H.U.

MINING ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

MAD 256 SURVEYING

LEVELING
PROCEDURES

Equipment
Level
Tripod
Staf
Change plate
Staf bubble
50 m tape measure (sometimes)

What is levelling?
A measurement process whereby the
difference in height between two or
more points can be determined
BS

FS

Diference in height
H=BS-FS

When do we level?
Typical examples include :

To establish new vertical control (BM or TBM)

To determine the heights of discrete points

To provide spot heights or contours on a plan

To provide data for road cross-sections or

volumes of earthworks

To provide a level or inclined plane in the

setting out of construction works

Definitions
Level surface

A surface over which water will not flow

The direction of gravity is always normal to a
level surface

Horizontal surface

A horizontal surface will be tangent to a level

surface
Over short distances (<100 m) the horizontal
surface and the level surface will coincide

Definitions (cont.)
direction of gravity

horizontal
surface

level surface

limit of practical
coincidence (~100 m)

Reading an E-face staf

0.339
0.33
0.3

Collimation error
Occurs when the line of sight (as
defined by the cross-hairs) is not
horizontal
Leads to an incorrect staf reading

t
line of sigh

horizontal line

error

More definitions
Datum

A reference surface to which the heights of

all points in a survey or on a site are referred

May be arbitrary or a national height datum

In Australia we have the Australian Height

Datum (AHD)

The surface which defines the AHD is

(approximately) Mean Sea Level (MSL)

More definitions
Reduced Level (RL)

The height of a point above the datum

Benchmark (BM)

A stable reference point of known RL

Usually used as the starting and finishing point
when levelling

Temporary Bench Mark (TBM)

A point placed (e.g. peg, nail, spike) to provide

a temporary reference point

More definitions
Backsight (BS)

Always the first reading from a new

instrument station

Foresight (FS)

Always the last reading from the current

instrument station

Intermediate sight (IS)

Any sighting that is not a backsight or

foresight

More definitions
Change point (CP)

Location of the staf when the level is

moved
Change points should be...
Stable
Well defined
Recoverable
e.g. sharp rock, nail, change plate, etc...

Rules for levelling

Always commence and finish a level run on
a Benchmark (BM or TBM)

Keep foresight and backsight distances as

equal as possible

Keep lines of sight short (normally < 50m)

Never read below 0.5m on a staf
(refraction)

