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CHAPTER 4

PLANE TABLE SURVEYING

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Overview of the Chapter

Chapter 4:
Plane Table Surveying:

 Plane Table Instruments and Accessories;

 Merits and demerits;
 Methods (Radiation, Intersection, Resection, and Traversing);
 Orientation; Two and three point problems;
 Errors in plane tabling.
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FIELD SKETCH ILLUSTRATION
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 A triangulation system consists of a series of

joined or overlapping triangles in which the length
of one side is called base line which is measured.
All angles are measured and remaining sides are
calculated from angles. The vertices of individual
triangles are the triangulation stations.
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Content
 Introduction
 Instruments and Accessories
 Advantages and Disadvantages of Plane Tabling
 Setting up the Plane Table
 Methods of Plane Table Surveying

• Radiation
• Intersection
• Traversing
• Resection ( Two point problem and Three point problem)

 Errors in Plane Tabling

 Summary
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Introduction
 The plane table surveying is a very quick method of surveying
by a graphical method where field observations and plotting
of the plan proceed simultaneously.
 The necessity of transferring the field data to office and
preparation of map is completely avoided.
 In plane table surveying, an unknown point of interest is
established by measuring its directions from known points.
 The main advantage of plane tabling is that the topographic
features to be mapped are in full view. Plane table surveying
is most suitable for small and medium scale mapping.
 Because of development of aerial survey techniques, plane
tabling is not so universally used.
 On the contrary, It is also very useful as a basic instrument for
teaching fundamental concepts of surveying because the
geometric principles are readily grasped and the objective of
a survey operation is clearly indicated in the map sheet.
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Plane Table Survey equipment's
 It consists of a small drawing board
mounted on light tripod in such a
way that the boards can be rotated
about the vertical axis and can be
clamped in any position.

 An Alidade is used to plot the

directions and a clinometer to
measure the elevations.

 Accessories such as Plumbing

fork, trough compass, spirit level
and drawing sheet are required for
field work as shown in figure here.
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Basic Principle: Plane Table Survey
 For quick and approximate surveying, when great precision and
accuracy is not needed, plane table surveying techniques is very
suitable.
 It is particularly convenient for filling the details between the stations
already fixed and surveyed by more precise method of triangulation
or theodolite traversing.

 The great advantage of this technique is that field work and map
plotting is achieved simultaneously by use of graphical surveying.
 The principle used in plane table surveying is that an unknown point
of interest can be established by measuring its directions from
known points.
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Equipment's description
 Plane Table: The plane table essentially consists of a simple
drawing board mounted on a tripod similar to a compass or a
level. The drawing board usually made from well seasoned
teak or pine wood. The size can vary from 400 × 300 mm to
750 × 600 mm. Sometimes square boards of 500 × 500 mm or
600 × 600 mm are also used.

 The table at the center of the underside, is attached to the

tripod by means of a screw and wing nut. By means of the
wing nut, the table can be clamped in any position.
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 Tripod: In plane tables, leveling of the

board is achieved by manipulating the
tripod legs and checking the
horizontality of the board by means of
two spirit levels fixed at right angles to
each other in a block of wood.

 for a beginners, it is very difficult to

keep the plane table level throughout
the work, since even a slight pressure
on any side of the table, the level of
the board is disturbed.
 Levelling screws or ball-and-socket
joint is provided to facilitate levelling
(figure 8.3 and 8.4)
 Trough Compass: It is usually 15 cm
long, shown in Figure 8.6, and is
provided to plot the magnetic meridian
(N-S direction) to facilitate orientation
of the plane table in the magnetic
meridian.
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 Important constituent of plane

table is a straight edge called
Alidade.

 It is made of a metal (brass or

gunmetal) or seasoned wood
about 500 mm long with a
straight ruled edge which is
bevelled. This edge is termed
“fudicial” edge.

