UNIVERSITY OF SIERRA LEONE

FOURAH BAY COLLEGE

PRINCIPLES OF SURVEYING(CENG 312)
NUMERICAL PROBLEMS

LEVELING

1. Year 3 civil and mining engineering students were contracted to find assume rail levels of Bo-
Mattru highway, a point A was marked on the rail, then point at distances in multiples of
20m from A, and the following readings were taken:
Backsight 3.39 on OBM 23.10m
Intermediate sight on A, A+20 and A+40: 2.81,2.51 and 2.22 respectively
A+60 is the change point with foresight 1.88 and Backsight 2.61
Intermediate sight on A+80 and A+100: 2.32 and 1.92 respectively; and finally a foresight
1.54 on A+120, all being in metres.
Tabulate the above readings on the collimation system and determine the reduced
relevels of all point on the rail and apply appropriate check. Assuming the levels at A and
A+120 were correctly determined by the students, calculate the amount by which the rail
would have to be lifted at the intermediate points to give a uniform gradient throughout.

2. Book and reduce the following levels using the RISE and FALL method, the first number in a
pair of levels at a change point being a backsight

1.632 Point A, RL = 54.173M

3.467 1.124 Change point

0.568 Point x

1.835 0.381 Change point

-2.473 Point y

1.732 3.941 Change point

2.484 Point B, RL 54.893

Apply suitable corrections so that the specified levels at B is attained and hence determine
the difference in level between x and y

3. A level exercise was performed as the first stage of an improvement scheme along a short
section of road. The engineer reduced the levels by the height of collimation method whilst on
site, and then carelessly dropped his field book in a puddle, obliterating some of the figures.
 The table below shows the level book, determine the missing entries and insert them in their
appropriate place

Height of RL Distance
BS IS FS Remarks
Collimation (m) (m)
- 88.41 84.03 0 OBM
4.27 - 30
2.65 85.76 60
3.62 0.23 91.80 - 90 Cp.
1.63 - 120
1.69 0.52 - - 150 Cp.
0.97 92.00 180
0.72 - 210
1.02 - 240
1.10 91.87 270
0.89 - 300
Checks Last RL – First RL =
9.69 -
8.05

The proposed improvement involves regrading the road to a 5% gradient, rising from
chainage 0 to 300, and passing through the existing surface at chainage 180m. Determine the
maximum depths of required excavation and fill.

4. A straight section of road XY is to be reconstructed such that it has a constant gradient of 1

in 40, falling from X to Y. The level of the road at X is to remain unaltered. The levels in the
table below were recorded along the centre line of the existing road. a) Draw up and reduce
the levels from the observed readings and apply the usual checks. b) Determine the height
of the underside of the bridge above the centre line level when the road has been
reconstructed. c) Calculate the depth of cut or fill at Y when the road has been
reconstructed.

BS IS FS REMARKS
0.738 BM 112.309 AOD
1.094 Point x
1.713 30m from x
2.265 60m from x
0.942 2.685 cp
1.100 90m from x
1.533 120m from x
 Inverted staff on
-3.313 underside of bridge
126.8m from x
0.741 1.887 CP
1.643 150m from x
Point Y (170m from
2.472
x)
2.265 AOD 107.893

BM= Bench Mark AOD= Assumed Ordinance Datum

5. A sewer is to be laid at uniform gradient of 1 in 200, between two points X and Y, 240m
apart. The reduced level of the invert at the outfall X is 150.82m. in order to fix sight rails at
X and Y, readings are taken with a level in the following order:

Reading Staff station

B.S, 0.81 T.B.M ( near X ), R.L 153.81
I.S, ‘a’ Top of sight rail at X
I.S, 1.07 Peg at X
FS. 0.55 CP between X and Y
B.S. 2.15 CP between X and Y
I.S ‘b’ Top of sight rail at Y
F.S. 1.88 Peg at Y

• Draw up a level book and find the reduced levels of the pegs
• If a bonding rod of length 3m is to be used, find the readings a and b
• Find the height of the sight rails above the pegs at X and Y

TRAVERSING

1. Below, the angles and distances for traverse are shown. The coordinates of A are
350mE,500mN. All angles are mean observed angles. Bearing of AF is 70000’00’’. Determine
the coordinate of the remaining points.
2. Consider the following traverse where the bearing (β) and distance (d) of BC are missing.
The coordinates of P and Q are given to be P(365.30mE, 699.37mN) and Q(1706.61mE,
1425.10mN). Calculate the values β and d.

3. A Client want to purchase a plot of land and is in need of surveyors to carry out the task. In
order to save capital, he decided to give the task to civil engineering students to perform a
closed traverse survey of points A,B,C,D,E in which line CD and AE cross. The job was carried
out in a confined area, various obstruction prevented distances BC and CD from being
measured although their whole circle bearings were able to be recorded. Determine the
length of BC and CD employing the values recorded, as shown below:

SIDE LENGTH WHOLE CIRCLE BEARING

AB 141.2 325040’00’’
BC ? 69010’00’
CD ? 41O00’00’’
DE 58.6 305055’00’’
EA 347.0 194O50’00’’

Assume that A has coordinates 500.00mN,500.00mE

4. A closed traverse survey involved the measurement of angles and distances between five
stations, A, B, C, D and E. From the information given in the table below, calculate the
closing error in eastings and northings using the Bowditch method and hence determine the
corrected values of station co-ordinates if the known coordinates of station A are 650mE
and 1500mN

Station Line Length(m) Whole circle bearing

A
AB 293 45O10’00’’
B
BC 721 72O05’00’’
C
CD 496 161O52’00’’
D
DE 522 228O43’00’’
E
EA 762 300O42’00’’
A
 5. The measured internal angle of a looped traverse ABCDEA are: -
A = 51˚37’40’’
B = 192˚08’55’’
C = 101˚51’55’’
D = 87˚29’35’’
E = 106˚53’35’’
The lengths of the sides are measured in meters as: -
AB = 88.355m, BC = 65.205m, CD = 76.405m, DE = 112.960m and EA = 125.400m
Using an equal shift angular adjustment and the Bowditch Adjustment Method, calculate the
coordinates of the points B, C, D and E if the coordinates of A are: 50.235m, 75.170m and the bearing
of the line AB is 56˚56’40’’