Setting Out Notes
Setting Out Notes
Setting Out Notes
SETTING OUT
DEFINITION: Setting out refers to the transfer of information on the building drawing to
the ground with high degree of accuracy. It could also be described as the process of
transferring the coordinates of a building, road, or structure from design drawing to the
ground.
In survey work, it is often necessary to set out right angles or perpendicular lines on the
field. In the sections that follow, a few practical methods indicate how this can be done.
These methods include:
- The 3-4-5 method: used to set out a right angle from a certain point on the base line;
- The rope method: used to set out a line perpendicular to the base line, starting from a point
which is not on the base line;
-The Builder square method which is used for right angles.
SETTING OUT RIGHT ANGLES: THE 3-4-5 METHOD
To set out right angles in the field, a measuring tape, two ranging poles, pegs and three
persons are required.
The first person holds together, between thumb and finger, the zero mark and the 12metre
mark of the tape. The second person holds between thumb and finger the 3metre mark of the
tape and the third person holds the 8metre mark.
When all sides of the tape are stretched, a triangle with lengths of 3 m, 4 m and 5 m is formed
(see Fig. 20), and the angle near person 1 is a right angle.
NOTE: Instead of 3 m, 4 m and 5 m a multiple can be chosen: e.g. 6 m, 8 m and 10 m or e.g.
9 m, 12 m and 15 m.
Step 1
In Fig 1.1 below, the base line is defined by the poles (A) and (B) and a right angle has to be
set out from peg (C). Peg (C) is on the base line.