Surveying I: 6 Plane Table Surveying: IOE class notes 2011, compiled by: Vishwa Nath Khanal

6.0 PLANE TABLE SURVEY (2 hours)

[Principles and methods of plane tabling; Advantages and disadvantages of plane tabling]

Introduction
Plane table was described almost in its present form by Jean Practorious in 1590. Plane
tabling is a graphical method of surveying in which the observations and plotting proceed
simultaneously in the field. In plane table surveying plotting of detail points can be done
quickly. The plan or map of the field is already plotted when the surveying is complete.
Since the field is before the surveyor’s eye, he/she can compare the plotted work with the
actual feature of the area. It is practically adapted for small scale mapping in which great
accuracy is not required. It is most suitable for filling in details.

Instrument
Instrument used in plane table surveying are:
1. Plane table with tripod 2. Alidade 3. Plumbing fork and plumb bob
4. Spirit level 5. Compass 6. Drawing paper
7. Ancillary accessories
1. Plane table: Plane table is a drawing board. The board is fitted with a leveling head or a
ball and socket joint arrangement. Boards can be leveled and rotated about a vertical axis,
and clamped in any position to fix the board. The drawing board is made of a well-
seasoned wood and varies in size usually 40 X 50 cm or, 60 X 75 cm.
1. Alidade: An alidade is a straight edge ruler with sighting device. Straight edge ruler has
folding sights which can be turned up at each end. Alidade may be plain alidade or
telescopic as it is fitted with sight vanes at both ends or fitted with a telescope. It is used
for sighting the objects and drawing rays on the drawing sheet in the required directions
for locating the field details on the map. Alidades are of two types:
a. Plane alidade: Plain alidade consists of a wooden or metal ruler with sight vanes at both
ends. Plain alidade is not very much suitable in hilly area as the line of inclination is
limited in plain alidade. Plain alidade is fitted with sight vanes at both ends. One end
contains a narrow vertical slit or hole of smaller diameter and other end consists of a
vertical wire across an open frame. A line is then drawn against the working edge (known
as fiducial edge) of the alidade.
b. Telescopic alidade: The alidade which is fitted with a telescope is known as telescopic
alidade. Telescopic alidade is useful to take inclined sights. In telescopic alidade both
horizontal distance and elevations are measured tacheometrically.
c. Self reducing alidade: The self reducing alidade is known as self reducing tachometer in
which the interval between the stadia lines varies automatically with the telescope
inclination, through which horizontal and distances are computed from instrument and
target point.

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 Surveying I: 6 Plane Table Surveying: IOE class notes 2011, compiled by: Vishwa Nath Khanal

2. Plumbing fork and Plumb bob: Plumbing fork is a metallic U shape fork with parallel arms
of equal length, a plumb bob being attached to the free end of the lower arm. The point
of the upper arm and the plumb line are in the same vertical line. Plumbing fork is used
for centering the table and transferring the ground point on to the drawing sheet.
a. Centering the table: Plumbing fork is used for centering the plane table over the station
occupied by it when the position of the point is already plotted on the drawing sheet. The
table is said to be centered when the point of the plumbing fork is kept over the plotted
point and the plumb bob hangs freely over the ground station mark.
b. Transferring the ground point: Plumbing fork helps for transferring the ground point on to
the drawing sheet so that plotted point and the ground station are in the same vertical
line. The pointed end of the fork points the required location on the plane table so that
the ground station and the plotted point are in the same vertical line.
3. Spirit Level: To level the plane table, spirit level is placed over the board in two positions
at rights angles and getting the bubble central in both positions. The table is truly level
when the bubble remains central all over the table.
4. Compass: Compass is used for orienting the plane table with respect to the magnetic
meridian. The longer edges of the box compass is placed parallel to the sides of the plane
table and the table is then rotated till the needle points N-S direction. A line drawn along
the longer edge of the box represents the magnetic north.
6. Drawing Paper: The drawing paper used for plane table must be of superior quality so
that it can stand erasing and it may have minimum effect or changes in the humidity of
the atmosphere. The changes in the humidity of the atmosphere produce expansion and
contraction in different directions and thus alter the scale and distort the map.

