FUNDAMENTALS OF SURVEYING
DISTANCE MEASUREMENT
Tape Correction
SAMPLE PROBLEMS
Problem 1
A line was determined to be 2395.25 m when measured with a 30
m steel tape supported throughout its length under a pull of 4 kg
at a mean temperature of 350C. Tape used is of standard length
at 200C under a pull of 5 kg. Cross-sectional area of tape is 0.03
sq.cm. Coefficient of thermal expansion is 0.0000116/0C,
Modulus of Elasticity of tape is 2 x 106 kg/cm2.
a. Determine the error of tape due to change in temperature.
b. Determine the error due to tension.
c. Determine the corrected length of line.
Problem 2
A 50 m tape was standardized and was found to be 0.0042 m too
long than the standard length at an observed temperature of
580C and a pull of 15 kilos. The same tape was used to measure
certain distance and was recorded to be 673.92 m long at an
observed temperature of 680C and a pull of 15 kilos. Coefficient
of linear expansion is 0.0000116/0C.
a. Determine the standard temperature.
b. Determine the total correction.
c. Determine the true length of the line.
Problem 3
A 50 m steel tape was standardized and supported throughout its
whole length and found to be 0.00205 m longer at an observed
temperature of 31.80C and a pull of 10 kilos. This tape was used
to measure a line which was found to be 662.702 m at an
average temperature of 24.60C using the same pull. Use
coefficient of expansion of 0.0000116 per degree centigrade.
a. Compute the standard temperature.
b. Compute the total temperature correction.
c. Compute the correct length of the line.
Problem 4
A line was recorded as 472.90 m long. It is measured with a 0.65
kg tape which is 30.005 m long at 200C under a 50 N pull
supported at both ends. During measurement, the temperature is
50C and the tape is suspended under a 75 N pull. The line is
measured on 3% grade. E = 200 GPa, cross-sectional area of
tape is 3 mm2 and the coefficient of thermal expansion is
0.0000116/0C.
a. Compute the actual length of tape during measurement.
b. Compute the total error to be corrected for the inclined
distance.
c. What is the true horizontal distance?
Problem 5
A 30 m steel tape is 2 mm too long at 200C with a pull of 55 N. A
rectangle is measured with this tape. The sides are recorded as
144.95 m and 113.00 m. The average temperature during the
measurement is 300C with a pull of 55N. Use coefficient of
thermal expansion of steel tape as 0.0000116/0C.
Problem 6
A baseline was measured using a 100 m tape which nis
standardized at 150C with a standard pull of 10 kg. The recorded
distance was found out to be 430.60 meters. At the time of
measurement, the temperature was 200C and the pull exerted
was 16 kg. The weight of one cubic cm of steel is 7.86 grams.
The weight of tape is 2.67 kg. E = 2 x 106 kg/cm2, K = 7 x 10 -7/0C.
a. Determine the cross-sectional area of the tape.
b. Compute the total correction.\
c. Compute the true length of the base line.
Problem 7
A mechanical engineer used a 100 m tape which is of standard
length at 320C in measuring a certain distance and found out that
the length of tapes has different lengths and different tensions
were applied as shown. K = 0.0000116/0C.
Length of Tape Tension Applied
99.986 m 10 kg
99.992 m 14 kg
100.003 m 20 kg
a. What tension must be applied to the tape at a temperature of
30C so that it would be of standard length?
b. What tension must be applied to the tape at a temperature of
40.60C so that it would be of standard length?
c. What tension must be applied to the tape at a temperature of
300C so that it would be of standard length?
Problem 8
A line 100 m long was paced by a surveyor for four times with the
following data: 142, 145, 145.5 and 146. Then another line was
paced for four times again with the following results: 893, 893.5,
891 and 895.5.
a. Determine the pace factor.
b. Determine the number of paces for the new line
c. Determine the distance of the new line.
Problem 9
a. Compute the normal tension which will be applied to a tape
supported over two supports in order to make the tape equal to
its nominal length when supported only at end points. The steel
tape is 30 m long and weighs 0.84 kg when supported throughout
its length under a standard pull of 5.6 kg, with the modulus of
elasticity of 2 x 106 kg/cm2 and area of 0.06 cm2.
b. A steel tape is 30 m long under a standard pull of 6 kg with a
constant cross-sectional area of 0.005 cm2. If the normal tension
applied to make the tape equal to its nominal length when
supported only at the end points, that is, the effect of sag will be
eliminated by the elongation of the tape due to application of this
load is equal to 16 kg, determine the unit weight of the tape.
Modulus of elasticity of tape is 2 x 106 kg/cm2
c. Under a standard pull of 8 kg, the steel tape is 40 m long. A
normal tension of 18 kg makes the elongation of the tape offset
the effect of sag. If the tape weighs 0.025 kg/m, E = 2 x 10 6
kg/cm2, determine its cross-sectional area in sq.cm.
FUNDAMENTALS OF SURVEYING

