New Era University

College of Engineering and Architecture

Civil Engineering Department

HIGHER SURVEYING ( CE 312F )

FIELDWORK NO. 2

Topographic Surveying by Transit Stadia Method

RATING

NAME: MAGISA, CRISTINE JOY L DATE PERFORMED: JULY 18, 2017

SCHEDULE:
GROUP No: 3 DATE SUBMITTED: JULY 25, 2017
T 7:00AM-10:00AM

ENGR. RANDY R. AUREADA

Instructor
 Fieldwork no.2
Topographic Surveying by Transit Stadia Method

OBJECTIVES

1. To prepare a topographic map of an area using transit stadia method

2. To familiarize the use of transit and stadia rod for establishing horizontal and vertical controls in
locating details.
3. To compute the vertical elevation of each station observed by stadia method.

THEORY

Transit stadia method of topographic surveying provides a means of measuring direction, distance and
elevation, all essentially in one operation, using only a transit and a stadia rod. It provides a faster method
of leveling in uneven terrain where low precision survey is required. Stadia method is common in traverse
and leveling for topographic surveys, field completion surveys employing photogrammetric procedures, and
in route and hydrographic surveying.

Stadia method is also useful for mapping small or medium-sized parcels of land with variable terrain. With
the advent of modern technology, electronic distance measuring (EDM) instruments such as GPS (global
positioning system) can now provide the same data with greater accuracy and speed, traditional transit-
stadia surveying methods still retain their practical values for the principles and concepts it contains.

Using the stadia method, horizontal distances may be determined with a relative accuracy to about 1/500.
Differences in elevation can also be obtained within 3 cm.

INSTRUMENTS

1 transit with tripods

1 stadia rod
5 marking pins
PROCEDURE

1. Assume the bench mark elevation to be 100cm above sea level if there is no benchmark in the area.
2. Set - up and level the instrument at any convenient station where greater number of station can be
sighted along the designated survey area. Position the stadia rod at this point and take a back sight
reading.
3. Take a back sight for foresight reading then record the following data:
a) Upper stadia cross hair reading (a)
b) Horizontal cross hair reading or rod reading (RR)
c) Lower stadia cross hair reading (b)
d) Vertical angle () to horizontal axis: ()=elevation;(-)=depression
4. As much as possible, it is more convenient to read the vertical angle (), the rod reading (RRBS)
should be equal to the rod reading (RRFS) of the succeeding point for easier computations of
elevation of any point.
5. Take a foresight on the rod held and take the same data as in step 3.
6. Transfer the instrument to a new point repeat the same process, record the same data as mentioned
above until foresight is taken on the last terminal point.
7. Compute the horizontal and vertical distance and elevations of each point sighted.
SKETCH OF THE SET UP
PHOTO OF SET UP

Setting up and leveling the instrument

Reading and recording foresight and backsight reading

 FINAL DATA SHEET

Fieldwork No. 2

Topographic Surveying by Transit Stadia Method

Elev. Of BM1: 100 Stadia Interval Factor: 100 Stadia Constant: 0

STATION BACKSIGHT FORESIGHT DISTANCE DIF

HI ELEV
OCC OBS S RR S RR HD VD ELEV
BM1 0.38 1.15 3 37.90m 1.99m 101.15m
0.47 1.57 0 47m 0 99.58m 0.42
STA1 0.4 1.83 0 40m 0 101.83m
0.32 1.46 0 32m 0 100.37m 0.79
STA2 0.2 1.49 0 20m 0 101.49m
0.33 1.47 -5 32.75m -5.75m 100.02m -0.35
STA3 0.47 1.83 0 47m 0 101.83m
0.53 0.78 0 53m 0 101.05m 1.03
STA4 0.23 2.05 0 23m 0 102.05m
0.4 1 +6 39.56m 8.36m 101.5m 0

SUM 372.21m 4.6m

ANALYSIS OF DATA & RESULT

In the fieldwork we performed, we are task to do the topographic survey, so we assume the bench
mark elevation to be 100cm above sea level. We set - up and level the instrument, positioned the
stadia rod at the point we assigned and take a back sight and foresight reading until we reached our
final station. So after we gathered the data we needed, we started the computation.

CONCLUSION

In measuring horizontal distance we used tachymetry and in measuring horizontal distance we

used the leveling. So therefore, I conclude our station 3 is 1.03 m higher than BM1 and its
elevation is 99.58m.

RECOMMENDATION

When you performing this survey, the most important rule to remember is that you must work
carefully, keeping in mind all of the work you will need to do as you begin the first steps.
QUESTIONS

1. Explain briefly the advantages and/or disadvantages of topographic

surveying using the transit-stadia method.

