If you are a construction engineer and are worried about how to set grade with a laser level, we’ve got you covered! Laser grading is one of many grading methods used in construction, and the process of using laser technology to grade an infield to the required slope measurements is known as laser grading.
Any flat surface, such as a wall or a floor, can be used as a reference because the laser leveling device creates or indicates a straight line. Here, you’ll find some helpful information about using laser levels to establish grades.
Why Should You Measure Grade with a Laser Level?
Engineers and construction workers benefit greatly from laser levels. Here are some of the benefits of using a laser level:
- For leveling and alignment. Laser levels are the most common tool used in the building and surveying industries.
- They emit primarily red and green visible laser beams. These beam emissions are extraordinarily noticeable.
- They can be used for grading tasks, from simple things like leveling photos to more complicated things like land surveying.
- They can be set up on a tripod platform, allowing users to move around while performing their job.
- They are precise and flicker-free. The setting of the laser levels in shooting grades gives them consistency and dependability. They cannot sway when the beam is being shot, except if the tripod is broken.
Resources Required
You will need a few items to set up your laser level before you can use it to determine grades. Here is a list of what you’ll need:
- A laser leveling device (a grade laser or rotary type in this case)
- Tripod Stand
- A measuring tape for height
- A laser detector and receiver
- An appropriate battery for the laser device
- A ruler
- Tinted eyewear or goggles for viewing an outside construction site.
- A laser pole
Ensure to align the ground where you wish to install your tripod. You can use physical tools like a shovel.
The Main Methods for Adjusting a Laser Level for Grading
A laser level can set a grade in three ways in particular:
1. Manual Grade
With the aid of a controller, you can manually grade the beam’s plane up or down along either or both of its axes.
2. Integrated Grade
You can enter the necessary grade percentage into the level using the digitized grade setting. The laser instantaneously fixes the chosen slope on the selected axis.
3. Automatic Grade Matching
With auto-grade match mapping, you can set the elevation of the receiver and have the laser track up or down to that height before locking on.
How to Employ a Laser Level to Set the Grade Manually
- Place the tripod holding the laser level on a solid, dry surface. Verify that the tripod is secure.
- The laser level should be turned on and given some time to self-level.
- Determine the grade’s initial height. From here, the grade falls downward.
- Set the appropriate height for the leveling rod’s bottom until you hear a beep, and raise or lower the laser detector.
- Protect the detector by fastening it firm to the laser rod.
- Decide how many grades should descend from the top to the bottom. In this instance, let’s say a fall of 12 inches.
- Move twelve inches up the rod, raise the laser detector, and fasten it.
- Go on foot to the location of the lowest gradient.
- Use the laser detector to level everything out. Based on the workspace, you will need to either elevate the rod or dig in the ground.
- The leveling rod’s bottom serves as a representation of the grade’s bottom.
- Mark the location by planting a rod in the ground that is marked with the appropriate height.
How to Employ an Automated Laser Level Grading System
- Prepare your laser level so the axis you want to use points in the direction you will be working. After the laser level has stabilized, turn it on and allow it to rotate generally in the horizontal position. You can use a laser detector attached to the level rod to find the laser beam once the rotation of your laser level has begun.
- Using the laser level’s settings, input the required grade percentage once you’ve found the level point on the staff. Check the instruction manual for your laser levels to learn more about the keypad method of establishing a grade.
- Begin the grading procedure after entering the desired grade into the laser level and verifying that it is accurate. Indicators on the laser level’s LCD monitor or an audible signal may indicate that the grading process is done, depending on the manufacturer and model. For more details on these functions, please see the user guide that came with your laser level.
- Dig down with the rod until the laser beam detector picks it up. You’ll want to do this repeatedly as you pull back from the laser level, being sure to maintain the angle you’ve established.
- After switching to manual or grade mode, you can use the laser level’s control buttons or its remote control (if one is included) to tilt the laser beam downwards onto the rod to the desired measurement. Check the user manual that came with your laser level for more information on using the manual/grade mode function.
- Put the detector back on the staff in its initial horizontal position.
- Remove sand on the ground and drop the detector rod to detect the laser beam. Keep doing this as you move away from the laser level, but stay within the grade you set.
FAQs
1. How Can I Be Sure that My Laser Level is Precise?
You can check the bubble’s position with a spirit level by setting it on a surface and looking at it. Then, while still on the same surface, turn the spirit level 180 degrees and check the bubble location once more. If the bubble remains in the exact place, the level is confirmed to be true.
2. How is Height Grade Determined?
The run and rise of an elevation, its horizontal and vertical dimensions, can be measured to determine the grade. If the rise is 15 and the run is 40, the grade is 15/40, which is how grades are represented.
3. What Does a 1 in 100 Fall Mean in Grading?
A slope with a ratio of 1:100 implies that the slope height rises or falls by 1 meter for every 100 meters along the surface. Furthermore, a gradient of 3:1.5 implies that the height of the slope rises by 1.5 meters for every 3 meters along the ground.
4. How Do Grade Lasers Work?
Grade lasers are optical tools that enable engineers to accurately grade sites. They have the same benefits as rotary lasers and can automatically match the slope or grade by hand.
Final Thoughts
Setting grades using a laser level involves a lot of practice and patience. The reason for this is the extensive series of actions required. As was previously mentioned, the only type of laser level used to create set grades is the grade-laser level. No matter your skill level or interest, a laser level is an indispensable tool for builders, surveyors, foresters, or civil engineers. A laser level can also ensure that a building or other structure is perfectly level. You won’t have trouble setting the grade by hand or automatically with a laser level if you follow the simple step-by-step instructions in this article.
