Lecture 5 - Vertical Measurement

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INTRODUCTORY SURVEYING

GEO100/SUG100

VERTICAL
MEASUREMENT
Department of Surveying Science & Geomatics
UiTM Perlis.
LESSON OVERVIEW

 INTRODUCTION
 CONCEPT OF LEVELLING

 INSTRUMENTATION
INTRODUCTION

 In addition to the horizontal position of points and features as


determined by the previously described linear and angular
measurement, the complete survey requires vertical
measurements.
 Such vertical measurements establish the elevation of points in
relation to a datum that extends through and beyond the project
limits.
 In the coordinate survey, the horizontal position is described by X
and Y coordinates and the elevation described by the letter Z (or
H.) The complete description of a point being (X,Y,Z).
 The determination of accurate elevations is an extremely
important part of the information required for the design of
highway projects.
INTRODUCTION

 In surveying, one of the basic components to measure is height


(i.e. to get the z value of point positioning x, y, z).
 Levelling is the methods available for determining height. In other
word, levelling is a vertical measurement.
 It is the process of measuring the difference in height between
benchmarks relative to the datum.
 The process of levelling is to measure height differences and to
sum these to get the heights of other points.
 Using the instrument called a level, the heights on the staff are
read and the difference in the value is the height differences.
CONCEPT OF LEVELLING
 The concept of levelling is based on the horizontal line of the instrument
(level) with the level line of the point on the earth.
 The difference between two (2) points (e.g. A, B) is the heights of the points
itself. (See Figure 1)
 If the heights of A and B can be measured, the height differences can be
calculated using the formula :
h = a - b
 If the RL A is known, RL of B can be calculated as: RL B = RLA + h

Staff Staff

Level Height of the Plane Collimation


a b
Level line through level instrument

Level Line through B


B
Level Line through A
A

Difference in
Datum height between A
&B
Direction of
Gravity

Figure 1: Level surface showing difference of heights between two points A & B
Horizontal Line

TERMINOLOGIES Mean Sea


Level
Level line

Vertical line
 Level Surface Figure 2: Different Lines

This is a surface that the direction of gravity is normal to it at all points.


Since gravity is variable over the earth’s surface, this surface will be
irregular.
 Level Line
Any line lying on a level surface and it is normal to the plumb line
(direction of gravity) at all points.
 Horizontal Plane
Any plane tangential to the level surface at any point and it is
perpendicular to the plumb line which indicates the direction of gravity.
 Horizontal Line
This is the straight line on the horizontal surface, tangent to the level
surface which is perpendicular to the plumb line (direction of gravity) and
parallel to the collimation line.
 Vertical Line
The direction indicated by a plumb line (direction of gravity) and it is
perpendicular to the horizontal line.
TERMINOLOGIES

 Reduced Level (RL)


The vertical distance of a point above or below the datum line. The RL of
a point may be positive or negative according as the point is above or
below the datum.
 Line of collimation
It is an imagery line passing through the intersection of the cross-hairs at
the diaphragm and the optical center of the object glass and its
continuation. It is also known as the line of sight.
 Mean Sea Level
Mean Sea Level (MSL) is a tidal datum used in leveling operation. Tidal
datums are specific tide levels that are used as surfaces of reference for
depth measurements in the sea and as a base for determining elevations
on land.
TERMINOLOGIES
 Backsight (BS)
The first reading taken by an observer at every instrument station.
 Foresight (FS)
The last reading taken at an instrument station.
 Intermediate Sight (IS)
Any reading taken at an instrument station which is not a permanent
stable reference point.
 Change Point (CP)
The point at which the position of the instrument is changed, making
it both a backsight.

IS IS

BS FS

BS FS BS FS

IS
CP1
CP2 CP3 CP4
Figure 3: Foresight, Backsight, Intermediate Sight and Change Point
BENCH MARK

 Bench mark is a relatively permanent object, natural


or artificial, bearing a marked point whose elevation is
known.
 BMs are established over an area to serve as
 starting points for levelling
operations so the topographic parties can
determine other unknown elevation points and
 reference marks during later construction work.
 Generally, BM is used to indicate a permanent bench mark.
 Temporary Bench Mark (TBM) is established to use for a
particular job and are retained for the duration of job. TBM
are often established around the survey site.
BENCHMARK
 There are two types of BMs, namely:
i. Standard Benchmark (SBM)
ii. Benchmark (BM)

