Taping Over Uneven and Sloping Ground: INSTRUMENTS & ACCESSORIES:30-m or 100-ft Steel Tape, Chaining Pins, Range

FIELDWORK EXERCISE NO.
3
TAPING OVER UNEVEN AND SLOPING GROUND
Objectives:
a). To determine the horizontal length of a line over smooth and level ground with
the tape supported throughout its length.
INSTRUMENTS & ACCESSORIES:30-m or 100-ft Steel Tape, Chaining Pins,Range

Poles, Pegs or Hubs, Spring Scale, and Plumb Bobs.
A. PROCEDURE:
1. Measuring Uphill.
a) On a designated uneven and sloping terrain, mark the ends of a line (about
90 m long) to be measured. Designate the hub' at the bottom of the slope as point A
and the hub at 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 insure 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 30-m (or 100-ft) end
of the tape breast high while the head tapeman moves back to a place on the line
near a full meter (or foot) mark where the ground surface is as high as the other
raised end of the tape. The head tapeman stays by the side of the line measured
and holds a chaining pin on the ground.
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 pin
of the head tapeman is in line with the range pole held over point B, the head
tapeman is then signaled to stick the pin vertically into the ground.
d) Rear tapeman plumbs from point A to 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, and making sure that the tape is on line by bringing one of its edges in
contact with the previously aligned pin. The head tapeman then moves the pin
opposite the nearest full meter or foot mark of the tape and he sticks it firmly into the
ground.
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 pin stuck in the ground 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 pin marking the end of one tape length measurement, the
horizontal measurement is continued until point B is reach ed. 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 fractional 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
starts from B with the rear tapeman holding his terminal meter (or foot) mark of
tape in level with B.
b) After the plumb bob of the head tapemen has been aligned with the range
pole held at A, the head tapeman drops the plumb bob causing it to leave a mark on
the ground. He then sticks a pin at the ground mark left by the plumb bob.
c) The next horizontal measurement starts from the pin 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.
d) Tabulate observed and computed values accordingly. Refer to the

accompanying sample format for the tabulation of data.
TRIAL LINE LENGTH DIFFERENCE MEAN RELATIVE PRECISION
1 AB
90.56 0.03 90.545 1
1000
2 BA
90.53
B. COMPUTATIONS:
1. The discrepancy for the measurement is the difference bet. the first
measurement and the second measurement.
2. The mean length of the measured line is determined by adding the two
measurements and dividing the sum by two. This is also known as the most probable
value of the length of the line.
3. The relative precision of the measurement is determined by dividing the
discrepancy by the mean length, where the numerator is reduced to unity or 1. Relative
precision is expressed in fractional form and the denominator is rounded to the nearest
hundredth.
C. REMARKS, HINTS & PRECAUTIONS:
1. The procedure of breaking tape involves the measurement of short

horizontal distances and accumulating these distances to total full tape length.
This is done when a 30-m (or 100-ft) tape cannot be held horizontal without
plumbing from above shoulderlength.
2. Except for the use of a plumb bob, the process of taping over
uneven andsloping ground is similar to taping over smooth and level
ground.
3. It is important to determine if the tape is held nearly horizontal
since it is theusual tendency to hold the downhill end of the tape too low.
4. A hand level should be used to check if the tape ends are held
correctly so asto have a good horizontal measurement.
5. A firm stance is important during taping. The tapeman should
position the plane of his body parallel to the tape, with his legs well apart. His
forearm should be inline with the tape, and he should snub it against his body
comfortably.
6. If a hand level is not available, the tape may be estimated to be
horizontal byeye. It is usually sufficient to compare the tape with some level
line or have the two ends in line with the horizon.
7. The tape sags between supports when taking horizontal
measurements over uneven and sloping ground thus making the tape shorter.
To eliminate the effect of sag,the tape should be standardized, corrected for
sag, or normal tension is used.
8. As a variation to breaking tape, the line may also be measured by
short and segmented individual distances and these distances are added up to
determine the totallength. This practice, however, requires continuous
recording of each partial length measured and may also lead to mistakes in
addition.
9. The designated line should be measured in two trials, once uphill
and once downhill. The ratio of discrepancy to length should be determined.
The acceptable precision should be at least 1/1,000. If this is not attained the
measurement should berepeated
Fig.
4-2.
An
illust
rativ
e
exam
ple of
brea
king tape for a downhill measurement.

Taping Over Uneven and Sloping Ground: INSTRUMENTS & ACCESSORIES:30-m or 100-ft Steel Tape, Chaining Pins, Range

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Taping Over Uneven and Sloping Ground: INSTRUMENTS & ACCESSORIES:30-m or 100-ft Steel Tape, Chaining Pins, Range

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FIELDWORK EXERCISE NO.

INSTRUMENTS & ACCESSORIES:30-m or 100-ft Steel Tape, Chaining Pins,Range

d) Tabulate observed and computed values accordingly. Refer to the

TRIAL LINE LENGTH DIFFERENCE MEAN RELATIVE PRECISION

1. The procedure of breaking tape involves the measurement of short

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