Leveling

Rise & Fall Method

A closed traverse to measure heights at 5.0m intervals is to be taken through the center of a large
residential block. There are two existing structures on site that will obscure the view to some of the
positions.
STEP 1
Set up the instrument where the benchmark can be viewed within correct parameters and a reasonable
number of sights can be viewed. This location is identified as L1.
STEP 2
Read a backsight to the benchmark that is on the kerb and gutter (1.575) and book this your field notes.
This is recorded as a backsight and establishes the height of the instrument above the benchmark.
The actual Reduced Level of the Bench Mark is also recorded.

Booking Sheet
Surveyor______________________

Chainmen_________________________________

Instrument No___________________

Date__________________

Backsight

Intermediate
Sight
Foresight

Rise

Fall

1.575

Reduced
Level

47.195

Top Bottom
1.817
1.377

Dist
Remarks
44.000 BM

STEP 3
Sight and Book all intermediate sights that can be viewed from station S1 to S4.

Booking Sheet
Surveyor______________________

Chainmen_________________________________

Instrument No___________________

Date__________________

Backsight

Intermediate
Sight
Foresight

1.575

Rise

Fall

Reduced
Level

47.195
1.250
0.850
1.330
1.580

Top Bottom
1.817
1.377

Dist
Remarks
44.000 BM
Station 1
Station 2
Station 3
Station 4

STEP 4
The sight to S5 will be a change point so it will be recorded as a foresight. Note when moving the
instrument the change point at S5 will become a backsight for the new set up.

Booking Sheet
Surveyor______________________

Chainmen_________________________________

Instrument No___________________

Date__________________

Backsight

Intermediate
Sight
Foresight

Rise

Fall

1.575

Reduced
Level

47.195

Top Bottom
1.817
1.377

1.250
0.850
1.330
1.580
1.450

1.570

1.330

Dist
Remarks
44.000 BM
Station 1
Station 2
Station 3
Station 4
24.000 S5 (CP)

STEP 5
Move instrument to position L2 and read backsight to changepoint S5

Booking Sheet
Surveyor______________________

Chainmen_________________________________

Instrument No___________________

Date__________________

Backsight

Intermediate
Sight
Foresight

1.575

Rise

Fall

Reduced
Level

47.195

Top Bottom
1.817
1.377

1.250
0.850
1.330
1.580
1.450
2.550

1.570
2.680

1.330
2.420

Dist
Remarks
44.000 BM
Station 1
Station 2
Station 3
Station 4
24.000 S5 (CP)
26.000 S5 (CP)

STEP 6
Sight and Book all intermediate sights that can be viewed from station L6 to L10. At this point
all required observations required for the task have been taken. This is called an open traverse,
we need to close the survey to check for errors.

Booking Sheet
Surveyor______________________

Chainmen_________________________________

Instrument No___________________

Date__________________

Intermediate
Sight
Foresight

Backsight

Rise

Fall

1.575

Reduced
Level

47.195

Top Bottom
1.597
1.553

1.250
0.850
1.330
1.580
1.450

1.570
2.680

2.550

1.330
2.420

1.980
1.760
1.710
1.840
1.920

Dist
Remarks
44.000 BM
S1
S2
S3
S4
24.000 S5 (CP)
26.000 S5 (CP)
S6
S7
S8
S9
S10

.
STEP 7
Take sight to S11 this will be a change point so it will be recorded as a foresight. Note when moving the
instrument the change point at S11 will become a backsight for the new set up.

Booking Sheet
Surveyor______________________

Chainmen_________________________________

Instrument No___________________

Date__________________

Backsight

Intermediate
Sight
Foresight

1.575

Rise

Fall

Reduced
Level

47.195

Top Bottom
1.597
1.553

1.250
0.850
1.330
1.580
1.450
2.550
1.980
1.760
1.710
1.840
1.920
3.250

1.570
2.680

1.330
2.420

Dist
Remarks
44.000 BM
S1
S2
S3
S4
24.000 S5 (CP)
26.000 S5 (CP)
S6
S7
S8
S9
S10
S11 (CP)

STEP 8
Take backsight to Sll than close traverse with foresight to B.M.

