CHAPTER 14DIRECT LEVELING AND BASICENGINEERING SURVEYSLeveling is an operation that is used fordetermining the elevations of points or thedifferences in elevation between points on theearth’s surface. This operation is extremelyvital for deriving necessary data requiredfor various engineering designs, mapping,and construction. Data from a finished levelsurvey are used to (1) design roads, highways,and airfields; (2) develop maps, showing thegeneral configuration of the ground; (3) calculatevolume of earthwork; and (4) lay out construc-tion projects.In this chapter, we discuss the basic principlesof DIRECT LEVELING and the types ofmethods used; the duties and responsibilities ofthe leveling crew; field procedures used indifferential leveling; precision in leveling; andproper ways of handling leveling instruments andequipment. INDIRECT LEVELING, such asbarometric and trigonometric leveling, adjustmentof level network, and end areas and volume ofearth’s computations, is not covered in thisbook.In this chapter, you will find a generaldescription of basic engineering surveys andvarious construction-site safety hazards commonlyassociated with the EA survey party. Othertypes of engineering and construction surveys—particularly those for curves and earthwork—willbe presented at the EA2 level.BASIC TERMS USED INLEVELING OPERATIONSGenerally, the basic vertical control fortopographic survey and mapping is derived fromfirst- and second-order leveling. For manyconstruction projects and for filling gaps betweensecond-order bench marks (BMs), less precisethird-order leveling is acceptable.In leveling, a level reference surface, or datum,is established, and an elevation is assigned toit. This datum may be assigned an assumedelevation, but true elevation is required for theestablishment of a BM. A series of properlyestablished BMs is therefore the framework of anyvertical control.Although further discussion will follow,fundamentally, direct leveling describes themethod of measuring vertical distances (dif-ferences in elevation) between the plane of knownor assumed elevation (datum) and the plane ofa point whose elevation you are seeking. Oncethese distances are known, they may be addedto, or subtracted from, the known or assumedelevation to get the elevation of the desiredpoint. These vertical distances are obtainedby use of a leveling rod and, usually, an engineer’slevel.Some of the basic terms commonly used inleveling operations are defined in the followingparagraphs.BENCH MARKABM is a relatively permanent object, naturalor artificial, bearing a marked point whoseelevation is known. BMs are established over anarea to serve as (1) starting points for levelingoperations so the topographic parties candetermine other unknown elevation points and(2) reference marks during later constructionwork. BMs are classified as PERMANENT orTEMPORARY. Generally, BM is used to indicatea permanent bench mark and TBM, to signify atemporary bench mark. TBMs are established touse for a particular job and are retained for theduration of that job. Throughout the UnitedStates, a series of BMs have been established byvarious government agencies. These identificationmarkers are set in stone, iron pipe, or concrete14-1
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