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Tacheometric RL of B, C, gradient BC

Short answer

Use D=Ks cos^2θ and V=1/2 Ks sin2θ with K=100, C=0. For B: D=94.428 m, V=+31.595 m, RL=1117.710 m. For C: D=154.296 m, V=-16.217 m, RL=1069.928 m. BC=205.453 m, fall 47.782 m, gradient falling 1 in 4.3 (23.26%).

The following observations were taken in a tacheometric survey from a station A of R.L. 1086.550, the height of instrument being 1.385 m.

Instrument StationHeight of InstrumentStaff StationBearingZenithalStadia Reading
A1.385B18°00'71°30'1.295, 1.820, 2.345
C127°00'96°00'1.010, 1.790, 2.570

The instrument is fitted with an anallatic lens and the multiplying constant is 100. Determine the R.L. of B and C and the gradient of the line BC.

Anallatic lens: C=0C=0, K=100K=100. The zenith angle zz is converted to the vertical angle θ=90∘−z\theta=90^\circ-z: B: 90∘−71∘30′=+18∘30′90^\circ-71^\circ30'=+18^\circ30' (elevation); C: 90∘−96∘00′=−6∘00′90^\circ-96^\circ00'=-6^\circ00' (depression). The axial hair is the middle reading.

Staff held vertical, line of sight inclined at angle θ\theta (additive constant zero, which is the case for an anallatic lens or C=0C=0):

D=Kscos⁡2θ,V=12Kssin⁡2θD=Ks\cos^2\theta,\qquad V=\tfrac12Ks\sin2\theta

where ss is the staff intercept, θ\theta the vertical angle and K=100K=100, C=0C=0.

Step 1: Horizontal distance and vertical component of each sight

Point B (bearing 18°00', angle of elevation 18∘30′18^\circ 30'):

s=2.345−1.295=1.050 mD=100×1.050×cos⁡218∘30′=94.428 mV=12×100×1.050×sin⁡2(18∘30′)=31.595 m\begin{aligned} s&=2.345-1.295=1.050\ \text{m}\\ D&=100\times1.050\times\cos^2 18^\circ 30'=94.428\ \text{m}\\ V&=\tfrac12\times100\times1.050\times\sin 2(18^\circ 30')=31.595\ \text{m} \end{aligned}

Point C (bearing 127°00', angle of depression 6∘00′6^\circ 00'):

s=2.570−1.010=1.560 mD=100×1.560×cos⁡26∘00′=154.296 mV=12×100×1.560×sin⁡2(6∘00′)=−16.217 m\begin{aligned} s&=2.570-1.010=1.560\ \text{m}\\ D&=100\times1.560\times\cos^2 6^\circ 00'=154.296\ \text{m}\\ V&=\tfrac12\times100\times1.560\times\sin 2(6^\circ 00')=-16.217\ \text{m} \end{aligned}

Step 2: Reduced levels

RL of instrument axis = RL of station + HI = 1086.550 + 1.385 = 1087.935 m.

RL of staff point=RL of axis+V−h\text{RL of staff point}=\text{RL of axis}+V-h RLB=1087.935+31.595−1.820=1117.710 mRLC=1087.935−16.217−1.790=1069.928 m\begin{aligned} \text{RL}_{B}&=1087.935+31.595-1.820=1117.710\ \text{m}\\ \text{RL}_{C}&=1087.935-16.217-1.790=1069.928\ \text{m} \end{aligned}

Step 3: Horizontal distance BC

The angle at A between the two lines is the difference of the bearings, 109∘00′109^\circ 00' (18°00' and 127°00').

BC=D12+D22−2D1D2cos⁡γ=94.4282+154.2962−2×94.428×154.296cos⁡109∘00′=205.453 m\begin{aligned} BC&=\sqrt{D_1^2+D_2^2-2D_1D_2\cos\gamma}\\ &=\sqrt{94.428^2+154.296^2-2\times94.428\times154.296\cos 109^\circ 00'}=205.453\ \text{m} \end{aligned}

Step 4: Gradient

Gradient=ΔHBC=47.782205.453=0.23257\text{Gradient}=\frac{\Delta H}{BC}=\frac{47.782}{205.453}=0.23257

The line from B to C is falling: 1 in 4.3, i.e. 23.26 %, an angle of 13∘05′33′′13^\circ 05'33'' with the horizontal.

Step 5: Bearing of BC

Taking the instrument station as the origin:

B=(+89.807, +29.180),C=(−92.857, +123.226)tan⁡θ=ΔEΔN=+94.046−182.664 ⇒ θBC=152∘45′29′′\begin{aligned} B&=(+89.807,\ +29.180),\qquad C=(-92.857,\ +123.226)\\ \tan\theta&=\frac{\Delta E}{\Delta N}=\frac{+94.046}{-182.664}\ \Rightarrow\ \theta_{BC}=152^\circ 45'29'' \end{aligned}

Bearing of BC = 152°45' (S 27°15' E).

Answer: BC = 205.45 m; RL of B = 1117.710 m, RL of C = 1069.928 m; difference in level = -47.782 m; gradient falling 1 in 4.3 (23.26 %, 13°06'); bearing of BC = 152°45'.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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