DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY – DASMARINAS

Dasmariñas, Cavite
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, AND TECHNOLOGY

ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM

Name : __Regine Gail O. San Jose Date Started :_02/05/2020 (2:30 PM)___

Course-Year &Section : __ARC 26______________ Date Completed:_02/05/2020 (5:30 PM)___

No. of Hours Required : __3 hours______________ Date Due :_02/11/2020 (12:00 NN)

Rating : __________

Activity No. 2
DIRECT DISTANCE MEASUREMENT BY RANGING

I. INTRODUCTION

Measuring the horizontal distance

between two points on the surface of earth is one
of the most fundamental surveying operations. It
is also one of the most basic engineering
measurements. One can determine the value of
his average pace by counting the paces required
for him toward a distance that was previously
more accurately measured (for example, with a
steel tape).
Pacing is performed most satisfactorily for most people when taking natural actions. Some others
prefer trying to take paces of certain lengths, but this approach is tiring for long distances and usually
gives results for short or long distances of less precision. Given the need for horizontal distances, many
adjustments should be made when pacing is done on sloping ground.
When the length to be measured is less than that of the steel tape, measurements are carried out
by unwinding and laying the tape along the straight line between the points. The zero of the tape (or some
convenient graduation) is held against one point, the tape is straightened, pulled taut and the distance
read directly on the tape at the other point. When the length of the line between two points exceeds that

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 of the tape, some form of alignment is necessary to ensure
that the tape is positioned along the straight line required.
This is known as ranging and is achieved using ranging
rods and marking arrows.
There are different methods to measure horizontal
distances such as:
a) Direct and Indirect Measurement
The direct method involves the use of tapes and
chains which are generally laid along the straight line
joining the two points. Indirect methods employ either optical systems or electronically operated devices.
Indirect measurement of a distance is a computed value of the
distance from other data. This method is used when two ends of
survey stations or survey line are not inter-visible.

b) Direct Distance Measurement (DDM)

Distances are actually measured on the surface of the
earth using Chain or Tape measurements or Ranging.
Horizontal measurements are made directly or indirectly. The choice of the method and its
procedures depend on present and future accuracy requirements and the relative cost. Considerations in
selecting the method and procedures should include:
 the accuracy of the result needed;
 the equipment you have available, to use;
 the type of terrain you need to measure.
c) Optical Distance Measurement (ODM)
Optical distance measurement (ODM) techniques
overcome the first problem in that they are.undertaken above
ground level and several of the techniques overcome the second problem since they can be carried out in
a shorter time than that required for surface taping.
ODM methods do not render
tapes obsolete; they should be
considered as possible alternatives to
taping. With the rapid development of
electromagnetic distance measurement
(EDM), it might be considered that ODM
itself is being superseded. This, however,
is not the case since EDM equipment is
very expensive and would not always be

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employed over the range of distances measurable by ODM methods. Hence taping, ODM and EDM
methods should be considered to be complementary.
d) Electromagnetic distance measurement (EDM)
Electromagnetic distance measurement (EDM) methods, however, enable accuracies of up to 1
in 105 to be achieved without difficulty over ranges up to100km.
EDM is a general term embracing the measurement of distance using electronic methods. There
are, at present, in excess of fifty
different EDM systems
available.Consequently, any detailed
operating instructions for any
particular instrument have been
excluded. Such data are available in
the handbooks supplied by
manufacturers for their respective
instruments.

II. OBJECTIVES

 To determine distance by ranging.

 To measure distance using direct method.

III. DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Ranging- Method of locating or establishing intermediate points on a straight line between two fixed
point or two survey stations
2. Ranging rods- Ranging rods or range poles or lining rods made of wood, steel, or aluminium are
about 1 in. thick and 6 to 10 ft long. The are round or hexagonal in cross section and marked with
alternate 1-ft long red and white (or black and white) bands that can be used for rough
measurements. The main utility of range poles is to mark the line being measured so that the tape’s
alignment can be maintained.
3. Taping pins- Taping pins or Chaining pins are used to mark tape lengths. Most taping pins are made
of steel wire, sharply pointed at one end, have a round loop at the other end, and are painted with
alternate red and white bands.

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IV. INSTRUMENTS / MATERIALS NEEDED
 Range poles
 Steel tape
 Pins

V. PROCEDURE
1. Distance measured in ranging by eye

a) For measuring long lines two people are required,

identified as the leader and the follower, the procedure
being as follows for a line AB.
b) Ranging rods are erected as vertical as possible at the
points A and Band, for a measure in the direction of A to
B, the zero point of the tape is set against A by the
follower.
c) The leader, carrying a pin, unwinds the tape as he walks
towards point B, stopping 30m of a tape length, at which
point he holds his pin vertically.
d) The follower removes the ranging rod at A and, stepping
a few paces behind point A, lines up the ranging rod held by the leader with point A and
with the rod at B. This lining-in should be done by the follower sighting as low as possible
on the poles.
e) The tape is now straightened and laid against the rod at B by the leader,pulled taut and the
tape length marked by placing a pin on line.
f) For the next tape length of 30 m the leader and the follower move ahead simultaneously
with the tape unwound, the procedure being repeated but with the follower now at the first
marking pin. Before leaving point A, the follower replaces the ranging rod at A as this will be
sighted on the return measurement from B to A, which should always be taken as a check
for gross errors.
g) As measurement proceeds the follower picks up each pin and, on completion, the number
of pin held by him indicates the number of whole tape lengths measured. This number of
tape lengths plus the section at the end less than a tape length gives the total length of the
line.

