Surveying and Levelling Lec#5 11

Levelling
• The art of determining relative heights of different
points on or below the surface of the earth is called
LEVELLING, deals with measurements in the vertical
plane.
• For execution of
Engineering Projects it
is very necessary to
determine
elevations of
different points along
the alignment of
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Uses or purpose of Levelling
1. To prepare a contour map for fixing sites for reservoirs,
dams etc. & to fix the alignment of roads,
railways, irrigation canals etc.
2. To determine the altitudes of different important points
on a hill or to reduced levels of different points on or
below the surface of the earth.
3. To prepare a longitudinal & cross section of a project
(roads, railways, irrigation canals etc) in order to
determine the volume of earth work.
4. To prepare a layout map for water supply , sanitary or
drainage schemes.
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Terms used in Levelling
1 Level Surface
The surface which is parallel to the mean spheroidal surface of
the earth is known as level surface.
2 Level line
Any line lying on a level surface is called a level line. (direction
towards the gravity at all points)
3 Horizontal Plane
Any Plane tangential to the level surface is known as horizontal
plane.
4 Horizontal line
any line lying on horizontal plane is said to be a horizontal line.
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Terms used in Levelling
5- Vertical plan
Any plane passing to the vertical line is known
as vertical plan.
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Terms used in Levelling
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Terms used in Levelling
6- Datum Surface or line
• This is an imaginary level surface or level line from which the
vertical distances of different points (above or below this
line) are measured.
• In Pakistan and India for the great trigonometrical survey
(GTS) is the mean sea level at Karachi.
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Terms used in Levelling
7- Mean Sea Level (M.S.L.)
• M.S.L. is obtained by making hourly observations of the tides at
any place over a period of 19 years.
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Terms used in Levelling
8- Reduced Level (RL)
The vertical distances or Height or depth of a point above or below
the assumed datum is called Reduced level. It may be positive or
negative.
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Terms used in Levelling
9- Line of Collimation
It is the imaginary line passing through the intersection of the
cross hairs at the diaphragm and the optical center of the object
glass and its extensions, it is also called line of sight or collimation
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Terms used in Levelling
10- Bench Mark (BM)
• These are fixed reference point or marks of known elevation or
Reduced Level (RL) determined with reference to the datum line.
• These are very important marks. They serve as reference points
for finding the RL of new points or for conducting levelling
operations in projects involving roads, railways, etc.
10(a) GTS Bench mark (Great Trigonometrical Survey )
• These Bench marks are established by national agency like
Survey of India Department at a large interval all over the
country ( 100 km. interval).
• They are established with highest precision.
• Their position and elevation above MSL is given in a special
catalogue known as GTS Maps.
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Terms used in Levelling
10(b) Permanent Bench Mark
These are fixed points or marks established by Government
departments like Railway, Irrigation, etc. RLs of these points are
determined with reference to GTS Bench mark (10 km. interval) &
are kept on permanent points like the plinth of building, parapet of
bridge or culvert etc.
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Terms used in Levelling
10(c) Arbitrary Bench mark
When the RLs of some fixed points are assumed, they are termed
arbitrary bench-marks. These are adopted in small survey
operations.
10(d) Temporary Bench mark
When the Bench marks are established
temporarily at the end of a day’s work,
they are said to be temporary Bench
mark . They are generally made on the
root of tree, the parapet of a nearby
culvert etc.
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Terms used in Levelling
11(a)- Back Sight (B.S.)
This is the first staff reading taken in any setup of the instrument
after the levelling has been perfectly done. This reading is always
taken on a point of known RL, i.e. on a bench mark or change point.
11(b)- Fore Sight (F.S)
It is the last staff reading in any setup of the instrument, and
indicates the shifting of the instrument.
11(c)- Intermediate Sight (IS)
It is any other staff reading between the BS & FS in the same setup
of the instrument.
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Terms used in Levelling
11- Back Sight (B.S.), Fore Sight (F.S.) and Intermediate Sight (I.S.)
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Terms used in Levelling
12 Change Point (CP)
The point indicates the shifting of the instrument.
OR
The point on which both the foresight and back sight are taken during
the operation of levelling is called change point.
13 Height of Instruments (HI)
When the levelling instrument is properly levelled, the RL of the line
of collimation is known as the height of instrument.
 TYPES OF LEVELLING OPERATIONS

SIMPLE LEVELLING:
o Setting the instrument mid-way between points.

DIFFERENTIAL LEVELLING:
o When points are too far distant
o Non inter-visible
o Level difference is large
o Taking intermediate points
TYPES OF LEVELLING OPERATIONS

FLY LEVELLING:
oTo connect the subject profile to any nearest bench mark
oOnly back sights and fore sights are taken
oTo check accuracy at the end of job by connecting it to a bench mark
 TYPES OF LEVELLING OPERATIONS

LONGITUDINAL LEVELLING:
oWhen levelling work (difference of levels) is to be determined along the profile
oMoves along the direction of survey line which is under levelling work
TYPES OF LEVELLING OPERATIONS

CROSS-SECTION LEVELLING:
oTo determine the level difference across the profile (on both sides of the
subject profile)
oWhen levelling work is taken out transverse to the profile line
TYPES OF LEVELLING OPERATIONS

CHECK LEVELLING:
oTo check accuracy of a day’s work.
oIt is a rough/quick levelling between starting and ending points of a day’s job