ISO 17123-7:2005

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 17123-7
First edition
2005-03-15

Optics and optical instruments — Field
procedures for testing geodetic and
surveying instruments —
Part 7:
Optical plumbing instruments
Optique et instruments d'optique — Méthodes d'essai sur site des
instruments géodésiques et d'observation —
Partie 7: Instruments de plombage optique




Reference number
ISO 17123-7:2005(E)
©
ISO 2005

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ISO 17123-7:2005(E)
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ISO 17123-7:2005(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope.1
2 Normative references.1
3 Terms and definitions .2
4 Requirements .2
5 Types of optical plumbing instruments .3
6 Test principle .3
7 Test procedure .4
7.1 Test configuration .4
7.2 Measurement .4
7.3 Calculation .4
8 Statistical tests .8
8.1 General .8
8.2 Response to Question a) in 8.1.9
8.3 Response to Question b) in 8.1.9
8.4 Response to Question c) in 8.1.9
8.5 Response to Question d) in 8.1.10
Annex A (informative) Example of the test procedure.11

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ISO 17123-7:2005(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies
(ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO 17123-7 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 172, Optics and photonics, Subcommittee SC 6,
Geodetic and surveying instruments.
This first edition of ISO 17123-7 cancels and replaces ISO 8322-5:1991, which has been technically revised.
ISO 17123 consists of the following parts, under the general title Optics and optical instruments — Field
procedures for testing geodetic and surveying instruments:
 Part 1: Theory
 Part 2: Levels
 Part 3: Theodolites
 Part 4: Electro-optical distance meters (EDM instruments)
 Part 5: Electronic tacheometers
 Part 6: Rotating lasers
 Part 7: Optical plumbing instruments

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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 17123-7:2005(E)

