Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Lopez, Quezon

ELEMENTARY SURVEYING

Laboratory Exercise Number 3

PROBLEM : TAPING OVER UNEVEN AND SLOPING GROUND

OBJECTIVES : To determine the horizontal length of a line over uneven and sloping ground
by the method of breaking tape.

LABORATORY EXERCISE OUTLINE

A. INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES: 30-m or 100 ft steel tape, Chaining Pins, Range Poles,
Pegs or Hubs, Spring Scale. and Plumb Bobs.

B. PROCEDURE:

1. Measuring Uphill.

a) On a designated uneven and sloping terrain, mark the ends of a line (about 90 m long) to
be measured. Designate the hub at the bottom of the slope as point A and the hub at the upper
portion of the slope as point B. Range poles are held or set behind each point to serve as markers,
or as set at intermediate points along the line to insure better alignment during taping.
b) Head tapeman unreels and spreads out the tape and pulls the zero mark uphill along the line
from point A. The rear tapeman raises the 30-m (or 100 ft) end of the tape breast high while the
head tapeman moves back to a place on the line near a full meter (or foot) mark where the ground
surface is as high as the other raised end of the tape. The head tapeman stays by the side of the
line measured and holds a chaining pin on the ground.
c) The rear tapeman temporarily releases end of tape and signals head tapeman to either move to
the right or to the left in order to align him. When the pin of the head tapeman is in line with the
range pole held over point B, the head tapeman is then signaled to stick the pin vertically into the
ground.
d) Rear tapeman plumbs from point A to the terminal mark of the tape with a plumb bob and
maintains this plumb bob steadily over A while head tapeman pulls the tape taut, and making
sure that the tape is on line by bringing one of its edges in contact with previously aligned pin.
The head tapeman then moves the pin opposite the nearest full meter or footmark of the tape and
he sticks it firmly into the ground
e) The rear tapeman leaves his end of the tape, moves up the slope and gets hold of the tape at the
point previously held by the head tapeman. The next measurement is made horizontally from the
pin stuck in the ground by the head tapeman as done in point A.
f) The process is repeated until the whole tape length is used up thus finishing the measurement
of one tape length of horizontal distance.
g) From the pin marking the end of one tape length measurement, the horizontal measurement is
continued until point B is reached. The last partial tape length is measured with the rear tapeman
holding the tape until he has a full meter ( or foot) mark at his end while the head tapeman pulls
the tape taut and takes note of the fractional measurement. Then the number of tape lengths and
the last partial measurement are totaled to determine the horizontal length of the line measured.

2. Measuring Downhill

a) In measuring down the slope, the tape is reversed to bring its zero end forward in the direction
of point A along the line. Horizontal measurements start from B with the rear tapeman holding
the terminal meter (or foot) mark of tape in level with B.
 b) After the plumb bob of the head tapeman has been aligned with the range pole held at a, the
head tapeman drops the plumb bob causing it to leave a mark on the ground. He then sticks a pin
at the ground mark left by the plumb bob.
c) The next horizontal measurement starts from the pin until one whole tape length is measured.
As in measuring up the slope, the number of tape lengths plus the partial tape length at the end of
the line determines the total horizontal length of the line.
d) Tabulate observed and computed values accordingly.

TRIAL LINE LENGTH DIFFERENCE MEAN RELATIVE

PRECISION
1 AB
2 BA

C. COMPUTATIONS

1. The discrepancy for the measurement is the difference between the first measurement and the second
measurement.
2. The mean length of the measured line is determined by adding the two measurements and dividing the
sum by two. This is also known as the most probable value of the length of the line.
3. The relative precision of the measurement is determined by dividing the discrepancy by the mean
length, where the numerator is reduced to unity or 1. Relative precision is expressed in fractional form and the
denominator is rounded to the nearest hundredths.

D. REMARKS, HINTS & PRECAUTIONS

1. The procedure of breaking tape involves the measurement of short horizontal distances and
accumulating these distances to total full tape length. This is done when a 30-m tape cannot be held horizontal
without plumbing from above shoulder length.
2. Except for the use of plumb bob, the process of taping over uneven and sloping ground is similar to
taping over smooth and level ground.
3. It is important to determine if the tape is held nearly horizontal since is the usual tendency to hold the
downhill end of the tape too low.
4. A hand level should be used to check if the tape ends are held correctly so as to have a good horizontal
measurement.
5. A firm stance is important during taping. The tapeman should position the plane of his body parallel to
the tape, with his legs well apart. His forearm should be in line with the tape, and he should snub it against his
body comfortably.
6. If a hand level is not available, the tape may be estimated to be horizontal by eye. It is usually
sufficient to compare the tape with some level line or have the two ends in line with the horizon.
7. The tape sags between supports when taking horizontal measurements over uneven and sloping ground
thus making the tape shorter. To eliminate the effect of sag, the tape should be standardized, correcting the sag, or
normal tension is used.
8. As a variation to breaking tape, the line may also be measured by short and segmented individual
distances and these distances are added up to determine the total length. This practice, however, requires
continuous recording of each partial length measured and may also lead to mistakes in addition.
9. The designated line should be measured in two trials, once uphill and once downhill. The ratio of
discrepancy to length should be determined. The acceptable precision should be at least 1/1,000. If this is not
attained the measurement should be repeated.