Levelling and Volumes Assignment.

A dumpy level was used to survey the site, this is a more basic manual type of level which has the
opportunity for some human error in its use. If the level has not been set up correctly there is a
chance that incorrect readings may be taken. The description ‘dumpy level’ is a broad term used to
describe various types of site surveying levels. They can be automatic or manual. The type being
used on this occasion is the manual type. Levels are used to measure differences in height between
various points around a site or a section of land. To achieve this there needs to be a known point
‘datum’, which is a height measured by ordinance survey relating to sea level. This known point is in
metres and is what all measurements taken will relate to.

Setting up.

Firstly, the tripod needs to be erected. It does not have to be on level ground. It is best to set it at a
height that suits the person who is to be using it. The legs are adjustable, they are used to get the
tripod as level as possible. Once this has been completed the instrument can be attached by using
the screw in the head of the tripod which screws into the underside of the dumpy level. The dumpy
level has a bubble on it like that of a spirit level. Ensure this bubble is central in the ring then rotate
the level to make sure the bubble stays within the ring. If the instrument isn’t level, there are some
levelling screws located on it for fine adjustments. Continue the process until the instrument is level.
Getting this right will save time and money, also ruling out the chance of a bad survey being taken.
Now the user should look through the level to make sure it is focused correctly to their eyesight, this
can be adjusted on the side if it is not. This is the end of the setting up process, now readings can be
taken.

Taking measurements.

Alongside using the dumpy level another piece of equipment known as an E staff needs to be used.
This has got its name by the nature of the design of the measurements that are on its face. This staff
can be read up to distances of 75 metres. The E staff is telescopic and needs to be fully extended
before it is used. When a reading is taken it will consist of a 4-digit number. Metres, tenths of a
metre, hundredths of a metre and thousandths of a metre. The staff is to be rocked forward and
backwards gently to ensure the correct reading is taken. The site is to be marked out in 5 metre
squares with readings being taken at each corner of the square. The ‘grid’ which was measured ran
parallel to a wall running alongside the site. Staying parallel to this wall and measuring off it enabled
the grid to be kept square. The area measured was a 50 x 45 metre square. The measurements taken
are to be recorded on the booking sheet in the intermediate site column. To enable these
measurements to mean anything there must be a known point/height in which they can be related
to, the datum as previously explained. The datum in this case was at the corner of a small concrete
structure on the site with a known level of 50 metres above sea level. A measurement is taken at this
known point in the same way other measurements would be taken. This is known as the back sight
as is to be written in the bs column on the booking sheet. This number is then added to the known
point datum which will give us the height of collimation which is written in the hoc column. The
height of collimation is the height of which the viewport of the level is at. Each intermediate
measurement taken is subtracted from the height of collimation which then gives us the reduced
level. This is the number we are then able to work with when producing site drawings that are the
actual heights and are in metres above sea level. To be able to take levels around buildings or over
long distances the dumpy level will need to be moved to a new point. To do this a fore sight
measurement must be taken at a point which will also be visible from the potential new set up point.
This new set up point must be approximately the same distance from the fore sight point as to
where the instrument was previously set up. The staff operating person must remain with the E staff
on the fore sight point whilst the dumpy level is being moved. The dumpy level is moved to the new
location and the same set up process of the tripod and dumpy level is to be carried out again. Once
this operation has been completed, we can think about taking more measurements. The first
measurement to be taken is the previous fore sight where the staff person should still be. This
measurement is now the new back sight and is written in the same line as the previous fore sight.
Now the same method is to be used as before on the booking sheet, the new back sight level is to be
added or subtracted to the datum giving us a new height of collimation, which the next batch of
intermediate sights can be deducted from. The operator can carry on taking more intermediate
measurements working their way around the building or across the site. This process can be
repeated as many times as is needed. Checking measurements is an important part of the process so
that there aren’t any errors in the survey. To do this the total sum of the fore sight column is to be
subtracted from the total sum of the back-sight column which should equal the last reduced level
number minus the first reduced level number. If this doesn’t add up, then it shows that there is a
mathematical error with the calculation of the figures.

This method of calculating the levels is known as the height of collimation method. There is another
method which is known as the rise and fall method. The measurements on site are taken the same
way but it is worked out differently on the booking sheet. The rise and fall method can be found to
be a lot more complicated and more difficult to carry out. It requires the operator to ascertain the
difference in height between consecutive points by making a comparison between each point after
the first. The difference between the readings taken from the staff shows the rise and fall of the
levels. The reduced level is found by adding the rise to or taking away the fall from the reduced level
of the previous point. When using this method, the reduction of the levels can take more time.
Visualization is more often essential to see the nature of the ground. This method is often the better
option for levelling when there are a large number of change points made.

Other types of levelling instruments.

A relatively new invention is the laser level and has changed the way surveying measurements are
taken. These laser levels are self-levelling so you can be sure that you will get the most accurate
measurement possible. The laser level uses a laser to project a line with a rotating mirror around
itself in the horizontal plane. This is a lot more accurate way of measuring than a dumpy level. The
laser level was created by an inventor called Steve Orosz. The laser level is placed on a tripod as with
the standard dumpy level, but this tripod is different. The tripod also has a laser with a revolving
mirror. The laser is then transmitted across the vertical axis through numerous level vials so that the
operator can then manually adjust it with levelling screws located around the head of the tripod. A
staff is then needed to work alongside the laser level which is equipped with a moveable sensor
which can detect the laser beam. This staff must be manned by an operator. The moveable sensor
makes an audible signal every time the line is level with the beam therefore notifying the operator
that the measurement has been taken. It is key that the sensor is in the correct position on the staff
when the measurements are being taken and interpreting the differences in elevation across the
various points of the terrain. Once the laser level is set up correctly it is far more capable of getting
accurate readings than the manual sort, but again as with the manual version the fact that a human
being has set it up there is room for error. (Mobilecadsurveying.co.uk, 2019)

Another method of site and land surveying is the use of GPS devices. This is a modern technology
which uses satellites to work out its own location and height on the earths surface. This technology
comes in a variety of different types. One of those is Static GPS Baseline, this is used to record
accurate coordinates over a known or unknown site for at least 20 minutes. The data which is
collected is then taken back to base where it is processed to give coordinated accurate to within 5
mm as long as satellites were available at the time the observations were being carried out.

Another type is Real Time Kinematic, this type of survey equipment has a base station which is
deployed on the site. This then links to another station called the rover station normally carried by
an operative who moves around the site. The positions transmitted from the rover back to the base
station can usually be stored within a few seconds enabling measurements to be taken accurately
and efficiently. The rover station is able to survey up to 10 kilometres from the base station
landscape permitting. This method is probably one of the quickest most accurate method of site
surveying, but the technology involved can generate more costs.

Also available is a system called CORS which stands for Continuously Operating Reference Stations. A
quality survey GPS receiver is installed permanently at a location to be a starting point for any GPS
measurements in that local area. This type of technology would mainly be used by mining sites, local
government and on large civil engineering projects. GPS receivers used by surveyors can then collect
data whilst in the field, merge it with the CORS data to compute locations.
(Jurovichsurveying.com.au, 2019)

References.

Mobilecadsurveying.co.uk. (2019). What is a Dumpy or Automatic Level and a Laser Level. [online]
Available at: https://www.mobilecadsurveying.co.uk/what-is-a-level [Accessed 4 Feb. 2019].

Jurovichsurveying.com.au. (2019). What is GPS & How Do Surveyors Use It? | Jurovich Perth. [online]
Available at: https://www.jurovichsurveying.com.au/faq/what-is-gps [Accessed 4 Feb. 2019].