9/6/2017
 Define terms used in construction surveys
Department of Geodetic Engineering
By: Engr. Arnil Al G. Castañares
 Construction - is one of the
largest industries in the
world.
 Construction surveying
can take many forms. It is
used to establish the
location and alignment of
highways, bridges,
buildings, pipes, and other
man-made objects.
 Traditionally, a highway
alignment survey
involves the placement of
wooden stakes to mark
the highway's location.
 Today, GPS equipment is
being used to provide
real-time positioning and
alignment of construction
equipment.
 Recognize the importance of engineering
and related surveys
 Identify the equipment used in construction
survey
 Highway surveys – it
involves the location of
alignments and
computation of volumes
materials that must be
added, removed, or moved.
It initially requires a
topographic survey of the
site.
 The goal of most projects
is to minimize the hauling
distances of the earth.
 Building construction is
another area of
construction surveying.
 In this field, the correct
placement of footings,
foundations, piers and
other items of building
construction are essential
for a sound structure.
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 Construction surveys provide horizontal and  Street and highways

vertical layout for every key component of a  Drainage ditches
construction project
 Intersection and interchanges
 Knowledge on civil design is essential
 Sidewalks
 Construction surveying is often associated
with the speed of operation.  High – and low – rise buildings
 Bridges and culvert
 Dams and weirs

 River channelization  Canals

 Sanitary landfills  Railroads
 Mining – tunnels, shafts  Airports
 Gravel pits, quarries  Reservoir
 Storm and sanitary sewers  Site grading, landscaping
 Water and fuel pipelines  Parks, formal walkways
 Piers and docks  Heavy equipment locations
 Electricity transmission lines

 To refer to a proposed elevation

 To refer to slope of profile line (i.e. gradient)
 To refer to cuts and fills – vertical distances
measured below or above grade stakes

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Survey that involves establishing control points by

traverse, baseline, or other methods to obtain information  Control survey
required for engineering designs and to set out
construction from design drawings by use of these control  Pre-engineering topographic survey
points.
 Staking out the facility on centerline or
Topographic surveys, and the maps produced by them, on offsets
provide horizontal location information and elevations
needed for the design of structures such as buildings,  Measuring quantities reflecting the
dams, canals, highways, bridges, transmission lines, and progress made by the contractor
sewers. during that time period
Using the engineering designs these works are then laid
 As-built survey
out from the same control points used in the original
engineering surveys.

The placement of stakes for line and grade Visible Laser-Beam instruments
to guide construction operations is often
accomplished using the surveyor’s standard - Create a visible line of known orientation,
equipment or a plane of known elevation, from which
measurement for line and grade can be
- levels, tapes, total station instruments, and made
GNSS receivers
However, there are some additional
instruments that improve, simplify, and
greatly increase the speed with which
certain types of construction surveying are
accomplished.

Reflectorless EDMs Machine Guidance and control

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 Control surveys establish

Using GNSS equipment reference points and
reference lines for
preliminary and construction
surveys.

 A survey which is controlled horizontally by  Control by Traversing

measuring horizontal distances and
horizontal angles.
 Control by Triangulation
 Horizontal control surveys are also
conducted to establish supplementary
control stations for use in construction  Control by Trilateration
surveys.

 Used to locate
 the establishment of a network of measurement that
reference bench marks locate the position of
natural features and
the position of built
features.

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1. Inadequate number and/or location of control points

 Rectangular Tie-Ins on the job site.
2. Errors in establishing control.
 Polar Tie-Ins
3. Observational errors in layout.
 Intersection Tie-Ins 4. Failure to double-center in laying out angles or
extending lines, and failure to check vertical
members by plunging the instrument.
 Positioning Tie-Ins
5. Careless referencing of key points.
6. Movement of stakes and marks.