Use stable, well defined change points

A sample loop
Setup 4
CP 3

BM A

Kerb
Setup 1

Setup 3
Kerb
Setup 2

CP 1
CP 2
Post

Booking the observations

CP 3

BM A

Back

Inter

Fore

BM A

1.32
3.98

Kerb
Setup 1
Kerb

CP 1
CP 2
Post

Point
CP 1

Booking the observations

CP 3

BM A

Back

Inter

Fore

1.32

BM A
3.98

2.56

Kerb
Setup 1
Kerb

CP 1
CP 2
Post

CP 1

1.25

Kerb

3.65

Post
0.67

Setup 2

Point

CP 2

Booking the observations

CP 3

BM A

Back

Inter

Fore

1.32

Setup 1

BM A

2.56

Kerb
Setup 3
Kerb

3.98

Kerb

3.65

Post
0.67
1.54

CP 2
Post

CP 2
Kerb

2.58

CP 1

CP 1

1.25
3.49

Setup 2

Point

CP 3

Booking the observations

Setup 4
CP 3

BM A

Back

Inter

Fore

1.32

Setup 1

BM A

2.56

Kerb
Setup 3
Kerb

3.98

Kerb

3.65

Post

CP 1
CP 2
Post

0.67
2.58

2.64

CP 1

1.25
3.49

Setup 2

Point

CP 2
Kerb

1.54

CP 3

3.79

BM A

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

3.98

CP 1

1.25

Kerb

3.65

Post

3.49

0.67
2.58

2.64

RL

CP 2
Kerb

1.54

CP 3

3.79

BM A

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

3.98

2.66

47.34 CP 1

1.25

Kerb

3.65

Post

3.49

0.67
2.58

2.64

RL

CP 2
Kerb

1.54

CP 3

3.79

BM A

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

3.98
1.25

3.49

2.66
1.31

3.65

47.34 CP 1
48.65 Kerb
Post

0.67
2.58

2.64

RL

CP 2
Kerb

1.54

CP 3

3.79

BM A

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

3.98
1.25

3.49

2.66
1.31

3.65
0.67

47.34 CP 1
48.65 Kerb

2.40

2.58
2.64

RL

46.25 Post
CP 2
Kerb

1.54

CP 3

3.79

BM A

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

3.98
1.25

2.66
1.31

3.65
3.49

0.67

2.98

47.34 CP 1
48.65 Kerb

2.40

2.58
2.64

RL

46.25 Post
49.23 CP 2
Kerb

1.54

CP 3

3.79

BM A

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

3.98
1.25

2.66
1.31

3.65
3.49

0.67

47.34 CP 1
48.65 Kerb

2.40

2.58
2.64

RL

46.25 Post

2.98

49.23 CP 2

0.91

50.14 Kerb

1.54

CP 3

3.79

BM A

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

3.98
1.25

2.66
1.31

3.65
3.49

0.67
1.54
3.79

47.34 CP 1
48.65 Kerb

2.40

2.58
2.64

RL

46.25 Post

2.98

49.23 CP 2

0.91

50.14 Kerb

1.04

51.18 CP 3
BM A

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

3.98
1.25

2.66
1.31

3.65
3.49

0.67
1.54
3.79

47.34 CP 1
48.65 Kerb

2.40

2.58
2.64

RL

46.25 Post

2.98

49.23 CP 2

0.91

50.14 Kerb

1.04

51.18 CP 3
1.15

50.03 BM A

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32
3.98
1.25

2.66
1.31

3.65
3.49

0.67
1.54
3.79
9.98

47.34 CP 1
48.65 Kerb

2.40

2.58

10.0
1

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

2.64

RL

46.25 Post

2.98

49.23 CP 2

0.91

50.14 Kerb

1.04

51.18 CP 3
1.15

50.03 BM A

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32
3.98
1.25

2.66
1.31

3.65
3.49

0.67
1.54
3.79
9.98
(0.03

47.34 CP 1
48.65 Kerb

2.40

2.58

10.0
1

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

2.64

RL

46.25 Post

2.98

49.23 CP 2

0.91

50.14 Kerb

1.04

51.18 CP 3
1.15

50.03 BM A

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32
3.98
1.25

2.66
1.31

3.65
3.49

0.67
1.54

(0.03

46.25 Post

2.98

49.23 CP 2

0.91

50.14 Kerb

1.04

51.18 CP 3

3.79
9.98

47.34 CP 1
48.65 Kerb

2.40

2.58

10.0
1

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

2.64

RL

1.15
6.24

6.21

50.03 BM A

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32
3.98
1.25

2.66
1.31

3.65
3.49

0.67
1.54

(0.03

46.25 Post

2.98

49.23 CP 2

0.91

50.14 Kerb

1.04

51.18 CP 3

3.79
9.98

47.34 CP 1
48.65 Kerb

2.40

2.58

10.0
1

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

2.64

RL

1.15
6.24

6.21
(0.03

50.03 BM A

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32
3.98
1.25

2.66
1.31

3.65
3.49

0.67
1.54

(0.03

46.25 Post

2.98

49.23 CP 2

0.91

50.14 Kerb

1.04

51.18 CP 3

3.79
9.98

47.34 CP 1
48.65 Kerb

2.40

2.58

10.0
1

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

2.64

RL

1.15
6.24

50.03 BM A

6.21
(0.03 (0.03)

Reducing levels (Rise and

Fall)
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1.32
3.98
1.25

2.66
1.31

3.65
3.49

0.67
1.54

(0.03)

46.25 Post

2.98

49.23 CP 2

0.91

50.14 Kerb

1.04

51.18 CP 3

3.79
9.98

47.34 CP 1
48.65 Kerb

2.40

2.58

10.0
1

Comment

50.00 BM A

2.56

2.64

RL

1.15
6.24

50.03 BM A

6.21
(0.03)

(0.03)

Loop misclosure (Error)

Misclosure (Error)

The amount by which the measured height

(RLmeasured) difers from the known height
(RLknown) of the starting and finishing
benchmarks
Misclosure (Error) = RLmeasured RLknown
Error = 50.03 50.00 = 0.03 m
or
Error = Back Fore = 10.01-9.98 = 0.03 m
Error = Rise Fall = 6.24-6.21 = 0.03 m

An acceptable misclose?
Small misclosures in closed level loops are
expected because of the accumulation of
errors

If the misclosure is small, it can be adjusted

If the misclosure is large, the loop (or part
of it) must be repeated

Misclosures can also result from errors in

published BM levels and from BM instability

Testing the misclose

The amount of misclosure we are
prepared to accept depends on the
accuracy we are hoping to achieve

For routine levelling, the third order

levelling standard is adopted
misclosure 12k mm

where k is the length of the loop in km

Continuing the example

The misclosure is +30 mm (0.03 m)
The length of the loop is 0.7 km
The misclosure limit is
12(0.7) = 10 mm

The misclosure of +30 mm is too big

The loop must be repeated (or find the error)

