Note Plane Table Surveying

LAND SURVEYING 1 NOTES
TOPIC 1: PLANE TABLE SURVEYING

Prepared by AKASIIMA LORNA K
What is Plane Table Surveying? The plane table surveying is the fast method of surveying.
In this type of surveying plotting of the plan and field observations can be done simultaneously.
In case of plane table surveying Geometrical conditions of site are manuscript in the map sheet
using plane table and alidade after those topographic details are arranged on the map.
Equipment Used in Plane Table Survey.
General equipment used for conducting plane table survey are;
✓ Plane table Alidade for sighting (telescopic or simple). The alidade consists of metal
or box wood straight edge or ruler about 50cm long. The welled edge of the alidade is
called the fiducially edge.
✓ Plumb bob and plumb fork
✓ Compass. The compass is used to mark the direction of the meridian on the paper.
✓ Spirit level. A level tube is used to level the plane table.
✓ Chain
✓ Ranging rods
✓ Tripod. It is rigid and light equipment having three legs. The plane table is mounted on
tripod. It has three-foot screw to level the plane table.
✓ Drawing sheet and drawing tools
✓ Paper clips or screws
Plane table survey equipment is arranged in 4 steps as follows

• Fixing of Plane Table
Fix the plane table to the tripod stand. Arrange the drawing sheet on the plane table using paper
clips or thumb screws. The sheet should be in one position from first to last.
• Leveling of Plane Table
Plane table should be leveled using spirit level. For small works, eye estimation can be ok.
• Centering of Plane Table
The table should be centered by using plumbing fork and plumb bob. By which we can arrange
the plotted point exactly over the ground point.
• Orientation of Plane Table

Whenever we are using more than one instrument station, orientation is essential. It can be
done by using compass or back sighting. In this case, the plane table is rotated such that
plotted lines in the drawing sheet are parallel to corresponding lines on the ground.
Methods of plane table surveying

Generally, there are four methods are available to perform plane table surveying. They are
1. Radiation
2. Intersection
3. Traversing
4. Resection
• Radiation
In this method, plane table is located at one point “o” as shown in fig. and perform the whole
from t point. From point O, sight the points A, B, C, D and E using alidade, locate and plot the
points as a, b, c, in the drawing sheet.
• Intersection
In this method we can locate the point by plotting two rays from two known stations. As shown
in figure, P and Q are the known station. First the equipment is placed on P and plot the lines
by sighting the stations A, B and Q. then shift the equipment to station Q and plot the lines by
sighting stations A, B and P. Finally, the intersection of A and B rays is the required location
of point of intersection.
• Traversing:
Traversing is the connection of series of straight lines. In the case of traversing, the plane table
is located at one point for supposing A as shown b from that point sight towards B and measure
the distance AB. Then shift the plane table to point B and sight towards A and measure BA.
The aver distance of AB and Ba are plotted to scale in the drawing sheet. Then Sight the point
C from B and measure BC and repeat the same procedure until last point. Conduct some checks
at some points. Finally, traverse lines are plotted on the drawing sheet.
NOTE: by using radiation method, intersection and traversing methods we can locate the
points on the paper, which were already on the ground. By using algebraic formulae, we can
calculate the area of the given land.
Formula:
1) Area of a triangle = ½ x base x height
2) Area of a square = side x side
3) Area of a rectangle = length x breadth
4) Area of a trapezium = ½ x (a + b) x h
A, b are the parallel sides.
h is the distance between parallel sides
• Resection
Resection is a method of plane table surveying in which the location of the plane table is
unknown and it is determined by sighting it to known po plotted points. It is also called the
method of orientation and it can be conducted by two field conditions as follows.
- The three-point problem
- The two-point problem
• The Three-Point Problem

In this condition, three points and their positions in the field are known. The plane table is
placed at an opposition from where all the three points visible. So, by sighting those three
points we can locate the point where equipment is located. This can be achieved by many
methods as follows.
-Tracing method
-Lehmann method
-Analytical methods
-Graphical method
• Tracing Method in Plane Table Surveying
In the tracing method, the plane table is located at a point from where three points are visible.
The table is oriented with respect to the plotted line those three points. Place the tracing paper
on the drawing sheet and again sight the three points and plot the radiating lines. The tracing
paper is to be moved above the drawing sheet until the three radiating lines pass through
corresponding points previously plotted on the map. Finally, the position the plane table is
marked.
• Lehmann Method
In this method, Plane table is located at a point P and sight the station A, B and C and plot the
rays Aa, Bb, and Cc. The rays form small triangle which are called triangle of error. Another
point P1 is chosen to reduce the error and sight the point A from P1 similarly to B and C. which
will give another tr of error. Repeat this procedure until error becomes zero.
• Analytical Methods
There are many analytical methods are developed in three-point problem condition. In this
method, from station P A, B and C are sighted and note values of angles and lengths. From
these values determine the position of unknown points by using analytical formulae.
• Graphical Method
In graphical method also, angles and lengths are determined and represented it on a graph and
determines the location of plane table.
• The Two-Point Problem
In the two-point problem, two points are sighted from other point corresponding to the points
given in plane table sheet. Here two cases are to be discussed.
- Case 1: when the points can be occupied by the plane table. As shown in fig. A and
B are the two points corresponding to the points a and b. Now, plane table is located at
B and oriented by sighting A. sight C from B and bx is plotted on the sheet. Then shift
the plane table to C, oriented by back sighting B along xb. Then alidade is placed over
a and sight station A, then line Aa cuts the line bx at somewhere which is located as
point c at C
• Case2: When the plane table cannot occupy the controlling stations. In this case,
an auxiliary point D is considered nearer to C. Locate the plane t D according to the
line ab parallel to AB. Then sight the station A and B corresponding to a and b. the rays
drawn are intersected at some point which is marked as d. then sight towards C by
placing alidade at d. mark the distance Dc as c1. Shift the table to C and backsight to D
with reference to c1. Th sight A corresponding to a, the ray drawn is intersects the
previously drawn ray from D in c2. From c2 sight B draw a ray which intersects db and
the intersection as b1. The table is oriented till ab comes in line with P. From P sight
and draw rays Aa and Ba. The intersection of these two rays w the Location of Point C.

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LAND SURVEYING 1 NOTES

TOPIC 1: PLANE TABLE SURVEYING

Plane table survey equipment is arranged in 4 steps as follows

• Orientation of Plane Table

Methods of plane table surveying

• The Three-Point Problem

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