Trigonometric Leveling

• Trigonometrical levelling is used where difficult terrain, such as

mountainous areas, precludes the use of conventional differential
levelling.
• The modern approach is to measure the slope distance and vertical
angle to the point in question. Slope distance is measured using
electromagnetic distance measurers and the vertical (or zenith) angle
using a theodolite.
• Short lines
From the Figure above it can be is seen that when measuring the
vertical angle
• ∆h = S sin Ѳ
When using the zenith angle z
• ∆h = S cos z
If the horizontal distance is used
• ∆h = D tan = D cot z
• The difference in elevation (∆ H) between ground points A and B is
therefore
• ∆ H = hi + ∆ h – ht
= ∆ h + hi – ht
where hi = vertical height of the measuring centre of the instrument
above A
ht = vertical height of the centre of the target above B
• This is the basic concept of trigonometrical levelling. The vertical
angles are positive for angles of elevation and negative for angles of
depression. The zenith angles are always positive, but naturally when
greater than 90° they will produce a negative result.What constitutes
a short line may be derived by considering the effect of curvature and
refraction compared with the accuracy expected. The combined effect
of curvature and refraction
• over 100 = 0.7 mm, over 200 m = 3 mm, over 300 m = 6 mm,
over 400 m = 11 mm and over 500 m = 17 mm.
• Ex15-2 In order to eliminate the uncertainty due to refraction,
observations for vertical angle are made at both ends of the line as
close in point of time as possible. The vertical angle at the lower of
the two peaks to the upper peak is +3° 02' 05"?. The reciprocal
vertical angle at the upper peak is - 3° 12' 55"?. The height of
instrument are kept to be same in all observation. The slope distance
between two mountain peaks determined by EDM measurement is
21,345m. Compute the difference in elevations between the two
peaks.
• Solution :
Average vertical angle a = (3° 02' 05" + 3° 12' 55") / 2 = 6° 15' 00 "
Difference in elevation = 21.345 sin 3° 07' 30 " + 0.0675 (21.345
cos 3° 07' 30 ")2
= (1.163 + 30.662) m
= 31.825 m
• Ex.15-1The following reciprocal levels were taken on two stations P
and Q
• Determine the elevation of Q and the error due to refraction when
the collimation error is 0.003m downward per 100m.
• Ex.15-2 In order to reduce the error in measurement of vertical angle
a set of measurements are taken and find the average angle as 9° 02'
05'' form a height of instrument as 1.565m to a target height 2.165m.
If the elevation of the instrument station is 189.250m above mean sea
level, find the elevation of staff station. Assume any data, if required.
• Let us consider two stations T and X on rolling ground whose
difference in elevation is required to be determined by trigonometric
method of leveling. At T, a theodolite instrument is set up. TT ' is the
height of the instrument above the point T (to be recorded at the
time of observation). A leveling staff is held at X. At the vertical angle
of elevation of the actual line of sight a, let x1 is the observed staff
reading. The difference in level between T and X is given by