FOS 1

LEVELING
general term applied to any of the
various processes by which elevations
of points or differences in elevation are
determined
Basic Leveling Terms:

➢Level Surface – a curved surface that at every

point is perpendicular to the plumb line.
➢Level Line – a line in a level surface equidistant
from the center of the earth
Basic Leveling Terms:

➢Horizontal Plane – a plane perpendicular to the

direction of gravity that is tangent to the level surface
➢Horizontal Line – a line in a horizontal plane
Basic Leveling Terms:

➢Vertical Line – a line parallel to the direction of gravity.

➢Mean Sea Level – is an imaginary surface of the sea which is
midway between high tide and low tide
➢ Datum – any convenient level surface coincident or
parallel with mean sea level to which elevations of a
particular area are referred.
 Basic Leveling Terms:

o Elevation – is the vertical distance above or below

mean sea level or any other selected datum
o Difference In Elevation- is the vertical distance
between the two level surfaces in which the points lie.
EQUIPMENT for LEVELING
Level Instrument
Dumpy Level
Tilting Level
Automatic Level
Digital level
Electronic Laser Level
Hand Level
Tripod
Staff/Pole/Rod
Pole Staff Bubble
 EQUIPMENT: Level Instrument
Automated Levels
EQUIPMENT: Level Instrument

Parts of Automatic Level

EQUIPMENT: Level Instrument

Use of Leveling Screw

EQUIPMENT: Level Instrument

Parts of Tilting Level

 EQUIPMENT: Level Instrument

Digital Levels
EQUIPMENT: Level Instrument

Hand Level
EQUIPMENT: Tripod
Wooden design or aluminum
Leveling instrument are all mounted in a tripod
 EQUIPMENT: Staff/Pole/Rod
Wooden design or aluminum
Invar type for high precision leveling

Barcode
for Digital Levels

Conventional (“E”-type)
EQUIPMENT: Staff/Pole/Rod

READING the Staff / Rod

Read the (m), (dm) &
(cm)
1422
EQUIPMENT: Staff bubble

Keep the pole upright

BASIC RULES for LEVELING
Always start and finish a leveling run on a
Benchmark (BM) and close the loops

Keep fore sight and back sight distances as

equal as possible

Keep lines of sight short (normally < 50m)

Never read below 0.5m on a staff (refraction)

Use stable, well defined change points

Beware of shadowing effects and crossing

waters
 LEVELING METHODS
Methods of Determining Differences in Elevation

Leveling rods
Line of sight

Back sight Fore sight

Gravity Gradient
LEVELING METHODS:

Differential Leveling - commonly

employed method of determining the
elevation of points some distance apart
by a series of set ups of a leveling
instrument along a selected route
LEVELING METHODS:

Barometric Leveling – involves the

determination of differences in
elevation between points by
measuring the variation in
atmospheric pressure at each point
by means of a barometer
 LEVELING METHODS:

Trigonometric Leveling

difference in elevation between two points can be

determined by measuring:
@ inclined or horizontal distance between them
@ vertical angle between the points.
LEVELING METHODS:

Reciprocal Leveling
leveling used across topographic features such as rivers,
lakes and canyons when it is difficult or impossible to keep
plus and minus sights short and equal
LEVELING METHODS:

Profile Leveling
used to determine differences in elevation
between points at designated short measured
intervals along an established line to provide
data from which a vertical section of the ground
surface can be plotted.
LEVELING METHODS:

Grid Leveling
-method for locating contours by staking an area
in squares and determining the corner elevations
by differential leveling
Grid size depends on:
@ Project extent
@ ground roughness
@ required accuracy
LEVELING METHODS:

Cross-Section or Borrow-Pit Leveling

employed on construction jobs to
ascertain quantities of earth, gravel,
rock or other material to be excavated
or filled
SOURCES OF ERRORS IN LEVELING

✓ Instrumental Errors
✓ Personal Errors
✓ Natural Errors
Errors in Leveling
❖ Instrument out of adjustment
❖ Rod not standard length
❖ Defective tripod
❖Bubble not centered
❖ Parallax
❖ Faulty rod readings
❖ Rod not held plumb
❖Curvature of the earth
❖ Atmospheric Refraction
❖ Wind
❖ Settlement of the Instrument
❖ Faulty Turning Points
Effect of Earth’s Curvature

Horizontal Level

(r +Dh)2 = r2 + s2
=>
Dh  s2/(2r)
Effect of Refraction

Mean Gradient: 0,2 °C / m

Collimation Error

• Occurs when the line of sight (as defined by the

lens axis and cross-hairs) is not horizontal
• Leads to an incorrect staff reading

error

horizontal line
COMMON LEVELING MISTAKES

Misreading the Rod

Moving Turning Points
Incorrect Recording
Mistakes on Extended Rod
Erroneous Computation
Reducing Errors and Eliminating Mistakes
➢ Careful Adjustment of Instrument and Rod
➢Establishment of Standard Field Methods and
Routines
• Check the bubble before and after each
reading
• Use a rod level
• Keep the horizontal lengths of plus and minus
sights equal
• Make the usual field-book arithmetic checks
Balancing plus and minus sight distances cancels
errors caused by curvature and refraction
 DIFFERENTIAL LEVELING
Used to determine the difference in elevation between two or more points some distance apart.
BM - Bench Mark - elevation is either known or assumed
BS - Back sight – rod reading on known or assumed elevation.
FS - Foresight – rod reading taken on unknown elevation
HI – Ht. of Instrument - elevation of the line of sight of an instrument from datum
TP – Turning Point – intervening point
FD - Foresight Distance
BD – Backsight Distance HI = Elev + BS Elev = HI - FS

FS= 1.2’,
since rod 2) HI = Elev + BS HI = 820 + 8.42 = 828.42 ft
reading is
taken from
an unknown STATION BS(ft) HI (ft) FS (ft) ELEV (ft)
BS= 8.42’, elevation
since rod BM Rock 8.42 828.42 820.00
reading is
taken from
a known
x 1.20
elevation

Elev = HI - FS Elev(X)= 828.42 – 1.20 = 827.22 ft

3) STATION BS(ft) HI (ft) FS (ft) ELEV (ft)
1) STATION BS(ft) HI (ft) FS (ft) ELEV (ft) BM Rock 8.42 828.42 820.00
BM Rock 8.42 820.00 x 1.20 827.22
x 1.2
When both benchmarks cannot be reached from one instrument
position, turning points are used
Because a turning point is a temporary benchmark, it must be stable
 STATION BS HI FS ELEV
BM1 1.33 2053.18
TP1 0.22 8.37
TP2 0.96 7.91
TP3 0.46 11.72
BM OAK 8.71
Σ
HI = Elev + BS Elev = HI - FS
1) 2)
STATION BS HI FS ELEV STATION BS HI FS ELEV

BM1 1.33 2054.51 2053.18 BM1 1.33 2054.51 2053.18

TP1 0.22 8.37 2046.14 TP1 0.22 2046.36 8.37 2046.14
TP2 0.96 7.91 TP2 0.96 7.91 2038.45
TP3 0.46 11.72 TP3 0.46 11.72
BM OAK 8.71 BM OAK 8.71
HI = 2053.18 + 1.33 = 2,054.51 HI = 2046.14 + 0.22 = 2,046.36
ElevTP1 = 2054.51 – 8.37 = 2,046.14 ElevTP2 = 2046.36 – 7.91 = 2038.45
 STATION BS HI FS ELEV
BM1 1.33 2053.18
TP1 0.22 8.37
TP2 0.96 7.91
TP3 0.46 11.72
BM OAK 8.71
Σ

HI = Elev + BS Elev = HI - FS
HI = 2038.45 + 0.96 = 2,039.41
3) STATION BS HI FS ELEV ElevTP2 = 2039.41 – 11.72 = 2,027.69

BM1 1.33 2054.51 2053.18 HI = 2027.69 + 0.46 = 2,028.15

ElevTP3 = 2028.15 – 8.71 = 2,019.44
TP1 0.22 2046.36 8.37 2046.14
DE = Elev (BM Oak) - Elev BM1
TP2 0.96 2039.41 7.91 2038.45 DE = 2019.44 - 2053.18 = -33.74
TP3 0.46 2028.15 11.72 2027.69 ෍ 𝐁𝐒 = 𝟏. 𝟑𝟑 + 𝟎. 𝟐𝟐 + 𝟎. 𝟗𝟔 + 𝟎. 𝟒𝟔 = 𝟐. 𝟗𝟕

BM OAK 8.71 2019.44 ෍ 𝐁𝐒 = 𝟖. 𝟑𝟕 + 𝟕. 𝟗𝟏 + 𝟏𝟏. 𝟕𝟐 + 𝟖. 𝟕𝟏 = 𝟑𝟔. 𝟕𝟏

Σ 2.97 36.71
Check: DE = ΣBS - ΣFS
DE = 2.97 - 36.71 = -
33.74
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
• The level rod readings are Problem Problem
given in the order in which 1 2
they were taken on BM-1 and
100.00 145.66
the last reading is taken on
1.62
BM-2, the point whose 5.32
elevation is desired. Set-up 3.36
2.68
and complete differential 1.54
6.38
level notes and include the 4.11
1.46
customary math check. The 0.86
elevation is given under each 4.32
4.02
problem number 3.09
 SOLUTION #1:
1.62 3.36