6.1 Principles and Methods of Plane Tabling

Principles of Plane Table Survey
The basic principle of plane tabling consists of taking sights to an object with the table
correctly oriented at two separate stations. The principle is based on the fact that the lines
joining the locations of the ground stations on the sheet are made parallel to their respective
ground lines. Thus the principle of plane tabling is parallelism. Field procedure or steps of
plane table surveying are:
1. Reconnaissance and selection of the station: The surveyor should walk around the field to
select the best location of the station.
2. Fixing the table to the tripod: The plane table should be fixed to the tripod at a convenient
height for working, say about 1.2 m and approximately level. The legs of the tripod should
be spread well apart and firmly fixed into the ground.
3. Setting up the table: The setting up the plane table consists of leveling, centering, and
orientation.
a. Leveling up the plane table: Leveling is done by estimation for small work, and spirit level
is used for more accurate and large work. The table is leveled by placing the spirit level

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 Surveying I: 6 Plane Table Surveying: IOE class notes 2011, compiled by: Vishwa Nath Khanal

on the board in two positions at right angles and getting the bubble central in both
positions.
b. Centering the plane table: The plane table should be so placed over the station on the
ground that the plotted point 'a' on the sheet should be exactly over the ground station
'A', this is done by using the plumbing fork.
c. Orienting the plane table: Orientation is the process of putting the plane table into some
fixed direction so that lines drawn on the sheet are parallel to their corresponding lines on
the ground. This is essential when more than one instrument station is to be used. If the
plane table is not correctly oriented at each station, the location of detail points obtained
will not represent their correct position resulting in an overall distortion of the map. The
process of centering and orientation are dependent to each other. For orientation, the
table will have to be rotated about its vertical axis, thus disturbing the centering.
Orientation is done by trough compass and back sighting.
i. Orientation by trough compass: At the starting station, the compass is placed on the
plane table and table is rotated till the magnetic needle of the compass floats centrally. A
fine pencil line is ruled against the long side of the box. At any other station, where the
table is to be oriented, the compass is placed against this line and by turning it until the
needle floats centrally. The table is then said to be oriented and clamped in position.
Orientation by compass is a less accurate and quick method than orientation by back-
sighting.
ii. Orientation by back sighting: This is the most accurate method of orientation and is
always preferred. Suppose the survey line ab has been plotted on the plane table
corresponding to the ground line AB. After shifting the plane table from A to B,
orientation will be done by placing the point 'b' exactly over the station 'B' with the help
of U-fork and the alidade is kept on the line ba and the plane table is turned about its
vertical axis in such a way that the line of sight passes through the ground station 'A'.
When this is achieved, the plotted line ba will be coinciding with ground line BA
(provided the centering is perfect) and the table will be oriented. The table is then
clamped in position.

Methods of Plane Tabling

When the plane table cannot be placed over a plotted point, method of resection has to be
applied. Methods of plane table surveying are classified as:
1. Radiation 2. Intersection 3. Traversing 4. Resection
Radiation and Intersection methods are generally employed for locating the details while
Traversing and Resection methods are used for locating the plane table stations. To illustrate
these methods the ground points are indicated by capital letters and the corresponding
points on the drawing sheet are indicated by the corresponding small letters as shown in the
figure.
1. Radiation
In this method a plane table is set up at any commanding station. Alidade is sighted towards
the detail point and rays are drawn from the instrument station along the edge of the

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 Surveying I: 6 Plane Table Surveying: IOE class notes 2011, compiled by: Vishwa Nath Khanal

alidade. The distance from the instrument station to the point is measured and the points
are plotted on the corresponding rays at the desires scale.
This method is more suitable when the area to be surveyed is small, when the distance is
within a tape length, and the area can be commanded from a single station. This method has
a wider scope if the distances are obtained by tachometric method with the help of
telescopic alidade.
Field Procedure:
1. Select a point P so that all points to be located are visible from it.
2. Set up the table at P. After leveling it, clamp the board.
3. Transfer the ground point by means of plumbing fork so that the point p on the sheet is
vertically above the ground point P. Draw the magnetic north with the help of a compass.
4. Keep the alidade touching p, and sight the various objects A, B, C, D, E etc. to be located,
then draw rays along the fiducial edge of the alidade toward A, B, C, D, E etc.
5. Measure the distance PA, PB, PC, PD, PE etc from station P to the various points and plot
them at desired scale along the corresponding rays.
6. Conventional symbols are drawn for different details.
C E
D

d
c e

B b p

f
a
F
P

A Figure: Radiation with plane table

2. Intersection
Intersection method is suitable and adopted for locating the points when the distance
between the point and the station is either too large or distance cannot be measured due
to some field conditions.
The location of detail point is determined by sighting to the object from two plane table
stations and drawing the rays. The intersection of these rays gives the position of the
object. The distance between the two stations is measured in the field and plotted on the
convenient scale. The line joining the two stations is known as the base line. In this
method, no linear measurement is required than that of the base line.

