HEADINGS: Level Books & Arithmetic Checks

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The Papua New Guinea University of Technology

Department of Surveying and Land Studies
SV 291: SURVEYING FOR ENGINEERS I
TOPIC: LEVEL & LEVELLING Lecture 2
HEADINGS: Level Books & Arithmetic Checks.

For keeping a record of levelling observations special level books or forms are printed.
The entry of observations has to be very clearly written in the right line and column in the field
book. When there is an elevation error found in a project, the original filed becomes very
important player in sorting the problem.
Two systems are used for recording and reducing these observations;
I. Height of Instrument Method (sometime refer to as Height of Collimation Method).
ii Rise and Fall Method
1.1 Height of Instrument Method (Ht. of Collimation)
This method is very useful in setting out levels on excavation sights and similar where the level
instrument is set on a convenient spot to sight to the BM and take observations to all points of interest
and giving them instance RLs.
The RL of the BM + the BS is = H I of Coll. reading normally is stored in the calculator and recalled when
needed to given RL of ground surface.
The table below is the booking of HI of Coll; where there are no rise and fall columns.
BS IS FS HI RL Remarks
6.482 46.482 40.000 BM1

5.844 2.159 50.167 44.323 CP1
3141 47.026 C
-2.956 53.123 D-Underside of bridge
5.600 44.567 E
4.298 7.318 47.147 42.849 CP2
3.015 44.132 F
4.264 42.883 BM2
16.624 13.741 2.883

-13.741
2.883
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The observed data in the table is explained below.
Assume BM1 has a known RL of 40.000m
While set up at 1 the backsight to BM1 is 6.482. This indicates that the horizontal line of sight
defined by the level is 6.482 above BM1. Therefore the height of the horizontal line of sight at
the set up is 40.000 + 6.482 = 46.482m (RL of Ht. of instrument).
The foresight to CP1 shows that CP1 is 2.159m below instrument height and therefore has RL of
46.482 – 2.159 = 44.323m.
On shifting to station 2 a backsight of 5.844 is read to CP1. The height of instrument at station is
44.323 + 5.844 = 50.167m.
While setup at 2, consecutive readings (Intermediate) were observed to C,D,E and CP2 as 3.141,
2.956, 5.600 and 7.318m below the instrument height.
Hence the RL of each of these points is;
C = 50.167 – 3.141 = 47.026
D = 50.167 + (-(-2.956)) = 53.123m
E = 50.167 – 5.600 = 44.567m
CP2 = 50.167 – 7.318 = 42.849m
By repeated application of the above computations, all observations are reduced until
an RL for the final point (BM2) is deduced.
3.2 Rise and Fall Method
A typical set out for Rise and Fall method of recording and reducing leveling observations is
shown below.
In this method the height of instrument is not computed. The difference in RL’s between two
consecutive points is computed directly as the difference in staff readings to those points from
the same instrument station.
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If the convention is adopted that difference in elevation = backsight – foresight, then a positive
answer indicates a Rise, while a negative answer indicates a Fall, e.g. the difference in
elevation between BM1 and CP1 is 6.482 – 2.159 = + 4.323 = a rise.
Usually the Rise and Fall method is used when a you want to transfer a level value from BM some
distance afar to a an established TBM near a project site. It is good as you can check your work
especially when you use the same change point on your reverse run.
BS IS FS Rise Fall RL Staff Station/ Remarks
6.482 40.000 BM1

5.844 2.159 4.323 44.323 CP1
3.141 2.703 47.026 C
-2.956 6.097 53.123 D – Undersde of bridge
5.600 8.556 44.567 E
4.298 7.318 1.718 42.849 CP2
3.015 1.283 44.132 F
4.264 1.249 42.883 BM2
16.624 13.741 14.406 11.523

-13.741 -11.523 2.883
2.883 2.883
Inverted Staff Readings (Reduction)
It will be noticed in both methods negative staff readings or inverted staff readings are treated
exactly the same as other readings except that their algebraic sign is taken into account.
4.0 Arithmetic and Field Checks
4.1 Arithmetic Checks

At any set up the Rise or Fall is equal to the difference in successive staff readings taken at that
set-up. Hence for a run of run levels between two points the algebraic sum of each should be
equal. This is the bases of all the arithmetic checks possible.
For the Height of Instrument method, the check to be made is whether;
∑BS - ∑FS = RL final point – RL initial point (where RL’s are those reduced in the level books.)
For the Rise and Fall method the arithmetic checks to be made are that;
∑BS - ∑FS = ∑Rise - ∑Fall = RL final point – RL initial point.

