LEVELS AND LEVELLING

Levelling:
Levelling is a branch of Surveying the object of which is (i) to find the elevation of
given points with respect to a given or assumed datum, and (ii) to establish points
DEFINITIONS

at a given elevation or at different elevations with respect to a given or assumed

datum. Levelling deals with measurements in a vertical plane.

Level:
A Level is an instrument by which the relative heights of different points on the
surface of the earth are determined.
A Level Surface:
A Level surface may be defined as the surface which coincides with the shape
adopted by the surface of a free liquid.

Mean Sea-Level(M.S.L):
Average height of the sea for all stages of the tides. At any particular pace it is
derived by averaging the hourly tide heights over a long period of 19 years.
 LEVELS AND LEVELLING
Mean Sea-Level(M.S.L):
Mean sea level (MSL) (abbreviated simply sea level) is an average level of the surface
of one or more of Earth's oceans from which heights such as elevations may be
DEFINITIONS

measured.
Geoid:
The surface of the earth at mean sea-level is termed as geoid.
Datum:
It is an imaginary surface with respect to which the heights of different points on the
earth’s surface are determined.
Elevation:
The elevation of a point is its vertical distance above or below the datum.
Bench Mark(B.M):
Bench Mark is a relatively permanent point of reference whose elevation with
respect to some assumed datum is known. It is used either as a starting point for
levelling or as a point upon which to close as a check.
 LEVELS AND LEVELLING
Height of the Instrument/Reduced Level(R.L):
The elevation of the line of collimation above datum is termed as the Height of the
Instrument. This is also known as the RL of the line of Collimation.
DEFINITIONS

Station:
A station is a point whose elevation is to be determined. It is a point where staff
reading is taken but not the point where the level is set up

Change point:
It is an intermediate station on which two readings are taken while the position of
the instrument is shifted.

Back, Inter and Fore Readings:

In any set up of the levelling instrument, the first staff reading on a station is termed
as Back Reading(B.R) and the last reading on a station is termed as the fore reading
(F.R) and the reading on the intermediate stations are termed as inter readings (I.R).
 LEVELS AND LEVELLING
The following staff readings were observed
successively with a level. The instrument having
been moved after third, sixth and eighth
Example

readings: 2.228; 1.606; 0.998; 2.090; 2.864;

1.262; 0.602; 1.982; 1.044; 2.684 meters. Enter
the above readings in a page of a level book and
calculate the R.L. of points if the first reading
was taken with a staff held on a bench mark of
432.384 m.
 LEVELS AND LEVELLING
The following staff readings were observed successively with a level. The instrument
Solution: Rise and Fall Method

having been moved after third, sixth and eighth readings: 2.228; 1.606; 0.998; 2.090;
2.864; 1.262; 0.602; 1.982; 1.044; 2.684 meters. Enter the above readings in a page of
a level book and calculate the R.L. of points if the first reading was taken with a staff
held on a bench mark of 432.384 m.
Staff Reading Difference
Station R.L Remarks
Back Inter Fore Rise Fall
1 2.228
2 1.606
3 2.090 0.998
4 2.864
5 0.602 1.262
6 1.044 1.982
7 2.684
 LEVELS AND LEVELLING
Staff Reading Difference
Stat
Solution: Rise and Fall Method
R.L Remarks
ion Back Inter Fore Rise Fall

1 2.228 432.384 B.M

2 1.606 0.622 433.006

Change
3 2.090 0.998 0.618 433.614
point
4 2.864 0.774 432.84
Change
5 0.602 1.262 1.602 434.452
point
Change
6 1.044 1.982 1.380 433.072
point
7 2.684 1.640 431.432
 LEVELS AND LEVELLING
Stat Staff Reading Difference
R.L Remarks
Solution: Rise and Fall Method

ion Back Inter Fore Rise Fall

1 2.228 432.384 B.M
2 1.606 0.622 433.006
Change
3 2.090 0.998 0.618 433.614
point
4 2.864 0.774 432.84
Change
5 0.602 1.262 1.602 434.452
point
Change
6 1.044 1.982 1.380 433.072
point
7 2.684 1.640 431.432
Total 5.964 6.916 2.842 3.794

