Distance

Measurement
ELS A TRY JULITA S
Outline
Distance measurement
Distance correction
Determination principles of Horizontal Position (Polar, Polygon)
Video Measuring distance using Stadia Lines
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYeAEpP1NYo
Methods of Distance
Measurement
Direct method using a tape or wire
Tachymetry method or optical method
EDM (Electromagnetic Distance Measuring equipment) method

tape theodolite EDM

 Distance
Horizontal Distance A’ Distance
B

All distances shown on maps and plans are

horizontal projections of distances.
By holding the tape in a horizontal position Horizontal Distance
and transferring the distance between two A
points by means of a plumb line
O
Measuring on Steep Slopes
55’
A
The distance between the two points to 100’
be measured is divided into number of M
parts N 63.18’

Steep Slope
Alignment Between Points B

Intervening points be on an approximately N

straight line
A B
M
Alignment between points
Taping notes
Direct method
Equipment : steel tapes or wires
Used for measuring limited lengths for setting out purposes
Correction factor
1. Incorrect tape length or standardization error
2. Temperature variation
3. Slope
4. Sag
5. Incorrect tension
Correction for absolute
length
Due to manufacturing defects and
use the tape may stretch
ca= correction for absolute length
c = the correction per tape length,
l = the designated or nominal
length of the tape, and
L= the measured length of the line.
Example:
A distance is measured with 100-ft steel
tape and is found to be 896.24 ft. Later
the tape is standardized and is found to
have an actual length of 100.04 ft. What
is the correct distance measured?
Tape too long  + 0.04 for each tape
length as follows:
Measured value = 896.24 ft
Total correction = +(0.04)(8.9624) =+
0.36 ft
Corrected distances = 896.24 ft
+ 0.36 ft = 896.60 ft
Correction for
temperature
  If the tape is used at a field temperature different from the
standardization temperature

= the coefficient of thermal expansion of the tape material

(0.0000065 for oF or 0.0000116 for oC)
T = the mean field temperature
TS = the standardization temperature at (usually 20o C)
The sign of the correction takes the sign of
 A temp change of approximately 15o F will cause a change in length
of approximately 0.01 ft in a 100 ft tape
Correction in slope
  Correction always has a negative
sign.
Where Correction formula was derived
dan for a single tape length.

S equals to typical value and h varies from

s varies from s value by a very small value
 assumed to equal s value

*the correction formula for a single tape

length
If the vertical angle is known:
Example
  distance was measured on an 8% slope and found to be 2620.30 ft.
A
What is the horizontal distance measured if the tape length 100 ft?
Correct correction per tape length
Total correction
Horizontal distance

  𝑣2
𝐶=
2𝑠
Sag correction
For very accurate measurements the tape can be allowed to hang in
catenary between two supports (Fig. a).
In the case of long tape, intermediate supports (in Fig. b), can be used to
reduce the magnitude of correction.
Sag correction
 
The tape hanging between two supports, free of ground, sags under its
own weight, with maximum dip occurring at the middle of the tape.
The correction for the sag is :

Where:
correction in feet and always negative
weigth of tape in pounds per foot
unsupported length of tape in feet
total tension in ponds applied to the tape
Tension Correction
A  steel tape stretches when it is pulled, and if the pull is greater than that for which it was
standardized, the tape will be too long.
If the pull applied to the tape in the field is different from the standardization pull, the pull
correction is to be applied to the measured length.
This correction is:

Where:
elongation of the tape
pull on the tape
cross-sectional area
length (feet)
modulus of elasticity (psi)
The sign of the correction is same as that of
Combine taping
correction
If correction must include several factor at the
same time (e.g., wrong-length tape, slope,
temperature, individual corrections per tape length
may be computed separately and added together.
Assume: each correction relatively small  they do
not appreciably affect each other and each can be
computed independently.
 Example:
A distance was measured on a uniform slope 8% and was found to be 1665.2 ft. No
field slope corrections were made. The tape temperature at the time of measurement
was 18oF. What is the correct horizontal distance measured if the tape is 100.06 ft long
at 68oF.
Answer:
Slope correction/tape length = =

