Exercise No. 3: Break Chaining: Determining Horizontal Distances On A Sloping Ground

Subject: Forest Surveying and Engineering
Exercise No. 3: Break chaining: determining horizontal distances

on a sloping ground
Introduction
Horizontal distances have required in surveying. So, in chaining toward a sloping
ground, the horizontal distances between two stations are measured carefully by
applying some convenient methods. These are the Direct and Indirect method. Direct
method is also called as the stepping method. This method is applied when the slope of
the surface of earth is extremely steep. During this method, the sloping ground is split
into a number of horizontal and vertical strips, like steps. When the slope of the earth
surface is long and delicate , the stepping method isn't suitable. In such a case, the
horizontal distance could also be obtained by the subsequent processes, and this is the
Indirect method. (RJMCivil,2020)
On a steep slope, a method of finding horizontal distance is "breaking tape".

Breaking Tape -- Measuring shorter distances at a time to allow the tape to be held
horizontal at or below chest height. The forward tapeperson places a pin at a tape mark.
The rear tapeperson moves ahead and holds the tape mark at the pin while the forward
tapeperson proceeds.This is repeated until the full 100 foot distance is marked.
The procedure is the same as when taping 100 foot lengths, only for shorter segments.
Learning Outcomes
 To have an experience on chaining method in a sloping ground.
 To apply the value of excellence and patience in measuring the slope of the
ground using break chaining.
Materials:
 steel tape
 set of marking
 pegs poles
 plumb bob
Procedure
I raised the end of the tape at breast height while my cousin moves back to a place on
the line preferably near a full meter mark of the tape where the ground surface is as
high as the raise end of the tape. He stays by the right side of the line and holds a
marking peg on the ground. The cousin B briefly discharges the end of the tape and
signals my cousin A “move to the right” “move to the left” and the case perhaps and
after that everything is fine when the stick of my cousin D is in line with the shaft hold
over B. Cousin A drives a peg vertically into the ground. My cousin B plumbs from A to
the terminal check of the tape with a plumb bob keeping up consistently over A. We
continued it until we measured efficiently the up and down slopes of the area we
targeted to measure using break chaining. After the plumb bob of cousin A has been
aligned with the pole held at A, he drops the plumb bob causing it to leave a mark on
the ground. He sticks a peg at the ground mark left by the plumb bob. The next
horizontal measurement start from the peg until one whole tape length is measured. As
in measurement up the slope, the number of tape length at the end are recorded.
Procedure above is just for your guide during face to face conduct of the laboratory.
Herer are the results.
42.3 m
43.58
Results and Discussions:

We recorded that the distance of up slope of line 1 is 8.76 m while the measurement of
its down slope is 8.75 m.
The distance of up slope of line 2 is 5.15 m while the measurement of its down slope is
4.90 m.
Line 3 has 4.95 m up the slope distance and a 4.15 down the slope distance.
4.34 m is the up the slope distance and 4 m down the slope distance of Line 4.
Up the slope and down the slope measurements of the Line 5 is 4.20 and 4.25 m,
respectively.
Line 6 has a up the slope distance of 5.50 m while its down the slope measurement is
4.26.
The distance of up slope of line 7 is 9.40 m while the measurement of its down slope is
5.16 m.
The down the slope distance towards the range pole is 8.11 m.
The total measurement of up the slope distance is 42.3 m.
The total measurement of down the slope distance is 43.58 m.
Conclusion:
At the end of this activity,
 I managed to experience conducting break chaining on a sloping ground. I also
tried to use the equipment by myself and learned its individual functions.
Besides, I learned the do’s and don’ts in measuring horizontal distances in a
sloping ground with the use of break chaining.
 Break chaining really needed patience and effort as we have to be efficient in
doing this to collect significant data. It is also a lot of work so teamwork and
cooperation is also required.
Guide questions:
1. What is the application of break chaining in relation to rehabilitating
degraded forest ecosystem?
It will be useful to learn the sloped parts of the forest floor and the proper
technique that can be applied in that type of area.
2. Which is quite easy to measure in sloping ground using break chaining

method, up slope or down slope? Why?
I guess it is measuring the down slope. It is because you will be measuring
downward so it is more efficient than measuring while you are walking upward.
References:
https://www.rjmcivil.com/2020/10/method-of-chaining-on-level-ground.html#point4
http://www.vermessungsseiten.de/englisch/vermtech/taping.htm

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Subject: Forest Surveying and Engineering

Exercise No. 3: Break chaining: determining horizontal distances

On a steep slope, a method of finding horizontal distance is "breaking tape".

Results and Discussions:

2. Which is quite easy to measure in sloping ground using break chaining

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