 Alidade is also known as “sight

rule” and it has to vanes, the
object vane and the sight vane.
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 Spirit level: Circular spirit level is used to check the level

of the board and make it horizontal by placing it on the
board in two positions mutually at right angles and
centering the bubble in each position.
 Plumbing Fork: It is also known as U frame. It is a hairpin
shaped brass frame having two arms of equal length as
depicted in Figure 8.7. One end of the frame is pointed
and is kept over the drawing sheet touching the plotted
position of the instrument station. The other end of the
frame carries a plumb bob. The position of the plane
table is adjusted until the plumb bob hangs over the
station occupied by the instrument.
 Drawing sheet: Drawing paper should be of best quality
and well seasoned to minimize the effect of climatic
variations. The paper should be tinted green or grey for
reducing glaring in sun and eye strains.
 Drawing paper is fixed on board with drawing pins,
clamps etc. For drawing rays and other detail quality
pencils, dustless rubber and precision scales are used. A
water-proof cover is also an essential accessories to
protect drawing paper from dampness and rain. The
dimensions of the sheet should remain stable under
variable conditions of temperature and humidity.
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Advantages of Plane Table Survey
 most suitable for preparing small-scale maps. It is most rapid.
 The field book is not necessary as plotting is done in field
concurrently with the field work, and hence the mistakes in
booking the field notes are avoided.

 The surveyor can compare the plotted work with the actual
features of the area surveyed and, thus, cannot overlook any
essential features.

 Errors of measurements and plotting may be readily detected

by check lines.
 Contours and irregular objects may be represented accurately,
since the tract is in view.
 It is particularly advantageous in magnetic area where
compass survey is not reliable.
 It is less costly than a theodolite survey.
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Disadvantages of Plane Table Survey
 The plane table is essentially a tropical instrument. It is not
suitable for work in a wet climate.
 It is heavy, cumbersome, and awkward to carry.
 There are several accessories to be carried and, therefore, they
are likely to be lost.
 If the survey is to be re-plotted to a different scale or quantities
are to be computed, it is of great inconvenience in absence of
the field notes.
 It is not intended for accurate work.

 More field time is required as the plotting has to be done in the

field itself.
 The workers are to be very skilled as field work and plotting
has to be done simultaneously and necessary computations
have to be done in the field itself.
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Setting up the Plane Table
 Centering, Levelling and Orientation (By trough compass,
by back sighting & by resection)

 Since survey is carried out by sighting, the table should

be set up to provide drawing board at convenient height
about 1 m above ground. The table shall be stable and
levelled. The legs of the table are spread well apart to
provide stability and adjusted to provide the table in
horizontal plane by means of the levelling screws with
reference to a level tube. For more accurate work spirit
level is to be used.

 The table is centered over the station accurately with the

help of a plumbing fork or U frame. The upper leg of the
fork coinciding with the point on paper while a plumb bob
is hung from the other leg directly over the peg.
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Setting up the Plane Table
 The other essential step in setting up the table is its
orientation. It ensures that the table is kept parallel to its
original direction as it is moved from station to station. This
step is necessary to make the lines on the map parallel to the
lines on the ground represented by them. This is achieved
either by the use of a compass or by the process of back
sighting.

 Using the compass, a line is drawn on map at first station in the

direction of magnetic meridian. Whenever the table is required to be
set up at a new station, the compass is placed in the direction of
already drawn magnetic meridian and table rotated to bring the
needle ends on zero reading of scale. The table clamped in this
position ensures accurate table orientation if no local attraction is
present at station.

 A more reliable and preferred method of orientation is by back

sighting. Whenever the table is required to be shifted from
instrument station O1 to O2, the O2 is sighted by placing a ranging
rod at O2 and line of sight along O1 O2. A line O1 O2 is then drawn
on map. When the instrument is shifted to O2, the alidade is kept
along O1 O2 and ranging rod placed at O1 is sighted from O2. The
board is rotated until the line of sight bisects the ranging rod at O1.
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Illustration on Back sighting

 Let the plane table be shifted from station A to B and let the
line ab has been plotted with the plane table at A. Setup the
table on B, place the alidade along the plotted line ba and
rotate the table until the line of sight bisects the station A.
Clamp the board. The line ba truly represents the line BA on
the ground.
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Methods of Plane Table Surveying
 Radiation, Traversing, Intersection, Resection

 The applicability of a particular method of surveying

depends upon the visibility between stations which are
to be plotted from the instrument stations, the
possibility of obtaining the required measurements
and the measurements available to locate the
instrument station itself.

