Errors in Chaining

Every measurement made with a mechanical device is subject to any error that could possibly
be caused by the condition of the device or by the procedure used in taking the measurement.
Some of the more common sources of errors are the standards to which the chain was
manufactured, any damage to the chain, sag in the chain, variation in the tension on the chain,
and changes in the temperature of the chain. With proper care of the chain and reasonable
effort made with each use, the effects of these errors can be kept within acceptable tolerances
for all but the most precise measurements. When necessary, however, each of these
conditions can be compensated for mathematically if they are monitored and compared to a
known standard.

Proportional Errors
When a chain is manufactured, it is intended to be a specific length, plus or minus some
tolerance. It may or may not actually meet those specifications. When a field measurement is
taken, the acceptable error may be more or less than what the chain was designed for. For
high precision work, we need to measure several known distances and determine if this chain
is the proper length. If not, we need next to determine if the error is in one or more specific
locations along the chain or if the error is proportional along the length. If a known 50 foot
distance is measured to be 49.995 feet and a known 100 foot distance to be 99.99 feet, all
measurements made with that chain should be multiplied by a factor of 100/ 99.99 (known
distance over measured distance).

Constant Errors
If a chain has been kinked or broken and spliced back together, there is a good chance that
there will be a consistent error for any distances measured using that portion of the chain.
This error needs to be added or subtracted as appropriate each time.
Error : The difference between the measured value and true value of a quantity.

Mistakes : Mistakes are errors which arise due to inexperience, carelessness, poor judgment,
confusion etc.
Sources of errors:
1) Instrumental errors – Eg.: Tape is too long or too short.
2) Personal errors – negligence, carelessness etc
3) Natural errors – Eg.: variation in temperature, humidity, wind, refraction, gravity,
magnetic declination etc.
Kinds of errors in chaining:
a) Mistakes –
b) Cumulative errors ( Systematic errors ) : is an error that under the same conditions
will always be of the same size and sign.
Eg.: If a tape is m cm short and it is stretched N times the total error in the measured
length is mN cm.
c) Compensating errors
d) Accidental errors
Errors in Chaining

1) Erroneous length of chain or tape

2) Bad ranging

3) Careless holding and marking

4) Bad straightening

5) Non-horizontality

6) Sag in chain

7) Variation in temperature

8) Variation in pull

9) Personnel mistakes

Mistakes in Chaining

1) Displacement of arrows

2) Failure to observe the position of zero point of the tape

3) Adding or omitting a full chain length or tape length

4) Incorrect reading of the chain. Eg: Confusing 10 m tag for 20 m tag.

5) Reading numbers incorrectly: transposing figures Eg:37.24 for 37.42

6) Calling numbers wrongly: 18 -80

7) Reading tape upside down : 86-98

8) Reading wrong meter marks : 58.2 for 57.2

Chain / Tape Corrections:

• Designated length ( D L ) or true length ( T L )

If A L < D L Then

Distance measured is > corrected distances

Error is + ve , Correction is - ve

If A L > D L Then

Distance measured is < corrected distances

error is -ve , correction is + ve

a) Chain Corrections

1) Correction for length

' L' 
Where
ll
 L
 

l = Actual / correct / true length of line

l' = Measured length of line

L' = Actual length of chain ( Incorrect )

L = Nominal or designated length of chain

2) Correction for Area

 L' 2
A  A   Where
'

L

A = Actual / correct / true area of plot

A ' = Measured area of plot

L' = Actual length of chain ( Incorrect )

L = Nominal or designated length of chain

 L ' 3
VV  '  Where
L

V = Actual / correct / true volume

V ' = Measured volume

L' = Actual length of chain ( Incorrect )

L = Nominal or designated length of chain

4) Correction for slope C g 

If angle of slope  3o

Cg  l  l2  h 2
Where D  l cos  or D 
D

Cg  l  l cos 

Cg  l1 cos 

Cg  l  l2  h 2

b) Tape Corrections:

1) Correction for absolute length

Ca  L 
Where
 l
 

Ca = Correction for absolute length

C = Correction per tape length

L = Measured length of line

l = Nominal or designated length of the tape

2) Correction for slope

Cg  l1 cos  or Cg  l  l2  h 2
3) Correction for temperature

Ct   Tm  To
where
L
C t = Correction for temperature in meters

 = Coefficient of thermal expansion

Tm = Mean temperature in the field during measurement ( oC )

To = Standard temperature ( oC )

L = Measured length of line

If Tm  To C t is + ve

If Tm  To Ct is - ve

4) Correction for pull ( Tension )

Cp  L P  P Where
AE o


Cp = Correction for pull in meters

P = Pull applied ( in N )

Po = Standard pull

L = Measured distance of the line in meters

A= Cross sectional area of tape ( m2 )

E = Young’s modulus of elasticity of tape material in N/m2

If P  Po Cp is + ve

If P  Po Cp is - ve

5) Correction for sag

Cs = Correction for sag in meters

l1 = Length of the tape suspended between the supports ( in meters )

w = Weight of the tape per meter length (

N/m ) W= Total weight of the tape in Newton

Sag Correction
When a chain is suspended from each end and not supported along it’s length, the weight of
the chain causes it to sag and pull the two ends toward each other. It is impossible to exert
enough outward force to fully overcome the sag. For all measurements, adequate tension
should be applied to minimize the effective shortening of the chain. For precise
measurements, a correction should be applied using the formula given in the appendix.

Tension Correction
While a certain amount of tension is desirable to help offset the sag effect, it will also
stretch the chain. Steel is generally thought of as not being very easily stretched and indeed
it is not. That is one of the reasons it is used for making chains. But steel will still stretch to
some degree if tension is applied. When a chain is checked against a known distance, the
applied tension should be controlled. Subsequent precise measurements should be made
using the same tension, or if not, a correction should be applied. The formula for this is also
in the appendix

Temperature Correction
Whatever material is used to make a chain, that material will expand and contract with any
change in temperature. Some materials are more affected than others, but every chain will
change length somewhat if warmed or cooled. If precise measurements are needed, an
adjustment needs to be made for the change in temperature between the current temperature
and the temperature at the time the chain was checked against a known distance. This formula
is also in the appendix.

Chain Triangulation

Main survey station : A survey station is a prominent point on the chain line and can be either
at the beginning of chain line or at the end.
Eg.: A,B,C,D
Main survey lines : The line joining the main survey stations are called main survey lines.
Eg.: AB, BC, CD, DA, BD
Base line : The longest main survey line is called base line. It is a longest line passing
through the center of the area.
Check line or proof lines : are the lines which are run in the field to check the accuracy of the
work.
Tie lines : These lines selected to closer to the details, which are otherwise away from the
main survey lines to avoid long offset.
Tie station or subsidiary station Eg.: E, F.

Locating ground features : by offset