KITSW-Civil Engineering Department

EXPERIMENT 11

SINGLE PLANE METHOD

AIM: Determination of elevation of the object
Apparatus: Theodolite, tripod, levelling staff, plumb bob, measurement tape.
Theory:
TRIGINOMETRIC LEVELLING
This is an indirect method of levelling.
In this method the difference in elevation of the points is determined from the
observed vertical angles and measured distances.
The vertical angles are measured with a transit theodolite and
The distances are measured directly (plane surveying) or computed
trigonometrically (geodetic survey).
Trigonometric levelling is commonly used in topographical work to find out the
elevation of the top of buildings, chimneys, church spires, and so on.
Also, it can be used to its advantage in difficult terrains such as mountaineous
areas.
Depending upon the field conditions and the measurements that can be made with
the instruments available, there can be innumerable cases.
Assuming the instrument stations and the object to be in the same vertical plane, the
following two cases arise.
Determination of elevation of object when the base is inaccessible the
Instrument Stations and the Elevated Object are in the Same Vertical Plane
If the horizontal distance between the instrument and the object cannot be
measured due to obstacles etc., two instrument stations are used so that they are in
the same vertical plane as the elevated object. Fig. 2
Procedure
1) Set up the theodolite at O1 and level it accurately with respect to the altitude
bubble.
2) Direct the telescope towards O2 and bisect it accurately. Clamp both the plates.
Read the vertical angle 1.
3) Transit the telescope so that the line of sight is reversed. Mark the second
instrument station O2 on the ground. Measure the distance O 1O2 accurately. Repeat
steps (2) and (3) for both face observations. The mean values should be adopted.
4) With the vertical vernier set to zero reading, and the altitude bubble in the centre
of its run, take the reading on the staff kept at nearby B.M.
5) Shift the instrument to O2 and set up the theodolite there. Measure the vertical
angle 2 to F with both face observations.
With the vertical vernier set to zero reading, and the altitude bubble in the centre of its
run, take the reading on the staff kept at the nearby B.M
* Instrument axes at same level
* Instrument axes at different level

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Instrument axes at same level

In Fig. 2,
Let h = FA
1 = angle of elevation from O1 to F
2 = angle of elevation from O2 to F
S = staff reading on B.M., taken from both O 1 and O2, the reading being the same in
both the cases.
d = horizontal distance between the two instrument stations.
D = horizontal distance between O1 and F
From triangle O1AF, h = D tan 1 -------------------------- (i)
From triangle O2AF, h = (D + d) tan 2 ------------------- (ii)
From Eqs. (i) and (ii)
D tan 1 = (D + d) tan 2
or D (tan 1 - tan 2) = d tan 2
or D =

d tan 2
(tan 1 - tan 2 )

Hence, h = D tan 1 =

d tan 2 tan 1
(tan 1 - tan 2 )

R.L. of F = R.L. of B.M. + S + h

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Instrument axes at different level

Depending upon the terrain, three cases arise:
A. Instrument axis at O2 higher that that at O1 (Fig. 3)

h1 - h2 = AA = S2 S1 = S
From triangle O1AF, h1 = D tan1 -------------------------- (i)
From triangle O2AF, h2 = (D + d) tan2 -------------------- (ii)
Subtract Eq. (ii) from Eq. (i) to get
h1 - h2 = D tan1 - (D + d) tan2
S = D tan1 D tan2 d tan2
= D (tan1 tan2) - d tan2
or D (tan1 - tan2) = S + d tan2
or D =

(S + d tan 2 )
(tan 1 - tan 2 )

But, h1 = D tan1
or h1 =

(S + d tan 2 ) tan 1
(tan 1 - tan 2 )

and R.L. of F = R.L. of B.M. + S1 + h1

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B. Instrument axis at O1 higher than that at O2 (Fig. 4)

h2 h 1 = S 1 S 2 = S
From triangle O1AF, h1 = D tan1 -------------------------- (i)
From triangle O2AF, h2 = (D + d) tan2 -------------------- (ii)
Subtract Eq. (i) from Eq. (ii) to get
h2 h1 = (D + d) tan2 - D tan1
S = D tan2 D tan1 + d tan2
= D (tan2 tan1) + d tan2
or D =

(d tan 2 S)
(tan 1 - tan 2 )

But h1 = D tan1
or h1 =

(d tan 2 S) tan 1
(tan 1 - tan 2 )

Hence, R.L. of F = R.L. of B.M. + S1 + h1

Observation table :

KITSW-Civil Engineering Department

Instrument R.L @
Station
B.M

Reading on
staff kept at
B.M.

Vertical
angle
()

Horizontal
distance
between
instrument
station and
object

Result:
The reduced level of the given object is : __________________________

R.L o f
the
object

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EXPERIMENT 12

DOUBLE PLANE METHOD

AIM: Determination of elevation of the object when base is inaccessible.
Apparatus: Theodolite, tripod, levelling staff, plumb bob, measurement tape.
Determination of elevation of object when the base is inaccessible the
Instrument Stations and the Elevated Object are not in the Same Vertical
Plane
Let P and R be the two instrument stations not in the same vertical plane as that of Q.
The procedure is as follows:
1) Set the instrument at P and level it accurately with respect to the altitude bubble.
Measure the angle of elevation 1 to Q.
2) Sight to the point R with reading on horizontal circle as zero and measure the
angle RPQ1 , i.e, the horizontal angle at P.
3) Take a backsight s on the staff held at B.M.
4) Shift the instrument to R and measure 2 and there.

In Fig. 7,
AQ = horizontal line through A
Q = vertical projection of Q
Thus, AQQ is a vertical plane
Similarly, BQQ is a vertical plane
Q = vertical projection of Q on a horizontal line through B
PRQ1 = horizontal plane
Q1 = vertical projection of Q
R = vertical projection of B on a horizontal plane passing through P

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and = horizontal angles

1 and 2 = vertical angles measured at A and B respectively.
From triangle AQQ , QQ = h1 = D tan 1 --------------- (1)
From triangle PRQ1 , PQ1R = 180 - ( + ) = - ( + )
From the sine rule,

PQ1 = D1 =

PQ 1
sin

d sin
sin ( + )

RQ 1

= sin

= sin ( + )

------------------ (2)

d sin
sin ( + )

and RQ1 = D2 =

RP

= sin [ ( + )]

--------------------- (3)

Substituting the value of D in (1), we get

h1 = D1 tan 1 =

d sin tan 1
sin ( + )

R.L. of Q = R.L. of B.M. + s + h1

As a check, h2 = D2 tan 2 =

d sin tan 2
sin ( + )

If a reading on B.M. is taken from B, the R.L. of Q can be known by adding h 2 to R.L. of
B.
Observation table :
Instrument R.L @
Station
B.M

Reading on
staff kept at
B.M.

Vertical
angle
()

Horizontal
distance
between
instrument
station and
object

Result:
The reduced level of the given object is : __________________________

R.L o f
the
object