Measurement of Vertical Distances (continuation…)

Method of Leveling
THREE - WIRE Leveling = a method in determining the elevation between two (2) or
more points wherein three (3) horizontal hairs are read and recorded rather than
from a single horizontal hair. For each backsight and foresight, all three horizontal
hairs are used.

***Key TERMS :
Bench Mark, BM – fixed point (initial and final points) of reference whose elevation is either
known (most often) or to be determined in a profile level.
Backsight, BS – a reading taken of when the instrument (dumpy level) is ahead the rod.
Foresight, FS – a reading taken of when the instrument (dumpy level) is behind the rod.
Turning Point, TP – intervening points between two bench marks upon which the foresight
and backsight rod readings are taken.
Height of Instruments, HI – elevation of the line of sight above or below datum.

ILLUSTRATION:

Where :
a = upper stadia hair reading
b = lower stadia hair reading
c = horizontal cross-hair reading
s = stadia intercept
m = mean / average of the three (3) hair readings

From the Illustration, additional derived formulas (RED) are the following:

s=a–b

a + b +c
m=
3

HI = Elevation of Q + mean of BS
HI = Elevation + mBS
Elevation = HI – mFS
Elevation of P = HI – mean of FS
By ARITHMETIC CHECKING:

Difference in Elevation (DE) = ΣmBS – ΣmFS

ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM:
Complete the three-wire leveling notes. Show customary arithmetic checking.

BACKSIGHT ( BS ) FORESIGHT ( FS )
STATION HAIR HI HAIR ELEV
MEAN S MEAN S
READING READING
4.254 -
BM – 63 3.495 - 328.395m
2.734 -
3.052 2.238
TP – 75 2.306 1.478
1.568 0.717
2.444 3.612
TP – 76 1.394 2.863
0.349 2.118
- 4.004
BM – 64 - 2.953
- 1.905

Solution: Tabulated Computation

(1) First, recognize from the data of hair readings whichever equals a, b, c,
correspondingly (take note: Highest value = a while Lowest value = b), and solve
a + b +c
both Mean (m = ) and Stadia Intercept ( s = a – b ).
3

BACKSIGHT ( BS ) FORESIGHT ( FS )
STATION HAIR HI HAIR ELEV
MEAN S MEAN S
READING READING
4.254 a -
BM – 63 3.495 c 3.494 1.520 - - - 328.395m
2.734 b -
3.052 2.238
TP – 75 2.306 2.305 1.494 1.478 1.478 1.521
1.568 0.717
2.444 3.612
TP – 76 1.394 1.394 2.100 2.863 2.864 1.494
0.349 2.118
- 4.004
BM – 64 - - - 2.953 2.954 2.079
- 1.905
 (2) Similar from the differential leveling, to complete the tabulated solution, follow the
indicated formula for the computation of Height of Instruments
( HI = Elev + mBS) and Elevation ( Elev = HI – mFS).

BACKSIGHT ( BS ) FORESIGHT ( FS )
STATION HAIR HI HAIR ELEV
MEAN S MEAN S
READING READING
4.254 -
BM – 63 3.495 3.494 1.520 331.889 - - - 328.395m
2.734 -
3.052 2.238
TP – 75 2.306 2.305 1.494 332.716 1.478 1.478 1.521 330.411
1.568 0.717
2.444 3.612
TP – 76 1.394 1.394 2.100 331.246 2.863 2.864 1.494 329.852
0.349 2.118
- 4.004
BM – 64 - - - 2.953 2.954 2.079 328.292
- 1.905

From the result of the tabulated solution, elevation of BM-64 is equal to

ARITHMETIC Checking:

(1) Compute the sum of all mean backsights (ΣmBS) and sum of all
mean foresights (ΣmFS).

BACKSIGHT ( BS ) FORESIGHT ( FS )
STATION HAIR HI HAIR ELEV
MEAN S MEAN S
READING READING
4.254 -
BM – 63 3.495 3.494 1.520 331.889 - - - 328.395m
2.734 -
3.052 2.238
TP – 75 2.306 2.305 1.494 332.716 1.478 1.478 1.521 330.411
1.568 0.717
2.444 3.612
TP – 76 1.394 1.394 2.100 331.246 2.863 2.864 1.494 329.852
0.349 2.118
- 4.004
BM – 64 - - - 2.953 2.954 2.079 328.292
- 1.905
ΣmBS = 7.193 ΣmFS = 7.296

(2) Apply the equation for the Difference in Elevation.

DE = ΣmBS – ΣmFS
Elev BM64 – Elev BM63 = ΣmBS – ΣmFS

338.292 – 328.395 = 6.14 – 12.64