1. Lack of foresight as to where construction will destroy points.

2. Notation for cut (or fill) and stationing on stake not checked.
3. Wrong datum for cuts, whether cut is to finished grade or
subgrade.
4. Arithmetic mistakes, generally due to lack of checking.
5. Use of incorrect elevations, grades, and stations.
6. Failure to check the diagonals of a building.
7. Carrying out computed values to too many decimal places (one
good hundredth is better than all the bad thousandths).
8. Reading the rod on top of stakes instead of on the ground
beside them in profiling and in slope staking.

Highways, railways, canals, tunnels, Position of features along a route

dams, pipelines, and transmission are expressed by three coordinates:
lines are constructed works having
linear shapes classified as routes. Station
Routes are chosen only after a Offset
complete and detailed study of all Elevation
possible locations has been
completed

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 Horizontal distance along preselected base  It is measured as the minimum perpendicular

line. horizontal from the baseline, either right
 Points separated by a fixed horizontal
(plus) or left (minus), referenced to a person
distance expression of route geometry standing on the base line facing up-station
 Numbered from zero to 1, 2, 3, and so forth
throughout the length of the curve
 Point between stations are designated by a
plus distance

 Referenced to a recognized vertical datum  Reconnaissance

 Location Survey  Construction Survey

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 Highway  Railways

 Canal  Transmission Lines

 Pipelines

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 The principal
 HORIZONTAL - Those curves that change the
alignment or direction consideration in the
design of a curve is
the selection of the
 VERTICAL - those curves that change the slope length of the radius or
the degree of
curvature.

TYPES OF HORIZONTAL
CURVES
 Simple. an arc of a circle. 1. SIMPLE
 Compound. normally consists of two simple  The simple curve is
an arc of a circle.
curves joined together and curving in the
 The radius of the
same direction. circle determines the
 Reverse. consists of two simple curves joined sharpness or flatness
together, but curving in opposite direction. of the curve.

 Spiral. a curve that has a varying radius.

TYPES OF HORIZONTAL TYPES OF HORIZONTAL

CURVES CURVES
2. COMPOUND 3. REVERSE
 normally consists  consists of two
simple curves joined
of two simple together, but curving
curves joined in opposite direction.
together and  For safety reasons,
curving in the the use of this curve
same direction should be avoided
when possible.

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TYPES OF HORIZONTAL
CURVES
3. SPIRAL
 It is the statement of curvature or “tightness”
 a curve that has a
varying radius. of a horizontal curve.
 used on railroads  Mathematically, it expresses the azimuth
and most modern change in degrees experienced by a vehicle
highways. in one station of travel.
 provides a transition
from the tangent to a  Route designers choose a safe D according
simple curve or to specified velocity of travel.
between simple
curves in a
compound curve.

 Safe Degrees of Curve  Two definitions used for the degree of curve:

Design Velocity (kph) Maximum Safe D (deg.)  Arc definition

48 25
64 13  Chord definition
80 8
96 5
112 4
128 2.8

 The rate of curvature of circular curves

can be designated either by their radius
or by their degree of curve.
 Two designations for degree of curve (D):
 Arc definition – central angle subtended by
a circular arc of 100 ft
 Chord definition – angle at the center of a
circular arc subtended by a chord of 100 ft.

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 the degree of curve is  the degree of curve

Arc = 100 ft or 20 m
the central angle formed is the central angle
by two radii that extend D formed by two radii
from the center of a
drawn from the
circle to the ends of an
arc measuring 20 center of the circle
360
meters (or 100 feet) to the ends of a
long. chord 20 meters
(or 100 feet) long.
circumference

ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE
CURVE
 Point Of Intersection (PI). The point of
intersection is the point where the back and
forward tangents intersect.
 Intersecting Angle ( I ). The intersecting angle
is the deflection angle at the PI.
 Central Angle (A). The central angle is the
angle formed by two radii drawn from the
center of the circle (O) to the PC and PT.

