FACULTY: ENGINEEERING TECHNOLOGY EDITION: 01

LABORATORY: CIVIL ENGINEERING REVISION NO: 01

TECHNOLOGY
EXPERIMENT: TWO PEG TEST EFFECTIVE DATE: SEPT.
2016
AMANDMENT AUG.201
DATE: 6

1.0 OBJECTIVE

Peg Test is a surveying operation carried out to determine if the levelling bubble (bubble
axis) and telescope line-of-sight (line of collimation) are parallel .

2.0 LEARNING OUTCOME

At the end of this practical, student are able to:

(a) To determine the levelling bubble and telescope line of sight are parallel.

3.0 INTRODUCTION

Checking of the instruments is important, because all instruments are subject to errors.
And since most levels will have a collimation error, some method is required to check this
to determine if the error is within accepted limits. This is known as the two-peg test
which should be carried out when using a new or different level for the first time and at
regular intervals after this depending on how much the level has been used.

Two peg test is a surveying operation carried out to determine whether the levelling
bubble and telescope line of sight are parallel. This method is either for an optical or
digital level, or a transit being used as a level. If this error is corrected with a transit, it
also improves the accuracy of its vertical angle readings.

The two-peg test is very simple, but provides a way to test the accuracy of a level, and
if you know which screw to turn (for analog instruments) or menu to follow (for the
digital level), you can adjust it to remove the error. See specific instrument instructions
for making adjustments.
 FACULTY: ENGINEEERING TECHNOLOGY EDITION: 01
LABORATORY: CIVIL ENGINEERING REVISION NO: 01
TECHNOLOGY
EXPERIMENT: TWO PEG TEST EFFECTIVE DATE: SEPT.
2016
AMANDMENT AUG.201
DATE: 6

4.0 PRACTICAL EQUIPMENT

5.0 FIELD WORK PROCEDURES

(a) Each group will be required to perform a peg test to check the instrument.
(b) Each person in the group should record the results of the peg test in their own field book.
(c) Set out and mark on the ground (with wooden pegs driven into the earth, or roofing nails
in tar) two point some 30 m apart.
 FACULTY: ENGINEEERING TECHNOLOGY EDITION: 01
LABORATORY: CIVIL ENGINEERING REVISION NO: 01
TECHNOLOGY
EXPERIMENT: TWO PEG TEST EFFECTIVE DATE: SEPT.
2016
AMANDMENT AUG.201
DATE: 6

(d) Set up instrument midway between two pegs.

6.0 RESULTS AND CALCULATIONS

(a) Record all the readings in a traverse sheet.

(b) Check carefully all survey field notes and observations along with the sketch.

(c) Apply the corrections for the traverse line adjustments.

(d) Calculate the adjusted results of coordinates of control stations, the traverse misclosure,
and the traverse area [ Figure 1.1]
 FACULTY: ENGINEEERING TECHNOLOGY EDITION: 01
LABORATORY: CIVIL ENGINEERING REVISION NO: 01
TECHNOLOGY
EXPERIMENT: TWO PEG TEST EFFECTIVE DATE: SEPT.
2016
AMANDMENT AUG.201
DATE: 6

(e) Read staff on each peg (back sight and foresight), and calculate height difference.

(f) Next, move instrument about L/10 = 3m beyond one of the pegs (normally from staff
position), [Figure 1.2]

(g) Read staff on each peg again, and calculate height difference.

7.0 OBSERVATIONS DATA AND ANALYSIS

Reading Staff B (S1) Reading Staff A (S2) Height difference = m

First set up 30m 60m 30m 60m 30m 60m
1.310 1.400 1.247 1.271 0.063 0.129
 FACULTY: ENGINEEERING TECHNOLOGY EDITION: 01
LABORATORY: CIVIL ENGINEERING REVISION NO: 01
TECHNOLOGY
EXPERIMENT: TWO PEG TEST EFFECTIVE DATE: SEPT.
2016
AMANDMENT AUG.201
DATE: 6

Reading Staff B (S1) Reading Staff A (S2) Height difference = m

Second set up 30m 60m 30m 60m 30m 60m
1.288 1.224 1.352 1.364 0.064 0.140
Difference (m m) 30m 60m
1mm 11mm

If m=m then the instrument is OK!