Temp correction/tape length = =

Standardization error/tape length =+
Total correction/tape length =
Correction for entire distance = =
Actual distance = Measured distance + ∑ corrections
= =
Common mistakes and
errors made in taping
MISTAKES
 Reading tape
Recording numbers
Missing a tape length
Mistaking end point of tape
ERRORS
Alignment of the tape
Accidental taping errors
Tape not horizontal
Incorrect tape length
Temperature variations
Sag
Optical or Tachymetry
method
The term tachymetry or tachometry, which means “swift
measurements,” is derived from the Greek words tacos, meaning
“swift,” and metron, meaning “measurement.”
Any measurement made swiftly could be said to be tacheometric, but
generally accepted practice is to list under this category only
measurements made with substance bars or stadia.
It is a branch of surveying where horizontal distance and vertical
distance can be obtained through stadia line by using theodolite or
levelling instrument.
Principles of optical
distance measurement
 Formula in tachymetry
ba

BA
do BT
BB

TPB
TA

BΔHAB
TPA
Stadia reading
A Stadia line position

do = 100 (BA – BB)

HAB = TAA + TPA – BT – TPB

Horizontal distance
 
 Formula of optical distance if the cross hair is
do = 100 (BA – BB)
perpendicular to optical tools.

BA’BB’ = BA – BB cos   If not perpendicular, the line BA’ BB’ is

applied, so that:

 = angle of slope

do = 100 (BA – BB) cos 

Difference of Height
HAB = TAA + TPA + V – BT – TPB

where :
TAA = height of equipment
TPA = height of stakes A
TPB = height of stakes B
BT = the middle hair reading
each parameter is measured in field
V = do sin 

HAB = TAA + TPA + 100 (BA – BB) sin  cos  – BT – TPB

 Polar method
Argument of magnetic azimuth and distance
 Detailed point 1 and 2 measured from
framework A (horizontal position and height
of A is known).
 Measure : azimuth α1 and α2, distance d1 and
d2 and angles to detailed point  so that
horizontal position of point 1, 2 and the height
can be determined.
 Detailed point 3 and 4 measured from
framework H (horizontal position and height
of H is known).
 Measure : azimuth αB, dB ; α3, d3 ; α4, d4 and
angles to detailed point.
 Point H is tied to framework point B  so that
horizontal position of point H and its height
can be determined.
Polygon
Polygon is a horizontal framework
consisting of control points
connected by measuring lines.
In polygon method, the measured
data in field is angle and distance
data between control point.
Result of the polygon
measurement is the coordinate of
control point.
Polygon
OPEN POLYGON CLOSED POLYGON

the initial and end point at different the initial and end point meet at
points same point
C. Polygon
BRANCHED POLYGON

Polygon that could have one or

more node / branched point.
 Open polygon
calculation

1. Angle condition  Which:

  𝑜 = Correction of inner angle
𝛼 𝑒𝑛𝑑 − 𝛼 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 =( ∑ 𝛽 ) − 𝑛 .180 ± 𝑓 = Azimuth angle
𝛽 = Total of internal angle
N = Total angle point
 Polygon in coordinate
system

2. Abscise condition = end abscise

   
𝑋 𝑒𝑛𝑑 − 𝑋 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 =( ∑ ∆ 𝑋 𝑖 ) +𝑓 = initial abscise
𝑥== total of the abscise difference
error factor (closing error) of abscise
3. Ordinate condition = end ordinate
 
𝑌 𝑒𝑛𝑑 − 𝑌 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 =( ∑ ∆ 𝑌 𝑖 ) +𝑓 = initial ordinate
𝑦=total of the ordinate difference
= error factor (closing error) of ordinate
Closed polygon
calculation

