A correction method for the ambient temperature-induced error in hydrostatic leveling systems and application

•Mechanism of the temperature-induced error is revealed by theoretical analysis.•The value of the temperature-induced error is determined by theoretical derivation.•A correction method for the temperature-induced error is proposed for HLSs.•The temperature-induced error can be eliminated effectively by this method. In an HLS, the error come from many factors, among which temperature may be one of the most important factors. If the ambient temperature changes, the liquid level in the liquid storage tank and the water level at all the points for placement of sensors will change. However, due to the complex interconnection structure of HLS, the change of the liquid level at the reference measurement point and that at the other monitoring points are not the same, resulting in ambient temperature induced error, which can be calculated according to the theoretical formula. This error can be eliminated effectively by using the correction method for ambient temperature induced error in hydrostatic leveling systems. When this part of error is eliminated, the error of the monitoring points is reduced. At last, the method was used in the Gongchangling open-pit iron mine to reveal the variation characteristic of surface settlement above goaf.