Lyceum of the Philippines University

Cavite

College of Engineering, Computer Studies and Architecture

Department of Engineering – Civil Engineering

FSVL01E ; SUVL01E/A
Fundamentals of Surveying, Laboratory Training

Field Activity No.4

TRIGONOMETRIC LEVELING

Name:

Student No.:

Chief of Party:

Date Performed:

Date of Submission:

Engr. Mark G. Costelo

Instructor

SURVEYING FIELD ACTIVITY ENGR. MARK G. COSTELO

FIELD ACTIVITY NO.4
TRIGONOMETRIC LEVELING

I. OBJECTIVES:
1. To acquire and develop the skills of determining the vertical distance (elevation or height) of a
remote point by applying trigonometric and related analyses.
2. To develop the skills of reading vertical angles using theodolite/ total station.

II. INSTRUMENT/MATERIALS:
Theodolite/ Total Station
1 levelling rod
Chalk/ Marking or chaining pins
30-m
Range Pole

III. ORGANIZATION OF PARTY

Chief of party
1- Rod man
1-poleman
1-Instrument man
2-tapeman
1-Recorder

IV. PROCEDURES:
1. Set up the theodolite/instrument at a convenient location and call it point A where levelling rod and
the topmost part of the remote point to be designated as point C are visible.
2. Using the normal form of the telescope, take sight at point C and read the vertical angle and record
as α.
3. Take another sight for the second trial. This is done to determine the precision of the observations.
4. Calculate the mean of the two vertical angles or the angle of elevation of the specified point C from
the first station point A.
5. Set the levelling staff/ rod vertically near the base of the instrument and take the level foresight (i.e.
horizontal line or zero vertical angle) of the rod to determine the height if the instrument.
6. Transfer the instrument towards (nearer) point C and designate it as station B, then measure its
distance by taping from its initial position A. Record this as distance AB.
7. After levelling the instrument level, sight point C twice using the normal position of the telescope.
After recording these two observations of vertical angles, determine the mean and call it as β = angle
of the elevations at station B.
8. Level the telescope while at B and get the height of the instrument by sighting the levelling rod near
the base of the instrument.
9. Analyze the two right triangles formed to determine the height of the remote point C. This fieldwork
will not consider the effect of combined correction of earth’s curvature and refraction.

SURVEYING FIELD ACTIVITY ENGR. MARK G. COSTELO

PRELIMINARY DATA SHEET
FIELD ACTIVITY NO.4 TRIGONOMETRIC LEVELING Date: Weather:
Time Location:
Instructor: Group No.:

Chief of Party:
Members:

STATION ANLGE OF MEAN VERTICAL HEIGHT OF MEAN HEIGHT OF

ELEVATION ANGLE INSTRUMENT INSTRUMENT
A TRIAL 1
TRIAL 2
B TRIAL 1
TRIAL 2
DISTANCE AB: CALCULATE HEIGHT OF REMOTE POINT C:

SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS:

SKETCH/ ILLUSTRATION:

SURVEYING FIELD ACTIVITY ENGR. MARK G. COSTELO

ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEMS/APPLICATION

Problem 1 The vertical angle from the top of a small building to the top of a nearby taller building is +46°40’,
while vertical angle to the bottom is -14°10’. If the shorter building up to the instrument’s height is 28.00 m
high, find the height of the taller building.

Problem 2 In order to determine the elevation of point B on top of a cliff, a transit was set over a point A, the
elevation of which was known to be 122.78 m and the height of instrument from the ground was 5 m. The
recorded vertical angle reading of B from point A was 16°34’. Point C was next located at a horizontal distance
of 200 m from point A. Then the transit was set next set up at point C and the vertical angle of B from this point
was 24°30’. Finally, with the telescope horizontal, the reading on the levelling rod on point A was 7.80 m. Neglect
the combined effect of curvature and refraction.
Determine the following:
a. Height of instrument at point A
b. Height of instrument at point C
c. Elevation of point B

Problem 3 The top of the mast signal 2000 m was sighted through a transit with recorded vertical angle of 4°10’.
The height of mast is 6 m and the height of the transit above the point where it is set is 1.20 m. The elevation of
the base of signal B is 171.17 m. Determine the elevation of the point under the transit A. Neglect the combined
effect of curvature and refraction.

Problem 4 A transit is set-up at point B which is between A and C. The vertical angle observed towards A is
known to be -20° and of C is +12°. The horizontal distance between A and B is 642.80 m and that of B and C is
1032.40 m. The height of instrument is 1.50 m above B and the elevation of A is 146.32 m. Neglect the combined
effect of curvature and refraction.
Determine the following:
a. Difference in elevation between bet B and C
b. Difference in elevation between A and C
c. Elevation of B

SURVEYING FIELD ACTIVITY ENGR. MARK G. COSTELO

FIELDWORK GROUPMATE ASSESSMENT Date:
Course/Year/Section:

NAME:
TRIGONOMETRIC LEVELING Group No.:

Group mates:

1. Score:
2. Score:
3. Score:
4. Score:
5. Score:
6. Score:
7. Score:

CRITERIA EXCELLENT VERY GOOD FAIR POOR GROUPMATES

4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Late at Late for

most 30 more
TIME ELEMENT Arrives at the Late at most 15 than 30
minutes
time minutes minutes

Does
not
Knows what Needs know
exactly is to further what is
PREPAREDNESS be done in the Familiar with explana-
the procedure to be
field tion done

Performs Limited in Does

assigned task perfor- not
COOPERATIVE- Performs only
well and ming want to
NESS assigned task
willing to help assigned help at
group mates task all

Computes for Compute the Compute Fails to

the required required value the comput
ACCURACY value required e the

SURVEYING FIELD ACTIVITY ENGR. MARK G. COSTELO

 accurately in with little value with required
such a short assistance some value
time assistance

OVERALL Performs Performs Performs

CONTRIBUTION efficiently a important task the
ON THE GROUP very secondary Does
assigned
WORK important load nothing
task assigned

SURVEYING FIELD ACTIVITY ENGR. MARK G. COSTELO