What is Dumpy Level?

The dumpy level is an optical surveying leveling instrument consisting a telescope tube
firmly secured in two collars fixed by adjusting screws to the stage by the vertical spindle.
The telescope can rotate only in a horizontal plane. Relative elevation of different points of a
surveying land is determined with dumpy level.
English civil engineer William Gravatt is considered as the inventor of the dumpy level. He
invented dumpy level in 1832 while using the conventional Y level.
A dumpy level is also called a builder's level, an automatic level.

Use of Dumpy Levels in Surveying

The dumpy level is mainly used in surveying for the following purposes:

To determine relative height and distance among different locations of a surveying

land.
To determine relative distance among different locations of a surveying land.

Advantages of Dumpy Level Survey

The dumpy level is a widely used surveying instrument in surveying. The advantages which
have made the dumpy level so popular is given below.

Simple construction with fewer movable parts.

Fewer adjustments to be made.
Due to the rigidity of dumpy levels, it retains its two adjustment for a long time.
High optical power.

Disadvantages of Dumpy Level Survey

There are few limitation or disadvantages of dumpy level. These limitations are given
below.

Civil Engineers may find it difficult in making accurate measurements.

Difficulty in using.

Parts of Dumpy Levels

1. Telescope 7. Foot Screws

2. Eye-Piece 8. Upper parallel Plate
3. Ray Shade 9. Diaphragm Adjusting Screws
4. Objective End 10. Bubble Tube Adjusting Screws
5. Longitudinal Bubble 11. Transverse Bubble Tube
6. Focusing Screws 12. Foot Plate

How to Use a Dumpy Level for Surveying

To conduct dumpy level survey the following instruments is required.

Dumpy Level
Tripod
E meter staff or English staffs

Also, an assistant will be required for a dumpy level survey. Once everything is ready, the
following steps should be followed for a successful dumpy level survey.
 At first, the tripod is configured properly to hold the dumpy level. The tripod height
should be adjusted until it is on the eye level. Then, legs of the tripod should be
moved to a balanced position to hold the instrument properly. Finally, tripod legs
should be fixed by pressing them to the ground.
The dumpy level instrument is set up on the top of the tripod. Foot screw is used to
screw the device tightly on the tripod. As the level head is very sensitive, special
care is required in this step.
To work properly, it is very important to make the dumpy level completely horizontal.
Using foot-screws (leveling screws) the dumpy level is set to a leveled condition.
Leveling screws should be adjusted until the alignment bubble is in the center of the
marker.
The operator looks through the eyepiece of the telescope.
An assistant holds an E meter or staff vertical at the point under measurement.
Usually, this staff has both imperial and metric measurements. The 'E' on the staff is
equivalent to five centimeters.
The elevations (levels) of different points is gathered with the help of the instrument
and staff.
Measurement generally starts from a benchmark with the known height determined
by a previous survey, or an arbitrary point with an assumed height.
Types of Levels Used in Leveling
Following are the types of different levels used for leveling in surveying:

Dumpy level
Y level
Cushings level
Tilting level
Cookes reversible level
Automatic level

Dumpy Level

Dumpy level is the most commonly used instrument in leveling. In this level the
telescope is restricted against movement in its horizontal plane and telescope is fixed to
its support. A bubble tube is provided on the top of the telescope.

But however, the leveling head can be rotated in horizontal plane with the telescope.
The telescope is internal focusing telescope is a metal tube contains four main parts as
given below.

Objective lens
Negative lens
Diaphragm
Eye-piece
Objective Lens

Objective lens should be made as the combination of crown glass and flint glass.
Because of this some defects like spherical aberration and chromatic aberration can be
eliminated. A thin layer coating which has smaller refractive index than glass is provided
on the objective lens to reduce the loss due to reflection.

Negative Lens

Negative lens located co axial to the objective lens. So, the optical axis for both lenses
is same.

Diaphragm

Diaphragm is fitted inside the main tube which contains cross hairs (vertical and
horizontal) and these are adjusted by capstan headed screws. The cross hairs are
made of dark metal as filament wires which are inserted in diaphragm ring in exact
position. For stadia leveling purposes, extra two horizontal cross hairs are provided
above and below the horizontal wire.
Eyepiece

Eyepiece lens enable the ability to sight the object together with cross hairs. The image
seen through eye piece is magnified and inverted. Some eyepieces erect the image into
normal view and those are called as erecting eyepieces.

Y Level

Y level or Wye-level consists y-shaped frames which supports the telescope. Telescope
cane be removed from the y-shaped supports by releasing clamp screws provided.
These y-shaped frames are arranged to vertical spindle which helps to cause the
rotation of telescope.

Compared to dumpy level, adjustments can be rapidly tested in y- level. But, there may
be a chance of frictional wear of open parts of level.
Cushings Level

In case of Cushings level, the telescope is restricted against rotation in its longitudinal
axis and it is non-removable. But, the object end and eye piece end can be
interchangeable and reversible.

Tilting Level

Tilting level consist a telescope which enabled for the horizontal rotation as well as
rotation about 4 degree in its vertical plane. Centering of bubble can be easily done in
this type of level. But, for every setup bubble is to be centered with the help of tilting
screw.

The main advantage of tilting level is it is useful when the few observations are to be
taken with one setup of level.
Cookes Reversible Level

Cookes reversible level is the combination of dumpy level and y-level. In this
instrument, the telescope can be reversed without rotation the instrument. Collimation
error can be eliminated in this case because of bubble left and bubble right reading of
telescope.

Automatic Level
Automatic level is like the dumpy level. In this case the telescope is fixed to its supports.
Circular spirit can be attached to the side of the telescope for approximate leveling. For
more accurate leveling, compensator is attached inside the telescope.

Compensator can help the instrument to level automatically. Compensator is also called
as stabilizer which consists two fixed prisms and it creates an optical path between eye
piece and objective.

Due to the action of gravity, the compensator results the optical system to swing into
exact position of line of sight automatically. But before the process of leveling,
compensator should be checked.
To check the compensator, just move the foot screws slightly if the leveling staff reading
remains constant then compensator is perfect. If it is not constant, then tap the
telescope gently to free the compensator. Automatic level is also called as self-adjusting
level.

Read More: Types of Leveling Methods used in Surveying