INTRODUCTION

LEARNING OUTCOMES
This lecture focuses on the introduction to
broad aspect of surveying works and its
application to civil engineering. After this
lecture should: Understand the theory and practice of varies
surveying works applicable to civil engineering.
Understand varies equipment in surveying

DEFINITION

SURVEYING is defined as the art of

measuring distance, angles and
positions on or near the surface of the
earth.

OBJECTIVES OF SURVEYING
Preparation of maps, plans, sections etc
the determination of relative positions of natural and
artificial features on the earth surface, so that correctly
represented on maps, plans or sections.
Setting out
is the process to transfer information from plan to the
ground using surveying instruments.
Computation areas and volumes
the execution of calculations for land areas, earthworks
volume are based on field measurements or measurement
extracted from maps, plans and sections.

TYPE OF SURVEY

SURVEYING

GEODETIC
SURVEYING

PLANE
SURVEYING

PLANE SURVEYING
The surface of the earth is considered
to be a plane for all x and y dimensions
(Earth surface is flat)
All z dimensions (height) are referred
to MSL (mean sea level)
In plan surveying, relatively small areas
are under consideration.

GEODETIC SURVEYING
The surface of the earth is considered to be
spherical for x and y dimension. The z
dimension (height) are also referred to MSL.
The traditional geodetic surveying were
very precise survey of great magnitude
(national boundaries, control network etc)

 Modern surveys (data gathering control and

layout) utilizing the GPS (global positioning
system) based on geometric shape of the
earth.
In geodetic surveying, large areas of the earths
surface are involved and the curvature of the
earth must be taken into account.

BRANCHES OF SURVEYING
No

Type of Survey

Description

Topographic

Produce a plan or map

Engineering

Embrace all the survey work required before,

during and after engineering works.

Cadastral

To produce plan if properties boundaries for

legal purpose

Hydrology/Hydrographic

Dealing with the mapping of large water body

Photogrammetry

Producing plan or map using photographs

technique

SURVEY EQUIPMENTS

Equipments
To measure
distance

To measure
angle

CHAIN
As a unit of measurement
within the Imperial system, the
chain is defined as 22 yards or
66 feet or 4 rods.
A chain is divided in 100 links.

MEASURING TAPE
Tapes are used for linear
measurements. Survey tapes
can be steel or plastic-coated
steel

Plastic-coated steel tape

Offset tape

PRISMATIC COMPASS

The prismatic compass is

used to determine north
direction and also
bearing.

THEODOLITE
Theodolite is used to establish
straight or curved lines and to
measure horizontal and vertical
angles

LEVEL

The level and rod are used to

measure differences in
elevation

ELECTRONIC DISTANCE
MEASUREMENTS (EDM)
Electronic
microprocessors
controlled
instruments
that
can
measure long distance ti
within a few millimeters at
the press of a button.
Can be identified into two
(2) groups electronic or
microwave and the electrooptical with an infrared
beam

TOTAL STATIONS
Total stations measures
horizontal
and vertical
angles as well as horizontal
and vertical distances.
All data can be captured into
electronic field books or
onboard storage as the data
received

GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM

(GPS)

GPS receiver captures data

from several satellites to
determine position coordinates
(north, east and elevation) of a
survey station

TARGET PRISM

Theodolites, EDMs and Total

Stations need to have target
prism to reflect the signal sent
by the instrument

OTHER INSTRUMENTS

From left; ranging poles, pegs, tripod and plumb bobs

PART TWO
PRINCIPLES
AND TYPE OF
FRAMEWORKS

IDENTIFICATION
OF ERRORS

ERRORS
ELIMINATION

LEARNING OUTCOMES
This lecture focuses on the type of frameworks
in surveying and its application to civil
engineering.
At the end of this lecture student should be :
Able to differentiate type of errors and how
to minimize it in surveying.
Understand to achieve high accuracy survey

BASIC PRINCIPLE (TYPE OF

FRAMEWORK)
On any area of the land to be measured, it always
be possible to choose two (2) points and to
measure the distance between them
A

BASELINE

Other points can be located relative to the AB line

by taking two (2) other measurement

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SURVEYING

Line Ties

Offset

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SURVEYING

(2)
Traverse

Intersection & Resection

B

C
C

HE OR SHE MUST KNOW THREE (3)

IMPORTANT THINGS:
How accurate they need to be?
How to achieve this accuracy?
How to check the required accuracy is
achieved?

ERRORS IN SURVEYING
Errors means the differences between
observed and true value.
Sources of error
Natural or nature i.e. : temperature, air
pressure, humidity, winds.
Instrumental i.e. : chain used are not
standard whether longer or shorter than
standard.
Personal i.e. : wrong reading 88 instead of
58, wrong writing, wrong calculation

3 TYPES OF ERROR

Mistakes/gross errors

Caused by human being or surveyor

Mistakes can happen at early stage,
middle or at the end of survey.
Anybody can do mistakes.
To overcome mistakes: check
readings, read more than one time,
read by another person.

3 TYPES OF ERROR (2)

Systematic Errors
Due to the instrument used not standard.
Consistent characteristics
Value of the error can be determined by applying
correction
Random Errors
Cause by different capabilities of the instrument used
and the surveyor.
The remaining error after all mistakes and systematic
errors eliminated are called random.
There error are small and cannot be eliminated

SURVEYING TERMS
Datum
A datum is any reference surface to which elevations of points are referred. In most cases the most common
datum which is used is that of Mean Sea Level (MSL).
Bench Mark (BM)

A series of permanent marks must be established. The elevation of these BMs can be established by differential
leveling over a period of years.
Temporary Bench Mark (TBM)

TBM is the temporary relative point of an established BMs. It is used when a conventional BM is not conveniently
available and is used for vertical control.
Reduce Level (RL)

The RL of a point is its elevation above or below a reference datum or BM

Quadrant Bearing (QB)

A quadrant bearing can be defined as the angle lying between 00 to 900 between the direction to the north or
south, i.e. N 300 20 45 W, indicate direction either east or west of the line from grid north.
Azimuth / Whole Circle Bearing (WCB)

WCB is the bearing that defines the direction of a survey line by its horizontal angle measured clockwise from
true north 00 to 3600, i.e. 3200 15 45

SCALE
A scale can be represented by the following methods:
Engineers Scale
One cm on a plan represents a whole number of meters on the ground, such as 1
cm = 10 m etc. This type of scale is also called scale of

plan.
Graphical Scale
A graphical scale is a line subdivided into plan distance

corresponding to convenient units of length on the ground.

Representative Fraction (R.F.)
One unit of length on the plan represents a number of some units of
length on the ground, as 1/1000 or 1:1000, etc. This ratio of map distance
to the corresponding ground distance is independent of units of
measurement. The representative fraction can be very easily found for a
given engineer s scale, e.g. if the scale is 1 cm = 50 m.

R.F. =

1
50 x 100

1 .
5000