 At each station in addition to drawing rays to assist in

fixing further points, the surveyor will fix nearby
details by radiation.
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Radiation
 In this method the instrument is setup at
a station and rays are drawn to various
stations which are to be plotted. The
distances are cut to a suitable scale
after actual measurements.
 Procedure: Select a station O such that
all the other stations A,B,C and D are
accessible and visible from O. Plot the
N-S direction. Setup a plane table at O.
Place the alidade at o and successively
sight stations A,B,C and D. Draw rays •Suitability: This method is
from o to the stations and cut the suitable only when the area to be
distances oa, ob, oc and od to the surveyed is small and all the
chosen scale. Join a, b, c and d. The stations are visible and accessible
distances OA, OB etc. can be measured from the instrument station. The
by chain/tape and plotted as oa, ob.. etc scope of this method is increased
, on the sheet. when the distances are measured
by a tacheometer. In the field it is
 This way the traverse abcd can be sometimes used to locate the
plotted. Accuracy can be checked by
measuring ground distances AB, BC details of the area in conjunction
etc. and comparing with map distances with the method of traversing.
ab, bc etc.
NB: The instrument station is selected such that entire area is visible and
approachable from this position for distance measuring and sighting.
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Illustration
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INTERSECTION
 In this method, two stations are selected in
such a way that all the other stations to be
plotted are visible from these. The line joining
these two stations is called base line. The
length of this line is measured very accurately.
Rays are drawn from these stations to the
stations to be plotted.
 The intersection of the rays from the two
stations gives the position of the station to be
plotted on the drawing sheet. Sometimes, it is
also known as graphical triangulation.
 Procedure: Let A and B be the two
accessible stations such that A and B
can be suitably plotted. C is the station
to be plotted by intersection. Place the
plane table at A and set it up. Plot the
N-S direction. Transfer ground station •Suitability: This method is used
A as a onto the drawing sheet. With the
alidade centered at a, sight station B. for plotting details and it is
Draw a ray aB and cut ab to a suitable preferred when the distance
scale. With the alidade at a, sight C between the stations is too large,
also and draw a ray aC. Shift the table or the stations are inaccessible, or
to B and set it up there. Place the the ground is undulating. Suitable
alidade at b and sight C. Draw a ray bC. example is of broken boundaries
The interesction of the two rays gives which can be very conveniently
the position of station C as c on the
plotted by this method.
plane table.
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TRAVERSING
 This method is similar to compass or theodolite traversing. The table
is set at each of the stations in succession. A foresight is taken to
the next station and the distance is cut to a suitably chosen scale.
 Procedure: Setup the plane table at the initial station A. Transfer
ground station A as a on the drawing sheet. Draw a ray aB along the
fudicial edge with the alidade pivoted against a. Cut the distance ab
to the selected scale. Shift and setup the table at B. Orient the plane
table. Place the alidade at b and sight station C. Draw ray bC along
the alidade and cut the distance bc to the selected scale. The
procedure is carried out till all stations are traversed.
 It is most suited when a narrow strip of terrain is to be surveyed, e.g.
survey of roads, railways, etc. This method can be used for
traversing both the open as well as close traverses.
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RESECTION
 It is a method of orientation employed when the table
occupies a position which is not yet located on the drawing
sheet. Position of instrument station occupied by the plane
table can be drawn on sheet (or map) with the help of two or
more well defined points which are visible from instrument
station and whose positions have already been drawn on plan
map.

 The resection of two rays will be the point representing the

station to be located, provided the orientation of the station to
be plotted is correct.

 The problem can be solved by any of the methods such as

resection after orientation by back ray, by two points or three
points method.

 This method is employed when the surveyor feels that some

important details can be plotted easily by choosing any
station other than the triangulation stations. The position of
such station is fixed on the drawing sheet by resection.
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1)Back Ray Method
 This method is very useful when one of the plotted stations in
accessible from the station to be plotted.

 Procedure: Let a and b be the plotted positions of the two

ground stations A and B. Station C is to be plotted. Set up the
table at A, with ‘a’ above A. Keep the alidade along ab and
orient the table so that B is bisected. Pivot the alidade at ‘a’,
sight C and draw ray aC. Shift the instrument and set it up at
C. Place the alidade along ca and rotate the table till it is
oriented. With alidade pivoted against b, sight B and draw a
back ray. The resection of this ray with the previous ray gives
the position of station C as c on the drawing sheet.
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2) Two Points Problem
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3) Three point problem
 The position of new plane table station on the map can be correctly
located with the help of three well defined points on ground whose
positions are already plotted on map. Such a procedure is called three-
point problem.

