Unit No.

3 (B)

SETTING OUT WORKS

Setting out is a survey carried out to transfer plans on the site which are drawn as a
result of previous survey.

Factors considered for setting out work:

1. Reference lines and points should be well defined and close to work but
should not be perishable.
2. High degree of accuracy is required while setting out work.
3. Instruments used for this work should be checked frequently.

Definitions:

1. Stake: Stake is a type of nail with pointed end so as easy for anchoring in
the ground. It is made of timber, steel, copper etc. It is used as permanent
identification mark on ground. Examples: guard, grade or line stake.
2. Post: It is a circular or square pole made of wood used to support horizontal
members like sight rails.
3. Batter-board: Also known as slope rail. It is a flat square wooden board
fixed on top of stake. Nails are driven on board to indicate direction and
distance of various lines that will give boundary of building, mark of
excavation etc. Strings are stretched between two batter- boards using nails
driven in them.
4. Cross-head: It consists of two vertical posts 1.0 to 1.5m high, firmly fixed
in ground on each side of the trench with a horizontal rail fixed to these post
across the trench.
5. Sight rail: horizontal member of cross-head is sight rail. It is made of timber
and is fixed to posts. A sight rail is also a batter-board. In fig. a. single sight
rail is used in road construction, footing etc. fig. b. showing two sight rails is
used for building corner. fig. c. for trenches and large diameter pipes. fig. d.
is used for highly undulating and steep grounds.
 6. Boning rod: T- shaped wooden rod which is used in the layout of trenches
for sewer lines, pipe lines etc to get depth and slope of excavation. Top piece
is 10 cm 40cm and 3cm thick. The height of boning rod cannot be changed
every time.

7. Travelling rod: Special type of boning rod in which horizontal piece called
traveler may be moved up and down along graduated vertical staff and can
be clamped at convenient height.

SETTING OUT OF BUILDING:

A) First method by Circumscribing Rectangle:

1. From foundation plan prepare foundation trench plan clearly showing
width of foundation for various walls.
2. Temporary pegs are driven at corner points of center line plan of
building.
3. A parallel line PQ is set up at a specific distance (say 2m) from center
line outside the center line of building.
 4. Draw lines PS and QR perpendicular to PQ line and mark pegs/ stakes at
S and R point.
5. Thus we get reference rectangle PQRS. The actual corners of center line
of building are marked using sides of reference rectangle.
6. For check measure PR and QS on ground and compare it with the
distance calculated on plan. Also check length RS on ground and
compare it with distance calculated on plan.

B) Second method by Circumscribing Rectangle:

1. Temporary stakes/ pegs are fixed at corner points of center line rectangle.
2. Since these pegs are not permanent and will get lost during excavation,
the sides of center line rectangle are extended on both the sides and
permanent stakes/ pegs are fixed at a specific distance say of 2m.
3. By using these stakes/ pegs the position of any point can be obtained by
plotting co-ordinates using the reference stakes/ pegs.

SETTING OUT AN ISOLATED OR STEPPED COLUMN FOOTING:

1. The center of column is calculated with help of control point and reference
rectangle. It is marked on ground with help of peg O.
2. The two center lines of this column i.e. AB and CD are set accurately
through point O by setting up theodolite.
 2.1
3. Distance OA = OB = OC = OD = [1m + ( )] m is used to set pegs at points
2
A, B, C and D.
4. Get point X which midpoint of AD. Extend OX to E such that OX = XE. In
same way points F, G and H are fixed on ground. Check distance EH = GF
and they should pass through O.
2.1
5. Set points 1, 2, 3 and 4 at distance ( = 1.05m) from O.
2
6. Find the lines marking the area for excavation. These lines are found using
string lines running between L and J, M and K, N and P, R and S.

SETTING OUT OF A BRIDGE:

It includes determining accurate length of center line and locating center points for piers for the
bridge.
A) Determination of the length of the center line:
For short span bridge, length of center line is measured using tape and then necessary
correction applied to measured length. For long bridge length it is usually determined by
triangulation method.
Method I:
1. PQ is the center line.
2. Draw PS perpendicular to PQ at P. Measure PS accurately.
3. Set theodolite at S and measure angle PSQ =
PQ = PS tan
4. For check, draw QR perpendicular to PQ at Q
5. Measure QR and then angle QRP =
PQ = QR tan
6. If two distance are nearly equal then take mean value, otherwise repeat the procedure
to get accurate length.

