21CEC202T – Engineering Surveying

Definition – Tacheometric Surveying

• It is a branch of angular surveying in which the horizontal and vertical
distances of points are obtained by optical means as opposed to the
ordinary slower process of measurements by tape or chain.
• A transit theodolite fitted with stadia diaphragm is generally used for
tacheometric surveying.

Telescope used in stadia survey

• Simple external focusing telescope (stadia theodolite)
• External focusing anallactic telescope (tacheometer)
• Internal focusing telescope
Anallactic lens: Additional Convex lens is provided between the eye piece
and the object glass at a fixed distance from the object glass. The purpose of
providing anallactic lens is to make additive constant (f+d) exactly zero.

Additive constant – The additive constant c is the sum of focal length of the
object lens and distance from the center of the object lens to the center of the
instrument
c = f+i = 0

Multiplying constant – The multiplying constant k is the ratio of focal length

of the object lens to stadia hair interval

k = f/i = 100
Various Patterns of Stadia Diaphragm
 Different systems of Tacheometric measurement

1. Stadia System
• Fixed Hair method/Stadia method
• Movable Hair method/Subtense method
2. Tangential system
3. Measurements by means of special instruments

Principle – To calculate the horizontal distance between 2 points A and B

and their difference in elevation, by observing the
i) Angle at instrument station A subtended by known short distance along a
staff kept at B
ii) Vertical angle from B to A
 Stadia method
Fixed hair method Movable hair method

Stadia wires are at a fixed or constant distance apart. The interval between the stadia wires is varied.

This method is most commonly used in practices as This method is generally not used, as it is
it is convenient to take the staff readings speedily. inconvenient to measure the stadia interval.

The staff intercept on the staff varies depending upon

Stadia wires are adjusted by micrometer screws such
the horizontal distance between the instrument
that upper hair bisects the lower target.
station and the staff.
Tacheometer and stadia rod are used and the Subtense theodolite and target staff are used and the
readings on the staff are taken with respect to all 3 readings on the staff are taken with respect to all 3
wires. wires.

Staff intercept (i) = difference of readings of top Staff intercept (i) = distance between 2 targets are
and bottom stadia wires will depend on the distance kept fixed while stadia interval (i.e., the distance
of staff from the instrument. between the stadia wires) is variable.
 Tangential method
Stadia wires are not used. The levelling staff with vanes or targets at known
distance. The horizontal and vertical distances are measured by measuring the
angles of elevation or depression.

Diaphragm of moving hair theodolite

Reading the stadia intercept
Principle of stadia method
Theory of stadia tacheometry
 f1/s = f2/i and f1/f2 = s/i
f1 and f2 are conjugate focal distances
1/f1 = 1/f2 + 1/f1
f1 = (f1/f2)f + f
f1 = (s/i)f + f
D = f1 + d
K – multiplying constant D = (f/i)s + (f+d)
C – additive constant D = Ks + C
 Distance and elevation formula for staff vertical: Inclined sight
1. Elevation of staff station at angle of elevation

Horizontal distance (D) = L Cosθ

D = (K.s Cosθ + C) Cosθ
D = K.s Cos2θ + C Cosθ

Vertical distance (V) = L Sinθ

V = (K.s Cosθ + C) Sinθ
V = K.s (Sin 2θ/2) + C Sinθ

Reduced Level of Q = Reduced level of H.I. + V - h

Distance and elevation formula for staff vertical: Inclined sight
2. Elevation of staff station at angle of depression

Horizontal distance (D) = L Cosθ

D = (K.s Cosθ + C) Cosθ
D = K.s Cos2θ + C Cosθ

Vertical distance (V) = L Sinθ

V = (K.s Cosθ + C) Sinθ
V = K.s (Sin 2θ/2) + C Sinθ

Reduced Level of Q = Reduced level of H.I. - V - h

 Distance and elevation formula for staff normal
1. Line of sight (LOS) at angle of elevation

Horizontal distance (D) = L Cosθ + h Sinθ

D = (K.s +C) Cosθ + h Sinθ
D = K.s Cos2θ + C Cosθ +h Sinθ

Vertical distance (V) = L Sinθ

V = (K.s + C) Sinθ
V = K.s Sin θ + C Sinθ

Elevation of Q = Elevation of P + h + V – r Cosθ

Distance and elevation formula for staff normal
2. Line of sight (LOS) at angle of depression

Horizontal distance (D) = L Cosθ - h Sinθ

D = (K.s +C) Cosθ - h Sinθ

Vertical distance (V) = L Sinθ

V = (K.s + C) Sinθ

Elevation of Q = Elevation of P + h – V – r Cosθ

 Anallatic lens
The an anallactic lens is an additional lens generally provided in the external focusing tacheometer between
object glass and eyepiece.
Advantages:
1. For calculation of horizontal and vertical distances, constant (f+c) = 0, if tacheometer is provided with
anallactic lens.
2. Calculation becomes simple.
Disadvantages:
1. Anallatic lens absorbs some of the incident light which consequently results in reduction of the
brightness of the image.
2. It also adds to the initial cost of the instrument because of one extra lens.

