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Chain Surveying

Article · September 2019

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Duncan Ongeri Gichaba

The Technical University of Kenya
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Chai
nSur
veyi
ng
1.
0. I
ntr
oduct
ion

Chai
nsur
vey
ingi
sthebr
anchofsur
vey
ingi
nwhi
chonl
yli
nearmeasur
ement
sar
emadei
nthef
iel
d.

Thi
sissui
tabl
efort
hesur
veyofsmal
lar
easwi
thsi
mpl
edet
ail
sandanar
eat
hati
sfai
rl
yfl
at.

I
tder
ivesi
tsnamef
rom t
hef
actt
hatt
hepr
inci
pleequi
pmentcommonl
yusedi
sthechai
n.

1.
1. Thechai
nsur
veypr
inci
ples.

Themethodrel
i
esonthepri
nci
plest
hati
fthehori
zontall
engt
hsandt
her
elat
iveposi
ti
onsoft
hreesi
desar
erecor
dedt
hen
thepl
anoft
heareacanbedr
awnbymethodoftr
iangl
es.

B
C
A

Thef
iel
dmeasur
ement
smustbear
rangedi
nwayt
hati
tcanbedr
awnbyt
het
ri
angl
es.

1.
2. Equi
pmentusedi
nchai
nsur
vey
ing

Theequi
pmentcanbecl
assi
fi
edi
nfourbr
oadheadi
ngs:

A. Thoseusedf
ormeasur
ingl
i
nearmeasur
ement
s

B. Thosef
ormeasur
ingr
ightangl
es

C. Thoseusedf
ormeasur
ingsl
ope

D. Andt
hoseusedf
ormeasur
ingot
her
s

A. Thoseusedf
ormeasur
ingl
i
nearmeasur
ement
s

Thei
nst
rument
susedf
ormeasur
ingt
hel
i
nearmeasur
ement
sar
e:

i
. Chai
ns

1
 Ty
pesofchai
ns

 Günt
er’
schai
nThi
smeasur
es20m

 Engi
neer
schai
n30m wi
thal
i
nkof0.
2m

 Met
ri
cChai
n–20,
30,
50and100m

Thechai
nisdi
vi
dedi
ntol
i
nkswhi
char
emadeofst
eel
ori
ronwi
thr
ingsatt
heends.

Theendofthechai
nispr
ovidedwit
habr asshandl
ewi
thswi
velj
oint
.Measur
ementst
art
sfr
om out
sidet
otheout
sideoft
hehandl
es.
Theyar
eusedformeasur
ingshor
tdist
ances

1.
2.1. Car
eanduseofchai
n

Beforeanysurv
eyiscarri
edoutthesurveyinstr
umentshouldbest andar
dizedi.e itshoul
dbecomparedtosomestandardlengthand
correct
edaccor
dingl
y.Thechainshoul
dnotbepul l
edcarel
esslyalongthegr ound,
becauseitwil
lgat
hert
hetwigsandthestones.Ifthe
pull
ingofthechaini
sr esi
sted,t
hepullshouldbediscont
inued.Afteruset hechainshouldbedri
ed,al
lthedustr
emovedandf olded
properl
y.

1.
2.2. UsesofChai
n

Twopeoplear
er equir
edonet oactasal eaderandtheot
hertoactasaf
oll
ower
.Usual
l
ythef
oll
oweri
sthesur
vey
orhi
msel
f.Hecar
ri
es
thear
rowsandrangingrods.Theleadercarr
iesaboutt
enarr
ows.

Tomeasur
eal
i
neABhav
ingal
readymar
kedt
heendsAandBbyr
angi
ngpol
es,
thel
eaderhol
dshi
sendoft
hechai
nandmov
est
owar
ds

2
Bful
lyextended.Whenhe/shereachest
heendofthechainhepl
acesthearrowtomar
ktheendoft
hechai
n.The fol
lowersi
gnalsthe
l
eadertomov ealongtheli
neandholdsthebegi
nni
ngofthechai
nattheplacedarr
owt
omeasurest
henextchai
nlength.Thi
sprocess
cont
inuesunti
ltheent
irel
engt
hABhasbeenmeasur ed.

1.
2.3. Rangi
ngr
od

Thesearethi
ncir
cularsecti
onsr odsusedtodefinethestrai
ghtl
i
nebetweenanyt
wopoints.Theycanbemadeofwoodorsteel
.They
usual
lyhav
epaintedmet alshoesatthebot t
om sothattheycandri
venint
othegr
ound.Theyarepaint
edi
ntheal
ter
nat
ivebandsbl
ack,
whit
eandredtocontrastagainsttheenvi
ronment.

