RECIPROCAL LEVELING
• While crossing a river or ravine it is not possible to put the level
midway so that the back sight and fore sight are equal. and if the
sights are much longer than are ordinarily permissible and errors due
to (i) collimation, i.e, inclined line of sight. (ii) curvature and refraction
are likely to occur. and the imperfect adjustments of the instrument
become prominent. To avoid these errors Special methods like
reciprocal levelling should be used to minimize these errors.
• instrument is placed near station A and observations are made on
staffs at A and B. Similarly instrument is placed near B and staff
readings are taken on B and A.
Example
• Ex In order to transfer reduced level across a canyon, a reciprocal
leveling campaign was conducted. Simultaneous readings were
observed using two levels one at each side of the canyon. Each of the
levels are having same magnifying power and sensitiveness of level
tube. With instruments interchanged during levelling operation
yielded the following average readings:
Instrument
Average near readings, meter Average distant, readings, meter
station
R.L of X = 101.345 m
X 1.780 2.345 Distance, XY = 1.025Km
e curvature = 0.0785 XY 2
Y 2.435 1.870
Find out the R.L. of unknown point. Comment on the errors associated with observations.
Solution :
• The difference in elevation between X and Y is
= 0.565 m (Y lower than X)
R.L. of Y (unknown Point) = R.L. of X - Dh = 101.345 - 0.565 = 100.780 m
note
• Since two leveling rods are used and the elapsed time between
reading in a set observation is little, the error due to change in
atmospheric condition can be neglected. Moreover, since readings
were taken with instruments interchanged, instrumental errors get
cancelled between different set of observation. As the observations
are repeated and averages of the readings have been considered for
further calculation, it is expected that error associated with
observation is minimized thus removed. Only error present in the
observation is that associated with the curvature of the earth
• The two peg test is a familiar test to find the error of line of
collimation of a level. Figure below shows the fundamentals of the
test. Initially the length AB is measured and the level is placed at the
middle of two pegs A and B and the staff readings taken as in fig.
• The difference of readings gives the true difference in level between
points A and B. The level is then shifted along line AB either towards A
or B through a known distance and the readings taken as shown in
(Figs. )From the readings and the known distances it is possible to
calculate the collimation error.
• Example: A modern dumpy level was set up at a position equidistant
from two pegs A and B. The bubble was adjusted to its central
position for each reading as it did not remain quite central when the
telescope was moved from A to B. The readings on A and B were
1.481 m and 1.591 m respectively. The instrument was then moved to
D so that the distance DB was about five times the distance DA and
the readings with the bubble central were 1.560'm and 1.655 m
respectively.
• Was the instrument in adjustment?
Fig. shows the two positions of the instrument with
corresponding staff readings.
• True difference of level =1.591 - 1.481
= 0.110 m
A is III n higher' level than B.
• In the second set of readings as angle a of the line of collimation is constant, if
error on A is e, on B it is 5e. Hence '
Bb + 5e - (Aa + e) = 1.655 - 1.560
or (Bb - Aa) + 4e =0.095 m
But Bb - Aa ='true difference in level
= 0.110 m
Hence, 4e = 0.095 -'0.110
= - 0.015
or e = - .004 m
indicating line of collimation was downward,
