CHAIN SURVEY

Aziz Ahmad
azizahmad@[Link]
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
1
CITY UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
 CONTENTS
 Land Surveying  Short offset
 Method of Land Surveying  Long offset
 Chain Surveying  How to take Offsets to
 Survey Station different object
 Selection Of Survey  Locating Building
Station  Booking Field Notes
 Base Line  Field Work
 Check Line  Instruments For Setting-
 Tie Line Out Right Angles
 Offsets  Right Angle with Chain Or
 Taking Offset Tape
 Obstacles In Chaining
 Examples
 Land Surveying
Purpose of Land Surveying

To Secure data for exact description of the

boundary.
To determine its area.
To Secure Necessary data for making a plan.
To re-establish the bounders.
To divide a piece of land into a number of units.

3
 Method of Land Surveying
1. Triangulation 2. Traversing
• The lines of survey form a • In Traverse Surveying the direction
network of triangles . of survey line are fixed by angular
• Denotes a system of surveying in measurement and not by forming a
which the sides of the various network of triangles as done in
triangles are computed from : chain survey.
o (1) a single line measured • Framework consists of Series of
directly , called BASE LINE. connected lines
o (2) the three angles of triangle o Length measured by chain or tape
measured accurately with o Angle measured by an angular
theodolite. instrument.

4
 Chain Triangulation Or
Chain Surveying
It is a system of surveying in which sides of various
triangles are measured directly in the field and NO
angular measurement are Taken.
• The simplest kind of Surveying
• When Level of accuracy required is not high.
Suitable when Not Suitable
• Ground is fairly level and • For Large Area.
simple
• Too many details.
• Plans are required on
large scale e.g fields • Wooded countries
• Area is small in extent. • Undulating areas
5
 Chain Surveying
Principle of chain survey is Triangulation
• Since the triangle is a simple plane geometrical figure, it can
be plotted from the measured length of its sides alone.
• In chain surveying, a NETWORK of TRIANGLES is preferred.
• Preferably all the sides of a triangle should be nearly equal
having each angle nearly 600 to ensure minimum distortion
due to errors in measurement of sides and plotting.
• Generally such an ideal condition is not PRACTICAL always.
Usually attempt should be made to have WELLCONDITIONED
TRIANGLES in which no angle is smaller than 300 and no angle
is greater than 1200.
6
 MEASUREMENT OF AREA BY CHAIN
TRIANGULATION
• PROCEDURE:
» Let ABCDE be the given field whose
area is to be measured, fix the pegs
at A, B, C, D & E.
» Divide area into three triangles
ADE, ABD and BCD by joining AD and
BD.
» Measure the lengths AB, BC , CD,
DE, EA, AD and BD.
» Calculate the area of the triangles.
» The sum of the areas of the three
triangles is the area of the given field.
• RESULT:
7
The area of the given field = _______
 Survey Station
Survey Stations is a point of importance at the
beginning and end of chain line.

1. Main Station 2. Subsidiary or Tie Station

• These are the end of survey • These are the points selected
line i.e which connect on main line, Where it is
boundaries. necessary to run axillary lines
• to locate interior details such
Line joining Main stations is
corner, tree ,building etc.
called Main survey line or
• Line joining tie station are
chain line.
called tie lines or subsidiary
• Represented by Circle, Capital lines
letters A B.. or number 1 2.. Or
• Represented by Small letters a
(A)
b
8
 Building

Main Station Main Station

Tie Line
A B
a b

Main Tie Station

Survey Line (on Main survey line)

9
 Selection Of Survey Station
The following points should be kept in mind while selecting a station:
1. Should be mutually visible.
2. Main principle should b strictly observed
3. If possible, line through the whole length of area should be drawn
4. All triangles well defined
5. A check line should provided each triangle
6. Survey lines should be as few.
7. A number of tie lines should be drawn
8. Position of survey lines should be such that to avoid obstacles to
chaining and ranging
9. It should be on level ground
10. The sides of triangle should pass as close to the boundary as
possible.
10
• Base line
• Check line
• Tie line

11
 Base Line
 The longest of the chain lines used in making a
survey is generally regarded as Base line.
 Most important line.
 It fixes up direction of all other lines, as on base
line, is built framework of a survey.
 Should be laid on level ground , as possible
through the center and length of the area.
 Should be correctly measured and should be
measured twice or thrice.
12
 Check Line
A check line also called proof line, is a line
joining the apex of a triangle to some fixed
point on the opposite side.
A check line is measured to check the
accuracy of the framework.
Thus there is a complete check on the field
measurement as well as on the accuracy of
the plotting work.
13
 Tie Line
A tie line is a line joining fixed points termed as
Tie station on the main survey lines.

