CHAIN SURVEY

• Simplest method of
surveying

• Only linear
measurements are made
& no angular
measurements

• The area to be surveyed

is divided into triangles
and the triangles are
measured directly in the
field

• In chain survey a network

of triangles are preferred

• Angles of the triangle not

smaller than 30 degree
and greater than 120
degree.
TERMS RELATED WITH CHAIN
SURVEYING
• SURVEY STATIONS
– Survey stations are the points at the beginning and at
the end of the chain line. Such station is known as Main
station
– They may also occur at any convenient position on the
chain line. They are known as subsidiary or tie stations

• SURVEY LINES
– The lines joining the main survey stations are called the
main survey lines
– The biggest of the main survey line is called the base
line
• CHECK LINES
– Lines which are run in the field to check the accuracy
of the work
– The line joining the apex point of a triangle to some fixed
points on its base
• TIE LINES
– A line which joins subsidiary or tie stations on the main
line
– They serve the purpose of taking the details of the
nearby objects
– They also serve the purpose of a check line
 INSTRUMENTS FOR CHAINING
1. Chain
2. Arrows
3. Pegs
4. Ranging rods
5. Offset rods
6. Plasterer’s laths and whites
7. Plumb bob
1. CHAIN
• Chains are formed of straight links of galvanised mild
steel wire bent into rings at the ends and joined by three
small circular or oval wire rings
• The ends of the chain are provided with brass handles
• The length of the link is the distance between 2
consecutive middle rings
• The length of the chain is measured from outside of one
handle to the outside of the other handle
 DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHAINS

1. Metric chain
2. Gunter’s chain
3. Engineer’s chain
4. Revenue chain
5. Steel bar or Band chain
METRIC CHAIN
• Length of the chain – 20 or 30m
• Length of each link – 20cm
• Generally divided into 100 or 150 links
• Tallies are provided at every 5m
• Small brass rings are provided at every meter except
where tallies are provided
• GUNTER’S CHAIN
– Exactly 66ft (about 20m ) long and divided into 100
links
• ENGINEER’S CHAIN
– Used by surveyors for measuring out lands and plot
sizes
– The chain measures 100ft and contains 100 links
– Each link measures 12 inches
• REVENUE CHAIN
– Commonly used in measuring fields in cadastral survey
– The length of the chain is 33ft long and divided into 16
links
– Each link measures 2.0625ft
• STEEL BAR or BAND CHAIN
– Length – 20 or 30m
– Width – 16mm
– Brass tallies are fixed at every 5m length band
 2. TAPES
• Tapes are used for more accurate measurement.
The tapes are classified based on the materials of
which they are made of such as:
– Cloth or linen tape
– Fibre Tape
– Metallic Tape
– Steel tape
– Invar Tape
• Cloth or linen Tape
– Linen tapes are closely woven linen and varnished to
resist moisture
– They are generally 10 m, 20 m, 25 m and 30 m long
in length and 12 to 15 mm wide
– They are generally used for offset measurements
– These tapes are light and flexible
• Metallic Tape
– A linen tape reinforced with brass or copper wires to
prevent stretching or twisting of fibres is called a
metallic tape.
– As the wires are interwoven and tape is varnished
these wires are visible to naked eyes.
– This is supplied in a lather case with a winding device
– Each metre length is divided into ten parts (decimetres)
and each part is further sub- divided into ten parts
– It is commonly used for taking offset in chain surveying.
• Steel Tape
– The steel tape is made of steel ribbon of width varying
from 6 to 16 mm
– The commonly available length are 10 m, 15 m, 20 m,
30 m and 50 m
– It is graduated in metres, decimetres, and centimetres
– Steel tapes are used for accurate measurement of
distances.
• Invar Tape
– Invar tape are made of alloy of nickel 36 % and steel 64
% having very low co-efficient of thermal expansion
– These are 6 mm wide and generally available in length
of 30 m, 50m, 100m
– It is not affected by change of temperature therefore, it is
used when high degree of precession is required.
3.ARROWS
 ARROWS
• Arrows are made of tempered steel wire of
diameter 4 mm
• one end of the arrow is bent into ring of diameter
50 mm and the other end is pointed.
• Its overall length is 400 mm
• Arrows are used for counting the number of
chains while measuring a chain line
• An arrow is inserted into the ground after every
chain length measured on the ground.
4. Ranging Rods
 Ranging Rods
• Ranging rods are used for ranging some
intermediate points on the survey line
• Ranging rods are generally 2 to 3 m in length
and are painted with alternate bands of black or
white or red and white colour with length of each
equalizing 20 cm
• The location of any survey station can be known
from long distances only by means of ranging
rods. If the distance is too long, a rod of length
4.0 to 6.0 m is used and is called ranging pole
 5. Offset Rods
• The offset rod is similar to ranging rod with the exception
that instead of the flag, a hook is provided at the top for
pushing and pulling the chain or the tape
• It is also used for measuring small offsets
Ranging Rods and Offset Rods
 7. Pegs
• Pegs are made of timber or steel and they are
used to mark the position of the station or
terminal points of a survey line
• Wooden pegs are 15 cm long and are driven into
the ground with the help of a hammer
CROSS STAFF
CHAINING
FIELD BOOK – CHAIN SURVEY

