FUNDAMENTALS OF SURVEYING FIELDWORK OUTLINE

Name _______________________________ Date _________________

Group No. _________ Course/Year ___________

Fieldwork Exercise No. 1

TITLE: PACING

OBJECTIVE: To measure horizontal distance of level and straight line on ground using pacing
concepts.

LIST OF EQUIPMENT AND APPARATUS:

1. Steel Tape
2. Markers (hubs, paint, chalk, crayons)

PROCEDURE:
1. Determining Pace Factor (PF)
a) Select a straight and level course and on both ends establish markers at least
30 meters apart, designate these end points as A and B.
b) Walk over the course at a natural pace or gait starting with either heel r toe
over point A and count the number of paces to reach point B.
c) For succeeding trials, walk from B to A, then A to B, until 8 trials are completed,
and the number of paces recorded accordingly.
d) Refer to the accompanying sample format for the recording of observed field
data.

NUMBER OF MEAN No. OF PACE FACTOR

TRIAL LINE TAPED DISTANCE (m)
PACES PACES (m/pace)
1 AB
2 BA
3 AB
4 BA
5 AB
6 AB
7 AB
8 AB
REQUIREMENT:
Compute for the required horizontal distances considering the data below (straight
lines/paths) using your obtained pace factor. Present complete solution on separate sheet/s of
bond paper.

A] COURSE: U to C
Number of Trials: 4
Trial 1: 100.0 paces
Trial 2: 100.5 paces
Trial 3: 102.0 paces
Trial 4: 101.5 paces

B] COURSE: Station 108 to Station 120

Number of Trials: 8
Trial 1: 212.50 paces
Trial 2: 214.00 paces
Trial 3: 211.00 paces
Trial 4: 215.50 paces
Trial 5: 213.25 paces
Trial 6: 216.00 paces
Trial 7: 212.75 paces
Trial 8: 214.00 paces

C] COURSE: Station Y to Station Z

Number of Trials: 8
Trial 1: 150.25 strides
Trial 2: 152.00 strides
Trial 3: 151.50 strides
Trial 4: 150.50 strides
Trial 5: 153.00 strides
Trial 6: 154.75 strides
Trial 7: 151.75 strides
Trial 8: 152.00 strides
COMPUTATIONS:
1. Computing Pace Factor:
a) Get the sum of the number of paces for the five (5) trials performed on course
Ab then compute the mean number of paces.
b) Divide the known or taped length of course AB by the mean number of paces
for AB to determine the pace factor.
2. Computing Paced Distance (PD)
a) Get the sum of the number of paces for the stated trials on each courses and
compute the mean number of paces.
b) Multiply the mean number of paces by the pace factor to obtain the paced
distance.

REMARKS, HINTS AND PRECAUTIONS:

1. The ends of the assigned courses should be marked with either hubs, marking pins, or by
chalk marks if on pavement.
2. Range poles are set or held behind the end points to serve as guides or markers during
actual pacing.
3. A steel tape should be used in laying out or in measuring the actual lengths of courses
assigned for pacing.
4. When taping, two measurements should be made for any line and the mean recorded
as its actual length.
5. The length of a single step is termed a pace, it may be measured from heel to heel or
from toe to toe. Also, each two paces or a double step is called a stride.

Figure: Length of a Pace.

6. Pacing consists of counting the number of steps in a horizontal distance and is best done
by walking with natural steps.
7. Pacing is used only when approximate results are satisfactory such as for estimating
distances used for sketching and in reconnaissance surveys. Pacing is also used as a
mean of checking distances measured by more accurate methods.
8. To keep one on the line while pacing, it is a good practice to fix one’s eyes on a distant
object on the range behind the pole at the farther end of the line being paced.
9. A partial pace at the end of the line should be figured out to the nearest one-fourth
pace.

GENERAL DISCUSSION:
In topographical surveys, you measure distances along straight lines. These lines either
join two fixed points or run in one direction starting from one fixed point. They are plotted in the
field with pegs, pillars or ranging poles. There are many good ways to measure distances. The
method of measurement you use will depend on several factors: the accuracy of the result
needed, the equipment you have available (to use) and usually, the type of terrain you need
to measure.

Methods of measuring with accuracy:

Pacing -- accuracy 1 / 200 (0.5%)
Measuring Wheel-- accuracy (Standard) 1 / 2,000 (0.05%)
Taping -- accuracy (Standard) 1 / 5,000 (0.02%)