CE0015L – Fundamentals of Surveying

Field Work 5 – Stadia Survey

Objectives:
1. To estimate the horizontal distance between two points using stadia method.
2. To estimate the vertical distance between two points using stadia method.

Activity Guide:

1. Position the transit approximate at Point S as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. The points for stadia survey.

2. Move the leveling rod at Point 1. This point is at the corridor towards the administration
building of FEU. Using the stadia hairs, record the upper (top) and lower (bottom) lines and
its measurement shown in Figure 2. Ask for the stadia constants of the instrument from
your instructor.

Figure 2. The stadia hair lines

3. Complete the stadia survey requirements to get the horizontal distance from the transit at
Point S into Point 1. Using the tape measure, measure the distance from Point S to Point
1. Compare the two linear distances and solve for % difference.

|𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 − 𝑇𝑎𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒|

% 𝐷𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = ∗ 100%
𝑇𝑎𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒

4. Afterwards, still having the transit at Point S, move the view of the transit scope to the tip
of the flag pole. This time, there will be two vertical distance measurements: one is through
trigonometric approach and the stadia method.

5. In the, trigonometric approach, measure the distance from Point S to the base of the
flagpole. Ask for permission so that you can enter the premises of the flag pole base inside.
Then, get the vertical angle of elevation viewing the pole tip from horizontal position. Solve
for the height of the pole using the basic trigonometric function cosine.

6. The next method is the stadia method. Using the stadia information, view the stadia hair
lines still viewing the pole tip from Point S. Use the stadia formula to get the vertical
distance of the flag pole from the transit at point S.

7. Compare the two vertical distances measured by two methods using % difference.

|𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 − 𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒|

% 𝐷𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = ∗ 100%
𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