1.
3. Pr
inci
plesofchai
nsur
vey
ing

Thechai
nsurv
eyrel
iesonthepr
inci
plet
hati
fallt
het
hreesi
desofapl
anet
ri
angl
ear
emeasur
edt
hent
heycanbeunambi
quousl
ypl
ott
ed
byusi
nga[pai
rofcompassesandascaler
ule.
)

Onelinei
sdrawntoscal
et henfr
om i
tsendtheotherli
nescanbedrawn.Ifal
lthemeasur
ementsarecorr
ect
, t
hei
nter
secti
onofthear
cs
def
inesthethi
rdpoi
ntofthetri
angl
e.Anumberofl i
nesarelai
doutintheareatobesurv
eyed,
arrangedsothatt
heyfor
m aframework
oft
riangl
es.Thi
smakesiteasytopr
oducetheli
nesont hepl
an.

1.
3.1Chai
nsur
veyf
ramewor
k

Whenthesur
vey
ori
sont
hef
iel
dtobegi
nsur
vey
ingheshoul
dfi
rstcar
ryoutar
econnai
ssance(pr
evi
sitt
oassespr
act
icali
ssuesont
he
f
iel
d)

Amongot
hert
hingst
hesur
vey
orshoul
d:

i
. Wal
kov
ert
hear
eat
obesur
vey
edt
ogett
hegener
alv
iewoft
hear
ea.

i
i
. Dr
awt
hesket
choft
hear
ea

i
i
i. Makenot
esont
heboundar
ies,
obst
acl
esl
i
kel
ytobeencount
eredandot
herphy
sical
feat
ures

i
v. Not
etheposi
ti
onst
olayl
i
nespar
ti
cul
arl
ythel
ongestl
i
necal
l
edt
hebackbone

v
. Mar
kthest
ati
onswi
thpegsori
ronpi
ns

1.
4. Pr
inci
plesofsel
ect
ingchai
nli
nesandmar
kingst
ati
ons

Asal r
eadymenti
onedthepri
nci
plesofsur
veyr
equi
ret
hatt
hesur
veyl
i
nesbear
rangedsot
hatt
hear
eacanbepl
ott
edeasi
l
y.Toachi
eve
these,thef
oll
owi
ngfactor
sareused:

1. Thesur
veyl
i
nesshoul
dbeasf
ewaspossi
bleandsuchast
ofor
m asoundgeomet
ri
cal
framewor
k

3
 2. Thet
ri
angl
esf
ormedshoul
dbewel
lcondi
ti
onedi
.e.t
heapexangl
esoft
het
ri
angl
esshoul ween30▫and150▫
dbebet

3. Ther
eshoul
dbeanadequat
enumberoft
hecheckl
i
neswhi
chshoul
dbei
deal
l
yusedaschai
nli
nest
opi
ckt
hedat
adet
ail
s.

4. Theof
fset
susedshoul
dbekeptasshor
taspossi
bleespeci
all
ythoset
oimpor
tantf
eat
ures

5. Li
nest
oli
eov
ert
hemor
elev
elgr
ound

6. Li
nesal
ongt
her
oadswi
thmucht
raf
fi
cshoul
dbekeptt
oonesi
de

7. Obst
acl
esshoul
dbeav
oidedwhenl
ayi
ngl
i
nes

8. Thechai
nli
nest
obekeptcl
oset
othedet
ail
s

1.
4.1. Li
nesusedi
nthechai
nsur
vey
ing

i
. Of
fset
s:

Thesear
eli
neswhi
char
eatr
ightangl
est
othechai
nli
nest
othedet
ail
(feat
ure)

Bui
l
ding

4
 i
. Chai
nli
nesar
eli
nesbet
weent
hesur
veypi
nts

i
i
. Backbonei
sthel
ongestl
i
neont
hel
i
nesf
ramewor
k

i
i
i. Checkl
i
nesar
echai
nli
neswhi
char
eposi
ti
onedsucht
hatt
heycanal
sobeusedcheckt
hesur
veyaccur
acyatt
het
imeofpl
ott
ing

i
v. Ti
eli
nesar
eli
nesdr
awnatanyangl
efr
om t
hechai
nli
net
othef
eat
ure.Thei
nter
sect
ionoft
het
iel
i
nesdef
inet
hef
eat
urepoi
nt

1.
4.2. Way
sofdr
awi
ngt
heper
pendi
cul
arl
i
nesf
rom t
hechai
nli
net
othef
eat
ures

Per
pendi
cul
arl
i
nescanbedr
awnusi
ng:

i
. Judgi
ngbyt
heey
e

i
i
. Swi
ngi
ngt
hechai
n

i
i
i. Set
ti
ngoutr
ightangl
esusi
ngPy
thagor
asmet
hod

i
v. Set
ti
ngr
ightangl
esbyopt
ical
squar
es,
crossst
aff

1.
4.3. Usi
ngswi
ngmet
hod

At
apei
shel
dwi
tht
hezer
opoi
ntatt
hepoi
ntwher
etheper
pendi
cul
arl
i
nei
stobesetoutt
othedet
ail
.