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 Surveying I: 6 Plane Table Surveying: IOE class notes 2011, compiled by: Vishwa Nath Khanal

B
C
A

b
a c
P Q
p q p q
Base line

Figure: Intersection by plane table

Field Procedure:
1. Select two points P and Q in a commanding position so that all detail points to be located
are visible from both stations.
2. Setup the table at P. After leveling and centering, clamp the board.
3. Transfer the ground point by means of plumbing fork so that the point ‘p’ on the sheet is
vertically above the ground point ‘P’. Draw the magnetic north with the help of a
compass.
4. Keep the alidade touching p, sight the station Q and other object A, B, C etc. to be located
and draw rays along the edge of the alidade towards Q, A, B, C etc.
5. Measure the distance from P to Q accurately and plot it at desired scale along the ray
drawn to Q, thus fixing the position of Q on the sheet.
6. Shift the table at Q and set up it. Center the table.
7. Orient the table by back-sighting P, and clamp it.
8. With the alidade touching q, sight the same objects and draw rays. The intersections of
these rays with the corresponding rays drawn from p determine the positions of the
objects A, B, C etc, on the sheet.
Note: Care should be taken to avoid angle of intersection less than 30° and more than 120°.

3. Traversing
Working principle of traversing and radiation is not much different. In radiation observations
are taken to those points which are to be detailed, while in traversing observations are made
to plane table stations. A traverse consists of a series of straight lines connected together.
This method can be used in surveying round a large area, particularly where the detail to be
surveyed is an irregular boundary. At any station the work can be checked by taking sights to
two or more proceeding stations visible from the station occupied. The orientation is done
by back-sighting on to the stations. A traverse should always return to the starting point or
to some other previously fixed point.
There will often be a visible misclosure due to error in plotting, centering, and orientation.
Hence, it is advisable to complete the traverse and adjust any misclosure before surveying
any details from it.

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 Surveying I: 6 Plane Table Surveying: IOE class notes 2011, compiled by: Vishwa Nath Khanal

D
e d c

Check
a b

e d c

C
E
a b

e e c
B
A
a b a b

Figure: Traversing with a plane table

Field Procedure:
1. Select the traverse stations A, B, C, D, etc.
2. Setup the plane table at ‘A’. Transfer the ground point on the sheet with a plumbing fork.
3. Mark the magnetic north with the help of a compass.
4. Keep the alidade touching ‘a’, sight the station ‘B’ and draw a ray.
5. Measure the distance ‘AB’ and plot a line ‘ab’ at a convenient scale.
6. Shift the table at station ‘B’ and set it up. After doing the centering and leveling, orient the
table by sighting on ‘A’ with the alidade on ‘ba’ and then clamp the table.
7. Keep the alidade touching ‘b’, sight the station ‘C’ and draw a ray.
8. Measure the distance ‘BC’ and plot it to fix the point 'c' on the sheet.
9. Continue the process until the remaining stations are plotted.
Note: The closing error is adjusted graphically.

4. Resection
Resection is the process of determining the plotted position of the station occupied by the
plane table, by means of sights taken (drawing rays) toward known points, location of which
have already plotted. It is a method of orientation used when the table occupies a position
not yet located on the map. There are two field conditions:
a. Resection after orientation by compass
A B

a b

C
c

Figure: Resection after orientation by compass

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 Surveying I: 6 Plane Table Surveying: IOE class notes 2011, compiled by: Vishwa Nath Khanal

Resection after orientation by compass is adopted for small scale or rough mapping for
which the relatively large error due to orienting with the compass needle would not impair
the usefulness of the map.
Field Procedure:
Let C be the instrument station to be located on the plan. Let A and B are two visible station
which have been plotted on the sheet as ‘a’ and ‘b’. Set the table at ‘c’ and orient it with
compass and clamp the table.
Pivoting the alidade about ‘a’ draw a resector (ray) towards A. Similarly sight B from ‘b’ and
draw a ray. The inter section of these two ray will give the point ‘c’ the required point.

