1 SGF212: Fundamentals of Surveying II, Dept of Surveying & Geoinformatics, Bells University of Technology, Ota.

SETTING OUT FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION WORKS

1.0 Learning Objectives

At the end of this lecture, the student will be able to:

1. Describe the different types of construction surveys
2. Develop skills for construction of sewer and other constructions.

2.0 Introduction

Construction surveys provide the horizontal and vertical layout for every key component of a
construction project. A knowledge of related design is essential to interpret the design drawings
effectively for layout purposes, and a knowledge of construction techniques is required to
ensure that the layout is optimal for both line and grade transfer and construction schedule.

On any construction site, it is general practice to construct firstly the roadways and sewers, in
order to provide;
a) Access to the site and
b) Main drainage to all buildings

All roads, buildings, drains and sewers are set out using standard surveying equipment
comprising:

1. Steel tapes: it must always be used for setting out purposes as they are not subject to the
same degree of stretching as are Fibre tapes. The accuracy of setting out work is largely
dependent up on the condition of the tape and or course, the expertise of the user.
2. Levels: automatic levels are used on most sites. They compare favorably in price with
optical levels and produce much more reliable results.
3. Theodolites: a wide variety of theodolite is now available but, as with levels, the more
automation that can be provided, the greater will be the accuracy of the setting out. Thus, it
is a good practice to use theodolite with optical plumbing, automatic vertical circle indexing,
electronic readout and electronic two axes leveling.
4. Total station: most setting out work, particularly road ways, can be readily and accurately
accomplished by the method of coordinates. An EDM instrument is required to set the
distances and total stations can set out horizontal distances with ease.
5. Auto-plumb instruments: These instruments are used to set a vertical line in high-rise
buildings. They are much more convenient to use this purpose than theodolite. They save
much time and greatly increase accuracy.
6. Pegs: these are either wooden 50mm X 50mm X 500mm stakes for use in soft ground or
25mm X 25mm X 300mm angle irons for hard standing.
7. Profiles: is a wooden stake to which a cross-piece, painted in contrasting coloured stripes, is
nailed. For sewer work, goalpost-type profiles, called sight rails, are preferable. The profiles

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2 SGF212: Fundamentals of Surveying II, Dept of Surveying & Geoinformatics, Bells University of Technology, Ota.

are elected over the offset pegs in order to remain clear of the excavation.
8. Travelers: are really mobile profile boards used in conjunction with sight rails.
The length of the traveler = (the sight rail level) – (sewer invert level)
9. Corner profiles: during the construction of buildings, the pegs denoting the corners of the
buildings are always removed during the construction work. The corner positions have,
therefore, to be removed some distance back from the excavations on to corner profiles.
These are constructed from stout wooden stakes 50mm X 50mm, on to which wooden
boards 250mm X 25mm X 1.00m long are securely nailed.

Fig 1: Setting out pegs and profiles

3.0 Setting out a Peg on a Specified Distance and Bearing

A. Setting Out On Level Ground

In order to set out the roads, buildings and sewers shown on the development plan, a number
of pegs need to be accurately placed on the ground in their proposed positions. Fortunately,
every peg is set out in exactly the same manner. It is not an easy task to physically set a peg in
its exact proposed location and, in order to do so; the following sequence of operations is
required.

In figure 2(a), a peg C is to be set out from a survey line AB. A surveyor and two assistants are
usually required to complete the task.

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3 SGF212: Fundamentals of Surveying II, Dept of Surveying & Geoinformatics, Bells University of Technology, Ota.

Fig 2. Setting out on level ground

Procedure

1. The theodolite is set over station B and correctly leveled and centered. On face left, a back
sight is taken to station A with the type theodolite reading zero degrees (the method varies
with the type of theodolite).
2. The horizontal circle is set to read 65°30’; thus the theodolite is pointing along line BC.
3. The end of the tape is held against the nail in peg B and laid out approximately along the
line BC by the assistants.
4. The 10.25 m reading on the tape is held against the SIDE of the proposed peg C(In figure
2b), the tape is tightened and slowly swing in an arc, until the surveyor sees it clearly
through the telescope of the theodolite.
5. The peg is carefully moved, on the observer’s instructions, until the bottom, front edge of
the peg is accurately bisected. The peg is then hammered home.
6. The tape is again held at peg B, by assistant 1, while assistant 2 tightens it and marks a
pencil line across the peg C at distance 10.25 m.
7. A pencil is held vertically on this line by an assistant and is moved slowly along the line until
the surveyor sees it bisected by the line of sight through the theodolite. The assistant marks
this point on the peg.
8. The distance of 10.25 m is checked and the operation is repeated on face right. The two
positions of point C should coincide or differ by a very few millimeters. The mean is
accepted and a nail hammered into the peg to denote point C.