 
1. Angle Condition   = Correction of internal angle
= Azimuth angle
= Total of internal angle
n = N+2 (for external angle)
n = N-2 (for internal angle)
For internal angle: N = total of measured angle
 Polygon in coordinate
system

2. Abscise condition
  = total of abscise difference
 
0= ( ∑ ∆ 𝑋 𝑖) +𝑓 𝑥
= error factor (closing error) of abscise

3. Ordinate condition = total of ordinate difference

 
0=( ∑ ∆ 𝑌 𝑖 ) +𝑓
= error factor (closing error) of ordinate
𝑦
 Tolerance of
Measurement
ANGLE MEASUREMENT DISTANCE MEASUREMENT

   
= error of angle closing Where:

i = smallest read of measurement = error of linier

tools = total of sides distance
n = total of measured angle
Steps in calculating
coordinate of polygon
point
1. Find initial and end data
2. Calculate error of angle closing
3. Do correction of each measured angle
4. Calculate the azimuth of each measured line of polygon
5. Calculate the difference of abscise and ordinate
6. Calculate closing error of abscise and ordinate
7. Do correction of the difference of abscise and ordinate
8. Calculate the coordinate of polygon point
 Electromagnetic
Distance Measuring
(EDM)
The EDM equipments which are
commonly used in land surveying are
mainly electronic or microwave systems
and electro-optical instruments.
principle of operation:
 a transmitter at the master station sends
modulated continuous carrier wave to a
receiver at the remote station from which it
is returned
 the instruments measure slope distance D
between transmitter and receiver. It is done
by modulating the continuous carrier wave
at different frequencies and then measuring
the phase difference at the master between
the outgoing and incoming signals
 this introduces an element of double
distance is introduced.
Total Stations
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYeAEpP1NYo
Example (polar method)
P and Q are two survey points. The direction
from north (the bearing) of the line PQ is 49 o North Coordinate of Q
and the horizontal length of line PQ is 45.50 m.
These two quantities are the polar coordinates
of the point P. Q
Calculate the value of the rectangular x
coordinates x and y of point Q.
Determine the coordinates of end point Q when ∆UPQ=29,85
the point P 150 to the east and 200 north y
Answer 49o 45.50 m
East
◦ x=PQ × sin NPQ
◦ x=45,50 × sin 49o = 34,34 m East
North P
◦ y=PQ × cos NPQ
150 to east
◦ y=45,50 × cos 49o = 29,85 m
200 to north
Example (polar method)
Determine the coordinates of end point Q when the point P 150 to the
east and 200 north
Answer:
◦ Point P = 150 (to east)
= 200 (to north)
◦ ∆TPQ =34,34
◦ ∆UPQ =29,85
◦ Point Q
To East 150 + 34,34 = 184,34
To North 200 + 29,85 = 229,85
Example (polygon
method)
A closed polygon is tied to an initial coordinates where X1 = 12 m and Y1
= -6 m, while the initial azimuth 145 °. The angle measurement results
obtained as follows: β1 = 92°30'20 "; β2 = 89 ° 20'10 "; β3 = 91 °10'10 ";
β4 = 86 ° 59'10 "and d1-2 = 52 m, d2-3 = 50 m, d3-4 = 58 m, d4-1 = 50 m.
Calculate the coordinates of other points.
 Azimuth B = 145o+ (180o-β2o)
β

180o - β2
 • Calculate error factor of angle
• Calculate corrected angle
Angle condition • Calculate azimuth angle

145o + (180o-
89.3368o)

Angle condition --> (N-2)*180 = 360

Error factor --> fb = 0.0028
 • Calculate delta Xi and delta Yi

2. Abscise and
• Calculate error factor of abscise
and ordinate
• Calculate corrected of delta Xi

ordinate condition
and delta Yi
• Calculate coordinate if polygon
point