Thechai
nishel
dal
ongt
hechai
nli
neandt
het
apei
sswungf
rom t
hepoi
ntunt
ilt
heshor
testl
engt
hwher
ethet
apet
ouchest
he
chai
nisr
ead.

5
6
1.
4.4. Booki
ngofdet
ail
s

Bookingi
sanimport
antaspectofsurvey
ing.I
tshoul
dbedoneinsuchwaythatthereisonlyoneint
erpr
etat
ionoft
hedet
ail
s
bookedi.
e.t
hebooki
ngmustcapabl eofunambiguousi
nter
pret
ati
onbyanyotherthanthesurv
eyorwhodidit.

Ther
ear
etwost
andar
dty
pesoff
iel
dnot
ebooksf
ort
hechai
nsur
vey
ing,
namel
y

 Onewi t
ha
si
ngleline
perpendicul
ari
nthe
middle

 Onewi t
htwo
par
all
el
per
pendi
cul
arl
ines
i
nthemiddl
e

Thechainagesare
enter
edfisti
nthe
bookingsheetbet
ween
theparal
lell
i
nes

Entri
escommenceatthe
bottom ofthepageand
proceedupwar
ds.

Oppositeeachchainagea
respecti
ve det ai
l i s
entered .The length of
theof f
settoiti
sentered.
Seet hesket
chabov e

1.
4.5. Measur
ingdi
stancesi
nchai
nsur
vey

Thedistancemeasurementscanbecl assi
fi
edasDi r
ectandi ndi
rect
.Indi
rectmeansmeasuri
ngquant
it
iesothertnathe
di
stanceandcal
culat
ingthedi
stancef
rom thesequant
it
ies.Themeasurementofali
newil
ldependonwhethert
hegroundis

7
 sl
opi
ngorl
evel
.Ift
hegr
oundi
slev
elt
hel
i
nei
srangedwi
thr
angi
ngr
odsandt
hel
engt
hmeasur
eddi
rect
ly.

Ty
pesofer
ror
sinmeasur
ement
s

Ther
ear
ethr
eedi
ff
erentt
ypesofer
ror
sfoundi
nmeasur
ement
s,namel
y

i
. Mi
stakesorbl
under
s

i
i
. Sy
stemat
ic(
accumul
ati
ve)

i
i
i. Random orst
ati
sti
cal
err
ors

Mi
stakes

Theseareerr
orswhichhappenduet
ohumancar
elessnessandcanbeav
oidedbyt
heoper
ator(
obser
ver
)bei
ngcar
eful
and
obser
vingthel
aiddownprocedur
es.

Thecommonsour
cesofer
rorar
e:

 Mi
sreadi
ng

 Mi
sbooki
ngt
her
eadi
ngsi
nthef
iel
d

Sy
stemat
icer
ror
s

Thesearealsorefer
redtoaccumulati
veer
ror
s.Theyexi
stinanysurv
eymeasurement.Theerr
orsareofvary
ingmagnit
udebutmaybe
ofeit
herposit
iveornegati
vesign.Thei
ref
fectcanmini
mizedbytaki
ngsui
tabl
efiel
dobservat
ional
procedureorbycor
rect
ingt
he
observedmeasurements.

Sour
cesoft
heseer
ror
sar
easf
oll
ows:

i
. Sl
ope

i
i
. Wr
ongl
engt
hoft
ape(St
andar
dizat
ion)

i
i
i. Sag

i
v. Temper
atur
evar
iat
ion

v
. Tensi
on

v
i. Seal
evel

8
 1. Sl
opeer
ror
s

Sl
opeer
ror
sar
esy
stemat
icandar
ecor
rect
edf
orbycer
tai
npr
ocedur
alobser
vat
ions

Thedi
stanceont
hesl
opi
nggr
oundcanbemeasur
edi
nthr
eedi
ff
erentway
sinor
dert
oobt
aint
hehor
izont
aldi
stance.

