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my

TACHEOMETRIC SURVEY
Mohd Effendi Daud (Dr. Sc)
B.Surv (UTM, Malaysia) Msc (UTM, Malaysia), Dr. Sc (Nagoya Univ., Japan)

(Geomatic Division)
Faculty of Civil & Environmental Engineering,
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Batu Pahat, Johor, MALAYSIA.
Phone : +6074537363; +60197853740; Fax : +6074537060
E-mail : effendi@uthm.edu.my
Web: http://www.fkass.uthm.edu.my/

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INTRODUCTION
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This method of survey consists of using either a level,

theodolite, total station, or specially constructed
tacheometer to make cross hair intercept reading on
a leveling staff. As the angle subtended by the
crosshairs is known, the distance can be calculated.

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DEFINITION
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o Tacheometry is an optical solution to the

measurement of distance and elevation
(vertical distance).
o The word is derived from the Greek Tacns,
meaning swift, and metrot, meaning a
measure.

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METHODS OF
TACHEOMETRY

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Present day methods of tacheometry can be

classified in one of the following three groups.
The last two groups will not be cover in these
lectures.

Stadia System,
Electronic Tacheometry,
Subtense Bar System, and
Optical Wedge System.

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STADIA SYSTEM
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In stadia method, a theodolite is set up at one

station and staff is held at another station.
The staff intercept (S) which is the difference
between the upper stadia and the lower
stadia hair is measured.
The vertical angle () is also measured.

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STADIA SYSTEM
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The horizontal distance (D) between the

Center of Instrument and staff stations is
computed using staff intercept (S) and the
vertical angle ()

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STADIA SYSTEM
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There are two types of stadia method

Fixed Hair Method
In fixed hair method, the vertical spacing between
upper and lower stadia hairs, called stadia interval I, is
fixed, while the staff intercept (S) varies depending
upon horizontal distance between the instrument
station and the staff station.

Movable Hair Method

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STADIA SYSTEM
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The fixed hair method is the most commonly

employed method for tacheometric measurements.
Figure 1.0 shows the types of diaphragms used in a
fixed hair stadia tacheometer (theodolite).

Fig. 1.0: Types of diaphragms

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STADIA SYSTEM
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In stadia method, the staff is held vertical, the

line of sight may be horizontal or inclined
either in upward direction or downward
direction.
There can be three cases as given below:
Line of sight horizontal,
Line of sight inclined upward, and
Line of sight inclined downward.
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STADIA SYSTEM
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Line of Sight Horizontal

Let us assume that the line of sight is horizontal. Figure 2.0
shows the outline of telescope with its axis horizontal. The
staff is held vertically.
A, B & X : positions of lower, upper, and
middle hair the staff.
a, b & x : positions of lower, upper, and
middle hairs
ab : i (stadia interval)
c : distance from object lens to the center
of the instrument
AB : S (staff intercept)
D : distance between the instrument &
staff

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STADIA SYSTEM
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From the diagram, triangles AOB, aOb are similar

Line of Sight Horizontal

OX U AB

ox V
ab

From the lens equation:

1
1
1

U
V
f

Multiply both sides by Uf:

U

U
ff
V

From the equation 1.0 and 2.0:

U

AB
ff
ab

S
ff
i

The horizontal distance:

D U c
D

If multiplicative constant, C=f/i, and additive constant, K =f + c,

The tacheometric distance formula may be stated as:

f
S ( f c)
i

D CS K

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f
S f
i

STADIA SYSTEM
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Line of Sight Inclined Upward

Distance and Elevation Formula
The theory discussed so far, in The Stadia System, all
applies to the situation where the staff is held
vertically and the line of sight of the telescope is
horizontal.
It is very seldom, however, that this situation occurs
in practice
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STADIA SYSTEM
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Generally a theodolite is sighted to a level staff held

vertically (by use of a bubble), which gives rise to the
situation below.

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STADIA SYSTEM
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Let the actual distance between upper and lower
stadia be S and the required projection of it at
right angles to IQ be s1

D Cs1 K ,
Now

but

s1 s cos

S D cos
Cs cos2 k cos

Also

V D sin
Cs cos sin k sin
Sc sin 2

k sin
2

In practice,

S 100 s cos 2
V 50 s sin 2
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STADIA SYSTEM
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The difference in height between
The two points is given by:

H HI V CL
And the Relative Level (R.L) of
The points is given by

RL RLA HI V CL

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ELECTRONIC
TACHEOMETRIC

Used a Total Station, able to read distance by

reflecting off a prism.
The stadia procedure is used less and less often
these days, more commonly geomatic engineers or
civil engineers use a Total Station
This instrumentation has facilitated the development
of this method of detail and contour surveying into a
very slick operation.
It is now possible to produce plans of large areas
that previously would have taken weeks, in a matter
of days.
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ELECTRONIC
TACHEOMETRIC

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S D cos
RL RL A HI V HT
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DETAILING & BOOKING

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Tacheometric surveys are generally conducted for

contouring, and plotting the details of the area on
undulating ground.
There are two main steps in tacheometric surveys:
Running a traversing around the area to be surveyed,
Locating details and elevations of the features in the area
with reference to the traverse stations

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DETAILING & BOOKING

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Figure above shows a part of the traverse with three stations A, B and C and
Some features in the area. The following observation procedure is adopted
For detailing.

