Tacheometric Surveying

Tacheometry is a branch of angular surveying in which the horizontal and vertical distances are
obtained by optical means as opposed to the ordinary process of chain and tape. This is done
with the help of two special type of instruments- transit theodolite and stadia rod. On the other
hand, other conventional surveying methods like chain surveying or traverse surveying need the
surveyor to take a linear measurement on the field by a tape or a chain. These are relatively
slower processes and also tiresome.

Tacheometric Surveying Instruments

Tacheometric Surveying is done with the help of Tacheometer and Stadia Rod.

1. Tacheometer

A transit theodolite fitted with special stadia diaphragm is known as tacheometer. It is the main
instrument of tacheometric surveying. Its telescope contains two horizontal hairs called stadia
hairs in addition to the regular crosshairs. The stadia hairs are equidistant from the central cross-
hairs and they are specially termed as stadia lines or stadia webs. The common types of stadia
diaphragms are shown below:

In general, the telescopes used in stadia surveying are of three kinds:

 I. The simple external-focusing telescope which is also known as the stadia theodolite

II. The external-focusing anallatic telescope (Porro’s telescope). This is usually known as
the tacheometer

III. The internal-focusing telescope

The second type has advantages over first and third kind because of zero additive constants of
the instrument (more of constants will be discussed in the latter sections)

Major Features of Techeometer

A tacheometer must essentially incorporate the following features:

I. The multiplying constant should have a nominal value of 100 and the error contained in this
value should not exceed 1 in 1000.

II. The axial horizontal line should be equidistant from the upper and lower stadia hairs.

III. The telescope should be anallactic which means the additive constant should be zero.

IV. The telescope should be powerful magnification property.

2. Stadia Rod

For small distances ( up to 100 meters) a level staff may be used for tacheometric surveying. But
for greater distances stadia rod is needed. Stadia rod is of one piece having 3 to 5 meters length.
The smallest subdivision is usually 5 mm.
3. Anallatic Lens

Anallatic lens is an additional lens used in the instrument. It is a special lens which is placed
between the object glass and the eyepiece of the telescope in order to eliminate the additive
constant (f+d). This is done to make the expression for the distance between instrument station
and staff position more simplified. The lens in only provided in an external focusing telescope
but not in the internal focusing.

Different Methods of Tacheometric Measurements

The various methods of the tacheometric survey may be classified as follows:

I. The Stadia System

II. Fixed Hair Method

III. Movable Hair Method, or Subtense Method

IV. The Tangential System

V. Measurements by means of Special Instruments

A brief description of these methods is given below.

Fixed Hair Method

·0 In this method, the angle at the instrument at A subtended by a known short distance
along a staff kept at B is made with the help of a stadia diaphragm having stadia wires at
fixed or constant distance apart.

·1 The readings are on the staff corresponding to all the three wires taken.

·2 The staff intercept which means the difference of the readings corresponding to the top
and bottom stadia wires will, therefore, depend on the distance of the stadia/level staff
from the tacheometer

·3 When the staff intercept is more than the length of the staff, the only half intercept is
read.

·4 This is the most common method is tacheometry and the same ‘stadia method’
generally bears reference to this method.

Subtense Method

·5 This method is almost same as the stadia method except that the stadia interval is
variable.

·6 A suitable arrangement is made to vary the distance between the stadia hair as to set
them against the two targets on the staff kept at the point under observation.

·7 Thus, in this case, the staff intercept, i.e., the distance between the two targets is kept
fixed while the stadia interval, i.e., the distance between the stadia hair is variable.

·8 As in the case of fixed hair method, inclined sights may also be taken.

Stadia Method

As in the field of tacheometric surveying ‘Stadia Method’ is the most widely used procedure so
we will discuss the principle behind it. The stadia method follows the principle that in similar
isosceles triangles the ratio of the perpendicular to the base is constant.
In fig. let two rays be equally inclined to the central ray. Here central ray is shown as OC. A2B2,
A1B1, and AB are staff intercepts i.e difference between upper and lower stadia reading.

Evidently, OC2/A2B2= OC1/A1B1= OC/AB= constant K= 0.5cot (β/2)

This constant depends entirely on the angle β. Let, the constant is found to be 100. It means the
distance between the staff and the point O will be 100 times the staff intercept.

The Distance-Elevation Formulae For Horizontal Sight

Suppose,

the interval between stadia hairs is given by i=ab,

staff intercept is s,

f is the focal length of the objective,

D is the horizontal distance of the staff from the vertical axis of the instruments.
The horizontal distance between the axis and the staff is given by the following equation

D = f1 + d= f1= (s/i)*f+(f+d)

This is the distance equation. Staff intercept is found by subtracting the reading of the upper and
lower stadia reading.

The constant k = f/i is called the multiplying constant or stadia interval factor and the constant (f
+ d) =C is known as the additive constant of the tacheometer but the latter one is made zero by
using an anallatic lens in the instrument.

Determination of Tacheometric Constants on Field

In most cases, we do not really know the value of f (focal length of the objective) so we have to
determine the constant k and C on the field with a different approach as below:

1. Measure a line (about 100m long) on the fairly level ground and drive pegs at some interval,
say 50 meters.

2. Keep the staff on the previously determined station and observe the corresponding staff
intercepts (upper and lower stadia reading) with horizontal sight.

3. Knowing the values of D and s for different points, a number of simultaneous equations can be
formed by substituting the values of D and s in equation D = k.s + C. The simultaneous solution of
successive pairs will give the values of k and C, and the average of these can be found.

References:
https://civiltoday.com/surveying/184-tacheometric-surveying

https://nptel.ac.in/courses/105107122/23