NOTE: It is not a good practice to hook the end of the tape over the nail at peg B when setting

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4 SGF212: Fundamentals of Surveying II, Dept of Surveying & Geoinformatics, Bells University of Technology, Ota.

out the distance, as excessive tension on the tape will move the nail head or even move the
peg.

B. Setting Out On Sloping Ground

In all setting out operations, the horizontal distance is required, but frequently, because of
ground undulations, it will be necessary to set out the slope distance. The setting-out
procedure is very similar to that of setting out on a level ground.
1. The theodolite is set up at station B, back sighted to A reading zero and foresighted along
the line BC reading 65°30’. The instrument height is measured and noted. Let the height be
1.35 m.
2. The tape is stretched out in the proposed direction of line BC and a leveling staff held
vertically at distance 10.25 m.
3. The instrument height (1.35 m) is read on the staff and the angle of inclination (vertical or
zenith angle) is noted. Let the zenith angle be 84° 15’.
4. The distance to be set out on the slope will have to be increased to be the equivalent of
10.25 m of plan length, as follows (Figure 2c):

Plan length (p) /slope length (S)

= sin zenith angle
Slope length S = plan length p / sin zenith angle
S = 10.250/sin 84° 15’
= 10.302 m

5. The procedure in setting out peg C then follows exactly the procedure detailed in out on a
level ground, using the new setting out length of 10.302 m.

SETTING OUT SMALL BUILDINGS

Dwelling houses are still largely traditionally built and small inaccuracies in the setting out can
usually be tolerated. Large factory buildings, multi-storey buildings, schools, etc., are nowadays
largely prefabricated and little, if any, inaccuracy can be tolerated in the setting out.
Consequently the methods of setting out vary considerably.

The exact position that the building is to occupy on the ground is governed by the building line
as defined by the local authority.

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5 SGF212: Fundamentals of Surveying II, Dept of Surveying & Geoinformatics, Bells University of Technology, Ota.

Figure 3: Setting out small buildings

In Figure 3, showing the development at the GCB outdoor Center, the building line is parallel to
the main shore rod at a distance of 8.5 meters from the center line. The frontages of all three
proposed buildings lie on this line. First, the building line must be established.

(a) Setting out the building line-office work

The building line may be set out by measuring two 8.5 m offsets to the north of the roadway
center line or by scaling the coordinates of two points on the line and setting them out from an
existing survey station by theodolite.

(b) Setting out the building line – fieldwork

1. Set the theodolite over peg C and take a back sight reading to D with the horizontal
circle set to zero degrees (face left).
2. Set the horizontal circle to read 336° 46’ 14’’ and set out and peg BL1 at distance
6.655m.
3. Repeat the operation on face right as a check.
4. Transfer the theodolite to BL1 and take a back sight reading to C, with the horizontal
circle set to zero degrees (face left).
5. Set the theodolite to read 203° 34’13 “and set out peg BL2 at distance 61.670 m.
6. Report the operation on face right as a check.

(c) Setting out the building – fieldwork

In figure 3 the three buildings fronting Shore Road have different shapes but, when setting out,
each building is reduced to a basic rectangle, enabling checks to be easily applied.

Figure 3(a) shows the positions of house 10 Shore Rode and the relevant building line. The
building may be set out from the building line using either (a) a steel tape or (b) some form of
surveying instrument, usually a site square or optical square.

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6 SGF212: Fundamentals of Surveying II, Dept of Surveying & Geoinformatics, Bells University of Technology, Ota.

Procedure
1. Using a scale rule, measure on the plan the distance between the building line starting point
BL1 and the corner A of the house. The scaled dimension is 2.50 m.
2. Determine, from the plan, the dimensions of a basic rectangle to enclose the house. The
scaled dimensions are 13.0 m by 8.0 m.
3. Using a steel tape set out the distance 2.50 m along the building line from point BL1, to
establish corner A of the house. Mark the point by a nail driven into a wooden peg.
4. Measure the distance AB (13.0 m) along the building line and establish a peg at B. Mark the
point by a nail.
5. Using a basic 3:4:5 right angle, measure the lengths AD and BC (8.0 m) and establish pegs at
C and D.
6. Check the length of the diagonals AC and BD (15.264 m). Both measurements should be
equal, thus providing that the building is square.

