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5 TYPES OF ERRORS IN CHAINING AND Search the site 

WAYS TO MITIGATE IT
Suryakanta | February 9, 2019 | Construction, Featured, Survey | No Comments

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Every measurement made with a mechanical device is subject to any error that could possibly be Email Address
caused by the condition of the device or by the procedure used in taking the measurement.
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Some of the more common sources of errors are the

standards to which the chain was manufactured, BULKING OF SAND – A

any damage to the chain, sag in the chain, COMPLETE GUIDE
variation in the tension on the chain, and
changes in the temperature of the chain. BULKING OF SAND - A CO…
CO…

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, each of these conditions can be compensated for mathematically if they are
00:00 36:15
monitored and compared to a known standard.

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1. PROPORTIONAL ERRORS JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

When a chain is manufactured, it is intended to be a specific length, plus or minus some tolerance. Civilblog.org
14K likes
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 Like Page
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. Be the first of your friends to like this

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).

2. 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.

3. SAG CORRECTION
When a chain is suspended from each end and not supported along its length, the weight of the
chain causes it to sag and pulls 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
below.

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3/5/2019 5 TYPES OF ERRORS IN CHAINING AND WAYS TO MITIGATE IT - CivilBlog.Org

where:

C s = Sag Correction between points of support, (Ft.)

w = Weight of tape, (Lb.s / Ft.)

W = Total Weight of tape between supports, (Lb.s)

L = Distance between supports (Ft.)

P = Applied Tension, (Lb.s)

4. 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 mentioned below.

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3/5/2019 5 TYPES OF ERRORS IN CHAINING AND WAYS TO MITIGATE IT - CivilBlog.Org

where:

Cp = Correction per distance L

P = Applied Tension (Lb.s)

P0 = Tension for which the tape was standardized.

L = Length, (Ft.)

a = Cross-Sectional Area of the Chain.

E = Modulus of Elasticity of Steel. (30 * 106 lb/in2)

5. 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 given below.

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3/5/2019 5 TYPES OF ERRORS IN CHAINING AND WAYS TO MITIGATE IT - CivilBlog.Org

where:

α = Coefficient of thermal expansion (0.00000645 / 1o F)

L = Measured Length

T = Temperature of Chain

T = Standard Temperature ( 68o F )

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Suryakanta
Geotechnical-Material Engineer. You can connect me on Google +. To
know more about me just visit AboutMe

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