15CVL 204 Surveying

Contouring
 Contour
Contour/contour line:
An imaginary line on
the ground surface
joining the points of
equal elevation.
Contour map: a map
showing the contour
lines
 Contour Interval
Vertical elevation difference between the
consecutive contour lines.

Terrain Contour interval

Flat land 0.25m, 0.5m….
Steep slopes 5m, 10m….

Depends on:
nature of the terrain (flat, mountain,..)
scale of the map &
purpose of the survey
 Horizontal Equivalent
• The horizontal distance between two
consecutive contour lines for a given
slope.
• Not constant value
• Varies according to the steepness of the
ground (eg steep slopes – contour lines
run closer & flat land – widely spaced).
• Contour interval is constant
 Characteristics of Contour
• All points in a contour line have the same
elevation
• Flat terrain is indicated by widely spaced
contour lines & in steep slopes contours
run closer.
• Uniform slope is indicated by uniformly
spaced contours
 Characteristics of Contour
• A series of closer contour lines represent a
hill/mountain or depression
 Characteristics of Contour
• Contour lines cross the ridge or valley at right
angles
• When the higher values are inside the contour
curves – it indicates a ridge
• When the higher values are outside the contour
curve – it represents a valley
 Characteristics of Contour
• Contour lines cannot merge or cross one
another (except in the case of an
overhanging cliff)
 Purpose of Contouring
• Contour survey – carried out at the start of
any infrastructure project (road, railway,
canal, building, etc)
• Contour maps – select the most
economical or suitable site for the project
• To locate the alignment of road /railway –
the quantity of earthwork (cutting & filling)
should be minimum.
 Purpose of contouring
• To locate the alignment of canals – should
follow the ridge line
• Terrain information – flat, undulating, hilly,
etc
• To locate the physical features of the
ground (depressions, hills, steep/mild
slopes, ….)
 Methods of Contouring
• Direct Method: contours to be located are
directly traced out in the field by locating &
marking the points on each contour.
• Indirect Method: spot (point) levels are
taken along the series of lines laid out over
the area. The positions are then plotted on
the plan and the contour are drawn by
interpolation. The points surveyed are not
necessarily on the contour lines.
 Direct Vs Indirect Contouring
Direct method Indirect Method
Accurate, but slow and Not so accurate, but
tedious rapid and less tedious
Expensive Cheaper
Not suitable for hilly Suitable for hilly areas
areas
During field work Field calculations are
calculations need to be very minimal
done
Calculations cannot be Calculations can be
checked after contouring checked when required
 Direct Contouring
• Contour to be plotted is traced on the
ground. Points on a desired contour are
only surveyed, plotted and joined to obtain
the particular contour line.
 Direct Contouring
Procedure:
1. a bench mark is required in the project area
2. Level is set up on any suitable position and
back sight is taken on the BM. (eg. BS
reading is on the BM is 1.5m; RL of BM is
100m; HI is 101.5m).
3. To locate the contour of say 101m, the staff
man is directed to occupy the position
where the staff reading is 0.5m.
4. Mark all such point with a peg (i.e staff
reading is 0.5m)
 Indirect Contouring
The points considered to survey are corners of
well-shaped geometrical figures (square,
rectangle, triangle…)
Point (spot) levels are taken
Elevations of desired contours are interpolated
in between the points (spots) and contour lines
are drawn by joining points of equal elevation.
Suitable for surveying large areas, irrggular
surface or steep slopes.
Methods: 1. Grid method;
2. Radial line method
 Grid Method
• Area to be surveyed is divided into grids of
equal size (eg 5mX5m; 25mX25m…)
• Sometimes, uniform grid size may not be
possible (due to field conditions)
• Grid corners are marked and levels are
taken.
• The grids are plotted and the spot levels of
the corners are entered
• Contours of desired values are located by
interpolation.
Grid Method
 Radial Method
• Number of radial lines are set out at
known angular interval and points are
marked at the ground at regular intervals
on the rays.
• The spot levels are taken at each point on
the ground.
• The points are plotted with the spot levels
• Contours of desired values are located by
interpolation
Large scale contouring?
 Contour Gradient
• An imaginary line on the
surface of earth having a
constant inclination with the
horizontal (slope).
• Inclination of the contour
gradient is given as raising
or falling gradient.
• Expressed in ratio of vertical
height to a specified
horizontal distance (eg 1 in
100 or 1:100….)
 Locating contour gradient on
map
• With contour map, contour gradient of
desired inclination can be traced.
eg. Locate a rising gradient
of 1 in 100 from point A
Specified horizontal
distance =
Contour interval =
scale of map =
 Locating contour gradient on
map
Specified horizontal
distance = 100m
Contour interval = 2m
scale of map = eg 1:1000

