Essential levelling

LEVELLING EXPANSION
#2016 DIP. CIVIL ENGINEERING LEC. NOTE
Temporary adjustments
1. Setting Up
To be set at any fixed point.
Simple compared to other instrument.
Not too low or not to high to facilitate reading.
BS distance not more than 98.0 m
BS and FS distance should be equal.
Setting out includes fixing the instrument and approximate levelling by leg adjustment.
Temporary adjustments
2. LEVELLING UP
Levelling with a three-screw head
The clamp is loosened and the upper plate is turned until the longitudinal axis of the plate level is
parallel to a line joining any two levelling screws, say A and B
The two foot screws are turned uniformly towards each other or away from each other until the plate
bubble is central (Fig. 1).
The telescope is rotated through 90⁰ so that it lies over the third foot screw.
The third screw is turned until the plate bubble is central.
The telescope is rotated through 90⁰ to its original position and the above procedure is repeated till
the bubble remains central in both the positions.
The telescope is now rotated through 180⁰. The bubble should remain central if the instrument is in
proper adjustment.
Temporary adjustments
1. LEVELLING UP
Temporary adjustments
3. ELIMINATION OF PARALLAX
It consists of focusing the eyepiece and objective of the level.
Focussing the eyepiece – This operation is done to make the cross-hairs appear distinct and
clearly visible. The following steps are involved:
◦ The telescope is directed skywards or a sheet of white paper is held in front of the objective.
◦ The eyepiece is moved in or out till the cross-hairs appear distinct.

Focussing the objective – This operation is done to bring the image of the object in the plane of
the cross-hairs. The following steps are involved:
◦ The telescope is directed towards the staff.
◦ The focusing screw is turned until the image appears clear and sharp.
Permanent adjustment
Done to set the essential parts of the instrument in their true position.
Surveyor should be able to test and correct the permanent adjustment.
The test of the level is based on the principle of reversal whish states that if there exists any
error in a certain part, it gets double by reversing.
Fundamental lines – axis of the bubble tube, the vertical axis, the axis of the telescope and the
line of collimation – exist fixed relationship between these fundamental lines.
◦ The vertical axis of the level should be perpendicular to the axis of the plate bubble tube.
◦ The line of collimation should be perpendicular to the vertical axis.
◦ The axis of the telescope and the line of collimation should coincide.
Permanent adjustment
TWO TYPES OF PERMANENT ADJUSTMENT.
1ST Adjustment
◦ Desired relation – To make the vertical axis of the level perpendicular to the axis of the plate bubble
tube.
◦ The instrument is levelled under temporary adjustment
◦ Rotate the telescope through 180⁰. If the bubble runs out of the bubble tube centre, the adjustment is
not in order.
◦ If it is so, count the number of graduations on the bubble tube by which the bubble has run out of its
central position.
Permanent adjustment
TWO TYPES OF PERMANENT ADJUSTMENT.
1ST Adjustment
◦ Adjusting – Bring the bubble halfway back to central position by using the two footscrews. This makes
the vertical axis truly vertical.
◦ Bring the bubble to the centre of its run by means of the capstan screw provided at one of the ends of
bubble tube. This makes the axis of the bubble tube truly horizontal.
Permanent adjustment
TWO TYPES OF PERMANENT ADJUSTMENT.
2nd Adjustment (also called TWO-PEG TEST).
◦ Desired – to make the line of sight perpendicular to the vertical axis (or parallel to the axis of the bubble)
when the instrument truly levelled.
 Permanent adjustment
TWO TYPES OF PERMANENT ADJUSTMENT.
1. Choose two suitable points A and B about 80 m apart and place the level midway at C as shown in
figure 2.0.

A Level B C

80 meter 20 meter

2. Lets assume the height value of A = 3.200 and B = 3.015, recorded from the level in between A and
B.
3. So the difference d1 = 3.200 – 3.015 = 0.185 m (B being higher).
Permanent adjustment
TWO TYPES OF PERMANENT ADJUSTMENT.
1. Change the location of the level instrument at C and assume the reading at A = 2.825 and B =
2.690 from the level instrument at C.
2. And d2 = 2.825 – 2.690 = 0.135 (B being higher).

A B C Level

80 meter 20 meter
Permanent adjustment
TWO TYPES OF PERMANENT ADJUSTMENT.
1. So from the previous calculation d1 and d2 is not the same. The line of collimation is not in
adjustment.
2. Now if A = 2.825 and d1 = 0.185
3. The corresponding reading on B = 2.825 – 0.185 = 2.64 m

A B C Level

80 meter 20 meter
Permanent adjustment
TWO TYPES OF PERMANENT ADJUSTMENT.
1. Since the observed reading on B (2.69 m) is more than the correct one (2.64 m), the line of
collimation is inclined upwards.
2. The collimation error = 2.69 – 2.64 = 0.05 m.
80+20
3. Increase in staff reading at A = x 0.05 = 0.0625 m
80

A B C Level

80 meter 20 meter
Permanent adjustment
TWO TYPES OF PERMANENT ADJUSTMENT.
1. Therefore, the correct staff reading at A,
◦ = 2.825 + 0.0625 = 2.8875 m
20
2. Increase in staff reading at B = (0.185 – 0.135) = 0.0125 m
80

