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Survey Unit 7 Plane Table

Plane Table Surveying is a graphical method that allows simultaneous field observations and plotting, ideal for small-scale maps without high precision requirements. It relies on the principle of parallelism and utilizes various instruments such as a drawing board, alidade, plumbing fork, spirit level, and compass. While it offers advantages like speed and cost-effectiveness, it has limitations including difficulty in reproducing maps and unsuitability for very accurate work.

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40 views4 pages

Survey Unit 7 Plane Table

Plane Table Surveying is a graphical method that allows simultaneous field observations and plotting, ideal for small-scale maps without high precision requirements. It relies on the principle of parallelism and utilizes various instruments such as a drawing board, alidade, plumbing fork, spirit level, and compass. While it offers advantages like speed and cost-effectiveness, it has limitations including difficulty in reproducing maps and unsuitability for very accurate work.

Uploaded by

ramsharant197
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Plane Table Surveying

7.1 Basics of plane table surveying:


Plane Table Surveying is a graphical method of survey in which the field observations and plotting are done
simultaneously.
It is most suitable for small scale maps and when high precision is not required.

Principles of plane table surveying:


The principle of plane table surveying is parallelism. It means that the rays drawn from stations to objects on
the paper are parallel to the lines from the stations to the objects on the ground.
At each station the table must be oriented in the direction of magnetic north.
Instruments used in plane table survey/Accessories of plane table survey:

The following instruments are used in plane table survey:


1) Drawing Board
2) Alidade for sighting
3) Plumbing fork and plumb bob
4) Spirit level
5) Compass
6) Drawing paper with a rainproof cover

1) Drawing Board:
It is made of well-seasoned wood. It varies in size, the common sizes are from 40 cm x 30 cm to 75 cm x 60 cm
or 45 cm square, 60 cm square, etc.
The board may be mounted on a tripod with a leveling head or a ball-and-socket arrangement in such a
fashion that it can be leveled and revolved about a vertical axis and may be clamped in any position.
2) Alidade:
surveying instrument used with a plane table for drawing lines of sight on a distant object and for measuring
angles.
a) Pain alidade
• For ordinary survey
• Limitation in slope

b) Telescope alidade
• Superior quality
• Telescope used to sight
• For accurate surveying.
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3) Plumbing fork and plumb bob
A plumbing fork with a plumb bob attached to one end is used for
centering the table at a particular station.

4) Spirit level:
a. To fix if the table is properly levelled
b. Place the level in two different position perpendicular to
each other

5) Trough Compass:
Trough Compass with two bubble tubes at right angles to each
other mounted on a square brass plate is used for indicating the
direction of the magnetic meridian on the paper.

6) Drawing paper:
a) The drawing paper used in plane table survey must be of superior quality.
b) For very precise work, fibre glass sheet is used.
Besides these, the other drawing instruments like a pencil, rubber, scales, etc., are also required for plane
table survey.
Working operation of plane table:
Three operations are needed:
a) Fixing
b) Setting
c) Sighting the points
a) Fixing: fixing the table to the tripod.
b) Setting:
I) Levelling the table
ii) Centring: By using the plumbing fork
iii)Orientation
• Orientation by means of trough compass.
• Orientation by means of back sighting.
c) Sighting the points:
When once the table has been set i.e., when leveling, centering and orientation has been done, the points
to be located are sighted through the alidade.
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Advantages of plane table survey:
Followings are the advantages of plane table surveying:

• Plane Table Surveying is most suitable for preparing small‐scale maps.


• Plane Table Survey is a very swift method of surveying.
• The field book is not necessary as plotting is done in the field simultaneously with the field work.
• The surveyor can compare the plotted work with the actual features of the area surveyed.
• It is particularly advantageous in magnetic areas where compass survey is not reliable.
• Plane table survey is less costly than most of the surveying technique.
• It does not require skilled hands.

Disadvantages of plane table survey:


i) Since notes in the field are not recorded, it is difficult if the map is required to be reproduced.
ii) The plane table is not intended for very accurate work
iii) It is essentially a tropical instrument.
iv) It is not suitable in rainy seasons.
v) Due to heaviness, it is difficult to transport.
vi) Since there are so many accessories, there is chance of these being lost.
Errors in plane table survey:
1) Instrumental errors:
2) Errors in plotting:
3) Error due to manipulation and sighting:
• Non-horizontality of board.
• Defective sighting
• Defective orientation
• Movement of board between sights
• Inaccurate centering.
7.2 Methods of plane tabling:
Methods in plane table survey refer to the techniques in which the details and other station are surveyed. The
following are the methods used in plane table survey:
1. Radiation Method
2. Intersection Method
3. Traversing Method
4. Resection Method
1. Radiation method:
In this method of plain table survey, the plane table is set up at only one
station, and various points are located by radiating (drawing) a ray from
the instrument station to each of the points, and plotting to scale along
the way the distance measured from the station to the point is sighted.
Suitable
a. when one single station can control the details to be located
b. When distance between the station and details are short.
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2) Intersection (Graphical Triangulation):
In this method the location of an object is determined by sighting at the object from two plane table station
and drawing the rays.

Details are plotted by intersection of rays.


Suitable:
The method may also be employed for locating the distant and
inaccessible objects, the rivers, in a survey of the hilly areas
(where distances cannot be measured easily), and for checking
the remote objects.

3) Traversing method of plane table survey:


Traversing by the plane table is similar to compass or theodolite
traversing. The method, therefore, can be used for laying down
the survey lines of a closed or unclosed traverse.

Same as radiation but locate the survey station.


If there are n number of station, plane table will have to be set
on at least (n-1) stations to know the error of closure.

4) Resection method of plain table survey:


The method of resection is employed for the location of
station points only. After establishing the stations, the
details are located by either radiation or intersection.
The main feature of this method is that the point plotted
on the sheet is the station occupied by the table. Only one
linear measurement is required as in the intersection
method of plane tabling.

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