Direct distance measurement for small areas.
Distances are measured with chains or steel tapes, corrected for slope, temperature, sag and tension. Offsets from chain lines locate details. Methods are simple and low-cost for small, flat sites. Ranging rods, arrows and cross-staff assist.
Surveying a small plot by triangulating with a tape.
Chain and tape surveying is the simplest distance method, and it still helps for small sites and quick checks.
Direct distance measurement for small areas.
Chain and tape surveying is the simplest distance method, and it still helps for small sites and quick checks.
It is slow over uneven ground and cannot measure long distances accurately, so it suits small areas with simple shapes.
Compare the tape with a calibrated standard and correct for temperature, tension and sag.
Typical applications include measuring the dimensions of a small plot with a steel tape, setting out a foundation trench on a small house site and checking the length of a wall during a rapid site visit.
Study "Surveying basics" first (topic 18 of 112 in Civil & Structural). It covers the groundwork this topic builds on.
Well-conditioned triangles. Tape corrections. Errors accumulate.
Surveying a small plot by triangulating with a tape.
The next topic is "Levelling", which builds directly on this one.
It is classed as Beginner in Civil & Structural (topic 19 of 112). It is an entry-level topic. It relies only on basic school mathematics and the ideas introduced earlier in this discipline.
Want to practise? Open the interactive course for quick checks, quizzes, simulations and progress tracking.