Fieldwork No.

05a
Horizontal Stadia Sights

Name : Weather :
Group No. : Place :
Designation : Time, Start :
Instructor : End :

I. Objective:

To determine the stadia interval factor and to measure horizontal distances by stadia method.

II. Instruments:

1 – Engineers Level 2 – Stadia Rod

1 – Tripod 8 – Marking Pins
2 – 50m Tape

III. Theory:

The stadia method of locating points is one in which distances are measured by observing
through the telescope of the transit the space on a graduated rod included between the two
horizontal hairs called stadia hairs. If the rod is held at different distances from the telescope,
different intervals on the rod are included between the stadia hairs, these intercepted spaces
on the rod depending upon the distance from the rod to the instrument, so that the intercepted
space is a measure of the distance to the rod.
Since in making a stadia measurement the intervening country does not have to be
traversed, as is necessary when making a tape measurement, distances can be taken across
ravines and water surfaces, and over rough as readily as over smooth ground. This gives the
stadia a great advantage over the tape in point of speed. Another advantage of this method
over tape measurements is that the chief errors of stadia measurements are mostly systematic.
Furthermore, the accuracy of stadia measurements is not diminished in rough country, so that
the results obtained by this method are under some conditions, as accurate as tape
measurements.

IV. Procedure:

A. Determination of Stadia Interval Factor

1. Set up and level the instrument on level ground where a horizontal sight can be obtained
up to 100 meters.
2. Set pins in a straight line at 25, 50, 75, 100 meters from the instrument position. Use the
steel tape in laying off the prescribed distances and the transit telescope for alignment.
3. With the rod held plumb on each point, take the upper, middle, lower hair readings and
record these observed data.

B. Horizontal Distance by Stadia Formula

1. Set 5 pins at unknown distances from the instrument at random. With the rod held plumb
on each point, take the upper, middle, lower hair readings.
2. Using the stadia interval factor obtained in part A, calculate the horizontal distance from
the instrument to the various points by stadia formula.
3. Check the calculated distance by direct taping and compute the discrepancy and precision
of the measurements.
 Fig. 1-1 Determination of Stadia Interval Factor

D1
D2
D3
D4

Fig 1-2 Horizontal Distance by Stadia Method

1

2 5

Fig. 1-3 Formula Derivation for Horizontal Sights

rod

Horizontal
line of sight

O F
s
i

c f d

D
 F = Principal Focus D = distance from instrument to rod
O = Optical Center i = distance between stadia hairs
f = focal length c = distance from optical center to center of instrument

By Ratio and Proportion:

(stadia interval factor)

C = f + c (stadia constant)
D = ks + C (stadia formula)

V. Data and Results:

VI. Sample Computations:

VII. Conclusion:

VIII. Sketch: