FIELDWORK NO.

03
MEASUREMENT OF HORIZONTAL DISTANCES: TAPING OVER SMOOTH AND
LEVEL GROUND AND TAPING OVER UNEVEN AND SLOPING GROUND.

At the end of this fieldwork, the student should be able to solve problems
involving horizontal distances and tape corrections and errors in measurement.

I. INTRODUCTION:
If taping is done on fairly smooth and level ground where there is little underbrush, the
tape can be held on the ground. The taping party consists of the head tapeman and
the rear tapeman. The head tapeman leaves one taping pin with the rear tapeman for
counting purposes and perhaps to mark the starting point. The head tapeman takes
the zero-end of the tape and walks down the line toward the other end. When the 30-
m end of the tape reaches the rear tapeman, the rear tapeman calls "tape" to stop the
head tapeman, The rear tapeman holds the 30-m mark at the starting point and aligns
the head tapeman (using hand signals) on the range pole which has been set behind
the starting points. Ordinarily this "eyeball" alignment of the tape is satisfactory but the
use of a transit will slightly improve the precision.

When the rear tapeman has the 30-m mark at the starting point and has satisfactorily
aligned the tape, he calls or signals "all right" to the head tapeman. The head tapeman
pulls the tape tightly and sticks a taping pin in the ground. The rear tapeman picks up
his taping pin and the head tapeman pulls the tape down the line and the process is
repeated for the next 30-m. It will be noticed that the number of 30-m lengths which
have been measured at any time equals the number of taping pins which the rear
tapeman has in his possession. When the end of the line is reached, the distance from
the last taping pin to the end point will normally be a fractional part of the tape. This
fractional distance is measured and added to the number of 30-m lengths measured
previously to give the final horizontal distance.

For sloping ground or uneven ground, taping is handled in a similar manner to taping
over level ground. The tape is held horizontally but one or both tapemen have to use
plumb bobs.

Sometimes large elevation difference makes it impossible to use an entire tape. In such
situations only part of the
tape is used. The head
tapeman holds the zero-end
and the rear tapeman holds
a convenient distance which
will allow the selected length
of tape to be horizontal. All
individual measurements must
be recorded as shown in the figure.

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 Anoth
method. The rear tapeman holds the 30-m end of the tape over a point while the head
tapeman proceeds forward until it becomes impossible to keep the tape horizontal,
e.g., at the 25-m mark. The rear tapeman then moves up to the head tapeman and
holds the tape at the 25-m mark over the new point while the head tapeman proceeds
until the 0-mark of the chain is reached at which point the whole process is repeated.
Each 30-meter length of tape must be recorded individually. (See figure).

II. EQUIPMENT:
30-m or 100-ft steel tape
Range poles
Chalk or marking crayons
Spring scale

III. PROCEDURE:
In taping, there are 2 tapemen, the head tapeman and the rear tapeman. A third
may act as recorder or lineman. If there are only 2 performing the taping, the rear
tapeman shall act as recorder.

A. MEASURING ON EVEN OR LEVEL GROUND

1. Both head and rear tapemen mark both ends of the line to be measured using
chalk or marking crayons. A range pole is placed behind each point in order to ensure
an unobstructed line of sight. These end points are designated as A and B.

2. Both tapemen proceed to the starting point. The rear tapeman stays on the starting
point while the head tapeman takes the 0-meter end of the tape and moves toward
the direction of the end of the line to be measured. When the tape is about to be fully

tapeman to stop.

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 3. The head tapeman faces the rear tapeman then waits for an alignment signal. The
rear tapeman aligns the tape held by the front tapeman by waving his hand towards
the right with the palm towards direction of motion, or with the left hand for a left
motion. When the tape is in line with the range pole set at the end point, the rear
tapeman shows hand palm forward notifying the front tapeman for correct alignment.

4. The rear tapeman places the end graduation of the tape on the point behind and
ets a mark with

procedure until the last full-tape measurement before the end point.

5. The fractional tape length is measured by placing a full meter-mark against the last
pin with the end of the line contained within the first fractional or graduated meter
(from 0-mark to 1-m mark). That portion of the tape which protrudes beyond the end
of the line is then subtracted from the full meter-mark opposite the last marking. After
the measure of the whole line is completed, a second measurement should be made
along the opposite direction. The mean of the two measurements is taken as the most
probable value of the length of the line.