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VI. DATA AND RESULTS

TRIAL LINE RANGING DISCREPANCY MEAN RELATIVE

DIST (m) PRECISION
1 AB 178.75 0.55 m 178.475 0.3081
2 BA 178.20

VII. SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS

Formula

1 pin = 1 full tape length of 30 m

10 pins = 1 tally = 10 full tape lengths
Distance A- B = No. of Pin (length of 1 full tape length) + Short section b/n last pin & B
Discrepancy = AB - BA
Mean = Average of AB & BA
Discrepancy
Relative Precision = x100
Mean

DISTANCE A-B = 5 pins (30m) + 28.75 m

= 178.75 m

Computation for Distance B-A

Discrepancy = 178.75- 178.20

= 0.55 m
178.75  178.20

Mean 2
 178.475

0.55
 x100
Relative Precision 178.475
 0.3081

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VIII. REMARKS, OBSERVATIONS
The first step in range survey by eye is to decide and locate stations so that they are distinctly
visible and are quasi-permanently fixed during the surveying process. The position of stations are located
on map such that the base survey line and other main survey lines are so aligned that the positions of all
salient ground features, either natural or man made, can be located and measured. The position of
stations is fixed with reference to some permanent ground features so that they can be unambiguously
and accurately located on ground at any time in future also, if the station pegs are removed/misplaced.
The survey stations are marked temporarily on ground by fixing the ranging rod at their location
which marked as point A. A pin is driven in the ground such that it is projecting at least 40 mm above the
ground to provide some permanency. A mark can be painted or etched on ground if some hard surface
like road, pavement or rock is encountered at station location. For permanent marking, a stone or
concrete block can be embedded in ground.
Direct ranging by vision alone is done by stretching the tape approximately along the survey line
AB. At least two persons are involved in chaining and ranging. One surveyor called follower is stationed
behind starting station A at the end of chain, while the other one called leader is situated at the distance of
equal to or less than the tape length from A, holding the other ranging rod at an arm’s length from the
body . Follower, situated behind A directs leader to align ranging rod L along line AB.

IX. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Ranging is essential step in chain surveying to ensure that measurements are made in a straight
path along the survey line. If the end stations are inter-visible, direct ranging can be resorted. Range
surveying is the simplest form of detail surveying. In this method the lengths of lines marked on the field
are measured, while the details are measured by offsets and ties from these lines.
One of the most important aspects of surveying is the taking of neat, legible and complete field
notes. The notes will be used to plot scale drawings of the area surveyed and also to provide a
permanent record of the survey proceedings.
Random errors, also known as human errors are inevitable
incidents that may affect the actual outcome of the data gathered. They
come with the forms of:
 Marking tape ends with tape fully supported
 Misunderstanding due to miscommunications
 Adding or dropping full tape length
 Adding a foot or decimetre
 Other points incorrectly taken as end mark on tape
 Reading numbers incorrectly
 Calling numbers incorrectly or not clearly

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To avoid such incidents, make sure the instruments are in proper shape in order to have a good
assessment of the measurements. Try to use hand signals or sign languages to avoid
miscommunications especially in handling the activity in a wild field that takes a lot of distances. Assign
roles such as the leader, the follower, the surveyor and the one who will note down the data gathered to
make sure the data are recorded.

X. REFERENCES

Uren J., Price W.F. (1978) Direct Distance Measurement. In: Surveying for Engineers. Palgrave, London
Uren J., Price W.F. (1978) Optical Distance Measurement. In: Surveying for Engineers. Palgrave, London
S.K. DUGGAL, Surveying Volume 1, Fourth Edition

Ifrahim, M. (n.d.). MEASUREMENT OF HORIZONTAL DISTANCES. Retrieved from

https://www.academia.edu/28568438/MEASUREMENT_OF_HORIZONTAL_DISTANCES

Self-employed Follow. (2017, February 11). chain surveying. Retrieved from

https://www.slideshare.net/ahmadikhan/chain-surveying-72035970

Verma, R. (2016, September 3). 1.1 Linear measurement original: Chaining & Ranging. Retrieved from
https://www.slideshare.net/rakeshverma60/11-linear-measurement-original-chaining-ranging