Methods of Contour Surveying

Methods of Contour Surveying

There are two methods of contour surveying:

[1]. Direct method

[2]. Indirect method

Direct Method of Contouring

   It consists in finding vertical and horizontal controls of the points which lie on the selected contour line.

   For vertical control levelling instrument is commonly used. A level is set on a commanding position in the area after taking fly levels from the nearby bench mark. The plane of collimation/height of instrument is found and the required staff reading for a contour line is calculated.

  The instrument man asks staff man to move up and down in the area till the required staff reading is found. A surveyor establishes the horizontal control of that point using his instruments.

After that instrument man directs the staff man to another point where the same staff reading can be found. It is followed by establishing horizontal control.

Thus, several points are established on a contour line on one or two contour lines and suitably noted down. Plane table survey is ideally suited for this work.

After required points are established from the instrument setting, the instrument is shifted to another point to cover more area. The level and survey instrument need not be shifted at the same time. It is better if both are nearby to communicate easily.

For getting speed in levelling some times hand level and Abney levels are also used. This method is slow, tedious but accurate. It is suitable for small areas.

Indirect Method of Contouring

In this method, levels are taken at some selected points and their levels are reduced. Thus in this method horizontal control is established first and then the levels of those points found.

After locating the points on the plan, reduced levels are marked and contour lines are interpolated between the selected points.

For selecting points any of the following methods can be used:

[1]. Method of squares

[2]. Method of cross-section

[3]. Radial line method

Method of Squares

In this method area is divided into a number of squares and all grid points are marked (Fig. Con. 10).

  

                        

Commonly used size of square varies from 5 m × 5 m to 20 m × 20 m. Levels of all grid points are established by levelling. Then grid square is plotted on the drawing sheet. Reduced levels of grid points marked and contour lines are drawn by interpolation (Fig. Con. 10).

Method of Cross-Section

In this method cross-sectional points are taken at regular interval. By levelling the reduced level of all those points are established. The points are marked on the drawing sheets, their reduced levels (RL) are marked and contour lines interpolated.

  

  Fig. Con. 11 shows a typical planning of this work. The spacing of cross-section depends upon the nature of the ground, scale of the map and the contour interval required. It varies from 20 m to 100 m. Closer intervals are required if ground level varies abruptly.

   The cross- sectional line need not be always be at right angles to the main line. This method is ideally suited for road and railway projects.

 

Radial Line Method

(Fig. Con. 12). In this method several radial lines are taken from a point in the area. The direction of each line is noted. On these lines at selected distances points are marked and levels determined. This method is ideally suited for hilly areas. In this survey theodolite with tacheometry facility is commonly used.

               

   For interpolating contour points between the two points any one of the following method may be used:

(a) Estimation

(b) Arithmetic calculation

(c) Mechanical or graphical method.

Mechanical or graphical method of interpolation consist in linearly interpolating contour points using tracing sheet:

   On a tracing sheet several parallel lines are drawn at regular interval. Every 10th or 5th line is made darker for easy counting. If RL of A is 97.4 and that of B is 99.2 m. Assume the bottom most dark line represents 97 m RL and every parallel line is at 0.2 m intervals. Then hold the second parallel line on A.

   Rotate the tracing sheet so that 100.2 the parallel line passes through point B. Then the intersection of dark lines on AB represents the points on 98 m and 99 m contours (Fig. Con. 13).

 

   Similarly the contour points along any line connecting two neighbouring points may be obtained and the points pricked. This method maintains the accuracy of arithmetic calculations at the same time it is fast.

                             

Drawing Contours

   After locating contour points smooth contour lines are drawn connecting corresponding points on a contour line. French curves may be used for drawing smooth lines. A surveyor should not lose the sight of the characteristic feature on the ground. Every fifth contour line is made thicker for easy readability. On every contour line its elevation is written. If the map size is large, it is written at the ends also.

Contour Gradient
   Gradient represents the ascending or descending slope of the terrain between two consecutive contour lines. The slope or gradient is usually stated in the format 1 in S, where 1 represents the vertical component of the slope and S its corresponding horizontal component measured in the same unit.

   The gradient between two consecutive contour lines can also be expressed in terms of tanθ as follows:
tanθ = Contour Interval (CI) /Horizontal Equivalent (HE) … both     measured in the same unit.

Location of Contour Gradient

   To locate a rising gradient of 1 in 100 from the station P, a level is set up at a commanding position and back sight is taken at P. Let the back sight reading be 1.255 m. The staff reading at any point X on the contour gradient can be calculated from its distance from P (Fig. Con. 14). For the distance XP of 20 m, the required staff reading would be

        1.255 - (20/100) = 1.055

   To locate the point X on the ground, the staff man holds the 20 m-mark of the tape, keeping the zero-mark at P, and moves till the staff reading of 1.055 m is obtained. Likewise, the staff readings for other points at known distance from P, are calculated, and the points are located. If the point Q is on the contour of 105 m, its distance from P would be 500 m in this case. The instruments such as Indian clinometer, theodolite and Ghat tracer may also be used for tracing the contour gradient on the ground.