Leveling

This routine allows you to run trigonometric level loops using a digital level, total station or through manual entry. For digital levels, the vertical difference and if available, the horizontal distance is stored in the raw data file. The raw data collected for a total station is slope distance, zenith angle and prism height. General considerations include:

1. The calculation routines assume there is only one loop per level file.
2. A benchmark is required at the beginning of the loop (BM+) and a benchmark is required at the end of the loop (BM-).
3. After the BM+, measurements back to a known elevation (TP-) and measurements forward to establish an elevation (TP+) are alternated.
4. Any number of side shots to points (SS-) or stations (STA-) is allowed while traversing.
5. Spurs (series of TP+ and TP- measurements off the main loop) are allowed and will be adjusted correctly.
6. A spur after the BM- is allowed.

• Instrument: Indicate the method by which level-loop data will be obtained.
  Available Options

  • Current Total Station
  • Manual 3-Wire
  • Manual 1-Wire
  • Manual Digital Level
  • Leica DNA
  • Sokkia SDL
  • Sokkia SDLX
  • Geomax ZDL
• Level File: Use the Select button to launch the standard File Selector that permits a level file to be selected or created.

  Note: With the creation of a new file (which can also be processed by Carlson Survey), an additional meta-data dialog box appears that permits other noteworthy parameters to be specified.

  More Information

  Indicate any of the optional details associated with the level loop:

  

  • Project: Indicate the name of the project associated with the level-loop
  • Operator: Indicate the name of the person responsible for the level-loop data.
  • Loop Name: Indicate the name of the loop being measured.
  • Temp: Indicate the temperature when the loop was measured.
  • Pressure: Indicate the barometric pressure when the loop was measured.
  • Date: Indicate the date the loop was measured.
  • Time: Indicate the time the loop was measured.
  • Get Date and Time: Populates the current date and time into their respective fields.
• Use Road Files: When enabled, use the Select Road button to specify the Horizontal and Vertical corridor geometry components (as described under Stake Offset) associated with the level loop.
  • Centerline: The name of the current horizontal (CL) geometry source.
  • Profile: The name of the current vertical (PRO) geometry source.

  Note: If road files are used, an additional tab (STA-) in the leveling measurement screen will be made available for entering station and offset data.

Main Measurement

The first reading of the loop must be a benchmark (BM+) reading to establish the instrument height.

Within Leveling are these common fields:

• Review File: (button) Located at the top of the interface is the Review File button that displays the current information found within the current Level file.
• Edit/Process Level Loop: (button) Also located at the top of the interface is the Edit/Process button that permits collected data to be modified and processed.
• Pt ID: Use this field to retrieve the elevation from an existing point in the coordinate file.

  Note: Additional controls permit the point to be specified from the Job Point List or a Map Screen pick.

• HT: Use this to enter the prism height. If using a digital level, this field will be gray, and will be populated with the rod reading from the level.
• BM Elev: Enter a known elevation for the benchmark. This field will auto-populate if a point ID is selected.
• Desc: Enter the point description.
• Review Readings: This allows you to examine and alter as needed any measurements prior to committing them as a stored level point.
  More Information

  One or more measurements can be taken on a given foresight or backsight. These readings can be reviewed and/or altered prior to the storing of the data.

  

  • Status: Indicates if the measurement is turned On or Off. Measurements that are Off will not be used in any calculations.
  • VDIST: Indicates the measure down/up value for the reading.
  • HDIST: Indicates the horizontal distance to the reading.
  • Elev: Shows the calculated elevation which will be the elevation at the instrument on a plus shot (BM+ or TP+) or the elevation at the rod on a minus shot (BM-, TP-, SS- or STA-).
  • Store Point: Processes the reading(s) marekd as On into a leveling point elevation.
  • Results: All the values in the Results section are about the elevation calculations. The Sel Error field shows how different the calculated elevation of the currently selected measurement is from the mean of all the measurements that are On.

  Note: Any measurement can be highlighted by clicking on the measurement. A measurement must be selected before using Edit Reading or the ON/OFF button.

• Robotics: (Not shown) Use this to control robot settings.

Also available are these measurement/configuration tools:

Leveling Measurement/Configuration Buttons

Legacy Icon	Graphic Icon	Action
		Read: Records a measurement and allows additional measurements to be recorded.
		Store: Stores the current reading(s) and then switches to the Measure Down interface.
		Next: Available when Road Files are being used, the next available station for leveling is presented.
		Launches the Configure interface for the active piece of equipment.
		Launches the Turning Point Switch interface between taking plus or minus readings.