• The level rod readings BM1

1.54 4.11

Problem
are given in the order
Elev 100m TP1
0.86 4.32

in which they were 1

taken on BM-1 and 100.00
TP2

the last reading is BM2

1.62
taken on BM-2, the
point whose elevation 3.36 STATION BS HI FS ELEV
is desired. Set-up and 1.54 BM-1 1.62 100.00
complete differential 4.11 TP1 1.54 3.36
level notes and
0.86 TP2 0.86 4.11
include the customary
math check. The 4.32 BM-2 4.32
elevation is given Σ
under each problem
number
 1.62 3.36
SOLUTION #1: BM1
1.54 4.11

Elev 100m TP1

0.86 4.32

STATION BS HI FS ELEV TP2

BM2
BM-1 1.62 101.62 100.00 HI = 100 + 1.62 = 101.62
ElevTP1 = 101.62 – 3.36 = 98.26
TP1 1.54 99.80 3.36 98.26
TP2 0.86 96.55 4.11 95.69 HI = 98.26+ 1.54 = 99.8
ElevTP2 = 99.8 – 4.11 = 95.69
BM-2 4.32 92.23
Σ 4.02 11.79 HI = 95.69 + 0.86 = 96.55
ElevBM2 = 96.55 – 4.32 = 92.23

෍ 𝐁𝐒 = 𝟏. 𝟔𝟐 + 𝟏. 𝟓𝟒 + 𝟎. 𝟖𝟔 = 𝟒. 𝟎𝟐

෍ 𝐅𝐒 = 𝟑. 𝟑𝟔 + 𝟒. 𝟏𝟏 + 𝟒. 𝟑𝟐 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟕𝟗

DE = Elev BM-2 - Elev BM1 Checking: DE = ΣBS - ΣFS

DE = 92.23 - 100 = -7.77 DE = 4.02 -
11.79 = -7.77
Negative means downhill
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
• The level rod readings are Problem Problem
given in the order in which 1 2
they were taken on BM-1 and
100.00 145.66
the last reading is taken on
1.62
BM-2, the point whose 5.32
elevation is desired. Set-up 3.36
2.68
and complete differential 1.54
6.38
level notes and include the 4.11
1.46
customary math check. The 0.86
elevation is given under each 4.32
4.02
problem number 3.09
 SOLUTION #2:
• The level rod readings
Problem
are given in the order
in which they were 2 4.02 3.09

taken on BM-1 and 145.66

the last reading is
6.38 1.46
BM2
5.32 5.32
taken on BM-2, the 2.68 TP2

point whose elevation 2.68

TP1
is desired. Set-up and 6.38
BM1
Elev 145.66

complete differential 1.46

level notes and STATION BS HI FS ELEV
4.02
include the customary BM-1 5.32 145.66
math check. The 3.09
TP1 6.38 2.68
elevation is given
TP2 4.02 1.46
under each problem
number BM-2 3.09
Σ
SOLUTION #2: 4.02 3.09

6.38 1.46
BM2
5.32 2.68 TP2

TP1
BM1
Elev 145.66

HI =145 + 5.32 = 150.98

STATION BS HI FS ELEV
ElevTP1 = 150.98 – 2.68 = 148.30
BM-1 5.32 150.98 145.66
HI = 148.30 + 6.38 = 154.68
TP1 6.38 154.68 2.68 148.3 ElevTP2 = 154.68 – 1.46 = 153.22
TP2 4.02 157.24 1.46 153.22 HI = 153.22 + 4.02 = 157.24
BM-2 3.09 154.15 ElevBM2 = 157.24 – 3.09 = 154.15

Σ 15.72 7.23

DE = Elev BM-2 - Elev BM1 Checking: DE = ΣBS - ΣFS

DE = 154.15 - 145.66 = 8.49 DE = 15.72 -
7.23 = 8.49
Positive means uphill
 PROBLEM:
• Plan-view sketches of differential leveling runs as shown. Along each line
representing a sight is the value of the rod reading for that sight. The
numbering of TPs shows the direction of the level run. Place the data in the
form of field notes. Include the arithmetic check. Assume that the average
length of each BS and FS is 40m.

