LEVELIN

Prepared by: Juvelyn M. Manriquez MATVE-Draftin

OUR MATERIAL
TODAY:
> Introduction: Leveling
> Principles of Leveling
> Types of levels and
leveling rods
> Differential leveling and
benchmark establishment
> Profile leveling and cross
sectioning
> Adjustments of levels
2
LEVELING
Level - having a surface
without bends, curves,
or irregularities.
 LEVELING
the process of determining and
measuring height differences
between points on the Earth's
surface.

It is a fundamental technique that

ensures accurate elevation data for
construction, roadwork, drainage
systems, and other infrastructure
projects.
PRINCIPLE OF
LEVELING
Levelling is done using a
levelling instrument or level, a
levelling staff or rod, a chain or
tape for measuring horizontal
distances and a field book for
logging. The levelling instrument
consists of a telescope with its
eyepiece and a bubble tube.
LEVELING STAFF/ROD

A levelling instrument consists of a telescope with

its eyepiece and a bubble tube.

SURVEYING STEEL TAPE

PRINCIPLE OF LEVELING

How to determine the level?

• When the instrument is accurately levelled, the axis
of the bubble tube and the line of sight will be
horizontal, and the bubble must be central. When
the telescope is rotated, the line of sight shall
remain in a horizontal plane. This process is called
instrument levelling. The levelling instrument is used
to sight a staff kept on a known or unknown point or
elevation. The primary reading thus taken for a
known height forms the datum or reference. Based
on the datum, the height or elevation of the line of
sight can be read with the staff readings.

7
PRINCIPLE OF LEVELING
How to determine the level?
• Assume that h1= 1.225, and h2= 0.885
• Reduced level of the instrument Height is, RL = (A+h1),
100 + 1.225 =101.225
• Reduced level of the point B = (Instrument Height-h2),
101.225-0.885=100.34
• A levelling instrument can help us establish a horizontal
line, which may not be a level line. Nevertheless, for
short distances the difference between level line and
horizontal line can be negligible. To eliminate instrument
errors, the points measured have to be equidistant from
the levelling instrument. If the point is lower, the staff
reading will be higher; if the point is higher, the staff
reading will be lower.

8
PRECAUTIONS TO
BE TAKEN IN
LEVELLING:
1. For accurate reading, the staff should be kept vertically. As an
alternative method, the staff can be waved and the lowest
reading is taken. Both methods are found to be equally good.
2. In order to obtain an accurate line of sight, the bubble in the
levelling instrument has to be at the center and the foot screws
must be used carefully.
3. Mark the readings in the increasing direction so as to avoid
errors. The readings have to be taken on the portion of the staff
between two vertical crosshairs.
4. Verify for congruence of foresight and backsight distances.
5. Make sure not to disturb the tripod of the instrument, once it
is suitably placed.
6. Careful in fixing turning or changing point, for it has to be a
fixed or stable point.
7. Ensure the elimination of errors such as parallax, incorrect
reading, etc.
8. The instrument is weather-sensitive and hence, avoid working
in very hot conditions.
 TYPES OF LEVEL:
• The Dumpy Level, originally designed by Gravatt, is
one of the most commonly used instruments in
levelling operations. Its defining feature is the
telescope, which is rigidly fixed to its support. This
means the telescope cannot rotate about its
longitudinal axis, nor can it be removed from its base.
This fixed structure ensures stability and precision,
making it ideal for taking several observations from a
single setup.

• The name “dumpy” comes from the instrument’s

relatively short and thick appearance compared to
other levelling instruments, such as the Wye Level.
The levelling head of the dumpy level typically
consists of two parallel plates, held together by either
DUMPY LEVEL
three or four foot screws. The upper plate, known as
the tribrach, is connected to the telescope, while the
lower plate, or trivet, is mounted on the tripod,
providing
10 a stable base for the instrument.
 TYPES OF LEVEL:
• The Wye Level (or Y-Level) is another commonly used
levelling instrument, similar to the dumpy level but
with a key difference: the telescope in the wye level is
supported by two Y-shaped uprights. These supports
allow the telescope to be easily removed and rotated
around its longitudinal axis. Unlike the dumpy level,
where the telescope is rigidly fixed, the wye level’s
telescope can be detached by releasing two clamping
collars on top of the Y-supports.