 Radius ( R ). The radius of the circle of which
the curve is an arc, or segment.
 Point Of Curvature (PC). The point of
curvature is the point on the back tangent
where the circular curve begins.
 Point Of Tangency (PT), The point of tangency
is the point on the forward tangent where the
curve ends.
 Point Of Curve (POC). The point of curve is
any point along the curve.
 Length Of Curve (L). The length of curve is the
distance from the PC to the PT, measured
along the curve.
 Tangent Distance (T). The tangent distance is
the distance along the tangents from the PI to
the PC or the PT.
 Long Chord (LC). The long chord is the
straight-line distance from the PC to the PT.

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ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE
CURVE
Point of Intersection (PI)
 External Distance (E). The external distance
(also called the external secant) is the  Point where the back and
distance from the PI to the midpoint of the forward tangents intersect.
curve. The external distance bisects the  Sometimes, the point of
interior angle at the PI. intersection is designated as V
 Middle Ordinate (M). The middle ordinate is (vertex).
the distance from the midpoint of the curve to
the midpoint of the long chord. The extension
of the middle ordinate bisects the central
angle.

ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE

CURVE
Deflection /Central Angle
CURVE
Radius (R)
(Δ).
 Angle formed by two radii
drawn from the center of  The radius of the circle
the circle (O) to the PC of which the curve is an
and PT. arc, or segment.
 The value of the central  The radius is always
angle is equal to the I perpendicular to back
angle. and forward tangents.
 Some authorities call both
the intersecting angle and
central angle either I or A.

ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE

CURVE
Point of Curvature (PC)
CURVE
Point of Tangency (PT)

 Point on the back  Point on the forward

tangent where the tangent where the curve
circular curve begins. ends.
 It is sometimes  It is sometimes
designated as BC designated as EC (end
(beginning of curve) or of curve) or CT (curve to
TC (tangent to curve). tangent).
Station P.C.= P.I. – T Station P.T. = P.C.+ L

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ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE

CURVE
Point of Curve
CURVE
Length of Curve (L)

 Any point along the  The distance from the

curve. PC to the PT, measured
along the curve.

ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE

CURVE
Tangent Distance (T)
CURVE
Long Cord (C)

 Straight-line distance from

 Distance along the the PC to the PT.
tangents from the PI to
the PC or the PT. Other types of chords are
designated as follows:
 These distances are
1. Full chord (C)
equal on a simple curve.
2. Subchord (C1)
o Distance between PC
and first station
3. Subchord (C2)
o Last station and PT

ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE

CURVE
External Distance (E)
CURVE
Middle Ordinate (M)

 Also called the external  The distance from the

secant midpoint of the curve to
 Distance from the PI to
the midpoint of the long
the midpoint of the chord.
curve.  The extension of the
 The external distance
middle ordinate bisects
bisects the interior angle the central angle.
at the PI.

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ELEMENTS OF SIMPLE Example

CURVE
Degree of Curve 4. A simple curves connects two tangents AB and BC with bearings N 85°30’
E and S 68°30’ E respectively. If the stationing of the vertex is 4+360.2 and
the stationing of PC is 4+288.4. use metric system.
 Defines the a) Determine the radius.
b) Determine the external distance.
sharpness or c) Determine the middle ordinate.
flatness of the d) Determine the chord distance.
curve. e) Determine the length of curve.

Example
1. In a curve whose I=8°24’, station PC is 62+17.08, D= 2°00’, calculate the
 One whole yellow paper: necessary information to stake out points at stations 63+00, 64+00 and
at the PT.

