FINAL

LESSON 19
ROD READING

LESSON 20
LEVELING
INTRODUCTION
Leveling is the general term applied to any of the various
processes by which elevations of points or differences in
elevation are determined. It is a vital operation in producing
necessary data for mapping, engineering design, and
construction. Leveling results are used to
(1) design highways, railroads, canals, sewers, water
supply systems, and other facilities having grade lines that
best conform to existing
topography;
(2) lay out construction projects according to planned
elevations;
(3)calculate volumes of earthwork and other materials;
(4) investigate drainage characteristics of an area;
(5) develop maps showing general ground configurations;
and
(6) study earth subsidence and crustal motion.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

• Level line A line in a level surface—therefore, a

curved line.
• Horizontal plane. A plane perpendicular to the local
direction of gravity. In plane surveying, it is a plane
perpendicular to the local vertical line. Horizontal
line. A line in a horizontal plane. In plane surveying, it
is a line perpendicular to the local vertical.
 • Vertical datum. Any level surface to which elevations 1. Direct or Spirit Leveling.
are referenced. This is the surface that is arbitrarily Direct leveling is commonly employed method of
assigned an elevation of zero (see Section 19.6). This determining, the elevation points some distance
level surface is also known as a reference datum apart by a series of set ups of a leveling Instrument
since points using this datum have heights relative to along a selected route. This. Method leveling is also
this surface. referred to as spirit leveling since the device used is a
• Vertical line. A line that follows the local direction of spirit level. Differential leveling, double rodded
gravity as indicated by a plumb line.
leveling, and three—wire leveling are forms of
• Level surface. A curved surface that at every point is
direct leveling. In direct leveling vertical distances
perpendicular to the local plumb line (the direction
are measured above or below a level line and these
in which gravity acts). Level surfaces are
approximately spheroidal in shape. A body of still values are used to compute the elevation of the
water is the closest example of a level surface. points or their differences in elevation, it is used
Within local areas, level surfaces at different heights when a high degree of accuracy is required.
are considered to be concentric.1 Level surfaces are
also known as equipotential surfaces since, for a
particular surface, the potential of gravity is equal at
every point on the surface.
• Mean Sea Level. Mean sea level is an imaginary
surface of the sea which is midway between high and
low tides. It is taken as the reference surface to
which most ground elevations are referred.
• Datum. Datum is any convenient level surface
coincident Or parallel with mean sea level to which
elevations of a particular area are referred. Any
surface may be used as a datum when relative
elevations over limited area needs to be established.
• Elevation. The distance measured along a vertical 2. Reciprocal leveling
line from a vertical datum to a point or object. If the is the process of accurately determining the
elevation of point A is 802.46 ft, A is 802.46 ft above
difference in elevation between two intervisible
the reference datum. The elevation of a point is also
points located at a considerable distance apart, and
called its height above the datum.
between which leveling could not be performed in
• Geoid. A particular level surface that serves as a
datum for all elevations and astronomical the usual manner. This method is commonly
observations. Difference in Elevation. The difference employed when leveling across a wide river, a deep
in elevation between two points is the vertical ravine, or across canyons and gullies where it would
distance between the two surfaces in which the, be difficult or impossible to maintain foresight and
points lie.. backsight distances of nearly equal lengths.
Reciprocal leveling provides a faster method of
Leveling determining elevation differences, and when
There are various methods which could be employed to carefully conducted, it can be as precise as direct
determine the elevation of points and their differences in leveling. To determine the difference in elevation
elevation. These methods may be undertaken either between the two points, it will require two sets of
directly or indirectly. in the field. The principle involved in observations, and the mean of these is used.
each method differ with in some aspects. Also, they may
differ with respect to the type of instruments used, the
procedure employed and the attainable degrees of precision.
Traditional methods of leveling have been used for so many
years and they. still continue to be useful in the present time.
Such methods include direct leveling, trigonometric leveling,
and barometric leveling.
 undertaking trigonometric leveling is fully justified
3. Profile leveling and highly convenient.
is a method of leveling used to determine the
differences in elevation between points at
designated, short, measured intervals along an
established line. This provides data from which a
vertical section of the ground surface can be plotted.
In the design of roads, railroads, canals, drainage
systems, and transmission lines, it is necessary to
first obtain a profile of the existing ground surface.
This method of leveling is best suited for such
requirements.

