URP 1281: Surveying and Cartography

LECTURE: LEVELLING_01

Basic
Levelling is the process by which differences in height between two or more points can be determined. Levelling is a means by which surveyors can determine the elevation of points, using other known points as references.

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Terms Used in Levelling

Datum - This is an arbitrary level surface to which the heights of all points are referred. This may be the National Datum or local datum point established on a construction site.

In this case MSL is the Datum Mean Sea Level (MSL)

In this case Datum is PIT Mean Sea Level (MSL)

Mean sea level (MSL) is the average (mean) height of the sea between High and Low tides.

Reduced Level (RL) A distance recorded as a Height Above or Below the DATUM. This height is in metres.

RL = 27.969

In this case MSL is the Datum Mean Sea Level (MSL)

Bench Mark (BM) in every-day language is a point of reference for a measurement. In surveying a benchmark is specifically any permanent marker placed by a surveyor with a precisely known vertical elevation (but not necessarily a precisely known horizontal location).

Set-up A set-up refers the position of a level or other instrument at the time in which a number of observations are made without moving the instrument. The first observation is made to the known point and is termed a back sight; the last observation is to the fore sight and all other points are intermediates.
FORE SIGHT BACK SIGHT

Level Surface The surface which is parallel to the mean spherical surface of the earth is known as level surface. Line of Collimation is an imaginary line passing through the intersection of the cross-hairs and the optical center of the object glass and its continuation.it is also known as the line of sight. Height of Instrument (HI) The elevation of the line of sight with respect to assumed datum is known as HI. Change Point (CP) this point indicates the shifting of instrument. At this point, an FS is taken from one setting and a BS from the next setting. Run A run is the levelling between two or more points measured in one direction only. The outward run is from known to unknown points and the return run is the back check levelling in the opposite direction.

A close is the difference between the starting level of the initial point for the outward run and that determined at the end of the return run. If the levels have been reduced correctly this value should be the same as the difference between the sum of the rises and falls and also the difference between the sum of the back sights and foresights.

Line of Collimation Eyepiece

Level Instrument
Focus Knob Objective

Bubble

Line of Sight Foot screw Internal Vertical Reference Slow Motion

Level Staff

Parts of the tripod

Types of Level
1. Dumpy Level 2. Tilting Level 3. Automatic Level 4. Digital Auto Level 1. Dumpy Level These are more basic levels often used in construction work. The telescope is rigidly attached to a single bubble and the assembly is adjusted either by means of a screwed ball-joint or by foot-screws which are adjusted first in one direction.

2. Tilting Level This type of level is fitted with a circular bubble for preliminary approximate levelling and a main bubble which is attached to the telescope. For each observation the bubble is viewed through an eyepiece and the telescope tilted by a fine screw to bring the two ends of the bubble into coincidence.

3. Automatic Level This more modern type of level is now in general use. It has a compensator which consists of an arrangement of three prisms. The two outer ones are attached to the barrel of the telescope. The middle prism is suspended by fine writing and reacts to gravity. The instrument is first levelled approximately with a circular bubble; the compensator will then deviate the line of sight by the amount that the telescope is out of level.

4. Digital Auto Level Reads a bar-coded staff using electronic laser methods. The height of the staff where the level beam crosses the staff is shown on a digital display.