Methods of Plane Table Surveying

METHODS OF PLANE TABLE SURVEY

• Different operations are involved during the location of details through plane table surveying.

• To carry out the operations under different field conditions, different methods of plane table surveying have been evolved –

1. Method of Radiation

2. Method of Intersection

3. Method of Traversing

4. Method of Resect

• The method of radiation and the method of intersection are employed to locate objects and features present in the area of survey.

• The method of traversing is used to plot the network of stations and the method of resection is employed to determine and to plot the location of the plane table as well as to orient the table simultaneously. 

1. METHOD OF RADIATION

• In this method, instrument is set up 
at a station and rays are drawn to 
various stations which are to be 
plotted.

• Then distances are cut on a suitable 
scale after actual measurement.

• It is suitable for small area where all 
the points are visible and accessible 
from the station.

• The method is convenient if 
telescopic or digital alidade is used. 
Otherwise, it is effective when 
associated with tacheometer or 
EDM for measurement of horizontal 
distance.


2. METHOD OF INTERSECTION

• In this method, locating of a point on 
the drawing sheet is done by 
intersecting two rays drawn from 
two different stations.

• Also called as GRAPHICAL 
TRIANGULATION.

• It is preferred when distance 
between stations is very large and 
stations are inaccessible and ground 
is undulating


3. METHOD OF TRAVERSING


Let us consider the stations A, B, C and D
Stations are to be chosen in such a way 
that adjoining stations are visible



With the alidade pivoted at a, draw the rays 
to B and D. Distances AB and AD are 
measured and plotted on the respective 
rays, ab and ad respectively.



The plane table is then shifted to 
station B, get it set and then 
oriented by back sighting to 
station A.
With the alidade pivoted at b, draw 
a ray to C. Distance BC is 
measured and plotted on the ray 
as bc.



In this way, plane table is shifted to 
stations C and D and corresponding 
rays are drawn to obtain the plotting 
of the traverse abcd.

• This method of plane table surveying is 
used to plot a traverse in cases stations 
have not been previously plotted by 
some other methods. 

• In this method, traverse stations are 
first selected. The stations are plotted 
by method of radiation by taking back 
sight on the preceding station and a 
fore sight to the following station. 

• Here distances are generally measured 
by tachometric method and surveying 
work has to be performed with great 
care.

4. Method of Resection

• It is the process of determining location of station occupied by the 
plane table with reference to stations which are already plotted on the drawing sheet

a) Resection by Compass



b) Resection by Backsighting



c) Resection by 3 point problem

• In this method, three well defined points, 
having locations already being plotted on 
the drawing are involved. These are used to 
find and subsequently plot the location of 
the plane table station.

• if X, Y and Z are well defined objects 
present in the field whose plotted positions 
are x, y and z. Now, if the plane table is 
oriented correctly, the three resectors Xx, Yy
and Zz get intersected at p which 
represents the location of the plane table 
station, P on the drawing sheet.



• 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.

• In three point problem, orientation and 
resection are accomplished in the same 
operation.

• The trial and error method of three point 
problem, also known as Lehman's method 
minimises 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.


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