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Topic 3_Distance Measurement

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viksithv
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Surveying

ETB 2123 / ETG 2123


3. Distance Measurement
Lecturer - Dr. Sankha Widisinghe
Distance Measurement
Definition and ways to measure distance
Tape measuring of distance
Distance adjustments on tape measurement
Errors and accuracy in tape measurements
EDM (Electromagnetic Distance Measurement)
Sources of errors and corrections related to EDM
What is Distance?
 Definition: Distance is one of the fundamental measurements in surveying. It is a three-
dimensional measurement. However, the horizontal component is usually required.
 Therefore, the distance between two points is understood as the mean of horizontal distance,
regardless of the relative elevation of the two points.
 Distance is required to network of control points, to fix the position of topographic detail and to set
out the position of a point in construction work.

 Definition of length unit: Development of science in the


late 18th Century created pressure for development of
standard units of measurement, units that would be
reproducible, consistent and precise. Some early proposals
suggested the length of a pendulum with a given period. No
easy method was found to set a clear standard, and the SI
system developed based on the metre defined as one ten-
millionth the distance from the pole to the equator.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metre#Timeline_of_definition
How to Measure Distance?

Distance
Measurement
Methods

Electronic Global
Traditional
Measurement Positioning
methods
Equipment (EDM) System (GPS)

Used for short distances No walking is required For distances over 5 kilometres
Topography affect application Same set up used for levelling Accurate to 1 ppm
Requires multiple people Electronic signals reflection is
used for measurement
0.10%-2.0% accuracy
Tools for Distance Measurement
Traditional Methods
Pace: Measuring distance by counting steps. Then by multiplying
number of step to step length the total distance is obtained. The method
is simple, low tech, which requires no equipment. However, it requires
consistence pace, and has limited accuracy of about 2%.

Odometer wheel: This instrument is a mechanical revolution counter,


which can be used on flat fields without roughness (concrete or asphalt).
It counts number of rotations to find the total distance (similar to
odometer in vehicles). It is low-tech and easy to use instrument with a
better accuracy than pace method.

Tapes: Tapes come in a variety of lengths and materials. For engineering


work the lengths are generally 10 m, 30 m, 50 m and 100 m. Linen or glass
fibre tapes (general use precision not important), Steel tapes graduated in
millimetres are more often used (better precision than Linen tapes).
Susceptible to temperature change., Invar tapes (35% Nickel and 65%
Steel)-used for very high precision works. Price is higher than steel tapes.
Not that sensitive to temperature variations compared to steel tapes.
Tape Measurements
 Methods of tape measurements
1) Measuring along the ground ( used for accurate engineering surveying work)
2) Measuring in catenary (for precise measurement)
3) Step measurement (less precise work such as in calculating earth work volumes)

How measurements are carried out can be better seen in the below video link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BapoW7wY0yc
Tape Measurements
Measuring along the ground
Tape Measurements
Step Measurement
Step measurement is the process of breaking the overall distance down into manageable short
sections on a slope ground
The tape is stretched horizontally and a plumb-bob suspended from the elevated end of
the tape. The steps should be kept short enough to minimize sag in the tape. Thus the sum of
the steps equals the horizontal distance required.
Range pole, plummet or level can be used to ensure vertical alignment of points at which the
tape measurement is recorded.
Tape direction should be normal to this established vertical direction.
Distance Adjustment in Tape Measurements
To eliminate or minimize the systematic errors of taping, it is necessary to adjust each measured bay to
its final horizontal equivalent as follows.

(1) Standardization (incorrect tape length)


(2) Temperature (fluctuation in temperature of the tape)
(3) Tension (tape no straight)
(4) Sag
(5) Slope (incorrect alignment)
(6) Altitude
Errors in surveying

Why worry about errors?


 Accuracy required to capture the true measurement
 To obtain adequately accurate measurements with the minimum cost

Sources of errors?
 Natural – causes such as curvature of earth, light refraction, wind, sun rays and
temperature
 Instrumental – malfunction of instruments, non-level adjustment of instruments, non-
vertical staff
 Human – error in reading and handling of the instrument and tripod, lack of experience or
training, little care
Errors
Systematic Random
Can be corrected by scientific Errors remain after all other errors
means have been removed
Eg. Expansion or contraction of Results from human inability of the
steel tapes observer or team to make exact
measurements
Eg. If all team members take the
same reading, there can be
several readings
Errors

True value of accuracy is not known. Hence accuracy cannot be determined, it can
only be estimated
Distance measurement errors

• Tapes usually marked at 20°C.


So any other temperature can
• After a long use, must be induce expansion/contraction
 compared with a standard error
tape • This is a systematic error

Standard-
Temperature
ization

• Will be always
applicable as the Sag Tension • Usually the tape is used
tape has a
under standard tension
weight
• Correction should be
done if the tension was
different
Example - standardization
A distance of 220.450 m was measured with a steel band of nominal length
30 m. On standardization the tape was found to be 30.003 m. Calculate the
correct measured distance, assuming the error is evenly distributed
throughout the tape.
Answer : How to decide
Error per 30 m = 3mm the correction
positive or
negative?
Note on error and correction

when setting out - the error correction procedure is revered.


Why ? Because we will be establishing a required length on
site

It is better to compute as per the example , on the basis of


the correction (as shown), rather than the total corrected
length.
In this way fewer significant figures are required. So less time
consumed
Electromagnetic Distance Measurement (EDM)

 Total Station (TS), sometimes referred as TST (Total Using EDM equipment, the measurement of distance is
Station Theodolite). obtained by measuring the time of propagation of
electromagnetic waves through the atmosphere.
 The main instrument used today. Can measure both angle
and distance.
 Built-in algorithms for reducing slope distance (L) to
vertical (h) and horizontal components (D)
 Distance measurement takes 1.5-3 seconds
 Automatic measurements possible, improved reliability in
difficult atmospheric conditions.

Total stations typically have accuracies of in order of 0-2mm (±2


parts per million), that is 2 mm in 1 km.
Principle of EDM – Pulse method
Principle of EDM – Pulse difference method
EDM – Meteorological corrections

 If a project requires precision measurement over a long distance (establishing a drain),


should consider about errors
 Meteorological corrections are due to systematic error
 Temperature, pressure, humidity need to consider in order to correct this error that
affects the wave transmission and receive
 Whilst the velocity of these waves in a vacuum is known, the velocity can be reduced
depending on atmospheric factors at the time of the measurements
 Instrumental error consist of scale, zero and cyclic errors. These errors also systematic
errors.
 Modern instruments allow atmosphere pressure and temperature to be entered via
instrument keypad, so that the instrument makes corrections. Must check the manual
and familiar before using the instrument
EDM – Geometrical corrections
 Applicable to measurement over large distances
 And to reduction of distances on the ground to map datum or to GPS datum
Questions?
Thank you

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