𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒐 𝑳
Example 3: When the temperature was 48oC, the
measured distance from B to C was 318m. The Steel tape
used has a standard length at 20oC with a coefficient of
thermal expansion of 0.0000116/oC. Find the correct
distance of BC in meters.

where: CT = Correction for temperature

L = measured length
Tm = Mean Temperature
To = Standard Temperature
K = Coefficient of thermal
Expansion
4. Correction for Slope
If the length measure is L and the difference in the difference in the levels of first
and the last point is h, then the slope correction is:

For gentle slope (less then 20%)

𝒉𝟐
𝑪𝑺𝒍 =
𝟐𝑳

For steep slope (between 20% to 30%)

:
𝒉𝟐 𝒉𝟒
𝑪𝑺𝒍 = + 𝟖𝑳𝟑
𝟐𝑳

For very steep slope (greater than 30%)

𝑪𝑺𝒍 = 𝑳 − 𝑳 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽 = 𝑳(𝟏 − 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽)
Example 4: A line AB cannot be measured directly because of an obstruction on line. Accordingly, the two
line AC and CB were measured as 2400. 850m and 1320.420m respectively. Point C was set at a
perpendidular distance of 155m from point D on the line AB. Using the approximate slope correction
formula for steep slopes, determine the length of AB.
5. Correction due to Sag Example 5: Calculate sag correction for a 30 m steel
tape under a pull of 80 N, if it is suspended in three equal
A tape is supported at two ends, it takes spans. Unit weight of steel is 78.6 kN/m3. Area of cross-
the shape of a catenary. The correction fo section of tape is 8 mm2.
sag should be applied as the horizontal
chord. Length is always shorter than the
curved length,
𝑾𝟐 𝑳 𝛚𝟐 𝑳 𝟑
𝑪𝒔 = 𝟐𝟒𝑷𝟐
= 𝟐𝟒𝑷𝟐

where: CS = Correction due to sag

L = measured length
P = applied pull
W = total weight of tape
ꙍ = unit weight per tape length
Example 6: It is required to layout the front
corners of a building, distance of 210.08ft. The
tape used is known to be 100.02ft under
standard condition. What is the correct length?
Example 7: A distance of 1500 m was measured with a
20 m chain. After the measurement chain was found to be
80 mm longer. If the length of chain was perfectly correct
while starting measurement, what is the true length of the
line measured?
Example 8: A survey was conducted with a 20 m chain
and plan of the field was drawn to a scale of 1 cm = 5 m.
The area of the plan was found to be 62.8 cm2. However
when the chain was tested at the end of work, it was
wound to be 20.10 m. Assuming the length was exactly
20.0 m in the beginning of survey work, determine the
true area of the field.
Example 9: A 20 m tape was used for measuring a line at an
average temperature of 65º F. The measured distances on the
ground and slope of the ground are as given below:
2º 18′ for 125 m
3º 30′ for 250 m
1º 42′ for a distance of 170 m
If the temperature at which tape was standardised is 80º F, find the
true length of the line. Take α = 6.2 × 10^(–6) /ºF.
Example 10: To measure a base line, a steel tape 30 m
long, standardised at 15º C with a pull of 80 N was used.
Find the correction per tape length, if the temperature at the
time of measurement is 25º C and the pull exerted is 150 N.
Take Young’s modulus E = 2 × 10^5 N/mm2 and coefficient
of thermal expansion α = 11.2 × 10^-6/°C. Cross-sectional
area of tape is 8 mm2.
Example 11 : A line is recorded as 472.90m long. It is measured with 0.65kg tape which is 30.005m long at 20 oC under a 50N
pull supported at both ends. During measurement, the temperature is 5oC and the tape is suspended under a 75N pull. The line is
measured on 3% grade, E= 200GPa, Cross- sectional area is 3mm2 and the coefficient of linear expansion is 0.0000116m/oC.
a. Compute the actual length of the tape during measurement.
b. Compute the total error to be corrected for the inclined distance.
c. What is the true horizontal distance?