Method II:

1. By geodetic quadrilateral method measure all eight angles in quadrilateral PQRS and
apply required adjustments.
2. Measure both base lines PS and QR accurately.
3. The length of base line PS is again calculated using measured length of base line QR
and the corrected angles.
4. The calculated length and measured length are compared and if the difference is less
than 1 in 5000, then length of center line PQ is calculated from corrected angles and
calculated length of base lines. Otherwise repeat the procedure to get accuracy.
B) Determination of the location of piers:
Method I:
1. Center line AB is measured accurately. Base lines are drawn at A and B
perpendicular to AB. It is required to locate the position of piers at P1 and P2.
2. On each base line and on both sides of center line AB mark points P1, P1 and P2,
P2. Such that AP1 = AP1 = AP1 and AP2 = AP2 = AP2 or BP1 = BP1 = BP1 and
BP2 = BP2 = BP2.
3. The intersecting lines P1- P1, P1- P1 and P2- P2, P2- P2 make 45 angle with the
base lines on opposite banks and also with the center line.
4. The location of P1 is intersection of lines P1- P1 and P1- P1. The second point P2 is
obtained by intersection of lines P2- P2 and P2- P2.

Method II:
1. First accurate length of center line AB is found. The positions of center of piers
are located on the plan as P1 and P2.
2. The angles ADP1, ADP2, BCP1 and BCP2 are calculated by sine rule.
3. Two theodolites are set up. First one at Point A and other at point D.
4. The theodolite at D is directed towards A and set for angle ADP1 so that line of
sight of telescope is towards P1.
5. Theodolite at A is directed towards D and set angle DAP1 = 90 so that line of
sight of telescope is towards P1. Thus by simultaneously observing through both
the theodolites the position of pier P1 is located.
6. Pier P2 is located in the same manner.
 C) Setting out of Abutment:
1. The center line is set up as AB.
2. With theodolite at A mark B1, B2, A1 and A2 along center line with the help of
stakes.
3. As per design layout mark line CD with suitable angle made with line of sight
AB.
4. The stakes D1 and D2 are mark further along line CD for safe provision in case the
pegs C and D are lost
5. With theodolite set at D directed towards DD2 the angle 2 is set and line DE is
obtained as wing wall.

SETTING OUT OF TUNNEL:

The alignment of tunnel is first transferred on ground and then transferred underground. It is also
called laying out the tunnel.

Steps:

(a) Surface setting out: It involves following steps:

1. Get the alignment of center line of tunnel.
2. Determination of exact length of tunnel.
3. Find permanent station on center line. And transfer the alignment underground using
these permanent stations.
I. Fix two timber beams C and D on the top of shaft near its edges perpendicular to the
direction of tunnel.
II. A theodolite is set upon on center line marked on ground surface and other station is
marked on the center line itself.
III. This center line is then carefully marked on beams C and D using theodolite point and
other station on center line.
IV. From these points on beam, wires are suspended with heavy plumb bobs c and d
attached to lower end of wire.
 V. Theodolite is then placed at bottom of shaft and through number of trial setup
theodolite is set exactly in the line of two suspended wires.
VI. The alignment is the marked as point E on roof of tunnel to be excavated further from
shaft.

(b) Levelling on ground and transferring the levels underground:

1. A steel wire having plumb bob of weight 500 to 1500 kg is passed over pulley at top
of shaft and then lowered into shaft.
2. Two fine wires AA and BB are stretched at the top and bottom of the shaft
respectively.
3. The steel wire lowered into shaft is adjusted so it comes in contact with both wires
AA and BB.
4. The points of contact are marked on steel wire.
5. The wire is withdrawn from shaft and is stretched on ground. The distance between
two marks on the wire is measured which gives the exact height of shaft.
6. The height of shaft suitably subtracted from Reduced level at ground gives level of
bottom of shaft.
Setting out work of Sewer line/pipeline:
Waterline follows ground profile whereas sewer line flow gravity flow. Accurate setting out
of alignment and grade is important.
The alignment of sewers is fixed by driving stakes at an interval of 10 to 20 m. Stake interval
is reduced as curves.
To maintain the alignment and grade sight rails are used.
After excavation of trench, the alignment is transferred within the trench for accurate laying
of pipelines.

Setting out work for culvert:

First the corners of abutments and wing walls are located by coordinates with the reference
of crossing point of center line of road and nalla i.e. origin or center of culvert.
From figure AB is center line of road and CD is center line of nalla. These both lines cross
each other at origin point O. The coordinates of P, Q, R and S are calculated.
Procedure:
1. With theodolite at point O mark line CD with the help of pegs. Also mark AB
perpendicular to line AB.
2. Mark offsets on these lines AB and CD from point to get exact location of P, Q, R and S
with of calculated coordinates.
3. Pegs are driven deep even below the excavation depth to help for excavation work.