Unit 2: Levelling and

Contouring
Mr. Suraj Vishwajit Shah
Assistant Professor
Department Civil Engineering
KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur
COMPUTATION OF AREA

 WORKOUT PROBLEMS

 1. The following offsets were taken from a chain line

to an irregular boundary line at an interval of 10 m.
0, 2.50, 3.50, 5.00, 4.60, 3.20, 0 m. Compute the
area between the chain line, the irregular boundary
line and the end offsets by:
(a) Avg Ordinate rule
(b) Trapezoidal Rule
(c) Simpson’s Rule
COMPUTATION OF AREA

 (a) Trapezoidal
Rule

Here d = 10

(b) Simpson’s Rule

D = 10
COMPUTATION OF AREA

 2. The following offsets were taken from a survey

line to a curved boundary line:

 Find the area between the survey line, the curved

boundary line and the first and last offsets by
(a) Trapezoidal Rule
(b) Simpson’s Rule.
COMPUTATION OF AREA

 Here, the intervals between the offsets are not

regular throughout the length.

 So these section is divided into three

compartments.

Let,
Δ1 = Area of the 1st section
Δ2 = Are of the 2nd section Δ3 = Area of the 3rd
section
COMPUTATION OF AREA

 Here,

d1 = 5 m d2 = 10 m
d3 = 20 m
Trapezoidal Rule:

.
COMPUTATION OF AREA

 (b) By Simpson’s
Rule

.
The following offsetswere taken from a chain
line to
irregular anboundary at an interval 15m.
line of 3.90,
2.00,
compute 2.40,
the 3.10,
area between 2.60, 3.70,
the chain line,4.20,
the boundary
line
and the end offsetsby: The mid rule
(1) ordinate rule
(2) The average (3) The
ordinate rule trapezoidal
(4) Simpson’s rule
The following perpendicular offsets were taken from a chain line to
an irregular boundary:
Chainage 0 10 15 25 40 50 55
:
Offset : 10.1 12.5 14.5 13.6 12.2 9.8 11.9
calculate the area between the chain line, the boundary line and the
end
offsets.
The following perpendicular offsets were taken at 10 m intervals from a
survey line to an irregular boundary edge:
3.25,5.6,4.2,6.65,8.75,6.2,3.25,4.2,5.65
Calculate the area between the survey line and the boundary by-
i) Average ordinate rule
ii)Trapezoidal rule
iii) Simpsons rule
 Planimeters

Digital Planimeter Optical Polar Planimeter

 Planimeters

Note : the accuracy of the results obtained from using planimeter in the
measurement of areas depends mainly on the original accuracy drawn map, as
well as on the experience of the operator when tracing boundary of the
figure.
Parts of a Amslar Polar Planimeter (mechanical)

Before we start with how to use planimeter, first let us know about the parts of a
planimeter.
Following are the parts of a planimeter:
Tracing arm
Tracing point
Anchor arm
Weight and needle point
Clamp
Hinge
Tangent screw
Index
Wheel
Dial
Vernier
Tracing Arm
Tracing arm is an arm which manages the position of tracing point at one end with the help of hinge.
Tracing Point
Tracing point is the movable needle point which is connected to tracing arm. This point is moved over the outline of area to be measured.
Anchor Arm
Anchor arm is used to manage the anchor position or needle point position on the plan. Its one end is connected to weight and needle point
and other end to the integrating unit.
Weight and Needle Point
It is also called as anchor. A fine needle point is located at the base of heavy block. This needle point is anchored at required station on the
plan.
Clamp
Clamp is used to fix the tracing arm in standard length without any extension.
Hinge
The tracing arm and anchor arm are connected by hinge to the integrating unit. With the help of this hinge the arms can rotate about their
axes.
Tangent Screw
Tangent screw is used to extend the tracing arm up to required length.
Index
Index is a location where all the measuring arrangements like wheel, dial are located.
Wheel
Wheel is fixed in the integrating unit which helps to measure the
tracing length. It is used to set zero on the scale.
Dial
Dial is nothing but scale which is to be set zero at the initial level
using setting wheel.

Vernier
Vernier is attached to the wheel as rounded drum
with graduations on it. It is divided into 100 parts.
How to Use Planimeter in Surveying?
 Planimeter is used to compute the area of given plan of any shape.
 In the first step anchor point is to be fixed at one point. If the given plan area is small,
then anchor point is placed outside the plan. Similarly, if the given plan area is large then
it is placed inside the plan.
 After placing the anchor point, place the tracing point on the outline of the given plan
using tracing arm. Mark the tracing point and note down the reading on Vernier as initial
reading IR.
 Now move the tracing needle carefully over the outline of the given plan till the first
point is reached. The movement of tracing needle should be in clockwise direction. Note
down the reading on Vernier after reaching the first point and it is the final reading FR .

T
A
• Now the area of the plan which boundary is traced by the planimeter is
determined from the below formula.
• Area = M (FR –IR + 10N + C)
• Where, IR = initial reading
• FR= final reading
• N = no. of completed revolutions of wheel during one complete tracing. N
is positive if dial passes index in clockwise, N is negative if dial rotates in
anti-clock wise direction.
• M and C = constants which values are provided on the planimeter.
Constant C is used only when the anchor point is placed inside the plan.
• For Anchor point outside the figure , then Area = M (FR –IR + 10N)