CIV 205

Introduction to Geomatics
Course Instructor
Saidi Siuhi, Ph.D., EIT.

Lecture 02-Leveling

KEY DEFINITIONS

Elevation or Height
vertical distance above or below an arbitrary level surface
Datum: the level surface used for reference
Geoid: a horizontal surface shaped by the gravity field of the earth
Mean Sea Level (MSL): the average height of seas surface for all stages
of the tide over 19 year period.
Horizontal Line: straight line tangent to a level surface

Bench Mark (BM): a relatively permanent object, natural or artificial, with

its elevation above or below an adopted datum is known or assumed.

Leveling terms
2

CURVATURE AND REFRACTION

Curvature Correction:
Cc = 0.0785 K2(m)
(approx. 7.9 cm/km)
K = distance in km
Combining Refraction: Refraction
diminishes the effect of curvature
by 14%. BD is the combined effect
of Curvature and Refraction:
Ccr= 0.0675 K2 (m)
(approx. 6.75 cm/km)

LEVELING METHODS

Measuring vertical distances by taping or EDM.

Barometric Leveling.

Differential Leveling.

Trigonometric Leveling.

Surveying altimeter

Reflectorless EDM

Differential leveling
4

DIRECT DIFFERENTIAL LEVELING

HI = known elevation + BS
New Elevation = HI - FS

Plus sight (Backsight) = 8.42 ft.

Height of Instrument (HI) = 820 + 8.42 = 828.42 ft.
Minus Sight (Foresight) = 1.20 ft.
5
Elevation of point X = 828.42 1.20 = 827.22 ft.

TRIGONOMETRIC LEVELING FOR SHORT LINES

For short lines (shorter than 300 m):
Observe:

Zenith or vertical angle

Horizontal or slope distance

Heights of instrument

Height of target

Compute elevation
difference

V = S cos(z)
V = S sin ()
V = H cot(z)
V = H tan()
6

elev = hi + V - r

TRIGONOMETRIC LEVELING FOR LONG LINES

Instrument is set up at C over point A.
Sight D is made on a rod held at point B.
Zm or m is measured.
elev = HG + GF + V ED r
elev = HI + V + (C R) r

LEVELING: FIELD PROCEDURES AND COMPUTATIONS

Setting up a level

Holding the rod

DIFFERENTIAL LEVELING
KEY WORDS

Bench Mark (BM)

Turning Point (TP)

Backsight (BS)

foresight (FS)

Height of Instrument (HI)

Figure 5.4: Differential leveling
9

DIFFERENTIAL LEVELING
Procedure and Arithmetic Check
Figure 5.4 illustrates the procedure followed in
differential leveling.
Elev. of new BM Oak is to be determined by
originating a leveling circuit at established BM Mil.
A plus sight (BS) is taken at the established benchmark.
HI is computed using eqn 4.4
FS is taken on the intermediate point (Turning PointTP1) and its elev. is determined using eqn 4.5
The process of taking a BS followed by FS is repeated
until the circuit is completed.
10

DIFFERENTIAL LEVELING
Procedure and Arithmetic Check
Horizontal lengths for BS and FS should be approx. equal.
Before leaving the field, all possible note checks must be made to
detect any mistakes in arithmetic and verify achievement of
acceptable closure
The algebraic sum of the BS and FS minus applied to the first
elevation should give the last elevation
The difference between first and final elevation is the loop
misclure
If closure is made to another benchmark, the section misclosure is
difference between the closing benchmarks given elevation and
elevation obtained after leveling through the section

11

DIFFERENTIAL LEVELING
Precision
Precision in leveling is increased by:

Repeating measurements

Making frequent ties to established benchmarks

Using high-quality equipment

Keeping equipment in good adjustment

Performing the measurements carefully

No matter how carefully the work is executed, errors will exist

and will be evident in form of misclosures.

To determine whether or not work is acceptable, misclosure

are compared with permissible values on the basis of number
of setups or distance covered.
12

DIFFERENTIAL LEVELING
Precision
For a simple construction survey, an allowable misclosure given
below may be used

C 0.02 n ft
Where n is the number of setups

The Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee (FGCS)

recommends the following formula to compute allowable
misclosure:

Cm K
Where:
C = allowable loop or section misclosure, in mm
m = constant
K = total distance leveled, in km

13

DIFFERENTIAL LEVELING
Precision

For loops (circuits that begin and end on the same

benchmark), FGCS specifies constants as follows:
Class of leveling
First-order class I
First-order class II
Second-order class I
Second-order class II
Third-order class I

m
4
5
6
8
12

14

DIFFERENTIAL LEVELING
Precision
Example
A differential leveling loop is run from an established BM A to a
point 2 miles away and back, with a misclosure of 0.056 ft.
what order of leveling does this represent?
See white board or page 111

15

FIELD NOTES

16

EXAMPLE
Differential leveling notes and computations
Sta
BM Mil

BS
1.33

TP1

0.22

8.37

TP2

0.96

7.91

TP3

0.46

11.72

BM
Oak

11.95

8.71

TP4

12.55

2.61

TP5

12.77

0.68

BM Mil

HI

FS

Elev.
2053.18

Adj. Elev

17

Adjustment Of Simple Level Circuits

Permissible misclosure are based on:

Lengths of lines leveled
Number of instrument setups

Adjustment of elevations is made in proportion to these

values

18

Adjustment Of Simple Level Circuits

EXAMPLE
Observed elevation differences d and lengths of sections L are
shown for the circuit below. The misclosure found by
algebraic summation of the elevation differences is 0.24 ft.
Make adjustment of elevation differences.
110.52
B
L=1.0 mi
100.00

L = 0.7 mi

L=0.5 mi

L=0.8 mi

C 115.88

D
107.35
19

RECIPROCAL LEVELING

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Set up the instrument on point x

Take several reading for point b
Move the instrument to point y
Take several readings for point a
elev is the average of both settings

20

PROFILE LEVELING

21

PROFILE LEVELING FIELD NOTES

22

EXAMPLE
A profile leveling circuit starts at BM CURB (that has an elevation of
76.72 ft) and ends at BM STAIR (that has an elevation of 88.35 ft).
The field readings for the circuit are as per the following (in the order
of being observed):
BS on BM CURB 7.98 ft;
Intermediate foresight (IFS) on 11+00 is 3.57 ft;
FS on TP1 is 6.35 ft;
BS on TP1 is 9.91 ft;
IFS on 12+00 is 5.34 ft;
IFS on 13+00 is 4.75 ft;
FS on TP2 is 4.44 ft;
BS on TP2 is 8.54 ft;
IFS on 14+00 is 3.82 ft; and
FS on BM STAIR is 3.98 ft.
Prepare, check and adjust a set of profile leveling field notes for the
23
above observations.

PROFILE LEVELING OUTPUT

24