9/13/2022

CORRECTIONS IN TAPING
Fundamentals of Surveying 1

A GE N DA

▪ General Rule in Taping Corrections

▪ Correction Due to Incorrect Tape Length
▪ Correction Due to Slope
▪ Correction Due to Alignment
▪ Correction Due to Temperature
▪ Correction Due to Tension (Pull)
▪ Correction Due to Sag
▪ Correction Due to Wind

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Corrections in Taping

▪ Taping operations could either be the

following: taping to determine an unknown
length, or taping for the purpose of laying
out a required or specified length.
▪ Regardless of which of these two categories
is involved, there are some corrections which
are applied to the original measurements to
determine the correct and more accurate
length.

General Rule for Applying Corrections

▪ When measuring with tape too long, ADD

▪ When measuring with tape too short, SUBTRACT

▪ Do the reverse when laying-out.

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Corrections Due to Incorrect Tape Length

▪ Manufacturers of assorted measuring tapes do not

usually guarantee their products to be exactly their
correct length. They do not provide a standardization
certificate unless requested, and this usually has to
be paid an extra amount.
▪ These tapes rarely correspond exactly with its
specified nominal length since they may actually be
slightly shorter or longer. This is often due to
imperfections in their manufacture, stretching, and
wear. An incorrect length of tape introduces an error
each time the tape is used and is classified as a
systematic error.

Corrections Due to 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 of tape (TL) and the
nominal length of tape (NL).

𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫 = 𝐓𝐋 − 𝐍𝐋

▪ Correspondingly, 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( ) 𝐂𝐋 = 𝐌𝐋 ± 𝐂𝐥
𝐍𝐋

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Corrections Due to Incorrect Tape Length

Where:
𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫 = 𝐓𝐋 − 𝐍𝐋
𝐶 = total correction to be applied
to the measured length or length to
𝐌𝐋 be laid out
𝐂𝐥 = 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫( )
𝐍𝐋
CL = corrected length of the line
to be measured or laid out
𝐂𝐋 = 𝐌𝐋 ± 𝐂𝐥
ML = measured length or length to
be laid out
NL = nominal length of tape

Corrections Due to Slope

▪ When distances are measured along the slope, the
equivalent horizontal distance may correspondingly be
determined by applying an approximate slope correction

B
Where:
s = measured slope dist between A & B
h = difference in elevation of A & B
d = equivalent horizontal distance AC
C = slope correction or the diff
A between the slope length and
horizontal distance

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Corrections Due to Slope

▪ The following are the different slope correction
formulas used when reducing slope measurements to
equivalent horizontal distances:

1. Gentle Slopes (Less than 20%) ℎ

𝐶 =
2𝑠

2. Steep Slopes (Between 20%-30%) ℎ ℎ

𝐶 = +
2𝑠 8𝑠

3. Very Steep Slopes (Greater than 30%) 𝐶 = 𝑠(1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃)

Corrections Due to Slope

▪ For any classification of slopes, the equivalent

horizontal distance (d) is determined by subtracting
the slope correction ( 𝑪𝒉 ) from the measured slope
distance (s) or

𝑑 =𝑠 − 𝐶

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Corrections Due to Alignment

▪ It is usually difficult to keep the tape in perfect

alignment with the end marks when taping through grass
or when a strong wind is blowing.
▪ The head tapeman is likely to set the zero end of the
tape on one side and sometimes on the other side of
the correct line.
▪ The linear error due to inaccuracy in alignment of a
tape is similar to the effect of slope and can be
computed in the same manner. It is, however, easier to
control and the resulting error is much smaller in
magnitude.

Corrections Due to Temperature

▪ The tape lengthens as the temperature rises making the

tape too long and shortens as the temperature falls
making the tape too short.
▪ Any change in the length of a tape due to variations
in temperature is critical when undertaking precise
measurements.
▪ It can also be significant even for measurements of
lower precision as in most engineering-type surveys.
▪ In ordinary taping of short distances it is not
usually considered since the amount involved is
usually small and negligible.

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Corrections Due to Temperature

▪ The correction applied to the length of the tape due

to change in temperature Ct is given by the formula.

𝐶 = 𝐶𝐿(𝑇 − 𝑇 )

Where:
C = Coefficient of Thermal Expansion
L = Length of the line measured
T = Observed temperature
Ts = Standard Temperature

Corrections Due to Tension (Pull)

▪ During calibration (or standardization) a tape is

subjected to a certain amount of standard pull or
tension on its ends. When used in the field during
taping, it is elongated or shortened accordingly
depending on the amount of pull applied on it.
▪ If the pull is greater than that for which it was
calibrated, the tape elongates and becomes too long.
▪ Correspondingly, it will stretch less than its
standard length when an insufficient pull is applied
thus, making it too short.

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Corrections Due to Tension (Pull)

▪ An error in measurement results whenever the pull applied
is different from the standard tension used in calibration.
To account for variations in applied tension, a correction
has to be added to or subtracted from the measured length.
The formula is expressed as:

𝑃 − 𝑃 𝐿
𝐶 =
𝐴𝐸
Where:
𝑃 = Measured pull of the tape during measurement
𝑃 = Standard pull of the tape for which it was calibrated
L = Measured length of the line
A = Cross-sectional area of the tape
E = Modulus of elasticity of the tape material

Corrections Due to Sag

▪ A tape attains its correct length when it is fully

supported and subjected to the pull for which it was
standardized.
▪ If the support is only at its ends or at the two
points measured, it will sag even if the standard pull
is maintained because of its own weight. The tape
takes the form of a catenary when it sags between
points of support just as an electric or telephone
wire hangs and swings loosely between two posts.
▪ Sag shortens the horizontal distance between end
graduations since the tape length remains the same.

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Corrections Due to Sag

▪ Thus, when a stretched tape sags, the actual distance

between the points is something less than the reading
on the tape. The correction due to sag is expressed as

𝝎𝟐 𝑳 𝟑
𝑪𝒔 =
𝟐𝟒𝑷𝟐

Where:
𝝎 = weight of the tape per unit length
L = unsupported length of the tape
P = measured pull applied on the tape

Corrections Due to Wind

▪ A strong wind blowing perpendicular to the direction

of taping will move the middle and unsupported portion
of the tape to one side of the line measured.
▪ This introduces an error to the measurement which is
similar to the effect of sag but usually much less. To
avoid this type of error, it is preferable not to
undertake any taping work during windy days.
▪ If it cannot be avoided and the measurement has to be
done on windy days, efforts should be taken to support
the tape from being affected by the blowing wind.

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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. The formula for normal tension is expressed as:

𝟎. 𝟐𝟎𝟒𝑾 𝑨𝑬
𝑷𝑵 =
𝑷𝑵 − 𝑷𝑺

Where:
W = Total weight of the tape between supports
A = Cross-sectional area of the tape
E = Modulus of Elasticity
𝑷𝑺 = Standard pull for the tape

Thank you!

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