Problem 10
a. A line was measured to have 5 tallies, 6 marking pins and 63.5
links. How long is the line in ft?
b. A line was measured with a 50 m tape. There were 2 tallies, 8
pins, and the distance from the last pin to the end of the line was
2.25 m. find the length of the line in meters.
SEATWORK 1
Direction: Answer the following problems neatly and
systematically on a whole sheet of paper. Show all your
solutions. Only your notes, calculator and allowed printed
instructional materials must be seen on your armchair. No
cellphones and other devices allowed. No browsing or
surfing the net to find answers to the problems online. Not
following instructions will constitute to a corresponding
deduction of your score and grade in the midterms and
finals.
Problem 4
a. A 100 m tape is 12 mm wide and 0.80 mm thick. If the tape is
correct, under a pull of 54 N, compute the error made by using a
pull of 68 N. E = 200, 000 MPa.
b. The length of a series of lines is found to be 3427.62 m in the
forward direction and 3427.84 m in the reversed direction. What
is the ratio of the error?
c. A subtense bar is mounted at a certain distance from the
instrument and the angle subtended by the bar is 0 004’. Compute
the horizontal distance from the instrument station to the location
of the subtense bar.

Problem 1
A steel tape is 100 m long at a temp of 20 0C and a pull of 10 kg.
It was used to measure a distance of 624.95 m at a temp of 32 0C
with an applied pull of 15 kg during measurement with the tape
supported at both ends. Coefficient of thermal expansion is
0.0000116/0C and a modulus of elasticity of 2 x 10 6 kg/cm2.
Weight of tape is 0.04 kg/m, and a cross-sectional area of 0.06
cm2.
a. Compute the sag correction.
b. Compute the total correction for tension, sag and temperature.
c. Compute the corrected length of the line by applying the
combined corrections for tension, sag and temperature.

Problem 2
A 50 m tape of standard length has a weight of 0.05 kg/m, with a
cross-sectional area of 0.04 sq. cm. It has a modulus of elasticity
of 2.10 x 106 kg/cm2. The tape is of standard length under a pull
of 5.5 kg when supported throughout its length and a temp of
200C. This tape was used to measure a distance between a
distance between A and B and was recorded to be 458.65 m
long. At the time of measurement the pull applied was 8 kg with
the tape supported only at its end points and the temperature
observed was 180C. Assuming coefficient of linear expansion of
the tape is 0.0000116/0C
a. Compute the correction due to the applied pull of 8 kg.
b. compute the correction due to the weight of the tape.
c. Compute the true length of the measured line AB due to the
combined effects of tension, sag and temperature.

Problem 3
a. The sides of a square lot having an area of 2.25 hectares were
measured using a 100 m tape that was 0.04 m too short.
Compute the error in the area in sq. m.
b. The correct distance between two points is 220.45 m. Using a
100 m tape that is “x” m too long, the length to be laid on the
ground should be 220.406 m. What is the value of “x”?
c. The distance from D to E, as measured, is 165.2 m. If the 50 m
tape used is 0.01 m too short, what is the correct distance in m?