A tie line usually fulfill a dual purpose i.e it

checks the accuracy of the framework and
enables the surveyor to locate the interior details
which are far away from the main chain line

14
 Offsets
The Lateral Distance to locate the object / detail to left
or right of the Main survey line is known as Offset.
To Locate Position of details such as boundary,
building, tree, river etc.

There are Two kinds of Offsets

1. Perpendicular / Right
angled Offset
2. Oblique Offset/ Tie-line
Offset
15
 Taking Offset
For every offset we need two
measurement
1. Distance along the chain line
is called Chainage (Ap)
2. The length of Offset (pP).
The follower will hold the zero
end and will swing it along the
chain line until he got the least
reading which will be the foot
of perpendicular offset
16
 Short offset
 The offset are called short when they are less than
15m in length and long when their length exceeds
15m.
 When offsets are short the perpendicular direction
is judged by eye only.
 Offset should be as short as possible because they
are less liable to error due to incorrect length of
tape or incorrect direction.
 Short offset can be measured quickly and accurate.

17
 Long Offset
• Where much accuracy is desired the long offset
should be as far as possible be avoided.
• They can be avoided by arranging the main survey
line or by running subsidiary lines from the main
lines.
• Example Nala.

CE and DE are subsidiary

lines
eE is check line
18
 How to take Offsets to different
objects
1. Round object
2. If the boundary is straight
3. When object changing direction
4. For irregular boundary
5. If boundary is fair curve
6. When the object such as road crossing the survey line
7. To locate a gate
8. Locating positions of corners and intersections.

[Link] of building
19
 Locating Building
• A. In locating buildings
offset are taken to the
corners only and in
addition, the dimension a c
of the building are also
measured and recorded. b a b
• B. another method
when building near to
A a’ b’ c’ a’ b’ B
chain line
(aa’ bb’, a’b, b’a arE
A B
measured)

20
 Booking Field Notes
• The book in which survey work
is recorded by measurement
and sketches is called Field
book.

• Oblong book of convenient

size.

• There are two forms of field

book
1)single line and 2) double line
21
 Field Work
Equipment
The equipment required for a chain survey should
include:
• A chain and 10 arrows
• 20 m metallic tape
• Ranging rods
• Offset rods
• Optical square or cross staff
• Plumb bob
• Survey field book
• Pegs
• Pencils
• Hammer nail, chalk etc 22
 Field Work
A Chain survey may be executed in the following
steps:
[Link]
Walk the whole area and thoroughly examine the
ground, note position of boundaries ,road ,river etc,
various difficulties to chain lines, select stations, prepare
a neat sketches called index sketches or key plan.
2. Marking stations
With ranging rod , or wooden peg. Driving a nail or
spikes if hard surface, embedding stone with a cross
mark. 23
 Field Work
A Chain survey may be executed in the following
steps:
3. Reference sketches
After marking station they should be referenced i.e located
by measurement called ties taken from 3 permanent point
which are easily identified such corner of building

4. Running survey line

After the preliminary work chaining start from base line and
carried throughout all the line of the framework
continuously . Chaining and locating nearby detail. So chain
is laid and kept lying , offset are taken .
24
 Instruments For Setting-Out Right Angles

• Cross Staff
• A)The open B) The French C) The adjustable

• Optical square
• With chain or tape

25
 Right Angle with Chain Or Tape

3 4 5 method
D
50 links

30th links
80th links

A E C B
40 links

26
 Obstacles In Chaining
• Various obstacles or obstructions such as wood , hills,
ponds rivers etc. continually met with the chaining.
• It is however necessary that chaining should be
continued in a straight line.

• The various obstacles may be classed as:

A. Chaining Free, Vision Obstructed.

B. Chaining Obstructed, Vision Free.
C. Both Chaining and Vision Obstructed.

27
 A. Chaining Free, Vision Obstructed
Two further cases

• Case1
• Both ends are visible from intermediate point on the line
• (Reciprocal ranging/Indirect ranging).

• Case2
• Both ends are not visible from some intermediate point.

28
 Case 1: Indirect Ranging / Reciprocal Ranging

PROCEDURE:
» Fix the two ranging rods at the given stations A and B which are not
intervisible due to raising ground.
» Select two intermediate points M1 and N1 such that from each point both A
and B are visible.
» The person at M1 directs the person at N1 to move to a new position N2 in
line with M1B.
» The person at N2 then directs the person at M1 to move to a new position
M2 in line with N2A.
» The person at M2 directs the person at N2 to a new position N3 in line with
M2B.
» The person at N3 directs the person at M2 to a new position M3 in line with
N3A.
» The process is repeated till the points M and N are located in such a way
that M finds the person at N in line with AB and the person at N finds the
person at M in line with AB.
» After fixing the points M and N, other points are also fixed by direct ranging
and the length of the line is measured.
Result:
• Distance of AB = distance AM + distance MN + distance NB
29
Case2: Both Ends are not visible from some Intermediate
pint

• This occurs when it is desired to run a line across a

wooded field, trees or underbrush preventing the fixing of
intermediate point.
• Random line method is suitable.
Random line AB1

A C1 D1
B1
90o 90o 90o

C1
AB =√ (AB1)2 + (BB1)2
D
B
True Chain line AB

30
 B. Chaining Obstructed, Vision Free
For example pond, plantation, river etc.

Two further cases

• Case1
• When it is possible to chain round the obstacle e.g. pond.