 Description
i. Standard Benchmark (SBM)
It is a ground planed monument built for stability to minimized the
probability of disturbance. The SBM are established within the precise
leveling network to provide a stable benchmark system that will control
the leveling network. The marks are located along major road system at
road junctions or at every 40 kilometers intervals.
ii. Benchmark (BM)
It is built between standard benchmarks at every half (0.5) kilometer in
developed area and at every one (1) kilometer for the rest. Each
benchmark has a plate and bolt, mounted on top of a concrete
monument jutting out from the ground surface and they are located near
or within permanent structures such as milestones, bridges,
telecommunication poles and buildings (police station, school etc).
LEVELLING EQUIPMENT
Equipment used for Levelling are:
 Staff
 Staff bubble
 Level
 Dumpy Level
 Tilting Level
 Automatic Level
 Digital Level
 Tripod
 50m tape measure
(not necessary)
LEVELLING STAFF

 ….is used to measure the vertical distance


from the horizontal plane established by a
level to points where heights are required.
 …usually graduated in cm and can be read to
the nearest mm by interpolation.
 …can have length up to 5m.e.g. E-type staff
 …can be fitted to the circular bubble (staff
bubble) so that a staff can be held vertically
at each point.

Reading an E-Type Levelling Staff


TYPES OF LEVEL

 Dumpy level
 The telescope of the dumpy level is rigidly fixed to its supports.
 It cannot be removed from its supports nor can it be rotated about
its longitudinal axis.
 The instrument is stable and retains its permanent adjustment for a
long time.
 A dumpy level is an older style instrument that requires skilled use
to set accurately.
 The instrument requires to be set level (see spirit level) in each
quadrant, to ensure it is accurate through a full 360 ° traverse.

http://www.gmat.unsw.edu.au/currentstudents/ug/projects/f_pall/html/l1.html
 Tilting level
 The telescope can be tilted slightly about its horizontal axis with the
help of a tilting screw.
 In this instrument the line of collimation is made horizontal for each
observation by means of the tilting screw.
 This instrument allows the telescope to be effectively flipped through
180 °, without rotating the head.
 The telescope is hinged to one side of the instruments axis, flipping it
involves lifting to the other side of the central axis (thereby inverting
the telescope).
 This action effectively cancels out any errors introduced by poor setup
procedure or errors in the instruments adjustment.
 As an example, the identical effect can be had with a standard builders
level by rotating it through 180 ° and comparing the difference
between spirit level bubble positions
TYPES OF LEVEL (CONT..)
 Automatic Level
 This is also known as the self-aligning level.
 This instrument is levelled automatically within a certain
tilt range by means of a compensating device (the tilt
compensator).

 Digital Level
 This instrument has been designed to carry out all reading
and data processing automatically via an on-board computer
which is accessed through a display and keyboard.
 Using electronic image processing techniques built in digital
level, a special bar-coded staff is sighted to get the height of
the points.
focusing screw
Diaphragm

AUTOMATIC
Line of collimation

LEVEL focusing lens object lens


Figure 4
 The level consists of a telescope and compensator.
 The telescope provides a magnified line of sight for taking measurements.
 The object lens, focusing lens, diaphragm and eyepiece are all mounted on the
same optical axis and the imaginary line passing through the center of the cross
hairs.
 The diaphragm is a glass plate with fine cross hairs engraved to provide the
height reference.
 The eye piece should be adjusted to bring the reticule into sharp focus. The
internal focussing lens is then controlled by the focussing screw on the side of
the instrument to bring the staff image in to focus on the reticule (refer to
Figure 4).
 The compensator will ensure that line of sight viewed through the telescope is
horizontal.
 The automatic level has a compensator mechanism that uses a combination of
fixed prisms or mirrors and a moving prism suspended on a pendulum to give a
horizontal reference.
 When correctly set up the compensator will ensure that the ray of light through
the centre of the reticule is exactly horizontal.
SUMMARY

 Levelling is the methods available for determining height or


reduced level (RL).
 RL is reducing (or equating) levels (elevations) to a common
datum. Based on the concept of levelling, RL B can be
calculated by adding RL A to the h of staff readings between a
and b. The most common convenient datum was mean sea
level.
 Back sights, Foresights, Intermediate Sights and Change Point
(CP) are the most terminologies used in levelling work.
 Three (3) types of bench marks are temporary benchmark
(TBM), benchmark (BM) and standard bench mark (SBM).
 The most level instrument used in levelling are automatic level
and digital level.

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