06-04-2025

SURVE Y I N G : TACHEOMETRY Uses of Tacheometry

TAC HE O M E TR I C SURV E Y
Tacheometry or tachometer or telemetry is a branch of angular surveying in which the The tacheometric methods of surveying are used with advantage over the direct methods of
horizontal and Vertical distances of points are obtained by optical means as opposed to the measurement of horizontal distances and differences in elevations.
ordinary slower process of measurements by tape or chain. Some of the uses are:
Preparation of topographic maps which require both elevations and horizontal distances.
• The method is very rapid and convenient.
Survey work in difficult terrain where the direct methods are inconvenient.
• It is best adapted to obstacles such as steep and broken ground, deep ravines, stretches of
Detail filling.
water or swamp and so on, which make chaining difficult or impossible,
Reconnaissance surveys for highways, railways, etc. Checking of already measured distances.
• The primary object of the tachometer is the preparation of contoured maps or plans requiring Hydrographic surveys and
both horizontal as well as Vertical control. Also, on surveys of higher accuracy, it provides a Establishing secondary control.
check on distances measured with the tape.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CALICUT

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INSTRUMENTS (a) Fixed hair method

Different Systems of Tacheometric Measurement:
-An ordinary transit theodolite fitted with a stadia diaphragm is generally used for tacheometric surveys.
In this method, the angle at the instrument at A
- The stadia diaphragm essentially consists of one stadia hair above and the other an equal distance below The various systems of tacheometric survey may be classified as
the horizontal cross-hair, the stadia hairs being mounted in the ring and on the same vertical plane as the follows: subtended by a known short distance along a staff kept at B is made with the help of a stadia
horizontal and vertical cross-hairs. diaphragm having stadia wires at a fixed or constant distance apart.
The stadia System
Stadia is a tacheometric form of distance measurement that relies on fixed angle intercept.
(a) Fixed Hair method or Stadia method The readings are on the staff corresponding to all three wires taken.

(b) Movable hair method, or Subtense method

The staff intercept, i.e., the difference of the readings corresponding to top and bottom stadia wires will
The tangential system
therefore depend on the distance of the staff from the instrument.
Measurements by means of special instruments

When the staff intercept is more than the length of the staff, only half the intercept is read.
The principle common to all the systems is to calculate the horizontal distance between two
points A and B and their distances in elevation, by observing For inclined sight, readings may be taken by keeping the staff either vertical or normal to the line of
sight.
(i) The angle at the instrument at A subtended by a known short distance along a staff kept at B, This is the most common method is tachometer and the same ‘stadia method’ generally bears
and
(ii) the vertical angle to B from A. reference to this method.

Different forms of stadia diaphragms commonly used

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(b) Subtense method PRINCIPLE OF STADIA METHOD

HORIZONTAL SIGHTS
The stadia method is based on the principle that the ratio of the perpendicular
This method is similar to the fixed hair method except that the stadia interval is variable. to the base is constant in similar isosceles triangles.
A
A suitable arrangement is made to vary the distance between the stadia hair so as to set them
A1
against the two targets on the staff kept at the point under observation.
A2

Thus, in this case, the staff intercept, i.e., the distance between the two targets is kept fixed while O )
the stadia interval, i.e., the distance between the stadia hair is variable. β C2 C1 C
B2
As in the case of the fixed hair method, inclined sights may also be taken. B1
B

(c) Tangential method

Consider the figure, in which O is the optical centre of the objective of an
In figure, let two rays OA and OB be equally inclined to central ray OC. Let
In this method, the stadia hairs are not used, the readings being taken against the external focusing telescope.
A2B2, A1B1 and AB be the staff intercepts. Evidently,
horizontal cross-hair. Let A, C, and B = the points cut by the three lines of sight corresponding to three wires.
OC2 = OC1 = OC b, c, and a = top, axial and bottom hairs of the diaphragm. ab = i = interval b/w
To measure the staff intercept, two pointings of the instruments are, AB
A2B2 A1B1 the stadia hairs (stadia interval)
therefore, necessary.
AB = s = staff intercept;
f = focal length of the objective
This necessitates measurement of vertical angles twice for one single = constant k = ½ cot β2
observation.
This constant k entirely depends upon the magnitude of the angle β.

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f1 = horizontal distance of the staff from the optical centre of the objective DETERMINATION OF CONSTANTS K AND C
f2 = horizontal distance of the cross-wires from O. The horizontal distance between the axis and the staff is
d = distance of the vertical axis of the instrument from O.
D = horizontal distance of the staff from the vertical axis of the instruments. D = f1 + d
M = centre of the instrument, corresponding to the vertical axis.

Since the rays Bob and Aoa pass through the optical centre, they are straight so that
AOB and aOb are similar. Hence,

Again, since f1 and f2 are conjugate focal distances, we have from the lens formula,
Above equation is known as the Distance equation. In order to get the horizontal distance, therefore, the
staff intercept s is to be found by subtracting the staff readings corresponding to the top and bottom stadia
hairs.
Multiplying throughout by ff1, we get
The constant k = f/i is known as the Multiplying constant or Stadia interval factor and

the constant (f + d) = C is known as the Additive constant of the instrument.

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DISTANCE AND ELEVATION FOR STAFF VERTICAL – INCLINED LINE OF SIGHT

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DISTANCE AND ELEVATION FOR STAFF NORMAL – INCLINED LINE OF SIGHT

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