Contouring: DLS MAY 2021

1) Contouring is basically, a leveling operation & the equipment are the same for
leveling & contouring.

2) The main objective is to determine the points on the ground having the same
reduced level.

3) An imaginary line on the ground surface joining the points of equal elevation
is known as contour or contour line. (line passing through points of equal RL)

4) Contour Map: A map showing contour lines is known as Contour map. A

contour map gives an idea of the altitudes of the surface features (topographical
features) as well as their relative positions in plan.

5) Contouring : The process of tracing contour lines on the surface of the earth is
called Contouring.
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Contour Interval:
 The constant vertical distance between two consecutive contours is called the
contour interval.
 Suppose a map includes line of 100 m, 98 m, 96 m, & so on. The contour interval
here is 2 m.
 The contour interval depends on the nature of ground, scale of map & purpose of
survey.

Horizontal Equivalent :
 The horizontal distance between any two adjacent contours is called as horizontal
equivalent.
 It is not constant. It varies according to the steepness of the ground. For steep slopes,
the contour lines run close together.
 The contour interval is constant between the consecutive contours while the
horizontal equivalent is variable and depends upon the slope of the ground.
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Purpose of Contouring :
Contour survey is carried out at the starting of any engineering project such as a road, a
railway, a canal, a dam, a building etc.

1) In order to select the most economical or suitable site.

2) To locate the alignment of a canal so that it should follow a ridge line.
3) To mark the alignment of roads and railways so that the quantity of earthwork both in
cutting and filling should be minimum.
4) For getting information about the ground whether it is flat, undulating or mountainous.
5) To find the capacity of a reservoir and volume of earthwork especially in a mountainous
region.
6) To trace out the given grade of a particular route.
7) To locate the physical features of the ground such as a pond, depression, hill, steep or
small slopes.
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Uses of Contour Map:
1) A contour map furnishes information regarding the features of the ground,
whether it is flat, undulating or mountainous.
2) From a contour map, sections may be easily drawn in any direction.
3) Intervisibility between two ground points plotted on map can be ascertained.
4) It enables an engineer to approximately select the most economical or suitable
site for an engineering project such as a road, a railway, a canal or a pipe line etc.
5) A route of a given grade can be traced on the map.
6) Catchment area and capacity of a reservoir may be determined from the contour
map.
7) Contour map may be used to determine the quantities of earth work.
8) The nature of the ground surface of a country can be understood by studying a
contour map. Hence, the possible route of communication between different
places can be demarcated.
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The contour interval depends upon the following factors:
1) Nature of the ground: In a flat, contour interval is small, but in broken or
mountainous region the contour interval should be large otherwise the contour will
come too close in each other.
2) Purpose and extent of the survey: Contour interval is small if the area to be
surveyed is small. Wider interval shall have to be kept for large areas and
comparatively less important works.
3) Scale of the Map: The contour interval should be in the inverse ratio to the scale
of the map i.e. the smaller the scale, the greater is the contour interval.

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The common contour interval adopted for various purposes:-

1) For flat country, building sites, detailed design work and calculation of quantities
of earth work: 0.2 to 0.5 m.

2) For reservoirs and town planning schemes: 0.5 to 2m.

3) For location surveys: 2 to 3m.

4) For mountainous country & general topographic work: 3m, 5m, 10m, or 25m.

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Characteristics of Contours:

1) The contour lines are closer near the top of a hill or high ground & wide apart near
the foot. This indicates a very steep slope towards the peak & a flatter slope
towards the foot.

2) The contour lines are closer near the bank of pond or depression & wide apart
towards the center. This indicates steep slope near the bank & flatter slope at the
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Characteristics of Contours:
3) Uniformly spaced contour lines indicates a uniform slope.

4) Contour lines always form a closed circuit. But these lines may be within or
outside the limits of the map.

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Characteristics of Contours:
5) Contour lines can not cross one another, except in the case of an overhanging
cliff. But the overlapping portion must be shown by a dotted line.

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Characteristics of Contours:

6) When the higher values are inside the loop, it indicates a ridge line. Contour
lines cross ridge lines at right angles.

7) When the lower values are inside the loop, it indicates a valley line. Contour lines
cross valley lines at right angles.
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Characteristics of Contours:

8) A series of closed contours always indicates a depression or summit. The lower

values being inside the loop indicates a depression & the higher values being
inside the loop indicates a summit.

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Characteristics of Contours:

9) Depressions between summits are called saddles.

10) Contour lines meeting at a point indicate a vertical cliff.

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Methods of Contouring :
There are two methods of contouring: Direct & Indirect.
Direct Method of Contouring: Case-I (Area can’t be controlled from single station)
1) The various points on any contour are located on the ground by taking levels.
Then these are marked by pegs. After this, the points are plotted on the map, to
any suitable scale, by plane table.
2) This method is tedious, laborious, costly & time consuming but accurate.
3) Temporary BM is set up near site by taking fly level readings from permanent
BM.
4) The plane table is set up at a suitable station ‘P’ from where area can be plotted.
5) BS reading is taken on the TBM. Suppose the RL of TBM is 249.500 m & that the
BS reading is 2.250 m. Then RL of HI is 251.750 m. If a contour of 250.000 m is
required, the staff reading should be 1.750 m. If contour of 249.000 m is required,
the staff reading should be 2.750 m & so on. 20
Direct Method of Contouring: Case-I (Area can’t be controlled from single station)
1) The plane table is set up at a suitable station ‘P’ from where area can be plotted.
2) BS reading is taken on the TBM. Suppose the RL of TBM is 249.500 m & that the
BS reading is 2.250 m. Then RL of HI is 251.750 m. If a contour of 250.000 m
is required, the staff reading should be 1.750 m. If contour of 249.000 m is
required, the staff reading should be 2.750 m & so on.

