Fig: Plane table with tripod stand
Contents:
Equipments for Plane Table Surveying
The following accessories are required to carry out plane table survey:- Alidade
- Plumbing fork with plumb bob
- Spirit level
- Trough compass
- Drawing sheets and accessories for drawing.
1. Alidade
It is a straight edge ruler having some form of sighting device. One edge of the ruler is bevelled and is graduated. Always this edge is used for drawing line of sight. Depending on the type of line of sight there are two types of alidade:(a) Plain alidade
(b) Telescopic alidade
Plain Alidade:
Figure 2 shows a typical plain alidade. A sight vane is provided at each end of the ruler. The vane with narrow slit serves as eye vane and the other with wide slit and having a thin wire at its centre serves as object vane. The two vanes are provided with hinges at the ends of ruler so that when not in use they can be folded on the ruler. Plain alidade is not suitable in surveying hilly areas as the inclination of line of sight in this case is limited.Fig: 2 – Plane Alidade
Telescopic Alidade:
It consists of a telescope mounted on a column fixed to the ruler [Fig. 3]. The line of sight through the telescope is kept parallel to the bevelled edge of the ruler. The telescope is provided with a level tube and vertical graduation arc. If horizontal sight is required bubble in the level tube is kept at the centre. If inclined sights are required vertical graduation helps in noting the inclination of the line of sight. By providing telescope the range and the accuracy of line of sight is increased.Fig. 3: Telescopic alidade
2. Plumbing Fork and Plumb Bob
Figure 4 shows a typical plumbing fork with a plum bob. Plumbing fork is a U-shaped metal frame with a upper horizontal arm and a lower inclined arm. The upper arm is provided with a pointer at the end while the lower arm is provided with a hook to suspend plumb bob. When the plumbing fork is kept on the plane table the vertical line (line of plumb bob) passes through the pointed edge of upper arm. The plumb bob helps in transferring the ground point to the drawing sheet and vice versa also.Fig. 4: Plumbing fork and plumb bob
3. Spirit Level
A flat based spirit level is used to level the plane table during surveying (Fig.5). To get perfect level, spirit level should show central position for bubble tube when checked with its positions in any two mutually perpendicular directions.Fig. 5: Spirit level
4. Trough Compass
It consists of a 80 to 150 mm long and 30 mm wide box carrying a freely suspended needle at its centre (Ref. Fig. 6). At the ends of the needle graduations are marked on the box to indicate zero to five degrees on either side of the centre. The box is provided with glass top to prevent oscillation of the needle by wind. When needle is centred (reading 0–0), the line of needle is parallel to the edge of the box. Hence marking on the edges in this state indicates magnetic north–south direction.Fig. 6: Trough compass