CONTOURING

Contour
• An imaginary line on the ground surface joining
the points of equal elevation is known as contour.

• In other words, contour is a line in which the

ground surface is intersected by a level surface
obtained by joining points of equal elevation. This
line on the map represents a contour and is
called contour line.
Contour Map
• A map showing contour lines is known as Contour
map.

• A contour map gives an idea of the altitudes of

the surface features, as well as their relative
positions in plan serves the purpose of both, a
plan and a section.
Contouring
• The process of tracing contour lines on the
surface of the earth is called Contouring.
Purpose of Contouring:
• Contour survey is carried out at the start of any
engineering project such as a road, a railway, a
canal, a dam, a building etc.

1. For preparing contour maps in order to select

the most economical or suitable site.
2. To locate the alignment of a canal so that it
should follow a ridge line.
3. To mark the alignment of roads and railways so
that the quantity of earthwork both in cutting
and filling should be minimum.
Purpose of Contouring

4. For getting information about the ground

whether it is flat or mountainous.
5. To find the capacity of a reservoir and volume
of earthwork especially in a mountainous
region.
6. To trace out the given grade of a particular
route.
7. To locate the physical features of the ground
such as a pond depression, hill, steep or small
slopes.
Contour Interval and Horizontal Equivalent
CONTOUR INTERVAL
• The constant vertical distance between two
consecutive contours is called the contour interval.
HORIZONTAL EQUIVALENT
• The horizontal distance between any two adjacent
contours is called as horizontal equivalent.

• The contour interval is constant between the

consecutive contours while the horizontal equivalent
is variable and depends upon the slope of the
ground.
Common Values of Contour Interval
• The following are the common values of the contour
interval adopted for various purposes:-
1. For large scale maps of flat country, for building sites,
for detailed design work and for calculation of quantities
of earth work; 0.2 to 0.5 m.
2. For reservoirs and town planning schemes; 0.5 to 2m.

3. For location surveys. 2 to 3m.

4. For small scale maps of country and general
topographic work;
3m,5m,10m,or 25m.
Characteristics
• All points in a contour line have the same
elevation.
• Flat ground is indicated where the contours are
widely separated and steep slope where they
run close together.
• A uniform slope is indicated when the contour
lines are uniformly spaced and
• A plane surface when they are straight, parallel
and equally spaced.
Characteristics 80

75
• A series of closed
contour lines on the 70

map represent a hill 65

, if the higher values HILL
60
are inside. 60
65
70
75
80

A HILL
 80
Characteristics
75

• A series of closed 70
contour lines on
the map indicate 65

a depression if 60
the higher values
are outside

70

60
65
70
75
80

DEPRESSION
Characteristics

• Contour line cross ridge or valley line at right

angles.
If the higher
100
values are inside
90
the bend or loop
80
in the contour, it
indicates a Ridge.
60

RIDGE LINE
Characteristics
• Contour line cross ridge or valley line at right
angles.
If the higher values
are outside the
bend, it represents
100 a Valley.
90
80

70
60
50

VALLEY LINE
Characteristics
• Contours cannot end
anywhere but close on
themselves either
within or outside the
limits of the map.

• Contour lines cannot

merge or cross one
40 30 20 10
another on map
except in the case of
an overhanging cliff.
OVERHANGING CLIFF
Characteristics 50

40
• Contour lines never
run into one another 30 VERTICAL
CLIFF
except in the case of a
20
vertical cliff. In this
case, several contours 10
coincide and the
horizontal equivalent
becomes zero.
50
10 20 30 40 50

VERTICAL CLIFF
Methods of Contouring
Direct Method & Indirect Method
1. Direct Method:
50
• In this method, the contours B.M
to be located are directly 48
traced out in the field by
locating and marking a 46
number of points on each
contour. These points are
then surveyed and plotted on
plan and the contours drawn DIRECT METHOD OF
CONTOURING
through them.
Direct Method

• This method is most accurate but very slow and

tedious as a lot of time is wasted in searching
points of the same elevation for a contour.
• This is suitable for small area and where great
accuracy is required.
Procedure:
1. To start with, a temporary B.M is established near the
area to be surveyed with reference to a permanent B.M.
2. The level is then set up in such a position so that the
maximum number of points can be commanded from
the instrument station.
3. The height of instrument is determined by taking a back
sight on the B.M. and adding it to the R.L. of bench
mark.
4. The staff reading required to fix points on the various
contours is determined by subtracting the R.L. of each
of the contours from the height of instrument.
Procedure
• Example:
• If the height of instrument is 82.48m., then the staff
readings required to locate 82, 81 and 80m contours are
0.48, 1.48 and 2.48m respectively. The staff is held on an
approximate position of point and then moved up and
down the slope until the desired reading is obtained. The
point is marked with a peg.
• Similarly various other points are marked on each
contour. The line joining all these points give the required
contour. It may be noted that one contour is located at a
time. Having fixed the contours within the range of the
instrument, the level is shifted and set up in a new
position.
Procedure

• The new height of instrument and the required

staff readings are then calculated in a similar
manner and the process repeated till all the
contours are located. The positions of the contour
points are located suitably either simultaneous
with leveling afterwards.
• A theodolite, a compass or a plane table is
usually adopted for locating these points. The
points are then plotted on the plan and the
contours drawn by joining the corresponding
points by dotted curved lines.
Direct Method By Radial Lines
• This method is suitable for
small areas, where a
single point in the center
can command the whole
area. Radial lines are laid
out from the common 70
65
center by theodolite or 60
compass and their
55
positions are fixed up by
horizontal angles.

RADIAL LINES METHOD OF

CONTOURING
Direct Method By Radial Lines

• Temporary bench marks are first established at

the center and near the ends of the radial lines.
• The contour points are then located and marked
on these lines and their positions are determined
by measuring their distances along the radial
lines.
• They are then plotted on the plan and the
contours drawn by joining all the corresponding
points.
2. Indirect Method:
• The reduced level of point on the surface of the
ground (ground point) is called the spot level or
spot height.

• In the method the spot levels are taken along a

series of lines laid out over the area.

• Their positions are then plotted on the map and

the contours are then drawn by interpolation.
Method of Squares:
• In this method, the whole area is divided into number of
squares, the side of which may vary from 5m to 20m
depending upon the nature of the ground and the
contour interval. The size of square need not be of the
same throughout.
• The corners of the squares are pegged out and the
elevations of these points are determined with a level.
• Intermediate points within the square may be taken
when required. The system of squares are plotted
and elevations of the corners are written on plan.
• The contour lines are then interpolated in usual way.
Method of Squares

100.4 97.60 96.05 94.40

13 14 15 16
98.00
98.00
98,00 97.45 99.25 98.75 99.40
9 10 11 12

98.65 99.60 97.80 89.55

5 6 7 8 98.0
99.0
99.0
100.90 99.70 99.85 98.45
1 2 3 4
SQURES LAID ON GROUND CONTOURS INTERPOLATED
Drawing of Contour Lines
• Contour lines are drawn as fine and smooth free hand
curved lines. Sometimes they are represented by broken
lines. They are inked in either in black or brown colour.
Every fifth contour is made thicker than the rest.

• The elevation of contours must be written in a uniform

manner, either on the higher side or in a gap left in the
line. When the contour lines are very long, their elevations
are written at two or three places along the contour.