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If these checks prove correct, then no arithmetic errors exist in the reduction of the levelling
observations. In order that the level work be self checking, level runs are always made;
i) between two bench marks of Known RL.

ii) In a loop, starting and finishing on the same point (not necessarily a bench
mark).
For ordinary levelling an allowable vertical misclose between marks of known RL is 0.012√k m, where k
is the length of the level run in kilometres. If the observed difference in elevation agrees to within this
tolerance with the known difference, the levelling results are satisfactory. If such agreement is not
achieved, part or all of the leveling will need to be repeated.
Before leaving the project sight the surveyor must perform this arithmetic checks to ensure that the
level process error is within the standard required. It would be very costly to discover in the office and
to make a trip back
Preferred Reduction Method
The Rise and Fall method of reduction of level run observations is preferred because it allows a good
check on all readings as all intermediate points are used twice.
However the Height of Instrument is very appropriate for setting out specific levels on a construction
site.
4.2 Field Checks

In case where field checking proves necessary, field procedures should be adopted which will minimize
the work required. It is good practice -;
i. to use existing suitable marks as change points as much as possible.

ii. where work is levelled forward and back to use the same point as much as possible.
BS IS FS Rise Fall RL Remarks
2.950 BM1
2.148 1.168 1.782 CP1
1.994 0.973 1.175 CP2
2.014 0.925 1.069 CP3
0.650 0.778 1.236 TBM
0.812 1.885 1.235 CP3
0.750 1.880 1.068 CP2
0.805 1.825 1.075 CP1
2.589 1.784 BM
(12.123) (12.023) (5.262) (5.162)

-12.023 -5.162
0.100 0.100
∑BS - ∑FS = 0.100

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This indicates an error since work started and finished on the same BM.
Isolating the 0.1m error.
Since the same points were used each way, each bay was levelled twice, i.e. the height difference BM –
CP1, CP1 – CP2, etc. has been measured twice.
Checking the reductions shows that the whole error lies in the bay CP1 – CP2. The rise is 1.175 and on
the back run a fall of 1.075 so the difference is 0.10 the error.
Hence, this bay only need be checked in the field. If temporary change points had been used
throughout, the error could not have been isolated in this way.

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1

The Papua New Guinea University of Technology

SV 291: SURVEYING FOR ENGINEERS I

TOPIC: LEVEL & LEVELLING Lecture 2

HEADINGS: Level Books & Arithmetic Checks.

I. Height of Instrument Method (sometime refer to as Height of Collimation Method).

ii Rise and Fall Method

1.1 Height of Instrument Method (Ht. of Collimation)

6.482 46.482 40.000 BM1

16.624 13.741 2.883

The observed data in the table is explained below.

Assume BM1 has a known RL of 40.000m

Hence the RL of each of these points is;

C = 50.167 – 3.141 = 47.026

D = 50.167 + (-(-2.956)) = 53.123m

E = 50.167 – 5.600 = 44.567m

CP2 = 50.167 – 7.318 = 42.849m

3.2 Rise and Fall Method

BS IS FS Rise Fall RL Staff Station/ Remarks

6.482 40.000 BM1

16.624 13.741 14.406 11.523

Inverted Staff Readings (Reduction)

4.0 Arithmetic and Field Checks

4.1 Arithmetic Checks

For the Height of Instrument method, the check to be made is whether;

∑BS - ∑FS = ∑Rise - ∑Fall = RL final point – RL initial point.

i) between two bench marks of Known RL.

4.2 Field Checks

i. to use existing suitable marks as change points as much as possible.

BS IS FS Rise Fall RL Remarks

(12.123) (12.023) (5.262) (5.162)

∑BS - ∑FS = 0.100

Isolating the 0.1m error.

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