Contouring

• Basic Definitions in Contouring

• Contour Interval

• Characteristics of Contours

• Methods of Contouring

• Interpolation of Contours

• Uses of Contour Maps

• Instruction on field Works

 Basic Definitions in Contouring
•Contour An imaginary line on the ground surface joining the points of
equal elevation is known as contour.

•It facilitates depiction of the relief of terrain in a two dimensional plan

or map.

•In other words, contour is a line in which the ground surface is

intersected by a level surface obtained by joining points of equal
elevation. This line on the map represents a contour and is called
contour line.
•Contouring is the science of representing the vertical dimension of
the terrain on a two dimensional map.
 Contours

Er. Pramesh Hada, Assistant

4
Professor, nec
Different contour maps
 Relief or shape of the land is shown by Contours
• Contours are those light brown
or orange lines that can see on
maps.

• A contour line is an imaginary

line that joins points of equal
height above sea level.

• The lines are numbered giving

the height above sea level in
metres.

• On 1:50000 map the contours

will be drawn for every 10
metre rise.
 • It is important to remember that the closer together the
contour lines the steeper the slope.

Steep slopes

Area that is
flatter with
only a gentle
slope
• Contour Map : A map showing contour lines is known as Contour
map.

• A contour map gives an idea of the altitudes of the surface

features as well as their relative positions in plan serves the
purpose of both, a plan and a section.

• Contouring : The process of tracing contour lines on the surface of

the earth is called Contouring.
 Contour Line : A Contour line is an imaginary outline of the terrain
obtained by joining its points of equal elevation.

Contour Interval (CI) – It is the vertical distance between any two

consecutive contours.

Suppose a map includes contour lines of 100m, 98m ,96 m and so

on .The contour interval here is 2 m.

This interval depends upon

(i) the nature of the ground (i.e. whether flat or sleep).
(ii) the scale of the map
(iii) the purpose of the survey.
Contour intervals for flat country are generally small, e.g. 0.25 m, 0.5
m, 0.75m. etc. Contour interval for a steep slope in a hilly area is
generally greater. e.g. 5m. 10 m, 15 m etc.
• Horizontal Equivalent (HE)
Horizontal equivalent is the horizontal distance between two
consecutive contour lines measured to the scale of the map.

– It is not constant. It varies according to the steepness of the

ground.

– For steep slopes, the contour lines run close together, and for
flatter slopes they are widely spaced.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTOURS

i) All points in a contour line have the same elevation.

ii) Flat ground is indicated where the contours are widely
separated and steep-slope where they run close together.
iii) A uniform slope is indicated when the contour lines are
uniformly spaced.
iv) A plane surface when they are straight, parallel and
equally spaced.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTOURS

v) A series of

closed contour lines on the

map represent a hill

if the higher values are inside

65
HILL
60
60
65
70
75
80

A HILL
 80

vi) A series of closed 75

contour lines on the map 70 DEPRESSION

indicate a depression if
65
the higher values are
60
outside

70
60
65
70
75
80

A DEPRESSION
vii) Contour line cross ridge or valley line at
right angles

100

90
If the higher values are
80
inside the bend or loop in
70
the contour, it indicates a
60
50 Ridge.

RIDGE LINE
vii) Contour line cross ridge or valley line at right
angles.
If the higher values are
outside the bend, it represents

100 a valley
90

80

70

60

50

VALLEY
LINE
viii). Contours cannot end anywhere but close on themselves either
within or outside the limits of the map.
ix).

Contour lines cannot

40
merge or cross
30
another one
except on map 20
in the case
an overhanging cliff.of
10

40
30 20 10

OVERHANGING
CLIFF
x) Contour lines
never run into one 50

another except in the 40

case of a vertical cliff. In
30 VERTIC
this case several CLIFF
contours coincide
20
and the horizontal
equivalent becomes 10
zero.

50
10 20
50
30 40

OVERHANGING
CLIFF
XI) Depressions between
summits is called a saddle. It
is represented by four sets of

contours as shown.
represents a dip in a ridge It
the junction of two ridges. 70orAnd SADDLE 70
in the case of a mountain 80 80
range ,it takes the form of a 90 90
pass 90
. 100
110
Think where is the steepest slope on this
island?

