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Dbt123 Chapter 2 - Levelling
Dbt123 Chapter 2 - Levelling
CHAPTER 4:
LEVELLING AND CONTOURING
50
60 Gs. SAIFUL ANUAR BIN
70 JAAFAR@IBRAHIM
80
90
• A measurement process whereby the difference
in height between two or more points can be
determined
Difference in height
H=BS-FS
A
• To establish new vertical control (BM or TBM)
• To determine the heights of discrete points
• To provide spot heights or contours on a plan
• To provide data for road cross-sections or volumes of
earthworks
• To provide a level or inclined plane in the setting out of
construction works
• Level surface
• A curved surface
• The direction of gravity is always perpendicular to a level
surface
• Horizontal Plane
• A horizontal plane will be tangent to a level surface
• Over short distances (<100 m) the horizontal surface and the
level surface will coincide
• Datum
• A reference surface to which the heights of all points in a
survey or on a site are referred
• A determined level on earth surface where all of the
levelling referred to the mean sea level
• Datum in Malaysia is Mean Sea Level
direction of gravity
level surface B
Earth Surface
A
Datum = M.S.L
Reduced Level (RL)
The height of a point above the datum
Height of reference point to a determined level
Benchmark (BM)
A stable reference point of known RL
Usually used as the starting and finishing point when levelling
A fixed point on earth surface with known reduced level
Temporary Bench Mark (TBM)
A point placed (e.g. peg, nail, spike) to provide a temporary
reference point
• Backsight (BS)
• Always the first reading from a new instrument station
• Foresight (FS)
• Always the last reading from the current instrument station
• Intermediate sight (IS)
• Any sighting that is not a backsight or foresight
• Height of collimation (HOC)
• Line of a levelling instrument from datum
• Change point (CP)
• Location of the staff when the level is moved
• A point in which both backsight and foresight
reading are taken.
• Change points should be...
• Stable
• Well defined
• Recoverable
• e.g. sharp rock, nail, change plate, etc...
• Line of
Collimation –
Imaginary line that
passes through
leveling instrument
at Cross Hair
Bubble Staff
Automatic Level
Tripod
Staff
0.361
0.339
0.313
1. Start from known point (BM or TBM)
2. Foresight & Backsight of approximate distance below
50 m
3. Stable point
4. To begin the levelling at the BM, the staff must be on
the top of bench mark.
BS FS
BS FS
CP
Different Height = Back Sight – Fore Sight
BS FS
0.701 m
1.502 m
Different
Height
RL=10.25m
• Always commence and finish a level run on a
mark (BM or TBM)
• Keep foresight and backsight distances as equal as
possible
• Keep lines of sight short (normally < 50m)
• Never read below 0.5m on a staff (refraction)
• Use stable, well defined change points
Setup 4
BM A CP 3
Kerb
Setup 1 Setup 3
Kerb
Setup 2
CP 1
CP 2
Post
BM A CP 3
Back Inter Fore Point
1.32 BM A
3.98 CP 1
Kerb
Setup 1
Kerb
CP 1
CP 2
Post
BM A CP 3
Back Inter Fore Point
1.32 BM A
Kerb
2.56 3.98 CP 1
Setup 1 1.25 Kerb
Kerb 3.65 Post
0.67 CP 2
Setup 2
CP 1
CP 2
Post
BM A CP 3
Back Inter Fore Point
1.32 BM A
Kerb
2.56 3.98 CP 1
Setup 1 Setup 3 1.25 Kerb
Kerb 3.65 Post
3.49 0.67 CP 2
Setup 2
2.58 Kerb
1.54 CP 3
CP 1
CP 2
Post
Setup 4
BM A CP 3
Back Inter Fore Point
1.32 BM A
