Surveying I.

Lecture 11

Plane Table Surveying

Surveying I. – Lecture 1
 Outline
• Introduction
• Principle
• Instruments
• Setting up the Plane Table
• Methods of Plane Tabling
• Advantages
• Sources of Errors
 Introduction to Plane Tabling
• Plane Table Surveying is a graphical method of
survey in which the field observations and plotting are
done simultaneously.
• It is simple and cheaper, It is most suitable for small
scale maps.
• The plan is drawn by the surveyor in the field, while
the area to be surveyed is before his eyes.
 Equipments/Instruments
The following instruments are used in plane table
surveying.
• Plane Table
• Tripod
• Alidade (Simple
and telescopic)
 Accessories

• Trough Compass
• Spirit level
• U-Fork with Plumb bob
• Water proof cover
• Drawing paper
• Pins
• Drawing accessories
 Accessories
Plane Table
• The drawing board for plane tabling is made from
well-seasoned wood with its upper surface exactly
plane.
• Normally, it is rectangular in shape with the size 75
cm x 60 cm.
• It is mounted on a tripod and clamps are provided to
fix it in any direction. The table can be revolved about
its vertical axis and can be clamped in any position,
when necessary.
Plane Table
Plane Table
 Tripod
• The plane table is mounted on a tripod
• The tripod is generally of open frame type, combined
rigidity with lightness. The tripod may be made to fold for
convenience of transportation.
• Tripod is provided with three foot screws at its top for
leveling of the plane table.
Tripod
 Alidade

• The alidade is useful for establishing a line of sight.

• Two Types of alidade are used.

• Simple alidade

• Telescopic alidade
 Simple Alidade

• It is used for ordinary work

• It is generally consists of a gun metal or wooden rule
with two vertical vanes at the ends.
• The eye-vane is provided with a narrow slit while the
object vane is open and carries a horse hair. Both the
slits, thus provide a definite line of sight which can be
made to pass through the object to be sighted
Simple Alidade
 Simple Alidade

• To draw the rays, one of the edge of alidade is

beveled and this perfectly smooth working edge is

known as the fiducially edge.

• The fiducially edge is graduated to facilitate the

plotting of distances to a scale.

 Telescopic Alidade

• The telescopic alidade is used when it is required to

take inclined sights.

• It essentially consists of a small telescope with a level

tube and graduated arc mounted on horizontal axis.

• It gives higher accuracy and more range of sights.

Telescopic Alidade
 Accessories

Trough Compass
• The trough compass is required for drawing the line
showing magnetic meridian on the paper. It is used to
orient the table to the magnetic meridian.
• When the freely suspended needle shows 00 at each
end, a line is drawn on the drawing paper which
represents the magnetic north.
Trough Compass
 Spirit Level

• A Spirit Level is used for ascertaining If the table is

properly level.

• The Table is leveled by placing the level on the board

in two positions at right angles and getting the bubble

central in both positions.

Spirit Level
U-Fork With Plumb bob

• U-fork with plumb bob is used for centering the table

over the point or station occupied by the plane table

when the plotted position of that point is already on

the sheet.

• Also, in the beginning of the work, it is used for

transferring the ground point on the sheet.

U-Fork With Plumb Bob
Water Proof Cover
• An umbrella is used to protect the drawing paper from
rain.
Drawing Paper

• Drawing paper is used for plotting the ground details.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Plane
Table Surveying

Advantages

• The plan is drawn by the surveyor himself while the

area to be surveyed is before his eyes. Therefore,
there is no possibility of omitting the necessary
measurements.
• The surveyor Can compare the plotted work with the
actual features of the area.
Advantages (cont’d)

• It is simple and cheaper than the theodolite survey.

• It is most suitable for small scale maps.
• No great skill is required to produce a satisfactory
map and work may be entrusted to a subordinate.
• It is useful in magnetic areas where compass may not
be used.
• The mistakes in writing field books are eliminated.
Disadvantages (Limitations)

• It is not intended for very accurate work.

• It is not suitable in monsoon.
• It is essentially a tropical instrument.
• Due to heaviness, it is inconvenient to transport.
• Since there are so many accessories, there is
likelihood of them being lost.
Principle Of Plane Table Survey

• The principle of plane tabling is parallelism means,

• Principle: “All the rays drawn through various details
should pass through the survey station.”
• The Position of plane table at each station must be
identical, i.e. at each survey station the table must be
oriented in the direction of magnetic north.
Principle Of Plane Table Survey
Method Of Setting Up The Plane Table

• Three processes are involved in setting up the plane

table over the station.