Optics and optical instruments — Field procedures for testing
geodetic and surveying instruments —
Part 7:
Optical plumbing instruments
1 Scope
This part of ISO 17123 specifies field procedures to be adopted when determining and evaluating the
precision (repeatability) of optical plumbing instruments and their ancillary equipment, when used in building
and surveying measurements. This part of ISO 17123 is not applicable to optical plummets as a device in
tribrachs or in surveying instruments. Primarily, these tests are intended to be field verifications of the
suitability of a particular instrument for the immediate task at hand and to satisfy the requirements of other
standards. They are not proposed as tests for acceptance or performance evaluations that are more
comprehensive in nature.
This part of ISO 17123 can be thought of as one of the first steps in the process of evaluating the uncertainty
of a measurement (more specifically a measurand). The uncertainty of a result of a measurement is
dependent on a number of factors. These include among others: repeatability, reproducibility (between-day
repeatability) and a thorough assessment of all possible error sources, as prescribed by the ISO Guide to the
expression of uncertainty in measurement (GUM).
These field procedures have been developed specifically for in situ applications without the need for special
ancillary equipment and are purposefully designed to minimize atmospheric influences and effects of
imperfect adjustment of the optical plumbing instrument.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 3534-1, Statistics — Vocabulary and symbols — Part 1: Probability and general statistical terms
ISO 4463-1, Measurement methods for building — Setting-out and measurement — Part 1: Planning and
organization, measuring procedures, acceptance criteria
ISO 7077, Measuring methods for building — General principles and procedures for the verification of
dimensional compliance
ISO 7078, Building construction — Procedures for setting out, measurement and surveying — Vocabulary and
guidance notes
ISO 9849, Optics and optical instruments — Geodetic and surveying instruments — Vocabulary
ISO 17123-1, Optics and optical instruments — Field procedures for testing geodetic and surveying
instruments — Part 1: Theory
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ISO 17123-7:2005(E)
Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement (GUM), BIPM, IEC, IFCC, ISO, IUPAC, IUPAP, OIML,
1993, corrected and reprinted in 1995
International vocabulary of basic and general terms in metrology (VIM). BIPM, IEC, IFCC, ISO, IUPAC,
IUPAP, OIML, 2nd ed., 1993
3 Terms and definitions
For the purpose of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 3534-1, ISO 4463-1, ISO 7077,
ISO 7078, ISO 9849, ISO 17123-1, the GUM and the VIM apply.
4 Requirements
Before commencing a survey, it is important that the operator ensure that the precision in use of the
measuring equipment is appropriate for the intended measuring task.
The optical plumbing instrument and its ancillary equipment shall be in known and acceptable states of
permanent adjustment according to the methods specified in the manufacturer’s handbook, and used with
tripods as recommended by the manufacturer.
The results of these tests are influenced by meteorological conditions. An overcast sky and low wind speed
guarantee the most favourable weather conditions. The particular conditions to be taken into account may
vary depending on where the tasks are to be undertaken. Note shall also be taken of the actual weather
conditions at the time of measurement and the surroundings in which the measurements are made. The
conditions chosen for the tests shall match those expected when the intended measuring task is actually
carried out (see ISO 7077 and ISO 7078). Above all, this is applicable to the range of vertical distances
(plumbing heights) over which the plumbing operation shall be carried out.
Tests performed in laboratories would provide results which are almost unaffected by many of the above-
mentioned measuring conditions, but the costs for such tests are very high, and therefore they are not
practicable for most users. In addition, laboratory tests yield precisions much higher than those that can be
obtained under field conditions.
For the test procedure described in this part of ISO 17123, a rectangular x-y grid, used as target plate, is
necessary. The spacing t of this grid shall fulfil the following condition:
h
tW 2,9 × (1)
Γ
where
2,9 is a constant factor permitting a good estimation in the grid interval;
h is the plumbing height, expressed in meters;
Γ is the magnifying power of the telescope.
The value of t is obtained in millimetres.
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ISO 17123-7:2005(E)
5 Types of optical plumbing instruments
Types of optical plumbing instruments include:
 instruments using spirit levels;
 instruments using a compensator;
 instruments using two compensators.
The spirit level or a single compensator ensures that the line of sight is in a vertical plane only perpendicular
to the direction of pointing. The plumb line is the intersection of two vertical planes perpendicular to each other
and needs settings and measurements in two perpendicular directions of pointing.
An instrument with two compensators ensures that the line of sight is coincident with the plumb line in any
direction. Although the differences of the designs are obvious, only one test procedure shall be used for the
different types of optical plumbing instruments.
Optical plumbing instruments are able to sight upwards or downwards or both. The test procedure is the same
in all these cases.
The same test procedure is applicable to laser-emitting plumbing instrument, but with an observation means
required separately for observing laser spot on the target.
6 Test principle
The test procedure shall be adopted to determine the measure of precision of a particular optical plumbing
instrument and its ancillary equipment under field conditions.
The measure of precision of any type of optical plumbing instruments is dependent on the plumbing height.
Thus the achievable measure of precision in use is expressed as the relative experimental standard deviation
of one component of the point transferred one time over the corresponding plumbing height:
s
ISO-plumb
Furthermore, this procedure may be used to determine:
 the measure of precision in the use of optical plumbing instruments by a single survey team with a single
instrument and its ancillary equipment at a given time;
 the measure of precision in the use of a single instrument over time and differing environmental
conditions;
 the measure of precision in the use of each of several optical plumbing instruments in order to enable a
comparison of their respective achievable precisions to be obtained under similar field conditions.
Statistical tests should be applied to determine whether the experimental standard deviation, s, obtained
belongs to the population of the instrumentation’s theoretical standard deviation, σ , whether two tested
samples belong to the same population, whether the standard deviation of the x-component is equal to the
standard deviation of the y-component and whether the line of sight is coincident with the plumb line.
These deviations of the line of sight do not affect the standard deviation obtained by the test procedure as
described in Clause 7.
The same test procedure is applied to laser-emitting plumbing instrument, but with an observation means
required separately for observing laser spot on the target.
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ISO 17123-7:2005(E)
7 Test procedure
7.1 Test configuration
A rectangular x-y grid as described in Clause 4, shall be established at the plumbing height, h, similar to that of
the intended plumbing operation. Figure 1 shows an example of an x-y grid with an interval of 2 mm and a
numbering that avoids exchanges of x-y values. This graduated plate shall be levelled approx
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