COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Civil Engineering Department

Fieldwork No. 4
DIFFERENTIAL LEVELING

COURSE OUTCOMES

Create a written report about the fieldwork conducted on plane surveying and
CO1
horizontal & vertical curves

COURSE INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOME

Determine the elevation of points by differential, three-wire, reciprocal and profile

CILO 1
leveling

I. OBJECTIVE
 To introduce the method of differential levelling and to learn basic techniques of levelling.
 To determine the elevation of points by differential leveling

II. INSTRUMENTS
 Automatic level or Dumpy level
 Tripod
 Leveling rod
 Marker/marking pins

Fig. 4.1 Parts of an Automatic Level

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Civil Engineering Department

Fig 4.2 Tripod Fig 4.3 Leveling rod

III. TEST PROCEDURE

1. Setting up the instrument:
a. When setting up the tripod, the three legs must be pushed firmly into the ground. The
tripod head should be as horizontal as possible and the height should be such that the
telescope eyepiece will be comfortably at the observer’s eye level.
b. Attach the instrument to the tripod head with the tripod fixing screw.
c. To level up the instrument, the the foot screws until the circular bubble is in the center of
the circle. The line of sight is then automatically leveled.
2. Locate the beginning benchmark (BM – 1) assigned by the instructor. This will be your starting
station and first backsight. The instructor will also assign a route for each group.
3. Locate another suitable turning point towards your assigned route to serve as a FS station. Set
up your instrument within sight of both stations, making sure you have even sight distances.

Figure 4.4 Instrument within turning points.

4. Direct the rodman to set the leveling rod on the BS station ensuring that it is perpendicular with
the gravitational surface.
5. Direct the instrument towards the level rod (BS) and make necessary adjustments on the
eyepiece for a clearer view. Take and record the backsight reading on BM – 1.
6. Direct the rodman to set the leveling rod on to the first turning point. Direct the instrument
towards the turning point, take and record a foresight reading (TP – 1).
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Civil Engineering Department

7. Locate another suitable turning point (TP – 2) and set up the instrument within sight of both
stations.
8. Direct the instrument towards TP – 1, take and record a backsight reading.
9. Direct the rodman to move on to the next turning point (TP – 2). Take and record a foresight
reading on TP – 2.
10. Repeat the procedures to take backsight and foresight on turning points until a foresight is
finally taken on BM-2.
11. Compute the Height of Instrument and Elevation.
12. To check the accuracy of the arithmetic computations, add a backsight as well as all the
foresights. The difference between these two sums must be equal to the difference in elevation
between the initial and final points of the level line.

IV. CALCULATION
1. Calculate the height of instrument (HI) and Turning Point Elevation as follows:

HI =BM ( Known Elev . ) + BS

TP Elev.=HI−FS

Where: HI = height of instrument above a reference datum

BS = backsight reading on the rod (or plus sights)
FS = foresight reading on the rod (or minus sights)
TP Elev. = vertical distance above/below a reference datum

V. DATA AND COMPUTATION

Table 4.1 Determining Elevations

Station BS HI FS Elevation Remarks

BM-1

TP-1

TP-2

TP-3

BM-2

Summation of backsights: _________________________

Summation of foresights: _________________________
Difference in elevation of BMs: _________________________
Difference in BSs and FSs: _________________________

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Civil Engineering Department

VI. ILLUSTRATION

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Civil Engineering Department

VII. CONCLUSION

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VIII. RECOMMENDATION

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