Arc distance (A to B & B to C & C to D)

Field location of contour Gradient
Abney Level:
Consists of Telescope,
Spirit bubble & Vernier.
Bubble tube is
attached to the Vernier
arm.
Field location of contour Gradient
Contour gradient:
1. Vernier is set to the
angle corresponding to
the given gradient.
2. Abney level is held
over the starting point
(A) at a suitable height
(AC).
3. AC height is marked on a ranging rod (D)
and held over next point of gradient (B).
Field location of contour Gradient
Contour gradient:
4. Maintaining the
bubble at the centre,
bisect the mark D
(now, AB and CD are
parallel).
5. The points A & B are
marked (with pegs)
6. Abney level is shifted to point B and held at
D to fix the next point of gradient…
 Contour: Uses
To visualize the nature of
ground along a section of
interest (eg XY line).
The intersection points
b/w the line (XY) and
contours are projected
and joined by smooth
curve.
The curve shows the
topography of the ground
along the line XY.
 Contour: Uses
To locate the alignment at a given
gradient (for road, rail, canal….).
 Contour: Uses
To determine the storage capacity of
reservoirs.
The area enclosed between
successive contours are calculated.
 Example
The area contained within the stated contours
and water level of a lake are:
Contour (m) 200 195 190 185 180 175 170 165
Area, m2 44 34 28 23 20 16 11 8

Calculate the volume of water when

the lake is at full level (i.e. water
surface elevation is 200m).
 Difficulties in Levelling
1.When the level staff is too near the
instrument:
Graduations of the staff may not be visible
2. Levelling across a large pond/lake
water surface of a still lake/pond – level (all points
on the water surface have same RL).
 Difficulties in Levelling
3. Levelling Across a river:
surface of flowing water on the opposite
edges are different (i.e. not level)
Reciprocal levelling will be adopted
 Difficulties in Levelling
4. Levelling along a steep slope
Maintaining balancing of sight – difficult
Level is setup along a zig-zag path (such a
way that the BS & FS distances are equal)
 Difficulties in Levelling
5. Levelling across a solid wall
 Difficulties in Levelling
6. Bench Mark is above line of collimation
 Difficulties in Levelling
7. Levelling across a rolling terrain
 1 3 98.565
Bearing
Horizontal 2 4 98.555
distance
Sight to
from
from
RL of L7 3 210 5 98.545
North, Stadia, m
Deg
instrument, 4 5 98.555
m
BM   0 21 100
5 7 98.575
1 6 98.985 1 4 98.825
L1 2 30 8 99.065 2 6 98.745
3 11 99.485
1 5 98.965
L8 3 240 7 98.905
L2 2 60 8 99.165 4 8 98.625
3 15 99.275 5 10 98.695
1 5 99.795
2 6 98.915
1 4 99.105
L3 3 90 9 99.795 2 7 98.905
4 12 98.905 L9 3 270 8 98.945
5 13 98.735
1 3 98.725
4 11 98.885
2 4 98.705 5 14 99.125
L4 3 120 6 98.695 1 3 99.105
4 9 98.585
2 5 99.115
5 10 98.615
1 3 98.555 L10 3 300 7 99.145
2 6 98.445 4 10 99.125
L5 3 150 12 98.325 5 12 99.435
4 13 98.385
5 19 98.345 1 5 99.215
1 3 98.625 2 7 99.215
2 3 98.545 L11 3 330 8 99.385
L6 3 180 4 98.505
4 5 98.530 4 12 99.461
5 10 98.505 5 14 99.745
Scale 1:100 All Dimensions are in m
98.5m contour

Scale 1:100 All Dimensions are in m

98.75m contour

Scale 1:100 All Dimensions are in m

99m contour

Scale 1:100 All Dimensions are in m

99.25m contour

Scale 1:100 All Dimensions are in m

99.5m contour

Scale 1:100 All Dimensions are in m

Contour Map

Scale 1:100 All Dimensions are in m