200

150

100

50
 Steepest slope – contour lines are
closest together

Sparrow
point 227

200

.
76
150

100

50

Sometimes spot heights can be shown as a dot with a note

of the height of that particular place.
the shape and pattern of the contours
29
Er. Pramesh Hada, Assistant
Professor, nec
 PURPOSE OF CONTOURING/CONTOUR MAP

Contour survey is carried out at the starting of any engineering

project such as a road, a railway, a canal, a dam, a building etc.

i) contour maps is prepared in order to select the most

economical or suitable site.
ii) It helps to locate the alignment of a canal so that it should
follow a ridge line.
iii) It helps to mark the alignment of roads and railways so
that the quantity of earthwork both in cutting and filling should
be minimum.
iv) It helps for getting information about the
ground
whether it is flat, undulating or mountainous.
v) It helps to find the capacity of a reservoir and volume of
earthwork especially in a mountainous region.
vi) It helps to trace out the given grade
of a particular route.
vii) It helps to locate the physical features of the ground such as
a pond depression, hill, steep or small slopes.
(Undulating – rising & falling)
 - A contour map furnishes information regarding the features of the
ground , whether it is flat, undulating or mountainous.
- From a contour map , sections may be easily drawn in any
direction
-Intervisibility between two ground points plotted on map can be
ascertained
- It enables an engineer to approximately select the most
economical or suitable site for an engineering project such as a
road, a railway, a canal or a pipe line etc.
- A route of a given grade can be traced on the map.
- Catchment area and capacity of a reservoir may be determined from
the contour map.
- Contour map may be used to determine the quantities of earth work.
 FACTORS ON WHICH CONTOUR -INTERVAL DEPENDS
The contour interval depends upon the following factors:-
i) The Nature of the Ground – In flat and
uniformly sloping country, the contourinterval is small ,
mountainous region but in broken and the contour interval
should be large otherwise the contours will come too close to
each other.

ii) The Purpose and extent of the survey.

• Contour interval is small if the area to be surveyed is small

and the maps are required to be used for the design work or for
determining the quantities of earth work etc.

• while wider interval shall have to be kept for large areas

iii) The Scale of the Map-
The contour interval should be in the inverse ratio to the scale
of the map i.e. the smaller the scale, the greater is the contour
interval.

iv) Time and Expense of Field and Office work- The smaller the
interval, the greater is the amount of field-work and plotting
work.
 COMMON VALUES OF THE CONTOUR -
INTERVAL

The following are the common values of the contour interval adopted
for various purposes:-

i) For large scale maps of flat country, for building sites, for
detailed design work and for calculation of quantities of earth
work; 0.2 to 0.5 m.

ii) For reservoirs and town planning schemes; 0.5 to 2m.

iii) For location surveys. 2 to 3m.
iv) For small scale maps of broken country and general topographic
work; 3m,5m,10m,or 25m.
 METHODS OF CONTOURING
There are mainly two methods of locating contours:-
(1)Direct Method and (2) Indirect Method.
Direct Method:
• In this method, the contours to be
located are directly traced out
in the 50
B.M
field by locating and marking
48
a
number of points on each contour. 46

• These points are then surveyed and

plotted on plan and the
contours
drawn through them.
DIRECT METHOD OF
CONTOURING
 Methods of Contouring

The location of a point in topographic survey involves both

horizontal as well as vertical control. The method of contouring
depends upon the instruments used.
The method may be divided into two classes.
❑ The Direct Method
❑The indirect method

39
❑ In the direct method

• The contour to be plotted is actually traced on the ground.

Only those points are surveyed which happen to be plotted and
contours are drawn through them.

• The method is slow and tedious and is applicable for small areas
and where great accuracy is required.(as a lot of time is wasted
in searching points of the same elevation for a contour).
• In the indirect method

• some suitable guide points are selected and surveyed(the guide

points should not necessarily be on the contours but serve as basis
for interpolation of contours)
 Horizontal Control

• After having located the points for various contours vertically

they are to be surveyed with a suitable control system for
horizontally located.

• For this, the location of points are traced by the method of plane
tabling, chain survey or theodolite.

• Then the contour are drawn through these points.

• For accurate contouring sufficient number of the points at close

interval are required.

• The plotted positions of the consecutive points of any contour are

simply joined by straight lines to form contour lines
 Procedure
•To start with, a temporary B.M is established near the area to be
surveyed with reference to a permanent B.M by fly leveling.

•The level is then set up in such a position so that the maximum

number of points can be commanded from the instrument station.