5. Stadia Leveling.
Stadia leveling combines features of direct leveling
with those of trigonometric leveling; in fact, it is a
form of trigonometric leveling. It can provide
reasonable accuracy for reconnaissance surveys,
mapping, and rough leveling where quick
measurements are needed. In stadia leveling,
4. Trigonometric Leveling.
differences in elevation between points are
Trigonometric leveling is a method used to
computed from the observed vertical angle and the
determine the difference in elevation between two
three stadia intercepts (upper hair, central hair, lower
points by trigonometric computation from
hair) on a leveling rod held at each backsight or
measurements of the horizontal (or slope) distance
foresight point. Any surveying instrument may be
and the vertical angle between the points. The
used, provided it has a telescope capable of reading
required distances are usually obtained by stadia,
vertical angles and is equipped with stadia hairs in
triangulation, electronic distance measurement
addition to the standard crosshairs.
(EDM), or direct taping. By most leveling standards,
trigonometric leveling provides only a rough
determination of elevation differences. Its precision
can be improved by using precise instruments such
as optical theodolites and total stations that
measure angles to seconds of arc. There are,
however, situations—such as surveying over very
rugged terrain or when only the elevations of
principal or control stations are required— where
 For this purpose, short profiles at right angles to the
line of work are plotted at regular intervals. This type
of data is gathered in the field using a process known
as cross-section leveling. It helps in designing slopes,
embankments, and cuts based on how the ground
lies perpendicular to the main alignment.

6. Barometric Leveling
Barometric leveling involves determining differences
in elevation between points by measuring variations
in atmospheric pressure at each point using a
barometer. This method is based on the principle 1. Borrow-Pit Leveling.
that atmospheric pressure decreases as altitude Borrow-pit leveling is a method used to determine the
increases, due to the weight of the air column above relative elevations of points within borrow-pit
the observer. The readings taken at different excavations. It is primarily used for the purpose of
locations provide a measure of their relative calculating volumes of earthwork—that is, how much
elevations. While barometric leveling is not highly material has been removed or needs to be added. This
precise, it is useful for low-precision surveys over type of leveling is commonly encountered in
rough terrain and large areas, such as in construction and excavation projects involving the
reconnaissance surveys or other work where only movement or estimation of large quantities of soil or fill
approximate elevation values are needed. However, material.
this method is not reliable in areas where
atmospheric pressure changes rapidly, as that can
lead to inaccurate results.

7. Cross-Section Leveling
In highway and railroad construction, it is often
necessary to obtain a representation of the surface
on either side of the centerline of proposed route.
 LESSON 21
DIFFERENTIAL LEVELING

DIRECT LEVELING

2.

FORMULA

Exercise
1.
LESSON 22
DOUBLE- RODDED LEVELING LESSON 23
THREE-WIRE LEVELING
LESSON 24
RECIPROCAL LEVELING

In leveling across a deep and wide river, reciprocal level

readings were taken between two points, X and Y, as follows”
(a) With instrument set up near X, the rod
readings are 1.283 and 1.285; on the distant point Y, the rod
readings are 2.618, 2.619, 2.621 and 2.622 meters.
(b) With instrument set up near Y, the rod readings on Y are
3.478 and 3.476 meters; on the distant point X, the rod
readings are 2.143, 2.140, 2.146, and 2.144 meters.
Determine the true difference in elevation between the two
points and the elevation of Y if the known elevation of X is
290.082 meters.
EX. RECEPROCAL LEVELING
In leveling across a wide river, reciprocal level readings were
taken between two points A and B as shown in the
accompanying tabulation. Determine the following:
(a) difference in elevation between the two points; A vertical angle of -12°25’ is measured to the top of a water
(b) elevation of B of the elevation of A is 951.750m tank from an instrument set up on a hill 585.00 meters away
from it. The telescope of the instrument is 1.45m above the
ground whose elevation is 462.73m. Making due allowance
for the earth’s curvature and atmospheric refraction,
determine the elevation of the base of the water tank of the
tank is 32.0m high.

LESSON 25
TRIGONOMETRIC LEVELING

In the figure given, a vertical angle of + 13°45’ is read to a

target 1.23 m above point B. The measured inclined distance,
s, is 823.29m and the elevation of point A is
123.65m above datum. If the height of instrument at A is
1.35m, determine the difference in elevation between A and
B and the elevation of B, considering the effects of curvature
and atmospheric refraction.
LESSON 26
STADIA LEVELING
An engineer’s level with stadia constant of 0.30m was set up
on the line between two points, A and B, and the following
hair readings were observed. If the stadia interval factor of
the level is 99.5, determine the length of the line AB.
The following data were obtained by stadia measurement:
vertical angle = + 18°23’, and observed stadia intercept =
2.20m. The stadia interval factor of the instrument used is
95.5 and C = 0.30m. If the height of instrument is 1.62m, and
the rod reading is taken at 1.95m, determine the following:
a.) horizontal stadia distance (HD) form instrument et up A to
the rod held at point B.
b.) vertical stadia distance (VD) from the center of the
instrument to the point on the rod bisected by the horizontal
cross hair.
c.) inclined or slope distance (ID) from the instrument center
to the point on the rod bisected by the horizontal cross hair.
d.) difference in elevation (DE) between the point over which
the instrument is set up and point on which the rod was
held.
LESSON 27

EARTHWORKS: UNIT AREA OR BORROW PIT METHOD