Surveyor______________________

Chainmen_________________________________

Instrument No___________________

Date__________________

Backsight

Intermediate
Sight
Foresight

Rise

Fall

1.575

Reduced
Level

47.195

Top Bottom
1.597
1.553

1.250
0.850
1.330
1.580
1.450

1.570
2.680

1.330
2.420

3.250

3.400
2.021
1.418

3.100
1.641
1.098

2.550
1.980
1.760
1.710
1.840
1.920
1.831
1.258

Dist
Remarks
44.000 BM
S1
S2
S3
S4
24.000 S5 (CP)
26.000 S5 (CP)
S6
S7
S8
S9
S10
30.000 S11 (CP)
38.000 S11 (CP)
32.000 BM

STEP 9
Total Backsights column and Tally Foresight column

Booking Sheet
Surveyor______________________

Chainmen_________________________________

Instrument No___________________

Date__________________

Backsight

Intermediate
Sight
Foresight

1.575

Rise

Fall

Reduced
Level

47.195

Top Bottom
1.597
1.553

1.250
0.850
1.330
1.580
1.450

1.570
2.680

1.330
2.420

3.250

3.400
2.021
1.418

3.100
1.641
1.098

2.550
1.980
1.760
1.710
1.840
1.920
1.831
1.258
5.956

5.958

Dist
Remarks
44.000 BM
S1
S2
S3
S4
24.000 S5 (CP)
26.000 S5 (CP)
S6
S7
S8
S9
S10
30.000 S11 (CP)
38.000 S11 (CP)
32.000 BM
194.000

As the survey is a closed the Backsights should equal the foresights. Due to errors and limitations of the
instruments there may be a discrepancy this is called a misclose. To determine misclose
Backsight 5.956
Foresight 5.958
-0.002mm

Note always remember to take foresight from backsight and note negatives

In this case as there is only a -2mm misclose(Foresight is Larger than Backsight. The allowable misclose
12 x SQRT (0.194)= +/- 5.2mm therefore results are OK
STEP 10
The next step is to determine the rises and falls and book them in the appropriate column. When a sight
has lesser elevation than the previous sight, it will be classified as a Rise. When a sight has a greater
elevation than the previous sight, it will be classified as a Fall.

Booking Sheet
Surveyor______________________

Chainmen_________________________________

Instrument No___________________

Date__________________

Backsight

Intermediate
Sight
Foresight

Rise

Fall

1.575

47.195
1.250
0.850
1.330
1.580

Top Bottom
1.597
1.553

0.325
0.400
-0.480
-0.250
1.450

0.130

2.550
1.980
1.760
1.710
1.840
1.920

1.570
2.680

1.330
2.420

3.400
2.021
1.418

3.100
1.641
1.098

0.570
0.220
0.050
-0.130
-0.080
-1.330

3.250
1.831

5.956

Reduced
Level

1.258

0.573

5.958

2.268 -2.270

Dist
Remarks
44.000 BM
S1
S2
S3
S4
24.000 S5 (CP)
26.000 S5 (CP)
S6
S7
S8
S9
S10
30.000 S11 (CP)
38.000 S11 (CP)
32.000 BM
194.000

The Rise & Fall columns are then totaled. The misclose should be the same as the previous result (-2mm)

STEP 11
The Reduced Levels are now calculated by adding the rises and subtracting the falls. Each measurement is
either added or subtracted from the previous Reduced Level starting at the known benchmark.

Booking Sheet
Surveyor______________________

Chainmen_________________________________

Instrument No___________________

Date__________________

Backsight

Intermediate
Sight
Foresight

Rise

Fall

1.575
1.250
0.850
1.330
1.580

0.325
0.400
-0.480
-0.250
1.450

0.130

Reduced
Level

47.195
47.520
47.920
47.440
47.190
47.320

2.550
1.980
1.760
1.710
1.840
1.920

0.570
0.220
0.050
-0.130
-0.080
-1.330

3.250

47.890
48.110
48.160
48.030
47.950
46.620

1.831

5.956

1.258

0.573

47.193

5.958

2.268 -2.270

-0.002

Top Bottom
1.597
1.553

1.570
2.680

1.330
2.420

3.400
2.021
1.418

3.100
1.641
1.098

Dist
Remarks
44.000 BM
S1
S2
S3
S4
24.000 S5 (CP)
26.000 S5 (CP)
S6
S7
S8
S9
S10
30.000 S11 (CP)
38.000 S11 (CP)
32.000 BM
194.000

The Final Calculated Reduced Level should match the previous calculations

Starting Bench Mark

Misclose

47.195 (Known) +
- 0.002

Ending R.L.

47.193

Therefore we would be reasonably confident that this traverse is accurate within the required parameters.

Traverse Exercise No 2

Booking Sheet
Surveyor______________________

Chainmen_________________________________

Instrument No___________________

Date__________________

Backsight

Intermediate
Sight
Foresight

Rise

Fall

Reduced
Level

Top

Bottom

Dist

Remarks

Traverse Exercise 3

Booking Sheet
Surveyor______________________

Chainmen_________________________________

Instrument No___________________

Date__________________

Backsight

Intermediate
Sight
Foresight

Rise

Fall

Reduced
Level

Top

Bottom

Dist

Remarks

Other references

Good graphical display of Rise & Fall Leveling

http://www.sli.unimelb.edu.au/planesurvey/prot/topic/top04-04-03.html