Horizontal Distance Methods

Approaches

Pacing
Optical rangefinders
Odometers
Tacheometry (stadia or subtense)
Taping
Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM)
Global Positioning System (GPS)

Issues
Often measure surface or slope distance
Potential error or need to reduce to horizontal

ERE 371

Incorrect Length of Tape

Concept

Solution

Correction
true nominal
measured length
nominal

Ce

Example
30.005m 30.000m
53.429m 0.009m
30.000m

Ce

Corrected length 53.429m 0.009m 53.438m

ERE 371

Variations in Tape Temperature

Concept

For steel coefficient of thermal expansion (k)

k 0.00000645

Correction

Issues

k 0.0000116

CT Lk T TS

ERE 371

Incorrect Tension

Concept

For steel

E 29,000,000 lb

in

E 2,000,000kg

Correction

CP

P PS L
AE

ERE 371

cm2

Sag

Concept

Correction

w 2L3
CS
24P2

ERE 371

Tape Not Horizontal

Concept
Occurs when tape is not kept level

Solution
Corrected using Pythagorean Theorem

H S V
2

V
H

Or by approximate correction

d2

Ch
2S

ERE 371

How Far Off Can You Be?

Problem
No matter how hard you try, never have a horizontal tape

Question
When does departure from horizontal cause significant
error in result?

In field
Try to keep tape horizontal within this limit
Or compute a correction

ERE 371

Incorrect Alignment/Tape Not Straight

Concept

Incorrect alignment

Correction

Tape not straight

ERE 371

Taping Correction Problem

Background
Steel tape calibrated at 68F (supported throughout) at 5 kg
tension is found 30.006m between 0 m and 30 m marks
Tape has cross-sectional area of 0.003 in2 and weighs 0.7 kg

Problem
Crew is taping by laying tape along ground down a uniform
grade from point A to point B
Point A is 190.45m AMSL and point B is 175.68m AMSL
Temperature is 88F and tension is 7 kg
Final recorded distance is 148.47m
What is corrected length of tape?

ERE 371

Tacheometry
Concept
Methods
Stadia

ERE 371

Tacheometry: Stadia

L2

L1

0.5L1
d1
tan(0.5 )

d1
d2

0.5L 2
d2
tan(0.5 )
ERE 371

Stadia Principles
Need simple method for establishing

Method

ERE 371

Stadia Readings
Upper Hair

Middle Hair

Lower Hair

ERE 371

Stadia Principles
C

c
b
a

b'
a'

S
F
B
D

A,B rod intercepts

a, b stadia hairs
S = rod intercept
F = principal focus of
objective lens

f = focal length
i = stadia hair spacing
c = distance from instrument
center to objective lens
center

ERE 371

C = stadia constant
K = f/i = stadia interval factor
d = distance from focal point
to rod
D = distance from instrument
center to rod

Stadia Equations
From similar triangles
d S

f
i

f
d S KS
i

D KS C

Horizontal sights
H KS C
usually K 100,C 0

V 0

H 100S

Inclined sights
H KScos2 Ccos
H 100Scos2

V KS 12 sin2 Csin
V 100S 12 sin2

ERE 371

Issues with Stadia Measurements

Stadia common for map data collection

Accuracy of stadia

Current situation

ERE 371

Tacheometry
Concept
Determine distances indirectly using triangle geometry

Methods
Stadia
Establish constant angle and measure length of
opposite side
Length increases with distance from angle vertex
Subtense

ERE 371

Tacheometry: Subtense

0.5L
d1
tan(0.51 )

d1
d2

0.5L
d2
tan(0.52 )
ERE 371

Subtense Principles
Need simple method for establishing

Issues

ERE 371

Subtense Equation
Derive equation for computing distance by subtense

d
d

0.5L
0.5Lcot( 2)
tan( 2)

What value would you choose for L?

ERE 371

Issues with Subtense Measurement

Principles still useful in many situations
Accuracy of subtense

Current situation

ERE 371

Readings
Chapter 6 sections 6.6, 6.7, 6.14 6.16
Chapter 16 section 16.9.2

ERE 371