Kerb
2.56 3.98 CP 1
Setup 1 Setup 3 1.25 Kerb
Kerb 3.65 Post
3.49 0.67 CP 2
Setup 2
2.58 Kerb
2.64 1.54 CP 3
CP 1
CP 2 3.79 BM A
Post
• RISE AND FALL METHOD
• HEIGHT OF COLLIMATION
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 CP 1
1.25 Kerb
3.65 Post
3.49 0.67 CP 2
2.58 Kerb
2.64 1.54 CP 3
3.79 BM A
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 2.66 47.34 CP 1
1.25 Kerb
3.65 Post
3.49 0.67 CP 2
2.58 Kerb
2.64 1.54 CP 3
3.79 BM A
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 2.66 47.34 CP 1
1.25 1.31 48.65 Kerb
3.65 Post
3.49 0.67 CP 2
2.58 Kerb
2.64 1.54 CP 3
3.79 BM A
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 2.66 47.34 CP 1
1.25 1.31 48.65 Kerb
3.65 2.40 46.25 Post
3.49 0.67 CP 2
2.58 Kerb
2.64 1.54 CP 3
3.79 BM A
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 2.66 47.34 CP 1
1.25 1.31 48.65 Kerb
3.65 2.40 46.25 Post
3.49 0.67 2.98 49.23 CP 2
2.58 Kerb
2.64 1.54 CP 3
3.79 BM A
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 2.66 47.34 CP 1
1.25 1.31 48.65 Kerb
3.65 2.40 46.25 Post
3.49 0.67 2.98 49.23 CP 2
2.58 0.91 50.14 Kerb
2.64 1.54 CP 3
3.79 BM A
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 2.66 47.34 CP 1
1.25 1.31 48.65 Kerb
3.65 2.40 46.25 Post
3.49 0.67 2.98 49.23 CP 2
2.58 0.91 50.14 Kerb
2.64 1.54 1.04 51.18 CP 3
3.79 BM A
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 2.66 47.34 CP 1
1.25 1.31 48.65 Kerb
3.65 2.40 46.25 Post
3.49 0.67 2.98 49.23 CP 2
2.58 0.91 50.14 Kerb
2.64 1.54 1.04 51.18 CP 3
3.79 1.15 50.03 BM A
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 2.66 47.34 CP 1
1.25 1.31 48.65 Kerb
3.65 2.40 46.25 Post
3.49 0.67 2.98 49.23 CP 2
2.58 0.91 50.14 Kerb
2.64 1.54 1.04 51.18 CP 3
3.79 1.15 50.03 BM A
10.01 9.98
Back Inte Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
r
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 2.66 47.34 CP 1
1.25 1.31 48.65 Kerb
3.65 2.40 46.25 Post
3.49 0.67 2.98 49.23 CP 2
2.58 0.91 50.14 Kerb
2.64 1.54 1.04 51.18 CP 3
3.79 1.15 50.03 BM A
10.01 9.98
(0.03)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 2.66 47.34 CP 1
1.25 1.31 48.65 Kerb
3.65 2.40 46.25 Post
3.49 0.67 2.98 49.23 CP 2
2.58 0.91 50.14 Kerb
2.64 1.54 1.04 51.18 CP 3
3.79 1.15 50.03 BM A
10.01 9.98 6.24 6.21
(0.03)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 2.66 47.34 CP 1
1.25 1.31 48.65 Kerb
3.65 2.40 46.25 Post
3.49 0.67 2.98 49.23 CP 2
2.58 0.91 50.14 Kerb
2.64 1.54 1.04 51.18 CP 3
3.79 1.15 50.03 BM A
10.01 9.98 6.24 6.21
(0.03) (0.03)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 2.66 47.34 CP 1
1.25 1.31 48.65 Kerb
3.65 2.40 46.25 Post
3.49 0.67 2.98 49.23 CP 2
2.58 0.91 50.14 Kerb
2.64 1.54 1.04 51.18 CP 3
3.79 1.15 50.03 BM A
10.01 9.98 6.24 6.21
(0.03) (0.03) (0.03)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall RL Comment
1.32 50.00 BM A
2.56 3.98 2.66 47.34 CP 1
1.25 1.31 48.65 Kerb
3.65 2.40 46.25 Post
3.49 0.67 2.98 49.23 CP 2
2.58 0.91 50.14 Kerb
2.64 1.54 1.04 51.18 CP 3
3.79 1.15 50.03 BM A
10.01 9.98 6.24 6.21
(0.03) (0.03) (0.03)
Height of collimation
misclosure 12k mm
12(0.7) = ±10 mm
Correct
reading
Actual
reading
Collimation Error - Line of sight not horizontal
Actual
reading
• Identifies whether the level has a collimation error
• Allows the collimation error to be determined
Collimation Error, e
e = (S1-S2) - (S3-S4)