Although the method of setting out a right angle using a 3:4:5 triangle is theoretically sound, in
practice it tends to lead to inaccuracy in positioning. By calculating the length of diagonal of the
rectangle and using two tapes, the setting out can be accomplished.

Figure 4: Setting out the building

Setting Out On Sloping Ground

When setting out buildings on sloping ground, it must be remembered that the dimensions
taken from the plan are horizontal lengths and consequently the tape must be held horizontally
and the method of step taping used.

The diagonals must also be measured horizontally and in practice considerable difficulty is

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7 SGF212: Fundamentals of Surveying II, Dept of Surveying & Geoinformatics, Bells University of Technology, Ota.

experienced in obtaining checks under such conditions. Besides, the method is laborious and
time consuming.

Setting out – vertical control

Whenever any proposed level is to be set out, sight rails (profiles) must be erected either at the
proposed level in the case of a floor level or at some convenient height above the proposed
level in case of foundation levels, formation levels and invert levels. Suitable forms of sight rails
or profiles are shown in Fig 1. The rails should be set at right angles to the centre lines of drains,
sewers, etc.
A traveler or boning rod is a mobile profile which is used in conjunction with sight rails. The
length of the traveler is equal to the difference in height between the rail level and the
proposed excavation level. Figure 1 shows the traveler in use in a trench excavation.

Setting out peg at a predetermined level

The basic principle of setting out a profile board at a predetermined level is shown in figure 6.

Figure 6: Setting out peg at a predetermined level.

Point A is a temporary bench mark (RL 8.55 m AD). Profile boards B and C are to be erected
such that the level of board B is 9.000 m and that of board C is 8.500 m. Theses levels may
represent floor levels of buildings or may represent a level of, say, 1.00 or 2.00 m above a drain
invert level or a roadway formation level.

Setting up profile boards at different levels is the same operation and, once mastered, the
methods may be used for any number of profiles on a site.

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8 SGF212: Fundamentals of Surveying II, Dept of Surveying & Geoinformatics, Bells University of Technology, Ota.

(a) Procedure - method 1

1. The observer sets up the leveling instrument at a height convenient for observing a site
bench mark (RL 8.55 m AD) and takes a back sight staff reading (1.25 m). The height of
collimation (HPC) is the therefore;

RL Benchmark + BS Reading

i.e. HPC = 8.55 m + m + 1.255 m = 9.80 m.

2. The assistant firmly hammers home a small peg, 300 mm long, besides the profile peg
and a fore sight reading (1.11 m) is taken to a staff held vertically upon it. The level of
the top of the small peg is therefore

RL = HPC – FS reading
= 9.80 – 1.11 = 8.69 m

3. The difference in level between the top of the small peg (8.69 m) and the required
profile level (9.00 m) is calculated:

Difference = 9.00 m- 8.69 m = 0.31 m

Using a tape, the assistant measures this height against the profile peg and marks it in
pencil.

4. A profile boars is nailed securely to the profile peg, such that the upper edge of the
board is against the pencil mark, and is thus at a level of 9.00 m.

This method is widely used on construction sites because of its simplicity. However, it has the
disadvantage that the observer has to rely upon the assistant (often untrained) to correctly
mark the final height on the profile peg. The disadvantage is overcome by using the following
method.

(b) Procedure - method 2

1. The observer sets up the leveling instrument, takes a back sight to the benchmark and
computes the height of collimation (HPC) as before;

HPC = RL benchmark + BS reading

= 8.55 m + 1.25 m = 9.80 m

2. The staff man holds the staff against the profile peg and moves it slowly up or down
until the base of the staff is at a height 9.00 m, exactly. This will occur when the
observer reads 9.80 m – 9.00 m = 0.80 m on the staff, since

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9 SGF212: Fundamentals of Surveying II, Dept of Surveying & Geoinformatics, Bells University of Technology, Ota.

HPC = 9.80 m

Required profile level = 9.00 m

Therefore staff reading = 0.80 m

3. The base of the staff is marked in pencil against the profile peg and the profile board is
nailed securely to the peg, such that the upper edge of the board is against the pencil
mark.
4. Profile board C is established in exactly the same manner, but since the board is to be
erected at different level, a new calculation is required;

HPC = 9.80 m

Required profile level = 8.50 m

Therefore staff reading = (9.80- 8.50) m = 1.30 m

5. The observer sets up the leveling instrument, takes a back sight to the bench mark and
computes the height of collimation (HPC).