• Leveling

• Centering

• Orientation
Levelling
Leveling and Centering
The Table should be set up at convenient height for
working on the board, say about 1 m. The legs of Tripod
should be spread well apart and firmly into the ground.
Leveling and Centering
• The table should be so placed over the station on the
ground that the point plotted on the sheet
corresponding to the station occupied should be
exactly over the station on the ground. The operation
is known as centering the plane table. It is done by U-
fork and plumb bob.
• For leveling the table ordinary spirit level may be used.

The table is leveled by placing the level on the board in

two positions at right angles and getting the bubble

central in both directions.

Centering
 Orientation

• The Process by which the positions occupied by the

board at various survey stations are kept parallel is
known as the orientation. Thus, when a plane table is
properly oriented, the lines on the board are parallel
to the lines on ground which they represent.
There are two methods of orientation:

• By magnetic needle
• By back sighting
 By Magnetic Needle

In this method, the magnetic north is drawn on paper at

a particular station. At the next station, the trough
compass is placed along the line of magnetic north and
the table is turned in such a way that the ends of
magnetic needle are opposite to zeros of the scale. The
board is then fixed in position by clamps. This method is
inaccurate in the since that the results are likely to be
affected by the local attraction.
Orientation
• By Back Sighting
• A= First survey station
• B= Second survey station
• Suppose a line is drawn from station A on paper as
ab, representing line AB on ground
• The table is turned till the line of sight bisects the
ranging rod at A. The board is then clamped in this
position.
• This method is better than the previous one and it
gives perfect orientation.
Orientation
Methods Of Plane Tabling

There are four distinct methods of plane tabling:

• Method of Radiation

• Method of Intersection

• Method of Traversing

• Method of Resection
Radiation Method

In the radiation method of plane table surveying, the

direction of the objects or points to be located are
obtained by drawing radial lines along fiducially edge of
alidade after getting the objects or points bisected along
the line of sight of the alidade. The horizontal distances
are then measured and scaled off on the corresponding
radial lines to mark their positions on the drawing.
Radiation Method
Radiation Method

• Suppose P is a station on the ground from where the

object A, B, C and D are visible.
• The plane table is set up over the station P. A drawing
is fixed on the table, which is then leveled and
centered. A point p is selected on the sheet to
represent the station P.
• The north line is marked on the right-hand top corner
of the sheet with trough compass or circular box
compass.
• With the alidade touching p, the ranging rod at A,B, C

and D are bisected and the rays are drawn.

• The distances PA, PB, PC and PD are measured and

plotted to any suitable scale to obtain the points a, b,

c and d representing A,B,C,D on paper.

Radiation Method
Method Of Intersection

• In intersection method of plane table surveying, the

objects or points to be located are obtained at the
point of intersection of radial lines drawn from two
different stations.
• In this method, the plotting of plane table stations are
to be carried out accurately. Checking is important
and thus done by taking third sight from another
station.
• The intersection method is suitable when distances of

objects are large or cannot be measured properly. Thus,

this method is preferred in small scale survey and for

mountainous regions.
Method Of Intersection

• Suppose A and B are two station and P is the object

on the far bank of a river. Now it is required to fix the

position of P on the sheet by the intersection of rays,

drawn from A and B.

• The table is set up at A. It is leveled and centered so
that a point a on the sheet is just over the station A. The
north line is marked on the right-hand top corner, the
Table is then clamped.
• With the alidade touching a, the object P and the
ranging rod at B are bisected, and rays are drawn
through the fiducial edge on alidade.
Method Of Intersection
Method Of Intersection

• The distance AB is measured and plotted to any

suitable scale to obtain point b.

• The table is shifted and centered over B and leveled

properly. Now the alidade is placed along the line ba

and orientation is done by back sighting

• With the alidade touching b, the object P is bisected

and a ray is drawn, suppose this ray intersects the

previous rays at point p. the point p is the required

plotted position of P
Method Of Intersection
Method Of Traversing

• This method of plane table surveying is used to plot a

traverse in cases stations have not been previously
plotted by some other methods. In this method,
traverse stations are first selected. The stations are
plotted by method of radiation by taking back sight on
the preceding station and a fore sight to the following
station. Here distances are generally measured by
tachometric method and surveying work has to be
performed with great care.
Method Of Traversing

• Suppose A,B,C,D are the traverse stations.

