KNS 1461 Civil Engineering Laboratory 2

Faculty of Engineering
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

CONTENT

TITLE

V1 - Vertical Distance Measurement (Leveling)

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this fieldwork is to conduct leveling survey to measure vertical distances around
specific area at Siar Beach Resort, Lundu. Zeki (2010) stated that levelling is the process of measuring,
by direct or indirect methods, vertical distances in elevations. It is a procedure used to determine the
differences in elevation between points with different distance from each other. Elevation is a vertical
distance above or below a reference datum. There are some terms which is used to conduct the field
work such as benchmark (BM), reduced level (RL), backsight reading (BS), foresight reading (FS),
intermediate sight (IS) and change point (CP).
Basak (2014) stated that bench marks (BM) are fixed points or marks of known RL determined
with reference to the datum line. These are very important marks. They serve as reference points for
finding the RL of new points or for conducting levelling operations in projects involving roads,
railways and others. Reduced level (RL) is a vertical distance of a point above or below the datum line.
The RL of a point may be positive or negative according to the position of the point referring to datum.
For backsight (BS), this is where the first staff reading took place in any procedures of levelling.
The reading is always taken on a point of known RL. Foresight (FS) is the last staff reading in the
procedure. It also indicates the shifting place of the instrument position and the end point if all the
readings have been taken. Intermediate sight (IS) is a reading of any other staff, placed on a permanent
structure. The reading for IS is taken between the BS and FS in the same set-up instruments.
The use of levelling also incudes to prepare a contour map for fixing sites for dams, barrages and
so on. It is also to fix the alignment of roads, railways and others. Levelling is also been done to
determine the altitudes of different important points on a hill or to know the reduced levels of different
points on or below the surface of the Earth. The other purpose of levelling is to prepare a longitudinal
 KNS 1461 Civil Engineering Laboratory 2
Faculty of Engineering
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

section and cross-section of a project in order to determine the volume of Earth work, and also to
prepare a layout map for water supply, sanitary or drainage schemes.
OBJECTIVE

To make a levelling survey at Siar Beach, Lundu and calculate the results to some chosen datum.
APPARATUS