Check: Sum of fore reading ~ sum of back reading=Total rise ~ total fall=Last RL ~ 1st RL
 LEVELS AND LEVELLING
Stat Staff Reading Difference
R.L Remarks
Solution: Rise and Fall Method

ion Back Inter Fore Rise Fall

1 2.228 432.384 B.M
2 1.606 0.622 433.006
Change
3 2.090 0.998 0.618 433.614
point
4 2.864 0.774 432.84
Change
5 0.602 1.262 1.602 434.452
point
Change
6 1.044 1.982 1.380 433.072
point
7 2.684 1.640 431.432
Total 5.964 6.916 2.842 3.794
Check 6.916-5.964=0.952; 2.842-3.794=0.952; 432.384-431.432=0.952 (OK)
 LEVELS AND LEVELLING
The following staff readings were observed successively with a level. The instrument
Solution: Line of Collimation Method

having been moved after third, sixth and eighth readings: 2.228; 1.606; 0.998; 2.090;
2.864; 1.262; 0.602; 1.982; 1.044; 2.684 meters. Enter the above readings in a page of
a level book and calculate the R.L. of points if the first reading was taken with a staff
held on a bench mark of 432.384 m.
Staff Reading Height of
Station R.L Remarks
Back Inter Fore Instrument
1 2.228
2 1.606
3 2.090 0.998
4 2.864
5 0.602 1.262
6 1.044 1.982
7 2.684
 LEVELS AND LEVELLING
Staff Reading Height of
Stati
Solution: Line of Collimation Method

Instrument R.L Remarks

on Back Inter Fore

1 2.228 434.612 432.384 B.M

2 1.606 433.006

3 2.090 0.998 435.704 433.614 Change point

4 2.864 432.84

5 0.602 1.262 435.044 434.452 Change point

6 1.044 1.982 434.106 433.072 Change point

7 2.684 431.432
Total 5.964 6.916
Check: Sum of fore reading ~ sum of back readingl=Last RL ~ 1st RL
Example: Calculate the missing Data LEVELS AND LEVELLING
The following figures were extracted from a level field book, some of the entries
being illegible owing to exposure to rain, insert the missing figures and check your
results. Rebook al the figures by the ‘rise and fall’ method.
Station B.R I.R F.R Rise Fall R.L Remark
1 2.285 232.460
2 1.650 0.020
3 2.105
4 1.960
5 2.050 1.925 0.300
6 232.255
7 1.690 0.340
8 2.865 2.100
9 233.425
Solution: Calculate the missing Data LEVELS AND LEVELLING
Station B.R I.R F.R Rise Fall R.L Remark

1 2.285 232.460

2 1.650 0.020

3 2.105

4 1.960

5 2.050 1.925 0.300

6 232.255

7 1.690 0.340

8 2.865 2.100

9 233.425
 LEVELS AND LEVELLING
Station B.R I.R F.R Rise Fall R.L Remark

1 2.285 232.460 B.M

Missing Data position??

2 1.650 2.265 0.020 232.480 C.P

3 2.105 0.455 232.025

4 1.625 1.960 0.145 232.170 C.P

5 2.050 1.925 0.300 231.870 C.P

6 1.665 0.385 232.255

7 1.690 1.325 0.340 232.595 C.P

8 2.865 2.100 0.410 232.185 C.P

9 1.625 1.240 233.425

 LEVELS AND LEVELLING
Station B.R I.R F.R Rise Fall R.L Remark
1 2.285 232.460 B.M
2 1.650 2.265 0.020 232.480 C.P
3 2.105 0.455 232.025
After Calculation

4 1.625 1.960 0.145 232.170 C.P

5 2.050 1.925 0.300 231.870 C.P
6 1.665 0.385 232.255
7 1.690 1.325 0.340 232.595 C.P
8 2.865 2.100 0.410 232.185 C.P
9 1.625 1.240 233.425

Check: Sum of fore reading ~ sum of back reading=Total rise ~ total fall=Last RL ~ 1st RL
Exam Date & Syllabus 2nd
Term Test