L
For checking,
S’3 – S’4 = S1 – S2
The readings obtained from a two-peg test carried out on an automatic level with a staff
placed on two pegs A and B 50 m apart are:
With the level midway between A and B
Staff reading at A = 1.283 m Staff reading at B = 0.860 m
With the level positioned 5 m from peg B on line AB extended
Staff reading at A = 1.612 m Staff reading at B = 1.219 m
e = (0.860 – 1.283) – (1.219 – 1.612) per 50 m
= (-0.423 – (- 0.393) = - 0.030 m per 50 m
s’4 = s’4 - 1.612 – (-0.030/50) 55 = 1.645 m
s’3 = s’3 - 1.219 – (-0.030/50) 5 = 1.222 m
s’3 - s’4 = s’1 - s’2 = - 0.423 (Checks)
EQUIPMENTS ERRORS
Parallax
Staff Errors
Tripod Errors
• Must be stable
FIELD ERRORS
Unstable equipment
WEATHER
• Wind causes level to vibrate, heat causes ‘shimmer’
• Imaginary line on the ground joining point of equal altitude
or elevation.
• Contour line shown on maps or plans as a line.
• Contour line mostly used for indicate the elevation directly.
5
10
15
20 25
25
20
15
10
5
• Vertical distance between two consecutive contours.
90 92 94 96 98
Contour Interval: 2 m
• The natural of the ground
Flat area = small contour interval
• The scale of the map
Small scale = large contour interval
• The purpose and extent of the survey
Accurate calculation earthwork = Small contour
interval.
• Time and expense of field and office work
Less time = Large contour interval
Below is the list of engineering works that needs contour
information with appropriate value of contour intervals.
120
150
130 140
130
140 120
150
Overhanging Cliff
• Contour lines of different elevations can unite to form one line
only at Vertical Cliff
50
60
70
80
Vertical Cliff 90
• A closed contour line with one or more higher ones
inside it represents a hill
• A closed contour line with one or more lower ones
inside it indicates a depression
110 90
100 100
90 110
80 120
HILL DEPRESSION
• Alignment of a highway or railway line.
• For selecting the most suitable site various engineering
projects.
• Determination of the capacity of the reservoir area.
• Quantities of earth work can be computed by selecting
suitable sections.
• Location of various strategic points which are very
important in military operations.
• DIRECT METHOD
• INDIRECT METHOD
• Squares or Gridding Method
• Radial Method
•This is the only method that produces true contours.
31-m
1.794
31-m
TBM
• Arithmetical Calculation
• By Graphical Method
B C
2.510 2.905
1.100
A
B LINE AB
2.510 HAB = 2.51 - 1.10 = 1.410
DAB = 10 m
For the 1.5 m contour:
D = 10*(1.5 – 1.1)/1.41 = 2.84
For the 2.0 m contour :
D = 10*(2.0 - 1.1)/1.41 = 6.38 B
For the 2.5 m contour :
D = 10*(2.5 - 1.1)/1.41 = 9.93
1.41
1.4
0.9
0.4
A
2.84 6.38 9.93
1.100
A 10 m
B C
2.510 2.905
LINE AC
HAC = 2.905 - 1.100 = 1.805
DAC = 14.14 m
For the 1.5 m contour :
D = 14.14*(1.5 - 1.1)/1.805 = 3.13
For the 2.0 m contour :
D = 14.14*(2.0 - 1.1)/1.805 = 7.05
For the 2.5 m contour :
1.100 D = 14.14*(2.5 - 1.1)/1.805 = 10.97
A
B C
2.510 2.905
LINE BC
DHBC = 2.905 - 2.510 = 0.395
DBC = 10 m
no contours cross this line
1.100
A
B C
2.510 2.905
1.100
A
By Graphical Method
Construct a transparent overlay The 8m contour line is
7
7 55 units above LH point
6
6 and 23 units below RH pt.
5
5 To locate the 8m
4
4 contour point
3
3
2
2
1
1
0
0
1
1
2
2
7.45 8.23
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
7
7