3. Therefore, the correct staff reading at B,

◦ = 2.690 – 0.0125 = 2.7025
A B C Level

80 meter 20 meter
Permanent adjustment
TWO TYPES OF PERMANENT ADJUSTMENT.
1. Check : The true difference is elevation of A and B
◦ = 2.8875 – 2.7025 = 0.185 m

A B C Level

80 meter 20 meter
USE OF INVERTED STAFF
◦ When the point, whose elevation is to be found, is much above the line of sight (e.g projection
from the face of a building, underside of beams, girders and arches, etc.), the staff is place
inverted with its zero end touching the point.
USE OF INVERTED STAFF
◦ An inverted staff reading can be used to determine the reduced level of a point above the line
of sight of the instrument such as a ceiling, underside of a bridge, balcony etc.

◦ As the name suggests, the staff is simply turned upside –down, the bottom placed against the
point that the level is required, and then read.

◦ An important difference between inverted staff readings and other types is that they are
treated as negative quantities, both in the booking of the readings and the reduction of the
levels.
 Inverted staff example
backsight

foresight
0.174 2.111 1.603 1.440 1.505 2.192

0.738 3.890

D
A = 33.550 B E
C
BACK SIGHT INTER- FORE SIGHT H.P.C. REDUCED COMMENTS
MEDIATE LEVEL

0.174 33.724 33.550 OBM (=33.550) point A

0.738 2.111 32.351 31.613 Point B - c.p.
-[1.603] -[3.890] 34.638 36.241 Point C - Bridge Soffit – Inverted staff - c.p.
1.505 1.440 34.703 33.198 Point D - c.p.
-[2.192] 36.895 Point E - Balcony –Inverted staff

BS FS Last -

First
0.814 BS - FS -2.531 3.345 Check sums: arithmetic OK
3.345
CONTOUR
◦ A contour may be defined as an imaginary line passing through points of equal elevation.

◦ A contour line may also be defined as the intersection of a level surface with the surface of the
earth.

◦ Contours drawn underwater – termed as submarine contour, fathoms or bathymetric curves.

CONTOUR
◦ Contours are used by engineers in a variety of ways;

◦ Precise location of engineering works such as road, canals, etc. can be decided.

◦ Location of water supply, water distribution and to solve the problems of stream pollution,
etc.

◦ Planning and designing of dams, reservoirs aqueducts, transmission lines, etc.

Things you find on a Contour or Topo Map:

1. Contour Lines that show elevation

2. Compass directions to show N, S, E, W
3. A scale for distances
4. Latitude and Longitude
5. A Key to show different features and locations
6. Colors:
Blue = Water White = Bedrock
Brown = Contour Lines Red = Roads
Green = Vegetation Black = Names
7. Title and Location of the area the map is from
8. Magnetic Declination:

Mrs. Degl 22
 Things to know about Contour Maps:

1. Contour Interval means “what every line is worth”.

2. The rule of the Contour V’s
Streams and rivers flow opposite to the point of the V that is
formed when a contour line crosses them.
3. Close contour lines means that there is a steep slope.
4. Contour lines that are far apart mean that the land is flatter.
5. The Gradient Formula is used to calculate the slope.
6. Gradient means slope.
7. Bulls eyes represent hills or mountains.
8. Hachured lines on bulls eyes mean depressions or valleys.
9. Each line represents a different elevation in feet or meters.
10. Places on the same contour line are at the same elevation.
11. A Profile is a side view or real representation of the topography
of an area.
Mrs. Degl 23
 II. Contour Lines
A. Topographic maps use Contour Lines to show
elevation and land shape.
B. A Contour Line is a line on a map that
connects places of equal elevation.
C. The Contour Interval is the difference in
elevation between two consecutive
contour lines
D. Index Contour- a contour line that is
numbered with the elevation.

Contour
Interval

Contour
Interval
0

0 -

-
1st: Calculate the difference between the 2 index contours.
2nd: Count the number of contour lines between the 2 index contour lines
and add 1. (This is how many “Steps” the elevation has changed)
3rd: Divide the difference calculated in #1 by the number of “steps” figured in #2
and you will get the value of the contour interval.

What is the contour Interval?

 III. How Topographic Maps are made
A. The land is
surveyed to find the
elevation of the land.
B. A contour interval is
chosen based on how
steep the land is.
C. Lines are drawn
connecting places
with equal elevation.
D. Contour lines never cross or intersect.
 IV. Interpreting land shape
A. Contour lines that are
spaced close together
show STEEP land.
Elevation is increasing over
a short distance.
B. Contour lines that are
spaced far apart show
land that is NOT steep (a
gentle slope). Elevation
isn’t changing much in a
given distance.
*Locate the features listed in your notes
 VI. Mountains and depressions
A. Contour lines form closed circles
around mountain peaks.
B. An area of depression is indicated with
hash marks pointing in on the circle.
This indicates that elevation goes down.
 VII. Rivers
A. Because rivers
erode land, the
area beside a river
has a lower
elevation than the
land around it. This
appears as dips in
the contour lines.
The point of the
dip always points
UPSTREAM, or up
hill.
Profiles