Department of Civil Engineering

College of Engineering
Visayas State University
Baybay, Leyte
GEng 111, Exercise 12

DIFFERENTIAL LEVELING
TITLE
Name: Joycelyn H. Uy
17-19, 2012
Course and Year: BSCE-3
2012

Date Performed: September

Date Submitted: October 8,

I Introduction:
Differential leveling is the process used to determine a
difference in elevation between two points. A Level is an
instrument with a telescope that can be leveled with a spirit
bubble. The optical line of sight forms a horizontal plane, which is
at the same elevation as the telescope crosshair. By reading a
graduated rod held vertically on a point of known elevation
(Bench Mark) a difference in elevation can be measured and a
height of instrument (H.I.) calculated by adding the rod reading
to the elevation of the bench mark. Once the height of
instrument is established, rod readings can be taken on
subsequent points and their elevations calculated by simply
subtracting the readings from the height of instrument.
II

Objectives:
1 To learn how to run differential leveling.
2 To learn how to determine the elevation of points by
differential leveling.
3 To learn how to adjust the differential leveling.

III

Instruments:
Stadia rod, engineers transit/theodolite, steel tape.

IV

Procedure:
1. A reference point of known elevation was designated.
This point was called as BM1.

2. The instrument was set up and leveled at a convenient

location. A back sight was taken and recorded on BM1.
3. A turning point (BM1 and TP1 are NOT necessarily to be
in straight line) was established, a foresight on TP1 was
taken and recorded. The back sight and foresight
distance was kept equal to minimize error.
4. The instrument was transferred and leveled at any
convenient distance beyond TP1.
5. A back sight on TP1 was taken and recorded.
6. Another turning point (TP2) was established at a
convenient distance ahead of the instrument.
7. A foresight to TP2 was taken and recorded.
8. Procedure 4 7 was repeated until BM1 was reached
(this is taking a foresight to BM1.)
V

Results and Discussion:

STATION
BM1
TP1
TP2
TP3
TP4
TP5
TP6
TP7
TP8
BM2

BS

HI (m)

0.31
0.60
0.65
0.94
0.09
0.26
0.33
0.39
0.04
0.16
0.12
0.20
0.03
0.14
0.14
0.28
0.57
0.70

31.11
31.40
29.08
29.39
26.45
26.74
25.10
25.25
23.12
23.29
21.29
21.43
18.81
18.99
16.6
16.80
14.49
14.68

FS

ELEVATIO
N (m)
30.8

2.68
2.95
2.72
2.91
1.68
1.88
2.02
2.12
1.95
2.06
2.51
2.58
2.35
2.47
2.68
2.82
1.68
1.81

28.43
28.45
26.36
26.48
24.77
24.86
23.08
23.13
21.17
21.23
18.78
18.85
16.46
16.52
13.92
13.98
12.81
12.87

REMARK
S

The table above shows the results in differential leveling.

The elevation at BM1 is known to be 30.8 meters, and we need
to know the elevation of BM2. The level is set up at a point near
BM1, and a rod reading taken. The height of instrument (HI) is
calculated by adding the elevation of the benchmark and the
backsight. And then a rod reading to a turning point (TP1) is
taken. The reading of the foresight is subtracted from the height
of instrument to obtain the elevation at TP1. The rod stays at
TP1, the level moves ahead and the rod at TP1 now becomes the
backsight. This procedure was repeated until the final foresight
to BM2 was obtained which has an average of 12.84 meters.
VI

Conclusion:
I conclude that to run differential leveling, we have to know
first the benchmarks of the said elevation and need to get the
basksights and foresights from the first benchmark down to the
last and then calculate the height of instrument by adding the
elevation of the station and the backsight. Then finally, elevation
is computed by subtracting the foresight from the height of
instrument.

VII

Sketch: