DEPARTMENT OF GEODETIC

ENGINEERING
Visca, Baybay City, Leyte, PHILIPPINES
Telephone: (053) 565-0600 local 1027

Email: dge@vsu.edu.ph

Website: www.vsu.edu.ph

ESci 121 – Fundamentals of Surveying

Exercise No. 6: Profile Leveling

Name: _____________________________________ Date Performed: _____________

Course and Year: ___________________________ Date Submitted: _____________

I. Introduction
Establishing road networks is an important utility/infrastructure that offers access
to different places. In road networks, one essential criterion would be the data on
elevation in creating a suitable and appropriate design. In determining the elevations of
points, especially for a proposed roadway, a leveling operation is necessary. Such a
technique is commonly known as profile leveling. In a general sense, profile leveling
determines the elevations of ground points along the centerline of a road or a proposed
roadway with designated short measured intervals (La Putt, 1987). The technique
determines the configuration of the ground surface (Ghilani and Wolf), and is considered
an extension of differential leveling in which possible linear engineering work is to be
carried out (Reference, 2020). Such engineering works include but are not limited to
establishing sewer or transmission lines and curves for canals and railroads. The main
difference would be that differential leveling requires only one foresight reading on a
station. In contrast, in profile leveling, many foresights can be taken, referred to as the
intermediate foresights (IFS).
II. Learning Outcomes
1. To demonstrate the process of profile leveling;
2. To determine the elevations of ground points along the centerline of a proposed
roadway; and
3. To plot the profile of the centerline along a proposed roadway.

III. Materials
Theodolite/transit or automatic level, measuring tape, stadia rod/leveling rods, pegs/hubs
or crayon markers or chalks.

IV. Procedure
1. Select an area where a roadway will be proposed. Measure a total length of
500.00 meters using the measuring tape and mark the beginning and endpoints
with hubs/pegs or marking chalk/crayons. 
2. Decide for the centerline of the proposed roadway and establish stakes for
every full station with an interval of 100.00 meters. Correspondingly, the
stationing is reflected based on the full station intervals such as 0+00 at the
 beginning of the road, 1+00, 2+00, and 5+00 at the terminal point of the
proposed road.  
3. Establish stakes for all plus stations having a regular interval of 20.00 meters.
Plus stations are likewise established on areas having a sudden change in
elevation or at points where vital infrastructures are to be placed, such as
culverts, etc. The stationing reflects the horizontal distances of the plus
stations, say 0+20, 1+20, 2+40.
4. Establish a benchmark (BM) near the station 0+00 and call it BM-1.   
5. Select a convenient location near the station 0+00 and BM-1 on one side of the
proposed roadway, and set up and level the instrument. 
6. Take a backsight reading (BS) on the rod held on BM-1 with an assumed
elevation of 50.00 meters above mean sea level (MSL) to determine the height
of the instrument (HI). Record the data in the profile level notes (Table 1). 
7. Take and record intermediate foresight (IFS) to the already established full
and plus-stations as many as possible within the practical limits of the
sighting. Record the data accordingly. 
8. When further readings on the ground points cannot be observed anymore,
establish a turning point (say TP-1) to continue the leveling operation. Take a
foresight reading to the rod held in TP-1 and record the data in the profile
level notes. 
9. Select a convenient area in the direction of the road going to station 5+00.
Transfer and set up the instrument, and take a backsight reading to TP-1.
Continue taking rod readings (IFS) on the ground points along the centerline.
Repeat the process, reaching the endpoint of the proposed roadway (Figure
1).  

Figure 1. Example profile leveling scheme.

10. Tabulate the observed and computed values accordingly. Refer to Table 1.

Table 1. Example profile level notes

 Station BS HI IFS FS Elevation
BM-1
0+00
0+20
TP-1
0+40
5+00

11. Plot both the observed and computed data, showing the stations and their
corresponding elevations on a special paper with horizontal and vertical lines
printed on it (graphing paper) to represent distances horizontally and vertically
(Figure 2).
12. Connect the plotted points representing the elevations of the profile by a
smooth curved line drawn freehand.
13. Label the plot of the profile accordingly. The stationings and elevations must
be indicated.

Profile of a Proposed Roadway

16.00
14.00
12.00
Elevation (meters)

10.00
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
0+00 1+00 2+00 3+00 4+00 5+00
Stationing

Figure 1. Example profile of a roadway

Computations:

1. Computing Height of Instrument (HI) and Elevation.

In profile levelling, the following three equations are repeatedly used

a) HI =Elevation+ BS b) Elevation=HI−FS c) Elevation=HI−IFS

Where:
HI - height of instrument above a reference datum
BS - backsight reading on the rod (or plus sight)
FS - a foresight reading on the rod (or minus sight)
IFS - intermediate foresights taken on the full and plus-stations
 Elevation - elevation above a reference datum of a point sighted

Guide Questions

1. How profile leveling differs from the conventional differential leveling?

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

2. Based on the results, what is your recommendation for the proposed roadway with
reference to the elevations computed?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

V. Results and Discussion

VI. Conclusion and Recommendations

VII. References

Ghilani, C.D., and Wolf, P.R. (2012). Elementary Surveying: An Introduction to

Geomatics. Thirteenth Edition. Pearson. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-255434-3.

La Putt, J.P. (1985). Elementary Surveying Lab Manual. Baguio Research and Publishing
Center. Baguio City, Philippines.

La Putt, J.P. (2008). Elementary Surveying. 3rd Edition. National Book Store. Philippines.
Reprint. ISBN 971-08-5581-6.

Reference (2020). What is profile leveling? https://www.reference.com/world-

view/profile-leveling-5456316f2d51934f. Accessed on 10 March 2021.

Schofield, W. and Breach, M. (2007). Engineering Surveying. 6 th Edition. Elsevier Ltd.

ISBN–13: 978-0-7506-6949-8.

Instruction to Students:
1. Make a Laboratory Report based on the data given below. Use A4 size bond paper. Copy
the Introduction, Learning Outcomes, Materials, and Procedure.

Table 1. Profile level notes

Station BS HI IFS FS Elevation (m)
BM-1 1.08 50.00
 0+00 0.78
0+20 0.85
0+40 0.90
0+60 0.70
0+80 1.24
1+00 1.20
1+20 1.15
TP-1 1.50 1.36
1+40 1.15
1+60 1.10
1+80 1.35
2+00 1.42
2+20 1.40
2+40 1.58
2+60 1.20
2+80 1.25
TP-2 1.43 1.18
3+00 0.73
3+20 0.75
3+40 0.96
3+60 1.12
3+80 1.15
4+00 1.10
TP-3 1.37 1.15
4+20 1.24
4+40 1.20
4+60 1.15
4+80 0.98
5+00 1.26

2. Complete the table and discuss this in the “Results and Discussion” section.
3. Show sample computations only.
4. Make a sketch of the profile leveling.
5. Answer the guide questions.
6. Make your conclusion and recommendations.
7. Include your references.
8. Submit your Laboratory Report in Word File/Document through email to your
instructor/professor.

Suggested YouTube Links

1. Profile Leveling - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n42caeKzGoA
2. Profile Leveling - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9-JGzbmdo4