Glossary of terms

Chainage

Chainage is a way of marking distance along the route axis, measured cumulatively from the start point. It is usually written in metres, often in station format such as 0+125.40 for 125.40 m from the beginning. In a longitudinal profile, chainage is the horizontal axis used to locate ground levels, invert levels, manholes, bends and crossings. Consistent chainage connects the profile with the plan view. When checking a design, values should increase monotonically and section lengths should match the differences between stations.