5.

MEASURING VERTICAL DISTANCE

5.1 Introduction

 The vertical direction is parallel to the direction of gravity; at any point, it

is the direction of a freely suspended plumb-bob cord.

 The vertical distance of a point above or below a given reference surface is

called the elevation of the point. Vertical distance are measured with
respect to a horizontal lines of sight.

 The most commonly used reference surface for vertical distance is mean
sea level.

 The vertical distances are measured by the surveyor in order to determine

the elevation of points, in a process called running levels or leveling.
 LEVELLING
Definition of Levelling

• The determination and control of elevations constitute a fundamental operation in

surveying and engineering projects.

• Leveling is the general term applied to any of the various processes by which
elevations of points or differences in elevation are determined.

• It is a vital operation in producing necessary data for mapping, engineering design,

and construction.
• Leveling is the operation in surveying performed to determine and establish
elevation of points on the surface of the earth or beneath surface of the earth, to
determine differences in elevation between points, and to control grades in
construction surveys.
 Cont’d

• Leveling is a method of surveying used for determination of the difference of

elevations or levels of various points on the surface of the earth.

• The elevation of a point is its vertical distance above or below a reference level,
called datum. The most commonly used datum is the mean sea level (M.S.L) or

• In surveying the reference datum that is universally employed is that of mean sea
level (MSL).

• Leveling is an important method of surveying for many engineering works and

construction projects.

• Success of engineering projects depends up on accurate determination of

elevations.
 Cont’d

 Leveling is of prime importance to the engineers, both for design as well as for
execution of a project.

Leveling results are used to:

i. Design highways, railroads, canals, sewers etc.

ii. Layout construction projects according to planned elevations.

iii. Calculate volume of earthwork and other materials.

iv. Investigate drainage characteristics of the area.

v. To determine the catchments area, volume of the reservoir.

vi. Develop maps showing ground configuration.

 Levelling Equipment

• Compared with a transit or theodolite, the level is a relatively simple instrument.

• It is only required to give a horizontal line of sight in all directions of the compass, and this is

easily accomplished using basic optical and mechanical components.

• A transit or theodolite may also be used for leveling work, although the accuracy obtained is

generally less.

• A simple hand level may be used for determining the elevations when a high degree of accuracy is

not required.

• There are several types of surveying levels and level rods.

• The most common types of levels are the dumpy level, the tilting level and the automatic level.
 Cont’d
 The most common level type

Dumpy Level : This level was commonly used in surveying work until the last few decades.
Although these excellent, sturdy, and long-lasting devices have very largely been replaced with more
modern instruments, they are discussed at some length here to help the student understand leveling.

Fig. Dumpy level

 Cont’d

• Tilting Level: A tilting level is one whose telescope can be tilted or rotated about its horizontal
axis. The instrument can be leveled quickly and approximately by mean of a bull’s eye or circular
eye level. With the telescope pointed at the level rod, the surveyor rotates a tilting knob that moves
the telescope through a small vertical angle until the telescope is level. A tilting level is shown in
figure below.

• Fig. tilting
level
 Cont’d

Automatic or Self-levelling Level: Automatic levels are the standard instruments used by today’s

surveyor. This type of level (an example of which is shown in figure below) is very easy to set up and

to use and is available with almost any desired range of precision.

Fig. automatic level

 The most common components of several types of levels are
the telescopic sight and spirit bubble vial
 5.2 Words (basic terms) used in leveling survey works
1. ;m

 m.

2. ; mmmmm.

3. mmm

 m.

. 

mmmm

 .

5. .

6. m

 .
 5.3 steps & Principle of leveling

1. Setting up - Set up the tripod at a convenient height and press the tripod feet
firmly into the ground. The tripod head should be approximately horizontal. Fix
the instrument on it.

2. Leveling up –level the instrument with the foot screws until the circular bubble
is in the center.

The movement of the circular bubble can be divided into two directions. One
direction is parallel to line joining any two of the foot screws.

The second direction is then parallel to a perpendicular line from the third foot
screw to the line joining the two other foot screws.
 Cont’d

Turn the instrument until the telescope axis is parallel to any two foot screws.

3. focusing - First focus the eyepiece until the cross hairs appear sharp and clear
then point the telescope towards the object (staff) and focus until you see clearly
the graduation of the staff.
Procedures of setting up the level
 5.4 Methods of Levelling
 There are several methods for measuring vertical distances and determining the
elevations of points. The different types of levelling such as, simple & compound
differential, fly, profile, crossectioning and resprocal leveling.