 It is obvious that locating the position of table by this process is more

accurate. However, it is more involved and complex.
 Let there are three ground stations A, B and C whose positions are
marked as a, b and c on the plan map and let these stations are visible
from new table station O. It is required to plot the position of O on map
as o. This can be achieved by any of the following methods :
a. Mechanical/Tracing paper M
b. Trial and Error
c. Graphical (Bassel’s)
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Three Point Problem
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Tracing Paper Method
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Trail and Error/ Lehmann’s method
 This method is very commonly used in field and is quite quick
and very accurate. The plane table is stationed, set and
levelled at station O and is oriented as nearly as possible into
correct position either by visual judgment or by use of
compass.

 In three point problem, if the orientation of the plane table is

not proper, the intersection of the resectors through the three
points will not meet at a point but will form a triangle, known
as triangle of error . The size of the triangle of error depends
upon the amount of angular error in the orientation.
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Trail and Error/ Lehmann’s method
 The trial and error method of three point problem, also known as
Lehman's method minimizes the triangle of error to a point
iteratively. The iterative operation consist of drawing of resectors
from known points through their plotted position and the
adjustment of orientation of the plane table.

 Depending on their relative positions, three cases may arise :

i. The position of plane table is inside the great triangle;

ii. The position of plane table is outside the great triangle;
iii. The position of plane table lies on or near the circumference of the great
circle.

 In case of (iii), the solution of the three-point problem becomes

indeterminate or unstable. But for the cases (i) and (ii), Lehmann,s
rules are used to estimate the location of plane table.
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Lehmann’s Rule
 If the position of plane table station is inside the great
triangle, its plotted position should be chosen inside the
triangle of error.

 If the position of plane table station is outside the great

triangle, its plotted position should be chosen outside
the triangle of error.
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Trail and Error/ Lehmann’s method
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Graphical Method

 Bessel’s solution

 Steps has to be followed carefully to solve this. Refer

to text book for steps.
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Errors in Plane Tabling
 The main sources of errors in a plane table survey can be broadly
classified as follows :
 Due to faulty instrument adjustments
 Due to quality of drawing paper used in map plotting
 Human errors of surveyor in centering and orienting the table
 inaccurate centering of table, and
 inaccurate orientation of table.
 Surveyor’s error in observing and plotting
 Human error can be introduced during observation and plotting of
details by the surveyor. These could be due to
 objects not being sighted and bisected in sight vanes accurately,

 the centering of alidade on the desired station point on paper may not
be accurate,
 the radiating ray towards the desired object may not be correctly drawn
through the referred station point, and
 plotting of details may not be properly done or recorded.
 Care should be exercised during observation process to eliminate
these types of errors. Random rechecking of some details recorded at
referred instrument station
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Errors Due to Inaccurate Centering
 Centering is very important for plotting detail through
plane table surveying. Error in centering leads to error in
plotting of location of objects.

 So, the operations involved in centering need careful

consideration.

 On the other hand, plotting accuracy provides a limit

within which no error gets perceptible in plotting.

 Thus, accuracy with which centering should be done

depends on the scale of plotting and accordingly care in
centering of plane table should be taken.
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Errors Due to Inaccurate Centering

 Thus, if S is the scale of plotting and 0.25 mm is the

minimum dimension of plotting, then 0.25 X S is the
amount of error in field distance which may be allowed
during centering without any effect on actual plotting.

 For example, if the plotting scale is 1: 1000, then

centering within 0.25 meter distance on ground can be
permitted without any error in plotting.
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Numerical
 While setting up a plane table at station P, it was found that
the point 'p' representing the station P on sheet was not
proper. The displacement of P was 30 cm in a direction of
sight angles to ray PA drawn to a ground point A. Calculate
the corresponding displacement of 'a' from its true position,
for the following cases:

i. Scale of the map 1:50,000

ii. Scale of the map 1:2000

iii. Scale of the map 1 cm = 1 m

i) Displacement of plotted position (e) = 30 * RF

= 30 * 1/50,000 = 0.0006 cm < 0.025 cm (negligible)

ii) 0.015 cm

iii) 0.3 cm
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Summary
 Plane table is most suitable for the filling in of the details
between the stations previously fixed by triangulation or
theodolite traversing. The plane table consists
essentially of a drawing board and alidade. Trough
compass, plumbing fork, spirit level and drawing sheet
are the accessories that are required in plane table
survey.

 Proper centering and orientation of plane table are the

two important operations that are necessary to get
accuracy in plane table survey work.

 Inaccurate centering and orientation of table will lead to

erroneous survey work.
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