L.J.

POLYTECHNIC
Architectural Assistantship

SURVEYING & LEVELLING (025080303)

UNIT 2
LINEAR MEASUREMENT

• Manisha Parikh
 Introduction
2
INSTRUMENT
USED IN
CHAINING 3.
1
INTRODUCTION CHAIN SURVEYING

LINEAR
4.
7. MEASUREMENT OPERATION IN
TAPE CHAIN SURVEYING
CORRECTION 1.Chaining
2.Ranging
3. Offsetting

6.
5
ERROR IN .
OBSTACLES
CHAINING

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 Linear Measurement

Distance between A & B

ranging ranging rod

rod at- A
at-B

GROUND

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 Measurement of Horizontal Distances
The commonly used techniques in the basic engineering are:
 Pacing
 Passometer
 Pedometer
 Odometer
 Speedometer
 Time measurement
 Perambulator
 Chaining
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 Chain and Tape Survey

What is chain surveying ?

 Chain surveying is the type of surveying in which only linear measurements
are taken in the field.
 This type of surveying is done for surveys of small extent to describe the
boundaries of plot of land to locate the existing features on them.
 It is the method of surveying in which the area is divided into network of
triangles and the sides of the various triangles are measured directly in the field
with a chain or a tape and no angular measurements are taken.

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 Instruments Used in Chaining

ARROW PEG RANGING RODS OFFSET RODS

PLUMB BOB LINE RANGER CHAIN TAPE

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 Chain

 Number of links per meter length : 5

 Length of each link : 20 cm
 Tallies are provided at every 5 m
 Small brass rings are provided at every meter except where tallies are
provided.
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 Purpose of Chain Survey

Chain surveying has the following purposes.

 To collect necessary data for exact description of the land.
 To calculate the area of the plot
 To prepare the plan of the site
 To demarcate the boundaries of the land
 For division of land into smaller units

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 Principal of Chain Surveying

 The principal of chain surveying is to divide the area into a number of

triangles of suitable sides.
 As a triangles is the only simple plane of geometrical figure which can be
plotted from the lengths of the three sides even if the angels are not known.
 A network of triangles (triangulation) is preferred to in chain surveying .
 If the area to be surveyed is triangular in shape and if the lengths and sequence
of its three sides are recorded the plane of area can be easily drawn.

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Chain Surveying

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 Testing and Adjustment of Chain

 Closing up the joints of the rings if found to be opened out.

 Reshaping the elongated rings.
 Replacing damaged rings.
 Removing one or more small rings.
 Adjusting the links at the end.
 Straightening the bent links.
 Opening the joints of the rings

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 Testing and Adjustment of Chain

 Replacing one or more small circular rings by bigger ones.

 Inserting new rings where necessary.
 If chain is found to be too long If chain is found to be too short

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 Ranging

 When a survey line is longer than a chain length, it is necessary to align

intermediate points on chain line so that the measurements area long the line. The
process of locating intermediate points on survey line is known as ranging.
 There are two methods of ranging
1. Direct ranging
2. Indirect or reciprocal ranging.

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 Direct Ranging

When intermediate ranging rods are fixed on a straight line by direct observation
from end stations, the process is known as direct ranging.

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Direct Ranging

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 Indirect or Reciprocal Ranging
When the end stations are not inter visible due to there being high ground
between them, intermediate ranging rods are fixed on the line in an indirect way.
The method is known as indirect ranging or reciprocal ranging.

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 Ranging by Line Ranger

 Line ranger is an optical instrument used for fixing intermediate points on a

chain line. It consists of two right angled isosceles triangular prisms placed
one above the other.
 For fixing an intermediate station C on the line AB, the observer stands as
near C as possible and holds the instrument at his eye level. Rays of light.

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 Ranging by Line Ranger

 Coming from the ranging rods at A and B are reflected by the upper and lower
prisms respectively and reach the eye. If the images of A and B are in separate
lines as shown in fig (b), the observer moves a little perpendicular to AB such
that both images will be in the same line as in fig(c).
 The required position of C will be then exactly below the center of the
instrument.

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 Ranging by Line Ranger

 One of two prisms can be adjusted by a screw. To test the instrument

 it is held at the mid point of a line and the ranging rods at the end station
observed.
 If both rods appear in the same line, the instrument is in adjustment. Otherwise,
 the fixing screw of the movable prism is slackened and the prism slightly
rotated
 so that both ranging rods appear in one line. Then the prism is fixed by
tightening

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 Errors in Chaining

Errors will be introduced in chaining due to the following reasons.