Horizontal sights
D = Ks = 100s R.L. of Q = R.L. of P + V + h – r
Inclined sights
D = Ks Cos2θ
V = Ks Cosθ Sinθ = Ks (Sin 2θ/2)
 Subtense method
• Subtense bar is an instrument used for the
measurement of horizontal distance between
the instrument station and the Subtense bar
station.
• Subtense method is an indirect method of
distance determination.
• This method measures the horizontal angle
subtended between the two ends of the
Subtense rod of fixed length (2m or 3m).
• This method uses the transit theodolite to
measure the horizontal angle and there is no
need of ranging rod or levelling staff.
Schematic representation of Subtense bar setup
Horizontal base Subtense measurement

D = ½ S Cot(β/2) = S/2* tan(β/2)

tan(β/2) = ½* β, β in radians
tan(β/2) = ½ *(β/206265), β in seconds
(1 radian = 206265)

D = (S*206265)/β, β in seconds
 Vertical base Subtense measurement

S – staff intercept (forms a fixed base)

β β1 β – horizontal angle measured using repetition
method (angle changes with the position of staff

D = (K.s/m-e) * Cos2θ + C Cosθ

V = Dtan θ = (K.s/m-e) * Sin2θ/2 + C Sinθ

m – total no. of revolutions of micrometer screw for staff intercept s

e – index error
 Vertical base Subtense measurement
As we know, D = K.s + C
D = (f/i)s + (f+d), where s – fixed quantity, i – variable
Stadia interval ‘i’ is measured with a micrometer screw having a pitch ‘p’.
Let ‘m’ be the total no. of revolutions of micrometer screws for staff intercept
‘s’
i = m*p
D = (f/m*p)s + (f+d) or D = Ks/m + C, where K = f/p (constant)
If e – index error,
D = (K.s/m-e) + C
Therefore, for inclination θ and staff vertical we have,
D = (K.s/m-e) * Cos2θ + C Cosθ
V = Dtan θ = (K.s/m-e) * Sin2θ/2 + C Sinθ
 Effect of angular error on horizontal distance

Angular error
When δβ (-ve) and δD (+ve) When δβ (+ve) and δD (-ve)

S= Dβ = (D + δD)*(β – δβ) δD = (D*δβ)/(β + δβ)

(D + δD)/D = β/(β – δβ) or Since δβ is very small when compared
[(D + δD) – D]/D = β – (β – δβ)/(β – δβ) to β, it can be neglected. So,
δD/D = δβ/(β – δβ) from which,

δD = (D*δβ)/(β – δβ) δD = (D*δβ)/β

 Tangential method
• In this method, the horizontal and vertical distances from the instrument
to the staff station are computed from the observed vertical angles to the
vane fixed at a constant distance apart upon the staff.
Two vertical angles are measured in this method

LOS
There are three possible cases for carrying out the tangential method.

Case i – Both angles are at angles of elevation

Case ii – Both angles are at angles of depression
Case iii – One angle is at angle of elevation and the other angle is at
angle of depression
Case i – Both angles are at angles of elevation

Δle S1OQ’, V = D tanθ1

Q’
Δle S2OQ’, V + S = D tanθ2
S = D tanθ2 – D tanθ1
D = S/ (tanθ2 – tanθ1)
D = (S*Cosθ2 *Cosθ1)/ Sin (θ2 – θ1)
V = D tanθ1 = (S*tanθ1)/(tanθ2 – tanθ1)
V = (S*Cosθ2*Sinθ1)/ Sin (θ2 – θ1)

Elevation of Q = Elevation of station P + h + V - r

Case ii – Both angles are at angles of depression
Δle C2O’B, V = D tanθ2
Δle C2O’A, V - S = D tanθ1
S = D tanθ2 – D tanθ1
D = S/ (tanθ2 – tanθ1)
D = (S*Cosθ1 *Cosθ2)/ Sin (θ2 – θ1)
V = D tanθ2 = (S*tanθ2)/(tanθ2 – tanθ1)
V = (S*Cosθ1*Sinθ2)/ Sin (θ2 – θ1)

Elevation of C1 = Elevation of station O + h - V - r

Case iii – One angle is at angle of elevation and the other angle is
at angle of depression
A

Δle C2O’B, V = D tanθ2

B Δle C2O’A, S - V = D tanθ1
S = D tanθ1 + D tanθ2
D = S/ (tanθ1 + tanθ2)
D = (S*Cosθ1 *Cosθ2)/ Sin (θ1 + θ2)
V = D tanθ2 = (S*tanθ2)/(tanθ1 + tanθ2)
V = (S*Cosθ1*Sinθ2)/ Sin (θ1 + θ2)

Elevation of C1 = Elevation of station O + h - V - r

 Constant base tangential measurement
In a constant base tangential measurement, the staff has two targets at
constant distance S apart and vertical angles such as α1 and α2 are measured.
This method is also called as Airy’s method.

Variable base tangential measurement

In a variable base tangential measurement, the use of angles whose tangents
are simple fractions of 100. Eg., 0.03 or 3%, 0.12 or 12%
When α1 and α2 are consecutive angles whose tangents differ by 1%
D = S/ (tanα1 - tanα2) = S/0.01 = 100*S