2.317 TP 1
TP 2
BM 9

BM 4 TP 3
25.233 m
 SOLUTION:
2.317 TP 1
TP 2
BM 9

BM 4 TP 3
25.233 m

HI = 25.233 + 0.806 = 26.039

ElevTP1 = 26.039 – 2.317 = 23.722
STATION BS(m) HI(m) FS(m) ELEV(m) HI = 23.722+ 1.454 = 25.176
BM-4 0.806 26.039 25.233 ElevBM9 = 25.176 – 2.997 = 22.179
TP1 1.454 25.176 2.317 23.722 HI = 22.179 + 1.841 = 24.020
BM9 1.841 24.020 2.997 22.179 ElevTP2 = 24.020 – 1.112 = 22.908

TP2 2.298 25.206 1.112 22.908 HI = 22.908 + 2.298 = 25.206

ElevTP3 = 25.206 – 1.745 = 23.461
TP3 3.187 26.648 1.745 23.461
HI = 23.461+ 3.187 = 26.648
BM-4 4.652 21.996
ElevTBM4 = 26.648 – 4.652 = 21.996
Σ 9.596 12.823

DE = Elev BM-4 - Elev BM4 Checking: DE = ΣBS - ΣFS

DE = 21.996 - 25.233 = -3.237 DE = 9.596 -
12.823 = -3.237
SAMPLE PROBLEM:

• The level rod readings are Problem Problem

given in the order in which 1 2
they were taken on BM-1
100.00 + y.x 1452.66 – 2.xx
and the last reading is
taken on BM-2, the point 1.62 + 1.xy 10.32 - 3.yy
whose elevation is desired. 5.36 – 3.yx 4.68
Set-up and complete 1.54 - 0.yy 9.38 + 1.xy
differential level notes and 2.46 + x.y
8.11 – 5.xy
include the customary
12.02 – y.x
math check. The elevation 0.86 + 2.yx
5.09
is given under each 7.32 -1.yx
problem number 7.54 + y.y
4.82 – 1.2x
SAMPLE PROBLEM:

• The level rod readings are

Problem Problem
given in the order in which
3 4
they were taken on BM-1
544.391 +2x.y5 100.00 - 2x.y5
and the last reading is
7.728 + 0.yx 4.64 + 0.yx
taken on BM-2, the point
whose elevation is desired. 3.998 +1.xy 7.46 -2.yx
Set-up and complete 8.292-2.yx 4.11
differential level notes and 3.469 + 1.0y 9.44 – 3.xx
include the customary 8.192 – 3.xx 5.39
math check. The elevation 2.044 +2.yy 6.32 +1.xy
is given under each 5.128 7.34 – 3.xx
problem number 3.114 5.33 + 1.0y
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
Problem
• The level rod readings are Problem 6
given in the order in which 5 419.29 –3x.y3
they were taken on BM-1 100.00 +3y.x3 5.12 - + 2.yx
and the last reading is 4.64 + 2.yx 9.18 -4.xy
taken on BM-2, the point
7.46 – 2.xy 5.11 -1.5y
whose elevation is desired.
4.11 +1.yx 8.66 -2.5x
Set-up and complete
9.44 -4.xy 5.22 +1.yx
differential level notes and
include the customary 5.39 +y.5x 7.49
math check. The elevation 6.32 -1.5y 4.03
is given under each 7.34 -2.5x 10.64
problem number 5.33 3.18 +y.5x
5.33 + x.5y
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
Problem
• The level rod readings are Problem 8
given in the order in which 7 419.29 + y3.5x
they were taken on BM-1 544.391 -5y.x7 5.12
and the last reading is 7.728 – 3.yx 9.18
taken on BM-2, the point 3.998 +1.y5 5.11 -1.yx
whose elevation is desired.
8.292 -2.x7 8.66 – 2.1y
Set-up and complete
3.469 +y.y 5.22 + 3.x4
differential level notes and
8.192 -4.xx 7.49 -4.2y
include the customary
math check. The elevation 2.044 +2.yy 4.03 +2.yy
is given under each 5.128 10.64 – 3.x3
problem number 3.114 3.18 + 4.yy
5.33 + y.y
PROBLEM:

• Plan-view sketches of differential leveling runs as

shown. Along each line representing a sight is the
value of the rod reading for that sight. The
numbering of TPs shows the direction of the level
run. Place the data in the form of field notes.
Include the arithmetic check. Assume that the
average length of each BS and FS is 40m.
 TP 1

BM 40

BM 16
19.015 m
TP 2
TP 3