ESci 121a – Fundamentals of Surveying
Distance Measurement by Stadia Method
Laboratory Exercise No. 2
Group No.: ____________________________ Date Submitted: ______________
Date Performed: ______________________ Score: ____________
I. INTRODUCTION
Prepare your introduction with emphasis on the Stadia Method and its advantages and
disadvantages.
II. LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the laboratory class, the students should be able to:
• Determine the horizontal, vertical, and inclined distances by stadia method and
• Compute the difference in elevation between two points by stadia method.
III. MATERIALS AND TOOLS NEEDED
Theodolite/Transit
Plumb bob
Stadia Rod
Chaining Pins
Markers
Field Notebook
IV. PROCEDURE
A. Stadia Method with Angle of Inclination (Positive Angle)
1. Identify and designate two Points (A and B) with different elevations some
distance apart (approximately 10 to 30 meters). Point A being lower than
Point B.
2. Mark the two points with pegs/hubs or mark chalk/crayons for concrete
pavements.
3. Set up the instrument at Point A (lower elevation) and place or position the
stadia rod at Point B (higher elevation).
4. With the instrument leveled at Point A, fix the instrument's line of sight to
the stadia rod held at Point B and lock the telescope (instrument) to avoid
further movements.
5. Take a rod reading at Point B and determine the upper stadia crosshair
reading (a), the middle crosshair reading (c), also known as the rod reading
(RR), and the lower stadia crosshair reading (b).
6. With the line of sight of the instrument still fixed when the rod reading was
taken, measure and read the angle of inclination of the telescope (referred
to as the positive vertical angle).
7. Record and tabulate the data using Table 1.
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Table 1. Measured positive vertical angle and crosshair readings
Station Station Vertical Upper Middle Lower
Occupied Sighted Angle, (α) Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair
(Positive Reading Reading Reading
Angle) (a) (c) (b)
Point A Point B
1. Calculate the horizontal distance (HD), vertical distance (VD),
inclined distance (ID), and the difference in elevation (DE) of
the two Points using the following formulas: Use HI=1.30
meters.
s = a − b .......................................... Equation 1
ID = Kscosα + C.............................. Equation 2
HD = Kscos2α + Ccosα ..................Equation 3
VD = Kscosαsinα + Csinα ..............Equation 4
DE = HI + VD − RR ........................ Equation 5
Where:
a – Upper Stadia Crosshair Reading
b – Lower Stadia Crosshair Reading
c – Middle Stadia Crosshair Reading or the Rod
Reading (RR)
s – Stadia Intercept
K – Stadia Interval Factor (Equal to 100 for most of
instruments)
C – Stadia Constant (Equal to 0.00 for internal focusing
instruments)
α – Angle of Inclination (Referred to as the positive
vertical angle)
ID - Inclined Distance
HD – Horizontal Distance
VD – Vertical Distance
DE – Difference in Elevation between the two Points
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Figure 1. An illustration of an inclined stadia sight with an angle of inclination (La Putt, 2008).
B. Stadia Method with Angle of Depression (Negative Angle)
1. Using the same points already established in Procedure A, set up the
instrument at Point B and position or place the stadia rod at Point A.
2. With the instrument leveled at Point B, fix the instrument's line of sight to
the stadia rod held at Point A and lock the telescope (instrument) to avoid
further movements.
3. Take a rod reading at Point A and determine the upper stadia crosshair
reading (a), the middle crosshair reading (c), also known as the rod reading
(RR), and the lower stadia crosshair reading (b).
4. With the line of sight of the instrument still fixed when the rod reading was
taken, measure and read the angle of depression of the telescope (referred
to as the negative vertical angle).
5. Record and tabulate the data using Table 2.
Table 2. Measured negative vertical angle and crosshair readings
Station Station Vertical Upper Middle Lower
Occupied Sighted Angle (α) Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair
(Negative Reading Reading Reading
Angle) (a) (c) (b)
Point B Point A
6. Calculate the horizontal distance (HD), vertical distance (VD),
inclined distance (ID), and the difference in elevation (DE) of
the two Points using the formulas in Procedure A.
a) For positive (+) sights: DE = HI + VD – RR
b) For negative (–) sights: DE = VD + RR – HI
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C. Computation of the Most Probable Values (MPV)
1. Calculate the average values for ID, HD, VD, and DE, which will
be the most probable values (MPV) of measurements (Table
3).
Table 3. Computed distances and difference in elevation
Station Station HD MPV VD MPV ID MPV DE MPV
Occupied Observed
Point A Point B
Point B Point A
V. GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. What are the probable sources of errors in stadia measurements?
2. How can you check that the crosshair readings are correct?
VI. COMPUTATIONS
VII. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
VIII. CONCLUSION
IX. REFERENCES
X. MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS
Name Contribution (%)
Total 100%
Notes (Do not include these texts in your report)
• Send your laboratory reports through email using the following information:
o To: VSUee submission bin
o Put your group number and group members that are PRESENT during the
conduct of the laboratory exercise.
o Only 1 submission per group
• Laboratory report specifics:
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• Failure to follow instruction will not be accepted even if his/her entry is submitted on or
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before the deadline.
• Only students who are present in the conduct of the laboratory exercises are allowed to
submit the laboratory reports.
• Laboratory reports are due one week after the conduct of the exercise during the
laboratory time.
• Filename: GroupNo_ESci121a_LabEx#
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