If NOT then the error is;

e = (S1-S2) (S1 S2) / L mm/m

The error is called collimation error.

Acceptable error: 1mm per 20m

In our levelling test, 1.5mm per 30m and 3.0mm per 60mm.

Calculation for first set up:

30m, Height difference = 1.310 1.247

= 0.063m

60m, Height difference = 1.400 1.271

= 0.129

Calculation for second set up:

30m, Height difference = 1.352 1.288

= 0.064m

60m, Height difference = 1.364 1.224

= 0.140m

Error, e = (S1-S2) (S1 S2)

 FACULTY: ENGINEEERING TECHNOLOGY EDITION: 01
LABORATORY: CIVIL ENGINEERING REVISION NO: 01
TECHNOLOGY
EXPERIMENT: TWO PEG TEST EFFECTIVE DATE: SEPT.
2016
AMANDMENT AUG.201
DATE: 6

e = (0.063- 0.064)

= 0.001m

= 1mm

Error, e = (S1-S2) (S1 S2)

e = 0.140- 0.129

= 0.011m

= 11mm

8.0 DISCUSSION

Two peg test is the most important part of a leveling survey, as well as it needs to
be carried out before we start the leveling job to ensure the instrument is in a good
condition. Checking of instruments is important and needed, because they may subject
to errors. The main error is where the line of sight is not parallel to the horizontal line
of collimation. A test for checking the level is known as the two peg test. This
test determines the amount of error. The entire process should be repeated as a check. It
is practically impossible to adjust the instrument so that no collimation error
exists. The purpose of the adjustment is to reduce the size of the error.

For this experiment in our levelling test, 1.5mm per 30m and 3.0mm per 60mm.
Based on the result, height difference between first set up and second set up is not equal to
zero. It shows that, there is collimation error. By using the formula, e = (S1-S2) (S1
S2) / L mm/m the value of e for first set up is 1mm and second set up is 11mm. Since the
range for collimation error is 1.5mm per 30m , the value of e is acceptable for the first set up.
However, the second set up is greater than the range of collimination error which are 11mm.
According to the value that we got from the secobd set up, there might some errors had
occurred.

First, the bubble in the level tube and the staff do not placed at the center before any
reading being taken. Next, the place are not suitable which is the place has high wind velocity
thus the bubble is moved. Then, the staff is moved while the reading are taken. To overcome
this problem there are some precautions are needed.
 FACULTY: ENGINEEERING TECHNOLOGY EDITION: 01
LABORATORY: CIVIL ENGINEERING REVISION NO: 01
TECHNOLOGY
EXPERIMENT: TWO PEG TEST EFFECTIVE DATE: SEPT.
2016
AMANDMENT AUG.201
DATE: 6

9.0 PRECAUTION

keep foresight and backsight distances as equal as possible.

Avoid parallax error by placing the eye such that the line of view is perpendicular to
the scale read.
Check to ensure that the level bubble remains centered or that the compensating
device (in automatic levels) is operating.
Tripod legs should be tightened so that when one leg is extended horizontally, it falls
slowly back to the ground under its own weight.
Ensure that the rod is held in precisely the same position for the BS as it was for the
FS.

10.0 REFERENCES

Waleed Tahawy, Jan 12, 2016, https://www.slideshare.net/waleedtahawy/ch2-

56939820
Karl Boeing http://boeingconsult.com/tafe/ss&so/Projects/Project1-
2pegTest/2PegTest.pdf
CJLara https://www.scribd.com/doc/22386650/The-Two-Peg-Test