Themet
hodsusedar
e:

A. St
epchai
ning

B. Hei
ghtdi
ff
erence

C. Sl
opeangl
e

a. St
epchai
ning

I
nstepchaini
ngthedist
anceontheslopi
nggroundcanbemeasur
edinsmallbi
tsalwayshol
dingoneendoft
het
apeont
hegr
oundand
t
heotherendclearf
rom t
hegroundsuchthatt
hechai
nappear
stobehori
zontal
.Seesketch(
a)bel
ow.

Attherangi
ngrod t
hechainisplumbedwi
tht
hedroparr
ow t
othegr
oundandt
hedi
stancesuchasD1i
smeasur
ed.Themet
hodi
s
repeat
edinst
epsandthei
rsum i
.e.Di
+D2+…….
.Di
sobtai
ned.

b. Measur
ingahor
izont
aldi
stanceusi
ngt
hesl
opeangl
e

Acl
i
nomet
ersi
susedt
omeasur
easl
opeangl
eθast
hesl
opedi
stancei
smeasur
edandr
educedt
ohor
izont
albycal
cul
ati
onD=Lcosθ

Seesket
ch(
b)

9
 c. Measur
ingt
hedi
stanceusi
ngt
hehei
ghtdi
ff
erence

Usi
ngt
hePy
thagor
asequat
ionandt
hesket
chC

Hor
izont
aldi
stanceDcanbeder
ivedas

D=r
equi
redhor
izont
aldi
stance

X=t
hecor
rect
iont
obeappl
i
edt
osl
opedi
stancet
oobt
ainhor
izont
aldi
stance

L=sl
opedi
stance

10
L-X=D…….(
i)

L2=(
L-X)2+(
∆h)2……….(ii)

L2=L2- ∆h)2+X2…….(iii)
2XL+(

Thedi
stanceXi
stoosmal
lcompar
edt
oLandi
tssquar
eisev
ensmal
l
erandcani
gnor
edandt
heequat
ionbecomes

∆h)2/
X=( 2L

TheXcanbeobt
ainedandappl
i
edt
othesl
opedi
stancet
ogi
vet
hehor
izont
aldi
stanceDi
nequat
ion(
I)

2. St
andar
dizat
ion

Achai
nusuallychangesi
nlengt
hduetowearandt
ear
.Thi
smeansthatit
slengt
hshoul
dbecompared(
checked)agai
nstastandard
l
engt
h.Ifcheckedandthel
engthisf
oundnott
obecor
rect
,acor
rect
ionshoul
dbeappli
edt
oobtai
nacorr
ectlengt
husingthefol
lowing
l
engt
h.

Actua
lleng
t hXmeasure
dlengt
h
Cor
rec
tle
ngt
h=
St
andardlengt
h(nominall
eng
th)

Ift
hepurposeofthesur
veywast
odet
ermi
net
hear
eaoft
hesur
vey
edar
eaandt
hechai
nisei
thert
ooshor
tort
ool
ongt
hent
hef
oll
owi
ng
expressi
nisappl
i
ed

Act
ua ll
engt
h
cor
rectar
ea=Measur
edar
eax( )2
Sta
nda
rdl
ength(nomina
lle
ngt
h)

Exampl
e1

Ali
newasmeasuredwi
thachai
nbel
i
evedtobe20m l
ongandt
hemeasur
edl
engt
hwas376.
4m.I
fthechai
nwasknownt
o0.
05m t
oo
l
ong,det
ermi
net
hecorr
ectl
engt
hofthel
i
ne.

Sol
uti
on

20.
05X376.
4
Cor
rectl
engt
h= =377.
38m
20

I
fthesamechai
nwasusedt
omeasur
ethel
engt
hoft
hepl
ott
odet
ermi
neanar
eaf
oundt
obe6873hacomput
ethecor
rectar
ea.

11
Sol
uti
on

20.05 2
Cor
rectar
ea=6873X( ) =6907.
408m
20

Random er
ror
s

Random er
rorsar
eer r
orswhi
chappearr
andoml
yandar
eleasti
mpor
tant
.Theyar
eei
therposi
ti
veornegat
ive.Theset
ypeofer
ror
sar
e
cor
rect
edusingstat
isti
cal
methods.

3. SAGCORRECTI
ON

Af
reel
ysuspendedmeasur
ingbandcur
vesbet
weent
het
ermi
nal
sbasedoni
tswei
ghtpermet
erW,
lengt
hLandt
ensi
onT.