The advantages of topographic surveying using the transit-stadia method was

where high accuracy is desired in locating contour lines. While, the
disadvantage of it was interpolating contour lines by arithmetical
computations is that it becomes laborious especially when many
interpolation are to be made.

2. Differentiate transit-stadia surveying from differential leveling.

transit-stadia surveying
A survey in which horizontal and vertical directions or angles are observed wi
th a transit anddistances are measured by transit and stadia rod.

differential leveling
is the process of measuring vertical distances from a known elevation point to
determine elevations of unknown points.
PROBLEMS

1. Tabulated below are intervals and vertical angle readings from a transit-stadia
traverse with the rod readings taken at the same level of the height of
instrument. The stadia interval factor and stadia constant are taken as 100 and
0.3m, respectively. The elevation of station A is 350m. Compute the
horizontal distances of the course and elevation of the transit stations.

Occ Obs Stadia Intercept Rod reading Vertical Angle

B A 3.20 1.85 +427
C 2.48 1.53 +834
D C 2.42 1.48 +833
E 2.75 1.68 -558
F E 2.71 1.65 +559
G 1.93 1.76 -346

2. In the given figure shown below, A is on left has elevation of 170m and the
instrument is at B. Determine the following (k=100 & C=0.30)
a) Vertical distance of AB and BC
b) Horizontal distance of AB and BC
c) How far is pt A from pt C
d) Difference in elevation between A and B; B and C; A and C
e) Determine the highest end lowest elevation

Vertical Angle Lower reading Rod reading Upper reading

A 21 35 0.841 1.080 1.320
C -18 8 1.730 1.940 2.150
COMPUTATION
S = upper lower reading STA3:
HD = KS cos + C cos SBS: 2.04-1.57 = 0.47m
1 HDBS: (100)(0.47)cos(0)+(0)cos (0) = 47m
VD = 2 KS sin2 + C sin 1
VDBS: 2 (100)(0.47)sin2(0)+(0)sin(0) = 0m
HI = Elev + BSRR
SFS: 1.04-1.3 = 0.53m
ELEV = HI FSRR HDFS: (100) (0.53) cos(0)+(0)cos (0) = 53m
DE = (VDBS RRBS) (VDFSRRFS) 1
VDFS: 2 (100)(0.53)sin2(0)+(0)sin(0) = 0m
K = 100
HI: 100+1.83=101.83m
C= 0 ELEV: 101.83-0.78=101.05m
DE: 101.05-100.02=1.03m
BM1:
SBS: 1.33-0.95 = 0.38m
HDBS: (100)(0.38)cos(3)+(0)cos (3) = 37.90m
1 STA3:
VDBS: 2 (100)(0.38)sin2(3)+(0)sin(3) = 1.99m SBS: 2.17-1.94 = 0.23m
SFS: 1.8-1.33 = 0.47m HDBS: (100)(0.23)cos(0)+(0)cos (0) = 23m
HDFS: (100) (0.47) cos(0)+(0)cos (0) = 47m 1
VDBS: (100)(0.23)sin2(0)+(0)sin(0) = 0m
1 2
VDFS: 2 (100)(0.47)sin2(0)+(0)sin(0) = 0m SFS: 1.3-0.9 = 0.4m
HI: 100+1.15=101.15m HDFS: (100) (0.4) cos(6)+(0)cos(6) = 39.56m
ELEV: 101.15-1.57=99.58m 1
VDFS: 2 (100)(0.4)sin2(6)+(0)sin(6) = 8.36m
DE: 100-99.58=0.42m
HI: 100+2.05=102.05m
ELEV: 102.05-1=101.05m
STA1:
DE:101.05-101.05=0m
SBS: 2.03-1.63 = 0.4m
HDBS: (100)(0.4)cos(0)+(0)cos (0) = 40m
1
VDBS: (100)(0.4)sin2(0)+(0)sin(0) = 0m
2
SFS: 1.62-1.3 = 0.32m
HDFS: (100) (0.32) cos(0)+(0)cos (0) = 32m
1
VDFS: 2 (100)(0.32)sin2(0)+(0)sin(0) = 0m
HI: 100+1.83=101.83m
ELEV: 101.83-1.46=100.37m
DE: 100.37-99.58=0.79m

STA2:
SBS: 1.59-1.39 = 0.2m
HDBS: (100)(0.2)cos(0)+(0)cos (0) = 20m
1
VDBS: 2 (100)(0.2)sin2(0)+(0)sin(0) = 0m
SFS: 1.63-1.3 = 0.33m
HDFS: (100) (0.33) cos(-5)+(0)cos (-5) = 32.75m
1
VDFS: 2 (100)(0.33)sin2(-5)+(0)sin(-5) = -5.75m
HI: 100+1.49=101.49m
ELEV: 101.49-1.47=100.02m
DE: 100.02-100.37= -0.35m