To get started on the loop to establish the initial instrument elevation, perform the following:

1. (Optional) It is commonly suggested to review the Configuration settings to ensure the desired work-flow is attained.
   More Information

   The Configure dialog box permits on-the-fly customization to the Leveling routine, including:

   

   • Avg Direct & Reverse: Indicate the type(s) of reading(s) that should receive both direct-face and reverse-face measurements (only applies to Trig Leveling).
   • Review before storing: When enabled, forces the Review Readings dialog prior to storing. This is the same dialog that comes up when the Review Reading button is pressed except the Review Reading dialog has a Store Point button that stores the measurements with an On status.
   • Enter key: Indicate the preferred behavior associated with pressing the Enter key on the tablet/controller.
   • Station Interval: Indicate the desired Station Interval for the Next control when using road data.
   • Use Road: Permits the usage and/or alternate data source for Road Files.
2. Enter the point ID or known benchmark elevation, the prism height (trig levels), and a description.
3. Press the Read button to measure,

   Note: You can take as many readings on a single point that you like,

   or,

4. Press the Store button to measure and keep the reading.

Note: Measurements can subsequently be inspected/modified via the Edit/Process button.

Obtaining Ground/Benchmark Elevations

Once the elevation of the Level has been determined, the interface changes to a multi-tabbed Minus Reading (measure down) dialog consisting of:

• BM-: Performs a reading to a Benchmark and ends the loop.
• TP-: Performs a reading to a Turning Point and advances the setup.
• SS-: Performs a reading to a Sideshot and does not advance the setup.
• STA-: (optional) Performs a reading to a sideshot on an alignment.

Note: Once the minus reading on a benchmark has been recorded, you can then process the loop using the Edit/Process button.

Note: When the Level is moved to a new location for a new setup, tap the TP+ button to switch to the Turning Point measure-up interface:

Edit/Process File

At any time during the loop, you can edit a reading using the Edit Levels icon to the immediate left of the Orange Arrow (Cancel) button

• Save File: (icon) Launches the standard File Selector that permits the current Level file to be saved to a *.TLV file.
• Add: Permits a new record type to be appended to the end of the currently selected Level file.
• Edit: Permits modification to the currently selected Level record.
• Del/Undel: Toggles whether or not the currently selected Level record should be considered for processing.
• Process: Performs the adjustment(s) to the Level loop and summarizes the result(s) in the Review File interface.

Review File

Once you've processed the loop, a Review File dialog will be displayed.

At this point, options include:

• Save Level Report: (icon) To the immediate left of the Orange Arrow button is the Save Level Report icon that launches the standard File Selector that saves the results to a *.TXT file.
• Update Points: Tapping ✅ permits the updating of elevations for points in the existing job.

  

  • Use Adjusted Elevations: When enabled, all existing points in the coordinate file will be updated with the leveled elevations.
  • Store STA- as Points:When enabled, coordinates will be computed and saved as points that were defined by Station and Offset.
  • Use Level Descriptions: When abled, the description of the point that was specified during the Leveling process will govern the previous point description.
  • Skip/Replace Existing: Indicate the preference of what should happen to updates to existing point elevation data.
  • Save Report: Launches the standard File Selector that saves the results to a *.TXT file.
  • Update Job: Commits the update(s) to the current job and closes the routine.

Manual 1-Wire Example

If you select the 1-Wire method of Leveling, the graphic below may be helpful in selecting the options to conduct a simple level loop:

1. Start by referencing a benchmark, and you close the loop by referencing the starting point or a second benchmark.
2. You "+" to your "backsight" and you "-" up to your foresight, and you name the points as you go.
3. After entering the example, pressing the Edit Levels icon shows all the measurements made.

   Note: In this case, horizontal distances (HD) are shown as 100 because 1-wire leveling does not provide a horizontal distance. Giving all the segments the same distance causes the level adjustment to give all the segments the same weight.

4. Pressing the Process icon shows the results.
5. Scrolling to the end shows the adjustments that will be applied to the last two measurements.
6. Pressing the ✅ brings up the Update Points in Job dialog.
7. Save Report will put the information shown in the Update Points in Job dialog into a text file for your records.
8. Update Job saves the new elevations to the points in the job.