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DETAILING & BOOKING

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Procedure
Set up the instrument at a station (say station B), centre
and level it accurately.
Measure the height of instrument (HI) from the top of the
peg at the station to the centre of the trunion of the
instrument.
Orientate the instrument correctly with respect to a
reference line (traverse line, BA) whose bearing from the
station is already known by traversing.

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DETAILING & BOOKING

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Procedure cont.,
Take the pole reading held vertical on the nearest
available temporary benchmark (TBM) to determine the
reduced level of the instrument station.
Located the detail points around the traverse station (B) as
given below:
Observe the horizontal angle between the reference line and the
line from the instrument station towards the point of interest.
Observe the vertical angle and the pole readings.
Repeat the steps above for all the points of interest.

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WORK EXAMPLE 1
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Determine the difference in elevation and the horizontal distance

between the points A and B from the following observations.

The instrument was set up at O at 1.500 m height, and the RL of

Station O was 12.635 m.

Calculate the following:

(i) Horizontal distances OA and OB
(ii) RLs of station A and B
(iii) Difference in elevation between A and B
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WORK EXAMPLE 2
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The following observations obtained from tacheometry survey.

The RL of P is 58.775 m. Determine the distances PQ and QR and the

Reduced levels of Q and R.

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ACCURACY AND TYPES OF

ERRORS

Besides all the errors discussed in the topic on

total station, there are four (4) specific
sources of errors needed to be mentioned in
tacheometric observations

Staff readings
Tilt of the pole or staff
Vertical angle, and
Horizontal angle
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PLOTTING OF
TACHEOMETRIC DATA

The process of tying the topographic details to

the control stations fixed by traversing is
called detailing.
A map is the final
product of a
tacheometric survey.

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PLOTTING OF
TACHEOMETRIC DATA

Type of Maps
Maps produced or normally used by engineers may
fall into one of the following three categories:
Topographic maps 1:50,000 to 125,000 which shows
natural and cultural features of an area.
Plans 1:10,000 or larger, which shows boundaries and
main features like roads, bridges and main buildings.
Detail survey plans (construction plans) at 1:1,000 1:250

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PLOTTING OF
TACHEOMETRIC DATA

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Plotting Methods
Can be carried out manually, or by employing
computer aided design (CAD) systems.
The procedure consists fundamentally of plotting
individual points, regardless of which method is
used.
Lines are drawn from point to point to show the features.
Points can be plotted in different ways using distances and
directions, and lines can be scaled and plotted directly.

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PLOTTING OF
TACHEOMETRIC DATA

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Plotting Methods
There are two main methods of plotting details as
discussed below:
Plotting by Coordinates
Plotting by Angle/bearing and Distances.

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PLOTTING OF
TACHEOMETRIC DATA

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Map Layout
The surveyed area should be plotted to fit neatly in
the centre of a map sheet at the largest possible
scale.
North Direction
Every map must display a north line for orientation purpose.

Topographic Symbols (Legends)

Standard symbols should be used to portray topographic features.

Title of Map
Place title of the map where it is balanced on the sheet.
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www.uthm.edu.my

PLOTTING OF
TACHEOMETRIC DATA

Map
Layout

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CONTOURING AND CROSSSECTIONS

Mohd Effendi Daud (Dr. Sc)
B.Surv (UTM, Malaysia) Msc (UTM, Malaysia), Dr. Sc (Nagoya Univ., Japan)

(Geomatic Division)
Faculty of Civil & Environmental Engineering,
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Batu Pahat, Johor, MALAYSIA.
Phone : +6074537363; +60197853740; Fax : +6074537060
E-mail : effendi@uthm.edu.my
Web: http://www.fkass.uthm.edu.my/

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CONTOURING
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For planning and development of an

engineering project, the engineer requires the
topographic of the natural ground.
An understanding of contours is therefore
essential in the interpretation of surface
topography.
Some basic understanding of contours is as
follow:
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CONTOURING
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CONTOURING
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A contour is an imaginary line connecting all

points of the same elevation above or below a
datum.
Contours of different elevation cannot cross each
other except in the case of overhanging cliff or a
cave.
The height between successive contours is called
the contour interval
Its value depends on the variation in height of the area
being contoured.
The contour interval is kept constant for a plan or map
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CONTOURING
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The plan spacing between contour line indicates

the steepness of slopes.
Closely spaced lines indicated a steep slope
Widely spaced lines indicate a gentle slope.

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CONTOURING
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CONTOURING
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Production of contours
There are TWO types of contouring method:
Direct Methods, and
Indirect Method:
from random spot heights
from a grid of spot heights

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CONTOUR INTERPOLATION &

PLOTTING

There are THREE methods of interpolating

contours:
Mathematical calculation,
Graphical method, and
Estimation method.

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PROFILE AND CROSSSECTIONS

Profiles (longitudinal sections) is generally carried

out along the center line of a proposed alignments
e.g. highways, railways, pipelines or canals.
The profile is usually plotted with the vertical scale
much larger than the horizontal scale.
The term cross-sectioning refers to a relatively short
profile view of the ground, which is drawn
perpendicular to the route center line of a highways
or other linear type projects.

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PROFILE AND CROSSSECTIONS

Cross-section drawing are particularly important for

estimating the earthwork volumes needed to
construct a roadway, canal, railroad, etc.
They show the existing ground elevations, the
proposed cut or fill side slopes, and the grade
elevation for the road base.
For one route profile, there are many cross-sections;
a km-long route, for example, will have more than
100 cross-sections every 50 m.
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Pheewww! End of Part V

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