b. Resection after orientation by back rays method

A a b B

a b

C c

Figure: Resection after orientation by backsighting

If the table can oriented by back sighting along a previously plotted back sight line, then
station can be located by the intersection of the back sight line and the resector drawn
through another known point.
Field Procedure:
Let C be the station to be located on the plan and A and B be the two visible points which
have been plotted on the sheet as ‘a’ and ‘b’. Set the table at A and orient it by back sighting
B along ab.
Pivoting the alidade at A sight C and draw a ray. Estimate roughly the position of C on this
ray as ‘c1’.
Shift the table to ‘c’ and centre it approximately with respect to ‘c1’. Keep the alidade on the
line ‘c1a’ and orient the table by back sight to A. Clamp the table which has been oriented.
Pivoting the alidade about ‘b’, sight B and draw the resector ‘bB’ to intersect the ray ‘c1a’ in
‘c’ thus ‘c’ is the location of the instrument station.

c. Resection after orientation by three point problem

d. Resection after orientation by two point problem

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 Surveying I: 6 Plane Table Surveying: IOE class notes 2011, compiled by: Vishwa Nath Khanal

6.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of Plane Tabling

Advantages Disadvantages
1. Surveying and plotting proceeds 1. Since measurements are not
simultaneously. Plan or map of the field is recorded in the field book, it is not
already prepared when the surveying is possible to produce or re-plot the
complete. plan in a different scale.
2. Surveyor can compare the plotted work with 2. Plane table survey is not intended
the actual features of the area as the field is for very accurate work.
before his eyes at the time of plotting. 3. As the plotting has to be done in the
3. As the plotting is done on the field, record of field, more field time is required in
field measurements is not required and the comparison to the other types of
possibility of mistakes in booking is eliminated. survey.
4. Useful in magnetic areas where compass 4. It is most inconvenient to work in
survey is not possible. rainy season and wet climate.
5. No great skill is required to produce a 5. Plane table and its accessories are
satisfactory map. inconvenient to transport.
6. It is simple, rapid, and cheaper than most 6. Due to so many accessories, there is
other types of survey. a chance of these being lost.
7. It is most suitable for small-scale map.

Sources of error in Plane tabling

Various sources of error in plane tabling are:
1. Instrumental error
2. Errors in plotting
3. Errors of manipulation and sighting
1. Instrumental error
a. Surface of the plane table: The error will occur if the top surface of the plane table is
not perfectly plane. The effect will be severe when the difference in elevation
between the points sighted is more.
b. Fiducial edge of the alidade: If the fiducial edge of the alidade is not straight, the lines
drawn would not be straight and an error will occur.
c. Fittings of the plane table: If the fittings of the table and tripod are loose, the plane
table will not remain stable and the error will occur.
d. Magnetic compass: If the magnetic compass is sluggish (moving slowly), accurate
orientation may not be possible.
e. Sight vane: If the sight vanes are not perpendicular to the base of the alidade, there
would be error in sighting.
f. Level tube: If the level tube is defective, the plane table will not be horizontal even if
the bubble is in the center of its run.

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 Surveying I: 6 Plane Table Surveying: IOE class notes 2011, compiled by: Vishwa Nath Khanal

2. Errors in plotting
a. If the drawing paper is not of good quality, it will shrink or expand with changes in
temperature and there will be error in plotting.
b. If the alidade is not properly pivoted against the point or if thicker pencils are used,
there will be error in plotting.
3. Errors of manipulation and sighting
a. Leveling: If the plane table is not properly leveled, sight vanes will be inclined that
may cause error.
b. Centering: If the plane table is not exactly over the station, there will be error in
orientation. Error will be appreciable on large scale plotting.
c. Orientation: If the plane table is not properly orientated there will be angular error in
location of points.
d. Clamping: If the plane table is not properly clamped after orientation, it will rotate
between sights and there will be error.
e. Sighting: if the object is not sighted accurately and bisected properly, there will be
error. For accurate work, the object should remain bisected when the eye is moved
from the top to the bottom along sighting vane.

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