6. Compute for the Discrepancy and Relative Precision using

The discrepancy between two measurements must give a relative precision of not
greater than 1/2000 for tertiary, 1/5000 for secondary, and 1/10,000 for primary survey.
It is, however, recommended that measurements must check within 1/1000 whenever
possible.

B. MEASURING OVER UNEVEN OR SLOPING GROUND

1. Measuring uphill.

a. On a designated uneven and sloping terrain, mark the ends of a line

(about 90m long) to be measured. Designate the bottom of the slope as
point A and the upper portion of the slope as point B. Range poles are
held or set behind each point to serve as markers, or are set at
intermediate points along the line to ensure better alignment during
taping.

b. Head tapeman unreels and spreads out the tape and pulls the zero mark
uphill along the line from point A. The rear tapeman raises the terminal
end of the tape breast high while the head tapeman moves uphill until

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 the ground surface is as high as the raised end of the tape at point A.
The head tapeman pulls the tape until it is approximately level with the
head tapeman.

c. The rear tapeman temporarily releases end of tape and signals head
tapeman to either move to the right or to the left in order to align him.
When the tape of the head tapeman is in line with the range pole held
over point B, the head tapeman is signaled to hold his position.

d. The rear tapeman plumbs the terminal mark of the tape with a plumb
bob and maintains this plumb bob steadily over A while head tapeman
pulls the tape taut. The head tapeman is then signaled to make a mark
on the ground to the nearest full meter or foot mark of the tape.

e. The rear tapeman leaves his end of the tape, moves up the slope and
gets hold of the tape at the point previously held by the head tapeman.
The next measurement is made horizontally from the mark on the ground
made by the head tapeman as done at point A.

f. The process is repeated until the whole tape length is used up thus
finishing the measurement of one tape length of horizontal distance.

g. From the end of one tape length measurement, the horizontal

measurement is continued until point B is reached. The last partial tape
length is measured with the rear tapeman holding the tape until he has a
full meter (or foot) mark at his end while the head tapeman pulls the
tape taut and takes note of the factional measurement. Then the
number of tape lengths and the last partial measurement are totaled to
determine the horizontal length of the line measured.

2. Measuring downhill.

a. In measuring down the slope, the tape is reversed to bring its zero-end
forward in the direction of point A along the line. Horizontal
measurements start from B with the rear tapeman holding the terminal
meter (or foot) mark of tape in level with B.

b. After the plumb bob of the head tapeman has been aligned with the
range pole held at A, the head tapeman leaves a marking on the
ground.

c. The next horizontal measurement starts from the first marking until one
whole tape length is measured. As in measuring up the slope, the
number of tape lengths plus the partial tape length at the end of the line
determines the total horizontal length of the line.
3. Record field data and compute the results using the same formulas used in taping
on level ground for discrepancy and relative precision.

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 IV. DATA AND RESULTS:
A. MEASURING ON EVEN OR LEVEL GROUND

Measured Relative
Line Mean Discrepancy
Length (m) Precision

AB 9.40

BA 9.43

B. MEASURING ON UNEVEN OR SLOPING GROUND

Measured Relative
Line Mean Discrepancy
Length (m) Precision

AB 25.94

(measured uphill)

BA 25.96

(measured
downhill)

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 LABORATORY EXERCISE OUTLINE
I. OBJECTIVES.
Write a detailed objectives for the Fieldwork.
II. ILLUSTRATIVE SET-UPS and PROCEDURES.
Research on the actual set- ups and or procedures for this fieldwork. Take a
screen shots and label them by providing a simple descriptions in every
procedures.
III. DATA and RESULTS.
Complete the data from the past actual fieldwork.
IV. COMPUTATIONS.
Complete and detailed calculations prior to the main objectives.
V. CONCLUSIONS.
Provide a detailed conclusions prior to the data and results.
VI. RECOMMENDATIONS.
Provide a detailed recommendations on how to attain a good data and results.
VII. PRACTICE PROBLEMS.
Solve all the given problems if it is provided.

Property of and for the exclusive use of SLU. Reproduction, storing in a retrieval system, distributing, uploading or posting online, or transmitting in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise of any part of this document, without the prior written permission of SLU, is strictly prohibited.