Elevations –Transitions & Interpetations

Troy Rudolph CTB, CFB, CTCB Chris Chisam, LEED AP, RLA

Elevations – The basics

• Vertical control points are used to establish benchmarks throughout the country.

• There are roughly 600,000 vertical control points in the U.S.

• These control points are the basis of all surveys and grading plans.

Elevations – The basics

Builder’s level• Tripod mounted “scope”• Leveled so view is perfectly

level in all directions

Elevations – The basics

Transit• A builder’s level

that also measures angles

Elevations – The basics

Laser Level• Tripod mounted laser.• Usually auto leveling• Can have auto slope adjustment

in a single plane or dual plane.• Automatic receiver interprets

laser beam.

Elevations – The basics

Total Station• An electronic/optical instrument

using electronic transit theodolite in conjunction with electronic distance meter (EDM)

• It also has an integrated microprocessor, electronic data collector and storage system.

Elevations – The basics

Elevation Rods

Elevations – The basics

Direct Elevation Rods• There are many designs and

types for survey and cut/fill purposes.

Elevations – The basics

Reading Direct Elevation Rods• Red numbers indicate feet.• Black numbers indicate tenths

and hundredths.• Left side of rod allows

measurements to be taken in tenths and hundredths.

Elevations – The basics

Elevations – Transitions

Typical Construction Stakes• Labeling of stakes can be

one or two sided.• Fill and cut stakes are

common for mass grading.

• Stake and hub are common for fine grading operations.

Elevations – Transitions

Elevations – Transitions

Understanding Contour Lines• Lines represent elevations• Interval of lines will vary

depending on size of area and magnitude of elevation variance.

• Provides us a picture of what the area “looks” like.

Elevations – Transitions

Elevations – Transitions

Site Elevations• What elevation would a balanced

site be?• 1,053.925

• What would the elevations be to apply a 1% slope from left to right?

• Left = 1,054.30• Right = 1,053.55

Elevations – Interpetation

Elevations – Interpetation

Project Basics –

• Identifying project requirements and tolerances up front• IAAF, NCAA,NFHS etc…

• Multi-use?

• Additional project requirements• IAAF Certification

• Class 1• Class 2

• ASBA Certifications• Class 3• Class 4• Class 5

Project Basics

• Requirements

Project Basics• Requirements

Project Basics

• RequirementsASBA Class 3 Certification:• The maximum inclination should be one percent (1.0%) across the entire width of

the track and all runways.

• The maximum downward inclination permitted in the running direction for the track, the running direction for all runways, measured over the full length of each, should not exceed one tenth of one percent (0.10%).

• For high jump, the maximum inclination should not exceed four tenths of one percent (0.40%) in the running direction towards the center of the crossbar. Consideration: when a renovated facility falls outside these requirements the use of Class 4 or Class 5 Certification may be applicable.

Project Basics

• Requirements

Project Basics• Requirements

Elevations – The basics

• Requirements• Elevation is a common term for vertical position. • A vertical position is the height of a point relative to some reference surface

point, such as mean sea level, a geoid, or an ellipsoid. • An elevation, in common construction terminology, is always a height above

sea level with average sea level being 000.000’.• Elevations can be measured using a number of tools.

Elevations – The basics

• Requirements• The maximum inclination should be one percent (1.0%) across the entire

width of the track and all runways.

• What Does this mean in reality?• Typical 8-3.5’ lane track has 29’-4” of surfacing from inside to outside.

• NCAA- 29’-4” * 1% = .2933’ elevation change or 3.52” elevation change maximum from inside to outside of asphalt.

• NFHS- 29’-4” * 2% = .5866’ elevation change or 7.04” elevation change maximum from inside to outside of asphalt.

Elevations – The basics

• Requirements• The maximum downward inclination permitted in the running direction for

the track, the running direction for all runways, measured over the full length of each, should not exceed one tenth of one percent (0.10%) or .0001

• What Does this mean in reality?• Typical equal quadrant track with 100m (328.083’) Straight

• 0.328’ or 3.937” elevation change

Elevations – The basics

• Requirements• For high jump, in the last 15m (49.2’) the maximum inclination should not

exceed four tenths of one percent (0.40%) in the running direction towards the center of the crossbar.

• What Does this mean in reality?• 49.2’= 0.1968’ or 2.36”

Elevations – The basics

Elevations

Questions?