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CHAPTER 5
PLANE TABLE SURVEYING

Table
Alidade

Tripod
Plumbing fork

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 OBJECTIVES
1. Describe the plane table and accessories
2. Explain temporary adjustment of plane table
3. Explain the different methods to locate points
with plane table.
4. Explain the two-point problem and its solution
5. Explain the three-point problem and its solution
6. Explain the likely errors and precautions to be
taken
7. List the advantages and disadvantages of
plane tabling.
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 AGENDA

Plane Table and Accessories

Setting up
Plane Tabling Methods
Two-point and three-point problems
Errors in Plane tabling

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 PLANE TABLE
Plane table is of well-
seasoned wood 450
to 750 mm size.
Table has a ball and
socket arrangement
to level and can be
screwed on to a
tripod.
Drawing sheet can be
fixed with pin or tape.

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 ALIDADE
Alidade of two types Plane Plane Alidade
Alidade as shown.
Metallic rule with a fiducial
edge for marking.
Two frames attached at
ends.
Eye vane has a slit to sight
objects.
The other vane, object vane
with a fine hair or wire for
bisecting objects.
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 TELESCOPIC ALIDADE
Heavy metal rule tow which Telescopic Alidade
a frame is attached.
This frame supports the
telescope providing a
very accurate line of
sight.
A spirit level on the rule
helps to level the table.
It can also take inclined line
of sight to objects low or
high.

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 TELESCOPIC ALIDADE
Composite instrument of telescopic alidade and Beaman
arc with compass and spirit level

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 SPIRIT LEVEL
A spirit level is required Spirit Level
to ensure levelling the
table surface.
The spirit level can be
place in two
perpendicular
directions and
levelled.
A circular level can also
be used.

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 MAGNETIC COMPASS
A magnetic needle in a rectangular box is
generally used.
By turning the box placed on the table, the
needle is made to read zero.
A line drawn along the edges of the box
gives the magnetic meridian

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 MAGNETIC COMPASS
Trough compass

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 PLUMBING FORK
A folded frame with a hook
and a plumb bob at the
lower limb makes up the
plumbing fork.
The upper frame is placed
on the sheet with its
pointed end at a point
marked as station.
The tripod legs are adjusted
to bring the plumb bob
over the station mark.
Plumbing fork

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 PLANE TABLE SURVEY
Setting up the Plane Table
1. Setting up over a station
2. Levelling
3. Centering
4. Orienting

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BACK
 SETTING UP
The Plane Table is screwed on to a tripod. Adjust
the tripod legs for a comfortable height.
The plane table is levelled using spirit level.
Centering is done if the station mark is already on
the drawing sheet. This is done using the
plumbing fork and adjusting the tripod legs.
If the station is not marked, mark the station point
using the plumbing fork on the sheet as well as
on ground.
Mark the magnetic meridian using the trough
compass at a convenient place on the sheet.

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 ORIENTING THE TABLE
The table first set up at A. By backsighting
The line ab is drawn on
table after sighting the
ranging rod at B using the
alidade.
The instrument is shifted
and set up at B
Keep the alidade along ba
and sight the ranging rod
at A.
The table is now oriented.
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BACK
 PLANE TABLING METHODS
Radiation method

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 PLANE TABLING METHODS
Intersection method

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 PLANE TABLING METHODS
Traversing

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 PLANE TABLING METHODS
Resection is a method of orienting the table.
The objective is to plot the station occupied by the
table rather than plotting other points.
After resection, the station occupied by the table is
obtained on the sheet in correct orientation.
The two-point and three-point problems are
resection methods.

BACK 20
 TWO-POINT PROBLEM
The two-point problem can be stated as:
To find the position a on the table of the
station A occupied by the table, given the
accurately plotted positions, p and q, of
two stations P and Q, visible from the
instrument station and by not occupying
these two stations.