1. Given: I = 16o 38’; R = 1000 ft ; PI at 6 + 26.57, find: C, M, E

and station of BC and EC
2. Given: I =12o51’; R = 400 m; PI @ 0 + 241.783; find: station of
BC and EC.
3. The length of curve of a simple curve having a degree of
curve 4 deg is equal to 210 m.
Compute:
A. middle ordinate
B. External distance
C. Length of chord

 Assume that I = 8-24-00, the station of  A simple curve have tangents AB and BC
intersecting at a common point B. AB has an
the PI is 64 +27.46, and terrain azimuth of 180 deg. And BC has an azimuth of
conditions require the minimum radius 230 deg. The stationing of the point of
curvature at A is 10 + 140.26. if the degree of
permitted by the specifications of say, curve of simple curve is 4 deg. Compute:
2864.79 ft (arc definition). Calculate the  1. length of chord from A
PC and PT stationing and the external  2. distance AB of the curve
and middle ordinate distances for this  3. curve length
curve.  4. station B and station C
Use English system

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Example Example
2. The tangents of a simple curve have bearings of N 20° E and N 80° E 3. Two tangents AB and BC intersect at an angle of 24°. A point P is
respectively. The radius of the curve is 200 m. located 21.03 m from point B and has a perpendicular distance of 2.79
a) Compute the external distance of the curve. m from line AB.
b) Compute the middle ordinate of the curve. a) Calculate the radius of the simple curve connecting the two tangents and
passing point P.
c) Compute the stationing of point A on the curve having a deflection angle of
6° from the PC which is at 1+200.00 b) Find the length of chord connecting PC and point P.
c) Compute the area bounded by the curve and the tangent lines.

The offset distance of the simple curve from Two tangents AB and BC intersect at an angle
P.T. to the tangent line passing through the P.C. of 24°. A point P is located 21.03 m. from point
is equal to 120.20 m. The stationing of P.C. is at B and has a perpendicular distance of 2.79 m.
2+540.26. The simple curve has central angle from line AB.
of of 50°. a. Calculate the radius of the simple curve
a. Compute the degree of circular curve connecting two tangents and passing point
b. Compute the length of the chord
P.
b. Find the length of chord connecting PC and
c. Station of P.I.
point P.

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Two tangents AB and BC intersect at an angle

of 24°. A point P is located 21.03 m. from point
B and has a perpendicular distance of 2.79 m.
from line AB.
a. Calculate the radius of the simple curve
connecting two tangents and passing point
P.
b. Find the length of chord connecting PC and
point P.

Compound Curve Compound Curve

 consists of two simple curves joined together and curving in the same  consists of two simple curves
direction. joined together and curving in
 Surveyors often have to use a compound curve because of the terrain. the same direction.
 Surveyors often have to use a
compound curve because of
the terrain.

Elements of Compound
Curve Example
PCC (Point of Compound On a rail road line, two tangents that intersect at station 10+243 so as to form an
Curve)- the point where the angle of 36°28’ are to be connected by a compound curve consisting of two
two curves connect. simple curves. The simple curve beginning at the PC which is at station
10+163 is to be a 4° curve whose degree is based on a 20 m. chord and is to
have a central angle of 17°. Using chord basis.
a) What should be the radius of the other simple curve that ends at the PT.
b) Compute the stationing of the PCC.
c) What is the length of the tangent from the PI to the PT of the compound
curve?

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Reverse Curves Elements of Reverse Curves

 consists of two simple curves  Point of Reverse Curvature
joined together but curving in (PRC) – where the PT of the
opposite directions. first curve coincide with the
PC of the second curve.
 For safety reasons, the surveyor
should not use this curve unless
absolutely necessary.

Reverse Curves with

Intermediate Tangent Example
 Intermediate Tangent – short tangent between reverse curves that is 1. Two tangents converge at an angle of 30°. The direction of the
parallel to the common tangent. second tangent is due east. The distance of the P.C. from the
second tangent is 116.50 m. The bearing of the common tangent is
S 40° E.
a) Compute the central angle of the first curve.
b) If a reversed curve is to connect these two tangents, determine the
common radius of the curve.
c) Compute the stationing of the PT if PC is at station 10+620.

Example
1. The intermediate tangent of a reverse curve is 600 m. long. The
tangent of the reverse curve have a distance of 300 m. which are
parallel to each other. Determine the central angle of the reverse
curve if it has a common radius of 1000 m.

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