• The table is set up at the station A, a suitable point a
is selected on the sheet in such a way that the whole
area may be plotted in the sheet. The table is
centered, leveled and clamped. The north line is
marked on the right-hand top corner of the sheet.
• With the alidade touching point a the ranging rod at B
is bisected and a ray is drawn. The distance AB is
measured and plotted to any suitable scale.
Method Of Traversing
Method Of Traversing

• The table is shifted touching point a the ranging rod at

B is bisected and a ray is drawn. The distance is
measured and plotted to any suitable scale.
• The table is shifted and centered over B. It is then
leveled, oriented by back sighting and clamped.
• With the alidade touching point b, the ranging rod at C
is bisected and ray is drawn. The distance BC is
measured and plotted to the same scale.
• The table is shifted and set up at C and the same
procedure is repeated.
• In this manner, all stations of the traverse are
connected.
Method Of Traversing

Check lines. To check the accuracy of the plane table

traverse, a few check lines are taken by sighting back

to some preceding station.

Error of closure . If the traverse to be plotted is a
closed traverse, the foresight from the terminating
station should pass through the first station. Otherwise
the amount by which plotted position of the first station
on the foresight fails to close is designated as the error
of closure. It is adjusted graphically, if the error is within
permissible limits, before any further plotting works are
done.
Method Of Traversing
Method of Resection

Resection is the process of determining the plotted

position of the station occupied by the plane table, by

means of sights taken towards known points, locations

of which have been plotted.

There are four methods of resection.

• By Compass

• By back sighting

• By two point problem

• By three point problem

Method of Resection

• Suppose It is required to establish a station at

position P. Let us select two points A and B on the

ground. The distance AB is measured and plotted to

any suitable scale. The line AB is known as the “base

line”
• The table is set up at A. It is leveled, centered and

oriented by bisecting the ranging rod at B. The table

is then clamped.

• With the alidade touching point a, the ranging rod at P

is bisected and a ray is drawn. Then a point P1 is

marked on this way by estimating with the eye.

Method of Resection
Method of Resection

The table is shifted and centered in such a way that P1

is just over P. It is then oriented by back-sighting the

ranging rod at A.
With the alidade touching point b, the ranging rod at B is

bisected and a ray is drawn. Suppose this ray intersects

the previous ray at a point P. This point represents the

position of the station P on the sheet. Then the actual

position of the station is marked on the ground by U-fork

and plumb-bob
By Compass

• This method is used only for small scale or rough

mapping.

• Let A and B be two visible stations which have been

plotted on the sheet as a and b. Let C be the

instrument station to be located on the plan.

• Set the table at C and orient it with compass. Clamp

the table.

• Pivoting the alidade about a, draw a ray towards A, as

Similarly, pivoting the alidade about b, draw a ray

towards B, as bb’, The intersection of aa’ and bb’ will

give point c on the paper.

By Compass
The Two Point Problem

• In this problem, two well-defined points whose

positions have already been plotted on the plan are

selected. Then, by perfectly bisecting these points, a

new station is established at the required position.

The Two Point Problem

• Suppose P and Q are two well-defined points whose

positions are plotted on map as p and q. It is required
to locate a new station at A by perfectly bisecting P
and Q
• An auxiliary station B is selected at a suitable
position. The table is set up at B, and leveled and
oriented by eye estimation. It is then clamped.
• With the alidade touching p and q, the points P and Q

are bisected and rays are drawn. Suppose these rays

intersect at b
The Two Point Problem
The Two Point Problem

• With the alidade centre on b, the ranging rod at A is

bisected and rays is drawn. Then, by eye estimation,
a point a 1 is marked on this ray.
• The table is shifted and centre on A with a1 just over
A. It is leveled and oriented by back sighting. With the
alidade touching p, the point P is bisected and a ray
is drawn. Suppose this ray intersects the line ba1 at
point a1, as was assumed.
The Two Point Problem

• With the alidade centered on a1 the point Q is

bisected and a ray is drawn. Suppose this ray
intersects the ray bq at a point q1. The triangle pqq1
is known as the triangle of error, and is to be
eliminated.
• The alidade is placed along the line pq1 and a
ranging rod R is fixed at some distance from the
table. Then, the alidade is placed along the line pq
and the table is turned to bisect R. At this position the
table is said to be perfectly oriented.
• Finally, with the alidade centered on p and q, the

points P and Q are bisected and rays are drawn.