 Instrumental errors: these are due to defective conditions of instrument. E.g.
a chain may be either too long or too short.
 Natural errors: These are due to variations in the natural phenomena e.g.
changes in length due to temperature.

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Correction Due to Incorrect Length of The Chain

If a chain has been damaged and it may be too short or too long of the true length
of the chain, and all the measurements taken will be too long or too short,
conversely a contracted or stretched chain will give incorrect measurements of
the true lengths.
The correct lengths of a measured distance is found from
where L’ = Incorrect length of chain or tape
L = Correct length of chain or tape
Or Correct Length = Measured Length x L’/ L

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Correction Due to Incorrect Length of The Chain

Correct Length = Measured Length x Incorrect length of chain

Correct length of chain
If an area has been calculated then,
Correct area = Calculated area x [ Incorrect length of chain/Correct length of
chain ]2
If an volume has been calculated then,
Correct volume = Calculated volume x [ Incorrect length of chain/Correct length
of chain ]3

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 Examples

Example 1: A 30m chain was found to be 10cm too long after chaining a
distance of 1360m. Find the true distance.
Correct length of the chain = 30m
Incorrect length of the chain = 30 + 0.10 = 30.10
Measured distance = 1360m
True distance = Measured distance x Incorrect length of chain/Correct length of
chain= 1360 x 30.10/30.0 = 1364.53 m

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 Examples

Example 2 : A road actually 1330 m long was found to be 1326 m when

measured with a defective 30 m chain. How much correction does the chain
Solution :
True length = Measured length x L’ / L
True length = 1330 m
Measured Length = 1326 m & Length of the chain = 30 m.
1330 = 1326 x L’ / 30
The chain is 0.09 m (9cm) too long so Correction = -9 cm (Ans).

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 Examples

Example 3 : A 20 m chain was found to be 6 cm too long at the end of

the days work after measuring 6000 m. If the chain was correct before the
commencement of the work, find the correct length of the line.
Solution : The increase of 6 cm should be taken as gradually.
mean in correct length of the chain L’ = 20+(20.06/2) = 20.03 m.
Correct length of the chain , L = 20m. Measured Distance = 6000 m
True distance = 6000 x 20.03 /20 = 6009 m.

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 Examples

Example : 4 : A 30 m chain was found to be 6 cm too long after chaining

a distance of 4000 m. It was tested again at the end of day’s work and found to
be 8 cm too long after changing a total distance of 7800 m. If the chain was
correct before the commencement of the work, find the true distance.
Solution : Chain length before commencement of the work = 30 m
Chain length after measuring 4000 m = 30.06 m.
Mean incorrect length of the chain (L’) = (30 + 30.06) / 2 = 30.03 m.
True distance = Measured distance x L’ / L

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 Examples

True distance = 4000 x (30.03)/30 = 4004 m .................. (i)

Remaining distance measured after measuring 4000 m
= 7800 - 4000 = 3800 m
The distance of 3800 m was measured with the chain which was 6 cm too
long in the beginning and 8 cm too long at the end of the chaining.
L’ = (30.06 + 30.08)/2 = 30.07 m
True distance = 3800 x (30.07) / 30 = 3808.9 m ...............(ii)
Total True distance = (i) + (ii)
= 4004 + 3808.9 = 7812.9 m .
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 Chaining along a Sloped Ground
Since the distances required for plotting purposes are horizontal distances
however, as a matter of convenience, they are sometimes made on sloping
ground, but they are afterwards reduced to their horizontal equivalents. There are
two methods of determining horizontal distances when chaining on sloping
ground.
(1) Direct method and (2) Indirect method.
Direct method:
By stepping; in the stepping method, horizontal distances are directly measured
on the ground by the process of stepping which consists in measuring the line in
short horizontal lengths, for this purpose, the chain is

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 Direct Method

stretched horizontally with one end resting on the ground at a convenient height
less than 1.8m and the point vertically below this end is then accurately found on
the ground by suspending a plumb bob and then marked. The next step is then
commenced from this point and the process is continued in correct alignment
until the end of the line is reached.

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 Indirect Method

First Method : This method of stepping is not a very accurate method. The best
way is to determine the land slope from the horizontal by using a Clinometer.
Knowing the sloping distance say L and angle of slope say
 the horizontal distance D = L Cosα

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Recording Field Notes
 Important Questions

 Explain various method of ranging.

 List the instruments used for chaining.
 Explain reciprocal ranging.
 Explain direct ranging.