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Direct Method of Contouring: Case-I (Area can’t be controlled from single station)
1) Staff man holds the staff at different points of the area by moving up & down, or
left & right, until the staff reading is exactly 1.750, then the points are marked by
pegs. Suppose, these points are A, B, C, D,…..
2) A suitable point ‘P’ is selected on the sheet to represent the station P.
3) Then with the altitude touching P rays are drawn to A, B, C & D.
4) The distance PA, PB, PC & PD are measured & plotted to a suitable scale.
5) In this manner, the points a, b, c & d of the contour line of RL 250.000 m are
obtained.
6) These points are joined to obtain contour of 250.000 m.

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Case-II (Direct Method of Contouring by Radial Lines)
This method is suitable for small areas, where a single point in the centre can
command the whole area by radial lines.

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common centre
theodolite or compass
and their positions are
fixed up by horizontal
angles and bearings.
Fig. Radial Lines Method of Contouring
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Direct Method of Contouring: Case-II (Area can be controlled from single station)
1) Method of radial lines is adopted to obtain contour map.
2) Very slow & tedious but gives the actual contour lines. (accurate)
3) The plane table is set up at a suitable station ‘P’ from where the whole area can be
commanded.
4) A point ‘p’ is suitably selected on the sheet to represent the station ‘P’. Radial lines
are then drawn in different directions.
5) A temporary BM is established near the site. The level is set up at a suitable position
‘L’ & BS reading is taken in the TBM. Let the HI is this setting be 153.250 m.
6) So, to find the contour of 152.000 m RL, a staff reading of 1.250 m is required at a
particular point, so that the RL of contour of that point comes to 152.000m.
7) Staff man holds the staff along the rays drawn from the plane table station in such a
way that the staff reading on that point is exactly 1.250m. In this manner, points A, B,
C, D & E are located on the ground where the staff readings are exactly 1.250m.
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8) The distance PA, PB, PC, PD & PE are measured & plotted to any suitable scale.
Thus the points a, b, c, d & e are obtained which are joined in order to obtain a
contour of 152.000.
9) The other contours may be located in similar fashion.

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Indirect Method of Contouring:
1) RLs of different points are taken at regular intervals along a series of lines set up
on the ground.
2) The position of these points are plotted on a sheet to any suitable scale.
3) The spot level are noted at the respective points.
4) Then the points of contour lines are found out by interpolation, after which they
are joined to get the required contour lines.
5) Method is quick but gives approximate position of contour lines.
6) This method is commonly employed in all kinds of surveys as this is cheaper,
quicker and less tedious as compared to direct method.
7) This method can be adopted by two ways: 1) Cross Section & 2) Square or Block

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Cross Section Indirect Method of Contouring:
1) A base line, center line or profile line is considered. C/S are taken perpendicular to
this line at regular intervals (50m, 100m, etc.)
2) Points are marked along the cross sections at regular intervals (5m, 10m, 15m, etc.)
3) A temporary BM is set up near the site. Staff reading are taken along the base line
& cross sections.
4) The readings are entered in level book, the base line & the cross sections should
also be mentioned.
5) RL of each points calculated. Then the base line & cross sections are plotted to a
suitable scale.
6) Subsequently, the RLs of the respective points are noted on the map, after which
the required contour line is drawn by interpolation.
7) Method is suitable for route survey, when cross sections are taken transvers to the
longitudinal sections.
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Square Indirect Method of Contouring:
1) Area is divided into a number of squares. The size of these squares depends upon
the nature & extent of the ground. Sides varying from 5 to 20 m.
2) The corners of these squares are numbered serially as 1,2,3,4, etc.
3) A temporary BM is set up near the sites & the level is set up at a suitable position.
4) The staff readings on the corners of the squares are taken & noted in the level
book maintaining the sequence of serial number of the corners.
5) The RL of all the corners are calculated.
6) The skeleton of the squares are plotted to a suitable scale.
7) The respective RLs are noted on the corners after which the contour lines are
drawn by interpolation.
8) This method of contouring is also known as contouring by spot levels.
9) The spot levels of the several representative points representing hills, depressions,
ridge and valley lines.
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 The corners of the squares are pegged out and the reduced levels of these points
are determined with a level.

100.4 97.60 96.05 94.40

13 14 15 16
98.00 98.00
98,00
97.45 99.25 98.75 99.40
9 10 11 12

98.65 99.60 97.80 89.55

5 6 7 8 98.0
99.0 99.0

100.90 99.70 99.85 98.45

1 2 3 4
SQURES LAID ON GROUND CONTOURS INTERPOLATED
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Question Bank :
1) Define contour ?
2) What is a contour interval and on what factors does it depend?.
3) What is difference between a contour interval & horizontal equivalent?.
4) Suggest contour intervals for following :-
(i) Hill Survey (ii) City Survey (iii) Survey of a dam site.
5) Describe with neat sketches the characteristics of contours?
6) Show contours to represent the following :-
(i) Hill (ii) Depression (iii) Valley (iv) Vertical cliff (v) Saddle.
7) Describe various methods of interpolation of contours?
8) What is a grade contour? Describe along with a neat sketch how you would
locate on a field?

32 akiptoo@rcmrd.org