•The height of instrument is determined by taking a back sight on the

B.M. and adding it to the R.L. of bench mark.

•The staff reading required to fix points on the various contours is

determined by subtracting the R.L. of each of the contours from the
height of instrument.
 Example

•If the height of instrument is 82.48m., then the staff readings required to
locate 82, 81 and 80m contours are 0.48, 1.48 and 2.48m respectively.

•The staff is held on an approximate position of point and then moved up

and down the slope until the desired reading is obtained. The point is
marked with a peg.
• Similarly various other points are marked on each contour.

•The line joining all these points give the required contour. It may be
noted that one position is located at a time.

•Having fixed the contours within the range of the instrument, the level is
shifted and set up in a new
Procedure (Contd…..)
The new height of instrument and the required staff
readings are then calculated in a similar manner and the process
repeated till all the contours are located. The positions of the
contour points are located suitably either simultaneous with levelling
or afterwards. A theodolite , a compass or a plane table traversing is
usually adopted for locating these points. The points are then plotted
on the plan and the contours drawn by joining the corresponding
points by dotted curved lines.
2. Indirect Method
•In this method some suitable guide points are selected and their
elevations are found. These point may form well shaped geometrical
figures.
•The location of such points are plotted by plane tabling and contours are
drawn by interpolation. These guide points do not fall except by
coincidence, on the contours to be located.

•Several representative points representing hills, depressions, ridge and

valley lines and the changes in the slope all over the area to be
contoured are also observed.

•Other Guide points are then plotted on the plan and the contours drawn
by interpolation.

• This method of contouring is also known as contouring by spot levels.

 Indirect Method
• This method is commonly employed in all kinds of surveys as this is
cheaper, quicker and less tedious as compared to direct method.
• There are mainly three method of contouring in indirect method:
(i) By Squares.
• In this method, the whole area is divided into number of
squares, the side of which may vary from 5m to 30m
depending upon the nature of the ground and the contour
interval.
• The corners of the squares are pegged out and the reduced
levels of these points are determined with a level.
SQUARE METHOD
 Indirect Method (Square Method)

100.4 97.60 96.05 94.40

13 14 15 16
98.00 98.00
98,00
97.45 99.25 98.75 99.40
9 10 11 12

98.65 99.60 97.80 89.55

5 6 7 8 98.0
99.0 99.0

100.90 99.70 99.85 98.45

1 2 3 4
SQURES LAID ON CONTOURS
GROUND INTERPOLATED
 Indirect Method (Square Method)

•The important points

within the squares may be
taken when
required and located
100.4 97.60 96.05 94.40
by measurements
from the corners. 98.00 98.00
98,00
•The squares are 97.45 99.25 98.75 99.40

plotted and the

reduced levels of 98.65 99.60 97.80 89.55
the corners are written on 98.0
99.0 99.0
the plan.
100.90 99.70 99.85 98.45

SQUARE METHOD
 Indirect Method: By Cross- Sections:
• This method is most suitable for the surveys of long narrow strips
such as a road, railway or canal aignment etc.
• In this method cross sections perpendicular to the centre line of the
area are set out.
• The spacing of the cross-section depends upon the contour interval,
scale of plan and the characteristic of ground.
• The common value is 10 to 20 m in hilly country and 20-30m in flat
country.
• The centre line and cross sections are plotted along with important
features on the desired scale and their RLs are entered.
• The contours are then interpolated with respect to these RLs.
 Indirect Method:
By Cross- Sections:
•The levels of the points along the section lines are plotted on the
plan and the contours are then interpolated as usual as shown in
the fig.
70
70 69.1 69 68.8 69 69.1 70.8
70.6
RD 580

70 .8 70.2 69.1 70.4 70.5

RD 560

71

.2 70.8 66.3 70.6 70.8

71
RD 540
67
71
68
69

70
RD 520 71 .6 71.2 70.6 72.4 71.7
71 71
Fig. X-Section
Method
 Indirect Method:

Fig. Stadia Wires at Diaphragm

(iii) By Tacheometric method:

• A tacheometer is a transit theodolite having a diaphragm

fitted with two stadia wires, one above and other below the
central wire.
• The horizontal distance between the instrument and staff
station may be determined by multiplying the difference of the
staff readings of the upper and lower stadia wires with the stadia
constant of the instrument, which is usually 100.