Sagcor
rect
ioni
scal
cul
atedandsubt
ract
edas:

3 2
L w
S
agc
orr
ect
ion=- × 2
24 p

4. CORRECTI
ONFORTEMPERATURE

I
ftemper at
ureofthechaindur i
ngmeasur
ementisdif
fer
entfr
om thatatwhichi
twasstandar
dized,
thenatemper at
urecorr
ect
ion
i
sr equi
red.Thecoeefi
cientofexpansi
onα,measur
edlengt
hL, measuredtemper
atur
etandstandardtemperat
uretsa r
e
determi
nedandusedf ordi
stancetemper
atur
ecorr
ecti
on.Si
ncemat er
ial
smakingthechai
nexpandorcontractaccordingt
o
temperaturet
herelat
ionshipis:

Te
mpe
rat
urec
orr
ect
ion=αL(
t-)
t
s

5. TENSI
ONCORRECTI
ON

ThepullP,exertedonameasur
ingbanddeter
mineshowt auti
twil
lbe.Gr
eat
erpullt
hanst
andardmakest hemeasur
ingband
l
ongerwhilelesserpul
lmakesi
tshort
er.Thel
engtheni
ngorshort
eningal
sodependsoncrosssect
ional
areaofthet
apeAand
therat
ioofstresstost
rai
nEcall
edYoung’sModulusformater
ial
ofmeasuri
ngband.Rel
atingt
hesequantit
iesgi
vet
ensi
on
corr
ecti
on.

L
Te
nsi
onc
orr
ect
ion=(
P-Ps)
×
AE

6. REDUCTI
ONTOMEANSEALEVEL

Mapsar edr
awnasthedi
stancesshoul
dhav ebeenatsealevel.Sealevel
istakenast
hedatum f
orheightmeasurementofa
countr
y,sowhenal
lar
ereducedtoit
,di
screpanci
esduet oheightareremoved.Themeasur
eddistanceL,hei
ghtofpl
aceabove
sealevelHandr
adi
usoftheearthar
erelat
edtocorrect
eddistanceL1as

L=(
R+H)
θ

L1=Rθ

12
 L L1
θ= =
R+H R

R
L1=L×
R+H

L1
H

R
Ѳ

13
Obst
acl
esi
nChai
nsur
vey
ing.

Gener
all
ychai
nlinesshoul
dbeconti
nuousbussomet
imesi
thappensthatachai
nmeasur
ingcanbehander
edbyanobst
acle.
Whenthishappensthenitbecomesnecessar
ytofi
ndawayt oaroundthisobst
acl
eandconti
nuethelinet
hathasbeen
hi
nder
ed.

TheMet
hodsofgoi
ngov
ert
heobst
acl
ecanbecl
assi
fi
edi
nthr
eeway
s:

i
. Chai
ningf
reebutv
isi
oni
sobst
ruct
ed.

E.
g.Ar
isi
nggr
ound

i
i
. Vi
si
onf
reebutchai
ningobst
ruct
ed.

E.
g.wi
der
avi
neorar
iver

i
i
i. Bot
h chai
ning and v
isi
on obst
ruct
ed

E.
g.obst
ruct
edbyabui
l
ding

Pr
ocedur
eforov
ercomi
ngobst
acl
es

Chai
ningf
reebutv
isi
onobst
ruct
ed.

14
 Theusualwaysofcorr
ect
ingt
hisobst
acl
eisi
s
asi
ll
ustr
atedi
nthesket
chabov
e

Theobserver
st akeupposit
ionsCandDsuch
thatf
rom CpointBcanbeseenandf
rom Dpoi
nt
Acanbeseen

AtC,Disi
nstr
uctedt
omov
etoD1sucht
hatC
D1andBar
einli
ne.

AtD.Cisinst
ruct
edt
omov
etoC1unt
ilDC1and
Aarei
nline.

Thi
spr ocessgoesonuntilACnDnBar
einl
i
ne
andthechainl
inei
scont
inued.

Vi
sionf
reebutchai
ningobst
ruct
ed

Thel
i
neBCi
srangedpassedt
her
iver
.

15
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AtGsetaper
pendi
cul
art
oF

AtCsetaper
pendi
cul
art
oEsucht
hatEFHar
einl
i
ne

AtFdr
opaper
pendi
cul
arf
rom Ft
oD

Thet
ri
angl
es’
EDFandECHar
esi
mil
ar

FD/
HC=ED/
EC

HC=FD.EC/
ED

Al
lthepar
amet
ersont
heRHSar
eknownandcanbewor
kedoutt
oobt
aint
hechai
nli
neHCandcont
ionuei
t.

16