• This design offers the advantage of allowing

adjustments to be tested quickly and easily. Since the
telescope is not permanently fixed, it can be rotated,
removed, or turned end-to-end for rapid checks.
However, the wye level has more movable and
WYE LEVEL
exposed parts, which can lead to frictional wear over
time. This makes it less durable compared to the
dumpy level.
11
 TYPES OF LEVEL:
• The Reversible Level combines the key features of
both the dumpy and wye levels, allowing users to
benefit from the strengths of each. The design
includes a telescope similar to that of a wye level,
supported by two rigid sockets. The telescope can be
inserted into these sockets from either end and
fastened securely with screws, giving it the ability to
be reversed. When the telescope is fastened, the
reversible level functions like a dumpy level, offering
stability for precise levelling tasks.

• This ability to reverse the telescope provides an

advantage in eliminating collimation error, which is
the misalignment of the line of sight. By taking
readings with the telescope reversed (often referred to REVERSIBLE LEVEL
as “bubble left” and “bubble right” readings), any
small errors in alignment can be detected and
corrected.
12
 TYPES OF LEVEL:
• The Tilting Level is a specialized levelling instrument
designed for precision work. Its key feature is a
telescope attached to a level tube, which can be tilted
slightly (up to 4 degrees) in a vertical plane using a
tilting screw. This feature enables the surveyor to fine-
tune the centering of the bubble for each observation
without the need for precise initial levelling.

• Unlike the dumpy or wye level, where the line of

collimation (the line of sight through the telescope)
must be perpendicular to the vertical axis, the tilting
level does not require this alignment. Instead, the
surveyor can achieve accurate leveling by roughly
setting up the instrument and then using the tilting
screw to make the final adjustments before taking TILTING LEVEL
each reading. This saves time and increases efficiency,
especially when only a few observations are needed

13
 TYPES OF LEVEL:
• The Automatic Level, also known as the Self-
Leveling Level, simplifies the levelling process by
utilizing a stabilizer or compensator that automatically
adjusts the line of sight to be horizontal. While its
design is similar to the dumpy level, with the
telescope fixed to the tribrach, it incorporates a
compensator mechanism to provide more efficient and
accurate levelling.

AUTOMATIC LEVEL

14
 TYPES OF LEVEL:
• The Digital Level represents a modern advancement
in levelling technology, combining traditional optical
techniques with electronic image processing to
enhance precision and reduce human error. It operates
in much the same way as a conventional optical level,
but with the added capability of electronically
measuring and recording observations.

DIGITAL LEVEL

15
 TYPES OF LEVEL:
• The Hand level is a compact and portable levelling
instrument ideal for quick, preliminary surveys,
particularly in hilly or uneven terrain where high
precision is not required. It consists of a small tube,
about 15 cm long, that can be adjusted for focus. The
observer sights through a pinhole while aligning the
horizontal wire with a distant target, such as a staff. A
small level tube sits on top of the device, with a 45°
half-silvered mirror inside, allowing the simultaneous
view of both the bubble and the target. When the
cross-hair bisects the bubble, the staff reading is
taken, indicating the level.
• While the hand level is easy to use and suitable for
short sight distances, its main drawback is the inability
to focus the bubble and distant target together, HAND LEVEL
limiting its accuracy. This makes it useful for rough
levelling tasks but unsuitable for precise
measurements
16 .
 TYPES OF LEVEL STAFF OR RODS
• A levelling staff is a graduated vertical wooden flat rod used for
measuring the vertical distances on the ground. There are two
types;
• Target staff - The target staff is comprised of two sections, a 6-foot-
long upper rod and a 7-foot lower one. The upper rod slides into the
lower one, allowing for adjustability and compatibility when transporting
it. There is also a movable target that comes with the rod, which you can
move up or down during measuring.
Target staff
• Self reading staff – it is the version that allows the observer to read
the measurements directly through a telescope without having to
include any intermediate steps. These types of staffs are pretty
straightforward to use and are very efficient and actually eliminate the
need for you to carry additional equipment or have additional staff with
you. They are mostly used in leveling and surveying types of tasks
mostly due to their simplicity and ease of use.