• Thus the tacheometer is used for both the vertical as well as

horizontal measurements.
 Indirect Method
iii) By Tacheometric method (contd…)
•This method is most suitable in hilly areas as the number of stations
which can be commanded by a tacheometer is far more than those by
a level and thus the number of instrument settings are considerably
reduced.

•A numbe of radial lines are laid out at a

known angula interval and representative
points are marked by pegs along these radial
lines.

•Their elevations and distances are then calculated and plotted

on the plan and the contour lines are then interpolated.
By Tacheometric method
Difference between Direct and Indirect Methods of Contouring
 INTERPOLATION OF CONTOURS
•The process of spacing the contours proportionally between the
plotted ground – points is termed as interpolation of contours .

• This becomes necessary in the case of

contouring as only the spot levels are
indirect taken in
this method.
•While interpolation of contours the ground between any two points
is assumed to be uniformly sloping.
 INTERPOLATION OF CONTOURS
There are three main methods of interpolation:
i) By arithmetical calculation:
• This is very tedious & time but
consuming
method . accurate
• The positions of contour points between the guide points are
located by arithmetic calculation.
• used for small areas where accurate results are necessary.

• Find distance fromA for a

contour of 99m elevation.
(Note – Square = 10*10m)
• Distance from A for contour of
99m
= (99—98.75)/ (100.75 —98.75)
*10
= 1.25m
 INTERPOLATION OF CONTOURS
26m 27m
By arithmetical calculation: A B
25.45m 30 m
27.54m
Diff (A-B)=2.09m
The contours are interpolated as under:
Example-
Suppose A and B are two points at a
distance of 30 m and the reduced level of A and B
are 25.45m and 27.54m respectively .Taking
the contour interval as 1m, 26 and 27 m contours may be interpolated
in between A and B. The difference of level between A and B is
2.09m.the difference of level between A and 26m,and A and 27m is
0.55mand 1.55 m respectively.
Therefore the horizontal distance between A and 26 m contour
=0.55/2.09 x 30m ((Diff of A & 26m / Diff of A & B)* Dist.AB)) and
Between A and 27 m contour =1.55/2.09 x 30m.
These distances are then plotted to scale on the map.
 INTERPOLATION OF CONTOURS
(ii) By Graphical method:
• Graphical method 65
of is simpler
interpolation
B
as compared to 62.5m

arithmetical method 2
and also the results 60
60m

obtained are accurate.

• Out of several
graphical methods, 55 1
55m
the
most common is
as given below:

A 51.5m
50
 INTERPOLATION OF CONTOURS

By Graphical method:
• If the bottom line represents an
elevation of 50m. Then the successive thick lines will represent 55m,
60m and 65m, etc.
•Place the tracing cloth so that the point A is on the third line from the
bottom, now move the tracing cloth until B is on the fifth line above
the 60m thick line.
•The intersection of the thick lines 1 and 2 representing elevations of
55m and 60 m and the line AB give the position of the points on the
55m and 60m contours respectively and are pricked through on the
plan with a pin.
 INTERPOLATION OF CONTOURS

iii) By Estimation:

– The position of the contour points between ground

- points are estimated roughly and the contours are then
drawn through these points.

– This is a rough method and is suitable for small scale maps.

• Accuracy of work depends upon the skill and experience of

surveyor.
 DRAWING THE CONTOUR LINES

Contour lines are drawn as fine and smooth free hand curved
lines. Sometimes they are represented by broken lines .They are
inked in either in black or brown colour. A drawing pen gives a better
line than a writing pen and French curves should be used as much as
possible .Every fifth contour is made thicker than the rest.

The elevation of contours must be written in a uniform manner,

either on the higher side or in a gap left in the line
.When the contour lines are very long, their elevations are written at
two or three places along the contour .In the case of small scale
maps, it is sufficient to figure every fifth contour.
 Contour Gradient
• Contour gradient is a line lying throughout on the surface of the
ground and preserving a constant inclination to the horizontal

• The inclination of a contour gradient is generally given either as

rising gradient or falling gradient, and is expressed as ratio of the
vertical height to a specified horizontal distance. If the inclination
of a contour gradient is 1 in 50, it means that for every 50 m
horizontal distance, there is a rise (or fall) of 1 m.

• To locate the contour gradient in the field a clinometer, a

theodolite or a level may be used.

• The inclination of a contour gradient is generally given either as

rising or falling gradient and is expressed as ratio of the vertical
height to a specified horizontal distance.