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 Procedure -Two point Problem
1. Plot the points P and Q two well defined
points whose positions are plotted on
map as p and q.
2. An auxiliary station B is selected at a
suitable position. The table is setup at B
and levelled and oriented by eye position.
It is then clamped.
3. Touching the alidade p and q the points P
and Q are bisected and rays are drawn.
The rays will bisect at b.
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 Procedure Contd..
4. Alidade is centred on b ranging rod A is
bisected and a ray is shown.
5. A point a1 is marked on the ray.
6. Shift the table and centred on A with a1
just over A. It is levelled and oriented by
back sighting.
7.Keep the alidade touching the point p the
point P is bisected and a ray is drawn. The
ray intersects line ba1 at point a1 which
was assumed before. 24
 Procedure Contd..
8.Keep the alidade on a1 the point Q is
bisected and a ray is drawn. The ray
intersects bq at q1. A triangle is formed,
pqq1( This is the error triangle which
should be eliminated)
9.The alidade is then placed along the line
pq1 and a ranging rod R is fixed at some
distance from the table.
10.Alidade is placed along the line pq and
the table is turned to bisect R
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 Procedure Contd..
10. The table is said to be perfectly oriented.
11.Finally, the alidade cetered on p and q ,
the points P and Q are bisected and rays
are drawn. The rays intersect at a point a.
This would represent the exact position of
the required station A.
12. Station A is marked on the ground.

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 THREE POINT PROBLEM
Three point problem is
Given three visible stations and their plotted
positions, to plot the station occupied by
the table with the table correctly
oriented.
Methods of Solution
1. Mechanical method (Tracing paper
method
2. Graphical method (Bessels method)
3. Trial and error method 27
Graphical Method (Bessel)

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 Procedure Bessels method

1. A,B,C stations are three well defined

points which have been plotted as a,b,c.
It is required to locate a station at P.
2. The table is placed at the required station
P and levelled . The alidade is placed
along the line ca and the point A is
bisected. The table is clamped.
3. With the alidade centred on c , the point
B is bisected and a ray is drawn.
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(I Position)
 Contd...
4. Again the alidade is placed along the line
ac and the point C is bisected and the
table is clamped.
5. With the alidade, touching the position a,
the point B is bisected and a ray is drawn.
Let this ray intersects the previous ray at a
point (II Position)

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 Contd...
6. The alidade is placed along the line db,
and the point B is bisected. At this position
the table is perfectly oriented. Now the
rays Aa, Bb, Ca are drawn. These rays
must meet at the point P, which is required
point.
7. The point is transfered to the ground by
U frame or U fork.

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TRACING PAPER METHOD

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 Procedure Tracing paper method
1The table is placed at P and levelled. A
tracing paper is fixed on the map and a
point p is marked on it.
2. With the alidade centred on P, the points
A, B, C are bisected and the rays are
drawn. The rays will not pass through the
points a,b,c.
3. Now the tracing paper is removed and
moved over the map such a way that , the
three rays at a time pass through the
positions a, b, c. 33
 The point p is picked with a pin to give a
impression p on the map. p is the required
point on the map. The tracing paper is
removed.
Alidade is centred on p and the rays are
drawn towards A, B, C. These rays must
pass through the points a,b,c.

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TRIAL AND ERROR METHOD
Lehmanns method

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TRIAL AND ERROR METHOD
Procedure
1. Set up the plane table at S. The station S
should be such that P,Q and R do not subtend
very acute angles at S.
2. Orient the table approximately.
3. Now keeping the alidade at s, draw the three
rays to P, Q and R. They will not intersect at a
point but form a triangle of error.
4. Select a new position of s and draw again the
three rays. A new triangle of error, but smaller,
will be formed.

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TRIAL AND ERROR METHOD
Lehmanns Rules:
1. If S is outside the great triangle PQR, then s
will be outside triangle of error. If S is inside
PQR, triangle of error will be inside PQR and s
will be inside the triangle of error.
2. The position of s will be such that its distance
from pP,qQ and Rr will be proportional to
distance of S from P,Q,R.
3. S will lie on the same side of pP,qQ and rR.

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 ERRORS
1. Table not levelled.
2. Table not oriented.
3. Wrong placement of alidade.
4. Inaccurate bisection of objects.
5. Improper clamping.
6. Lines not accurately drawn.
7. Inaccurate scaling and plotting
8. Expansion/contraction of paper.
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 ADVANTAGES
1. Faster method
2. No field book
3. Errors in field book avoided.
4. Suitable for small scale maps.
5. Object representation accurate.
6. Inexpensive and simple to use.
7. Suitable for filling in detail.

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 DISADVANTAGES
1. Too many accessories.
2. Heavy and cumbersome equipment.
3. Not very accurate.
4. No field notes and hence no calculations
possible.
5. Not suitable for rainy areas.

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END