17 Self-reading staffs
 TYPES OF LEVEL STAFF OR RODS

• Classification of Self reading staff:

1. Solid staffs: It is typically 3 meters in length constructed as a
single continuous piece. They offer greater accuracy in reading
measurements thanks to the absence of sockets or hinges.
2. Folding or hinged staff: Usually made out of quality seasoned
timber to ensure durability and precision. They come in 4 meters in
length, composed of two 2-meter pieces connected by a hinge. The
thickness is usually 18mm, while the width is 75mm.
3. Telescopic or Sopwith-Type Staff: This one consists of three
interlocking parts. The top section consists of a 1.25-meter solid
piece, while the central and the lower section are 1.25m and 1.5m
respectively. These pieces fit each other in a telescope manner and
when fully extended measure up a total length of 4 meters.

18
DIFFERENTIAL LEVELING AND
BENCHMARK
ESTABLISHMENT
• Differential leveling is a method used to
measure vertical distances (elevations)
accurately. By using a level you can
accurately measure the differences
between “objects” using proper survey
methods, even if the objects are further
apart than you can see looking though the
scope.
• Differential leveling typically starts at a
known fixed point, possibly a published
benchmark or simply at an arbitrary point
that won’t be disturbed that, can be used
again in the future. This benchmark
serves as the starting point for our
elevation measurements.

19
20
MARKET OVERVIEW

• Opportunity to build Gross Net

Clients Orders
• Fully inclusive market revenue revenue

• Total addressable
20XX 10 1100 $10,000 $7,000
market
• Freedom to invent
20XX 20 200 $20,000 $16,000
• Selectively inclusive
market
20XX 30 300 $30,000 $25,000
• Serviceable available
market
20XX 40 400 $40,000 $30,000

21
PROFILE LEVELING AND CROSS SECTION
LEVELING
Profile leveling (Longitudinal sectioning) is the
process of determining the elevations of points
at short measured intervals along a fixed line
such as central line of a railway, highway,
canals or sewer. Cross section are run
transverse to the longitudinal profile and on
either side of it at regular intervals to obtain
lateral outline of the ground surface. This ends
up in providing data for estimating quantities
of earthwork and other purposes like
identifying the relationship between existing
ground surface and the levels of the proposed
design.

22
 ADJUSTMENTS OF LEVEL
Adjustment of a Level refers to the process of aligning and
calibrating a leveling instrument to ensure accurate readings. A
level instrument requires two primary types of adjustments to
ensure accurate functioning:

Temporary Adjustments: These are made each time the level

is set up for use.
Permanent Adjustments: These adjustments are made to
correct any mechanical misalignments or calibration issues in
the instrument and are typically performed by a professional.

23
 ADJUSTMENTS OF LEVEL
Temporary Adjustments of a Level
Temporary adjustments refer to those that are performed for
every individual setup of the leveling instrument. These are
critical for ensuring accurate and precise measurements on-site
and consist of the following three steps:

1. Setting up the Level

2. Levelling up
3. Elimination of Parallax

24
 ADJUSTMENTS OF LEVEL
Permanent Adjustments of a Level
Permanent adjustments are made to ensure that all essential
parts of the instrument are correctly aligned relative to one
another. These adjustments are crucial for maintaining accuracy
and reliability during surveying tasks. Ideally, permanent
adjustments should be as precise as possible to prevent
measurement errors.

For a level, perfect permanent adjustment is not always

necessary if care is taken to balance the backsight and foresight
distances during measurements. In doing so, any minor errors
due to imperfect adjustments can be canceled out. However, it
is still important for a surveyor to understand how to test and
25
correct these adjustments to ensure optimal instrument
Click icon to add picture
THANK YOU!