Suppose these rays intersect at a point a. This would

represent the exact position of the required station A.

Then the station A is marked on the ground.

The Three Point Problem

• In this problem, three well defined points are

selected, whose position have already been plotted
on the map. Then, by perfectly bisecting these three
well-defined points. A new station is established at the
required position.
• No auxiliary station is required in order to solve this
problem. This table is directly placed at the required
position.
The problem may be solved by following methods

(a) Bessel’s method

(b) Mechanical Method

(c) The trial and error method

The Three Point Problem

The graphical method or Bessel’s method

(i) suppose A,B, and C are three well-defined points
which have been plotted as a, b and c. Now it is
required to locate a station at P.
(ii) The table is placed at the required station P and
leveled. The alidade is placed along the line ca and
point A is bisected. The table is clamped. With
alidade in center on C, the point B is bisected and
rays are drawn
Bessel’s Method
The Three Point Problem

• Again the alidade is placed along the line ac and the

point C is bisected and the table is clamped. With the

alidade touching a, the point B is bisected and a ray

is drawn. Suppose this ray intersects the previous ray

at a point d
• The alidade is placed along db and the point B is

bisected. At this position the table is said to be

perfectly oriented. Now the rays Aa, Bb and Cc are

drawn. These three rays must meet at a point p

which is the required point on the map. This point is

transferred to the ground by U-fork and plumb bob.

The Three Point Problem

The Mechanical Method

• Suppose A, B and C are the three well-defined points

which have been plotted on the map as a, b and c. It

is required to locate a station at P.

• The table is placed at P and leveled. A tracing paper

is fixed on the map and a point p is marked on it.

• With the alidade centered on P the points A, B and C

are bisected and rays are drawn. These rays may not

pass through the points a, b and c as the orientation is

done approximately
The Mechanical Method
The Three Point Problem

• Now a tracing paper is unfastened and moved over

the map in such a way that the three rays
simultaneously pass through the plotted positions a, b
and c. Then the points p is pricked with a pin to give
an impression p on the map. P is the required points
on the map. The tracing paper is then removed.
• Then the alidade is centered on p and the rays are

drawn towards A, B and C. These rays must pass

through the points a, b and c

The Three Point Problem

The method of Trial and error

• Suppose a, B and C are the three well-defined points

which have been plotted as a, b and c on the map.
Now it is required to establish a station at P.
• The table is set up at P and leveled. Orientation is
done by eye estimation
• With the alidade, rays Aa, Bb and Cc are drawn. As
the orientation is approximately, the rays may not
intersect at a point, but may form a small triangle the
triangle of error.
• To get the actual point, this triangle of error is to be
eliminated. By repeatedly turning the table clockwise
or anticlockwise. The triangle is eliminated in such a
way that rays Aa, Bb and Cc finally meet at a point p.
This is the required point on the map. This point is
transferred to the ground by U-fork and plumb bob.
The method of Trial and
Error
Points to be kept in mind in plane tabling

The following points should be kept in mind while doing

plane table survey.

1. Ground points shall be marked as A, B, C… etc. and

plan. Points (on Paper) shall be marked as a, b, c etc.
2. The rays from survey stations to the objects shall be
drawn by dashed line.
3. The alidade should be properly pivoted while sighting
the objects
Points to be kept in mind in plane tabling

4. The first survey station and the scale of the map shall
be so chosen that the entire area can be plotted on
the paper.
5. While establishing magnetic north on the paper using
trough compass, things causing local attraction shall
be kept away of the table.
6. The Plane table should be clamped after centering
and leveling. The table should be rotated at the time
of orientation.
 Error In Plane Tabling

The various sources of error may be classified as :

Instrumental errors

• Errors in manipulation and sighting

• Errors in plotting
Instrumental Errors

• The surface of drawing board is not plane

• The edge of alidade is not straight.
• The object vane and sight vane are not perpendicular
to the alidade.
• The edge of alidade is not is not parallel to the line of
sight.
• The fixing clamp is not proper.
Errors In Manipulation And Sighting

• Defective Leveling

• Defective Sighting

• Defective Orientation

• Defective Centering

• Movement of Board between sights

Errors in Plotting

• Defective scale of map

• Wrongly intersecting the rays drawn from two different

stations.
Thank you