Setting Out Construction Works

Setting out – Principles

Setting out any construction works e.g. proposed roadway, is in reality the reverse of surveying and
actual roadway. In the surveying process, angles and distances are measured in the field coordinates
are calculated from the data and a plan is drawn of the results.

Before setting out any construction works, the development plan is studied carefully and
coordinates of the selected points on the works are obtained by some means.

They may be scaled from plan, read from CAD drawings or may be computed from design sizes.
Bearings and distances to theses points from known survey stations are calculated and those data
used to set out the proposed works.

The figure below is a copy of the development plan of the proposed construction wo rks.

Equipment for setting out

All roads, buildings, sewer and other construction works are set out using standard surveying
equipment, comprising of:

 Steel tapes – steel tapes must be used for setting out purposes as they are not subject to the
same degree of stretching as Fibron tapes.
 Levels – Automatic and digital levels are most commonly used
 Theodolites – A wide range of theodolites is available but total stations and laser
instruments are the preferred option because of reliability and ease of use.
 GPS equipment – A wide range of GPS equipment is in use and this form of setting out will
probably supersede al other methods. It has disadvantages amongst high rise buildings and
sufficient satellite coverage may not be available when required.

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 Laser instruments – line lasers, rotating lasers and laser plummets have revolutionised
setting out procedures and greatly increased accuracy. They are however expensive to
purchase and maintain.
 Pegs – pegs are either wooden 50 mm x 50 mm x 500 mm for use in soft ground or 25 mm x
25 mm x 300 mm angle irons for hard standing.
Pegs should be colour coded with paint and the code should be used throughout the
duration of the contract to avoid confusion.

 Profiles – A profile is a wooden stake to which a cross piece, painted in contrasting coloured
stripes is nailed. For sewer work, goal post type profiles called sight rails are preferable. The
profiles are erected over the offset pegs in order to remain clear of the excavations.
 Travellers – travellers are really mobile profile boards used in conjunction with sight rails.
The length of the traveller equals the site rail level sewer invert level. The traveller should be
kept to multiples of 0.25 metres and travellers are usually 2 metres long.
 Corner profiles – During the construction of buildings the pegs denoting the corners of the
building are always removed for construction work. The corner positions have therefore, to
be removed some distance back from the excavations o0n the corner profiles. These are
constructed from stout wooden stakes 50 mm x 50 mm on which wooden boards 250 mm x
25 mm x 1.00 m long are securely nailed.

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Setting out Invert Levels

In setting out drains and sewers, it is not possible to set out the proposed levels of the drain i.e. the
invert levels, since they are always below the ground. Therefore profiles must be set at some
convenient height chosen be the surveyor but should always be a multiple of 250 mm. The height is
known as the traveller length and is determined as follows:

 A drain 30 m long is to be constructed at a gradient of 1:40. The invert level level at the start
of drain, chainage 0 m is 44.320 m

 Ground level taken at regular intervals along the centre line of proposed drain

 The invert levels are calculated

 The depth from the surface to the invert level is found by subtracting the invert level from
the surface level
 Max depth from table 1.280 m therefore traveller 2.5 m long
 Having determined the length of traveller the levels of the profile boards to be erected along
the line of the drain are next to be calculated.

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