 Simple differential leveling:

When the point are so closed that only one levelling station is required
 Cont’d

• The operation of reading a vertical rod held alternately on two nearby points is the
essence of differential leveling. The difference between the two rod readings is, in
effect, the vertical distance between the two points.
The basic cycle of differential leveling can be summarized as follows:

• A secure and permanent point of known elevation is called a bench mark (BM); a
leveling survey should begin with a back sight on a benchmark. The BS is added
to the elevation to give the HI at the first instrument position.
 Cont’d

• For example, suppose the elevation of point A is 100.00 m (above MSL), and the rod reading is
1.00m as shown fig below. It is clear that the elevation of the line of sight is 100.00+1.00 =
101.00m. The elevation of the horizontal line of sight through the level is called the height of
instrument (HI).

• Fig. Differential leveling to measure vertical distance and elevation. (a) Step 1: take a backsight rod reading
on point A (b) Step 2: rotate the telescope toward point B and take foresight rod reading.
 Cont’d
 Compound differential (continuous) leveling:

 Is required for the determination of the difference of elevation of two points, which are quite apart.
A number of setting ups of the instrument are required in differential levelling.

 Several Simple Differential levelling makes the Compounded Differential Levelling: When the
distance between the levelling points is so far that several levelling stations are required. In this
method we make a turning point from a reference benchmarks.
 Cont’d
• For example, Suppose it is necessary to determine the elevation of some point C from point A as
shown fig below. But in this case, let us assume that it is not possible to set up the level so that both
points A and C are visible from one position. The line of levels can be carried forward towards C
by establishing a convenient and temporary turning point (TP) somewhere between A and C. The
selected TP serves merely as an intermediate reference point; it does not have to be actually set in
the ground as a permanent monument.

• Fig. Temporary turning points

are used to carry a line of levels from

a benchmark to some other station

or benchmark; the process of differential

leveling is repeated at each instrument set up.

 3.5 Method of booking

There are two methods of booking for obtaining the elevations in the field for

leveling.

1. Rise & fall method

2. Height of collimation method.

Method -1 Rise and fall methods

The readings are booked in a level book, which is specially printed for the purpose

as shown in the following table

 Cont’d
 The reductions of these readings are carried out in the same book.

 Each reading entered on different line in the applicable column except where the points, where a
foresight and back sight occupy the same line.

 In this method the different of the present staff reading is subtracted from the previous staff
reading.

 Previous reading – present staff reading = +ve, denotes Rise

 Previous reading – present staff reading = -ve, denotes Fall

Note: The very important check must be applied to the reductions.

It follows from the above that the first two checks should be carried out and verified before working
out the reduced level.
 Solve by Rise and Fall Method
The following table shows the general methods of booking & reducing by rise and fall method
 Method -2 Height of plane of collimation method

• The height of plane of collimation methods sometimes called height of instruments.

• The height of collimation is obtained by adding the staff reading, which must be back
sight, to know RL of the points on which the staff stands.

• All other reading are deducted from the height of collimation until the instruments setting
is changed.

• Where upon the new height of collimation is determined by adding the back sight to the
RL of the change points.

The reading and Computed values are booked is a level books which is specifically printed
for this purpose.
 Cont’d

Note: The very important arithmetic check must be applied to the reductions.

 Solve by Height of plane of collimation (HPC) method

 EXAMPLES

The following readings were taken with a level and a 4m staff, draw up a level
book page and reduce the levels by
 Rise and Fall Method With Arithmetic Checking
 Cont’d
 Reduced by Height of Instrument Method With Arithmetic Checking
 Additional Levelling Examples
Complete the field notes for the following level exercise.

point BS FS H.I Elevation

+ - (RL)
 5.6 Errors and sources of errors in levelling

Errors in leveling classified as follows - due to wind & sun

 personal errors Instrumental errors

- errors in sighing - imperfect adjustment of the level

- errors in manipulation - defective level tube

- errors reading in the staff - shaky tripod

- errors in recording and computation - imperfect graduation of the staff

 Errors due to natural causes

- due to curvature & refraction

 Cont’d

Common sources of errors in levelling

1. Instrument not correctly levelled.

2. Telescope not correctly focused.

3. The wrong cross-hair reading recorded (e.g. top instead of middle).

4. Staff incorrectly read or not held vertical.

5. Staff incorrectly booked