Adjusting the misclose

Adjustment is carried out to ensure that
the measured and known RLs of the
closing benchmark agree

The misclosure is linearly distributed

according to the number of set-ups

The adjustment per set-up for the

example is
Correction=(-0.03/4)

Adjusting the misclose

Measured
RL

Point

50.00

BM A

47.34

CP 1

48.65

Kerb

46.25

Post

49.23

CP 2

50.14

Kerb

51.18

CP 3

50.03

BM A

Correction

Corrected
RL

Adjusting the misclose

Measured
RL

Point

Correction

Corrected
RL

50.00

BM A

0.000

50.000

47.34

CP 1

-0.008

47.332

48.65

Kerb

46.25

Post

49.23

CP 2

50.14

Kerb

51.18

CP 3

50.03

BM A

=1*(0.03/4)

Adjusting the misclose

Measured
RL

Point

Correction

Corrected
RL

50.00

BM A

0.000

50.000

47.34

CP 1

-0.008

47.332

48.65

Kerb

-0.015

48.635

46.25

Post

-0.015

46.235

49.23

CP 2

-0.015

49.215

50.14

Kerb

51.18

CP 3

50.03

BM A

=2*(0.03/4)

Adjusting the misclose

Measured
RL

Point

Correction

Corrected
RL

50.00

BM A

-0.000

50.000

47.34

CP 1

-0.008

47.332

48.65

Kerb

-0.015

48.635

46.25

Post

-0.015

46.235

49.23

CP 2

-0.015

49.215

50.14

Kerb

-0.023

50.117

51.18

CP 3

-0.023

51.157

50.03

BM A

=3*(0.03/4)

Adjusting the misclose

Measured
RL

Point

Correction

Corrected
RL

50.00

BM A

0.000

50.000

47.34

CP 1

-0.008

47.332

48.65

Kerb

-0.015

48.635

46.25

Post

-0.015

46.235

49.23

CP 2

-0.015

49.215

50.14

Kerb

-0.023

51.18

CP 3

-0.023

=4*(0.03/4)

50.03

BM A

-0.030

50.000

Adjusting the misclose

Measured
RL

Point

Correction

Corrected
RL

50.00

BM A

-0.000

50.000

47.34

CP 1

-0.008

47.332

48.65

Kerb

-0.015

48.635

46.25

Post

-0.015

46.235

49.23

CP 2

-0.015

49.215

50.14

Kerb

-0.023

50.117

51.18

CP 3

-0.023

51.157

50.03

BM A

-0.030

50.000

Errors in levelling
Collimation
Parallax
Change point instability
Instrument instability
Staf instability
Benchmark instability
Refraction

Errors in levelling
Staf reading and interpolation errors
Staf verticality
Instrument shading
Temperature on staf
Booking errors (e.g. using just 1 benchmark)
Earth curvature
Magnetic field efects on auto level

Applications of levelling
Point heights (relative to a datum)
Height diferences (independent of

datum)
Longitudinal sections and cross sections
Data for volume calculations
Contouring
Setting out

Establishing a new point

New point

Benchmark

RLNEW

RLBM
Datum

Measuring height
diferences

H3
H2
Benchmark

H1

RLBM
Datum

Profiles and cross-sections

Benchmark
RLBM
Datum

Plotting contours
2.510

C
2.905

The RLs for points A, B and C have been

determined by levelling. We are now
required to determine the location of the
contours using a 0.5 m contour interval.

1.100

Plotting contours
2.510

LINE AB
DHAB = 2.51 - 1.10 =
1.410
DAB = 10 m
For the 1.5 m contour:
D = 10*(1.5 1.1)/1.41 = 2.84
For the 2.0 m contour :
D = 10*(2.0 - 1.1)/1.41 = 6.38

For the 2.5 m contour :

D = 10*(2.5 - 1.1)/1.41 = 9.93
0.9

A
1.100

0.4
2.84

6.38

10 m

1.4
9.93

1.41

Plotting contours
2.510

C
2.905

LINE AC
DHAC = 2.905 - 1.100 = 1.805
DAC = 14.14 m
For the 1.5 m contour :
D = 14.14*(1.5 - 1.1)/1.805 = 3.13
For the 2.0 m contour :
D = 14.14*(2.0 - 1.1)/1.805 = 7.05

1.100

For the 2.5 m contour :

D = 14.14*(2.5 - 1.1)/1.805 = 10.97

Plotting contours
2.510

C
2.905

LINE BC
DHBC = 2.905 - 2.510 = 0.395
DBC = 10 m
no contours cross this line

1.100

Plotting contours
2.510

C
2.905

B
2.5

2.0

1.5

1.100