• Single line/ Double line field

book
• Offsets are entered at
corresponding chainages
OFFSETTING

• The lateral measurement taken from an object to the chain line is known as
‘offset’.
• Offsets are taken to locate objects with reference to the chain line.
• They may be of two kinds.
1. Perpendicular offset and
2. Oblique offset.
Perpendicular offset
• When the lateral measurements are taken perpendicular to the chain
line, they are known as perpendicular offsets
• It can be done in 3 ways
• By setting a perpendicular by swinging a tape from the object to
the chain line
• By setting a right angle in the ratio 3:4:5 (3-4-5 Rule)
• By setting a right angle by cross-staff or optical square
Oblique offset:

• Any offset not perpendicular to the

chain line is said to be oblique offset.
• Oblique offset taken when the objects
are at the long distance from the chain
line or when it is not possible to set up
a right angle
RANGING
 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 are along the line.

• The process of locating intermediate points on survey

line is known as ranging or process to make chain line
straight.

• Ranging must be done before a survey line is chained

• There are two methods of ranging

– Direct ranging
– Reciprocal ranging.
 DIRECT RANGING

• If the first and last points are inter-visible this

method is possible

• When intermediate ranging rods are fixed on

straight line by direct observations from end
stations , the process is called direct ranging
 PROCEDURE
• Assume that A and B
are two end stations of
chain line , where two
ranging rods are
already fixed

• Suppose it is required
to fix ranging rod at
intermediate point C
on chain line so that
A,B and C are in same
straight line
 PROCEDURE
• The Surveyor positions
himself approximately
2 m behind station A
and looking along line
AB directs the
assistant to move
ranging rod right or left
to the line AB until
three ranging rods
come exactly in same
straight line

• To check verticality of
rods , the surveyor
bends down and looks
through bottom of rods
 PROCEDURE
• The ranging will be perfect
, when three ranging rods
coincide and appear as
single rod

• When surveyor is satisfied

he signals assistant to fix
ranging rod on ground by
waving both ends up and
down

• Ranging can be done

either by eye or through
some optical instrument
such as line ranger or
theodolite
 Indirect or Reciprocal Ranging

• Due to
intervening
ground, hill etc, if
two station are
not visible to
each other then
reciprocal
ranging may be
resorted
 PROCEDURE

M N
A B
M3
N3
M2

N2

M1 N1
 PROCEDURE
• Suppose A and B are two
station which are not inter-
visible due to intervening
raised ground.

• Suppose it is required to
fix intermediate points
between A and B.

• Two Chainman take up

positions at C1 and D1
with ranging rods in their
hands, and one surveyor
at A and other at B.
 PROCEDURE

• Chainman at C1 stands with his face towards B

so that he can see ranging rod at D1 and B.

• Similarly Chainman at D1 stands with his face

towards A, so that he can see ranging rod at C1
and A.

• Then chainmen proceed to range line by

directing each other alternatively
 PROCEDURE

• The person at D1
directs the person at
C1 to move to a new
position C2 in line with
D1A
 PROCEDURE

• The person at C2
then directs the
person at D1 to
move to a new
position D2 in line
with C2A

• Thus the 2 persons

are now at C2 and
D2 which are nearer
to the chain line than
the positions C1 and
D1
 PROCEDURE

• The process is
repeated till the points
M and N are located in
such a way that the
person at M finds the
person at N in line with
MB and the person at
N finds the person at
M in line with NA