• Case2
• When it is not possible to chain round the obstacle e.g
River.

31
Case1 . When it is possible to chain round the obstacle

• Several methods available.

C

C D
Pond Pond

P R P R
A B A B

AB = CD AB =√ (BC)2 + (AC)2

Method 1 Method 2
32
 Case1 . When it is possible to chain round the obstacle
R
Method 3
• Select two points A and B on line PR on
each side of the obstacle. Set out a line B
CAD such that CB and DB clear obstacle.
Measured distance AC, CB, and DB.
• Then apply cosine formula to calculate the
width AB for BCD
• In ∆ BCD
BD2 = CB2 + CD2-2 x CB x CD x Cos(ø)….(1)
• In ∆ BCA
AB2 = CB2 + CA2-2 x CB x CA x Cos(ø)….(2)
ø
• Equating the values of Cos(ø )
C A D

AB = CB2 x AD + DB2 x AC – AC x AD P
√ CD 33
Case2 . When it is Not possible to chain round the obstacle

TYPICALLY FOR RIVERS.

R

B
Method 1
• Select two points on chain line PR, A River
and B. Set out perpendicular AD.
Bisect it at C. At D draw
A D
perpendicular DE such that point E C
becomes inline with C and B.
• Measure DE.
• ∆ABC and ∆CED are similar.
P E
• So AB=DE
34
Case2 . When it is Not possible to chain round the obstacle

Method 2

• Select two points. Setout ┴ AD at A. erect ┴

BD at D, cutting chain at C. B
• Measure AD and AC.
• ∆ ABD and ∆ ACD are similar River

AB AD
= A D
AD AC
So
AD2 C 90o
AB = CA

35
C. Both Chaining and Vision Obstructed

Typical example is
building.

Method 1 E F G H
• Select two points on chain
line PR, A and B and erect ┴ Building
P R
AE and BF of equal length. A B C D
Prolong EF line pass the
obstacle and select two G and
H and erect ┴ to chain line.

• BC=FG
36
 C. Both Chaining and Vision Obstructed

Method 2

F
• Select point B and erect ┴ BE.
Mark an other point A such that
AB=BE.
• Join AE and produce it to F.
Draw ┴ on F making FA= FD.
Mark a point G on FD such that E G
FG=EF locate C, now measure Building
EG. P R
A B C D
• BC=EG

37
 Example 1
R
While chaining across a pond two points A and B were
taken on opposite side of the pond. A line CB 270 m long
was laid on left of AB and an other line BD was laid down B
on the right of line AB is 315 m, such that points C,A and
D becomes inline with each other. CA and AD were then
measured and found to be 156 m and 174 m respectively.
Find the length AB
• Solution:

BD2 = CB2 + CD2 - 2 x CB x CD x Cos(ø)….(1)

Cos(ø) = CB2 + CD2 - BD2
2xCBxCD
Ø = 62o 23`

AB2 = CB2 + CA2- 2 x CB x CA x Cos(ø) C

A D
AB = 244.2 m
OR
P
AB = CB2 x AD + DB2 x AC – AC x AD = 244.2m
√ CD 38
 Example 2
A chain line ABC crosses a river, B and C on near and
distant banks respectively. The respective bearings of C
and A from D , a point 45m measured at right angle to
AB from B are 300o and 210o. AB being 45m. Chainage of
B is 1000 m.
Find chainage of C
C
• Solution:
• Bearing of DC=300o
• Bearing of DA= 210o N River
• ADC=bearing DC-bearing DA= 300o - 210o
• =90o
B 210o
• ∆ BCD and ∆ ABD are similar D
BC BD
= A
BD AB 300o
BC = BD2

AB = (45)2 / 24 = 84.38 m
Chainage of B = 1000 m
Chainage of C = 1000 + BC = 1000 + 84.38 90o
= 1084.38 m 39
 Example 3
A survey line AC intersect a building. To
prolong the line behind the building
perpendicular CD 120m long drawn at C.
From D two lines DF and DG are drawn at
angle 45o and 60o respectively.
Determine the length DF and DG and also
obstructed length CF.
Solution: A C F G B

• DF = CD x Sec 60o = 240 m

• DG = CD x Sec 45o = 169.63 m
60o

• CF = CD tan 45o = 120 m 45o

D

40