AbstractThe application of height traversing with reduction tacheometers in lieu of ordinary series levelling is investigated. A simple but realistic method of adjusting the closing error in height of such a traverse is outlined and an expression, independent of the nature of the terrain, derived for the maximum error in height tolerable over a height traverse.The propagation of error along a test line under the most unfavourable conditions is studied and it is shown that the heights of over 90% of stations established have errors in plan position of less than 0.02 in.