CEE 5190 / 6190 – GIS for Civil Engineers

Spring 2017

Assignment 5. GPS and GIS – Using GPS for Campus Mapping

Learning Objectives

• Collect data using GPS technology for use with GIS.

• Work with data formats common to GIS, including shapefiles, rasters, and geodatabases.
• Create maps of study sites that would be acceptable for use in engineering reports and
academic publications.

Required Equipment

• GPS and data enabled smart phone or tablet

Computer and Data Requirements

• ESRI Collector App – This can be downloaded for free from either the Apple App Store
for iOS, Google Play for Android, or the Windows Store for Windows 10 devices.
• ArcGIS 10.4.1.
• ESRI ArcGIS Online account.

The Problem

Many objects located on USU's campus (sidewalks, sculptures, etc.) are not fully documented on
existing campus maps. In many cases these locations are needed for inventory, maintenance,
directing visitors, etc. You will use GPS technology to collect location data for campus features
and then use it to develop maps of these features in ArcMap. You will also use multiple methods
for data creation so that you can compare and contrast the results from each. The instructors have
already collected GPS location data for a small set of features using a mapping grade GPS unit.
These data are included in the ArcGIS Online map that you can access through the Collector
App.

Procedure

Perform the following three activities during the laboratory period or on your own time. For each
activity you will need to first download and install the ESRI Collector App and join the class
group in ArcGIS Online. You will then go outside to collect location data using your GPS-
enabled device and the Collector App. Refer to the attached document that describes how to use
the Collector App to collect location data. If you do not have a GPS enabled device, please pair
up with someone that does to complete the assignment. You may work in groups of up to 4
people.

1. Campus Artwork: Using the ESRI Collector App, collect GPS point locations for
sculptures on USU’s campus. Make sure to edit each GPS location you create to fill out
as many of the attributes of the sculpture as you can. You should collect the GPS

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Spring 2017

locations of at least two of the sculptures that were digitized by the instructors for
comparison purposes. Then, where possible, make sure you digitize the location of
sculptures that have not already been captured by someone else in the class. Collect GPS
point location data for at least 3 sculptures in addition to the 2 that were digitized by the
instructors (i.e., you should collect a total of 5 sculpture locations).
2. Campus Sidewalks: Using the ESRI Collector App, create line features using the GPS on
your device representing sidewalks on USU's campus. Although you can use the
streaming option in the ESRI Collector App to record your path as you walk along the
sidewalk, any deviations you make from walking along the path you intend to record will
result in the wrong locations being recorded. Therefore, collect discrete points as vertices
along a line representing the sidewalk. Make sure you fill out as many of the attributes of
the sidewalk as you can. You should digitize at least two sidewalks that were digitized by
the instructors for comparison purposes. Then, where possible, make sure that you
digitize sidewalks that have not been done by someone else. Digitize at least 2 sidewalks
in addition to the two that were digitized by the instructors (you should digitize a total of
4).
3. Parking Lots: Use your GPS enabled device and the Collector App to digitize the polygon
outlines of parking lots on campus. Again, collect discrete vertices along the perimeter of
the parking lot instead of using the streaming collection option to avoid making mistakes.
Do not include adjacent roads in the parking lot polygons. You should digitize at least
one of the parking lots digitized in advance by the instructors. Then, where possible,
make sure that you digitize parking lots that have not already been done by someone else.
Digitize at least 1 parking lot in addition to the one digitized by the instructors (you
should do a total of 2).

Using the ESRI Collector app and your GPS and data enabled device, the data you collect in the
field will be automatically uploaded to ArcGIS Online. When you return to the lab, you will
already see your data in the ArcGIS Online map. In ArcGIS Online, you can access the Feature
Layers that contain the GPS data you (and all of the other students) just collected and those
collected by the instructors. You will need to export the data to a set of shapefiles you can use for
mapping purposes. Then, you can query the shapefiles to extract the features that you collected.

In the lab or on your own machine, do the following using the procedures introduced in Lecture
12:

1. Create a new ArcMap document.

2. Add the ESRI Imagery Base map layer to your map.
3. Create 3 new, empty shapefiles in ArcCatalog with the same type of geometry as the
features you digitized with your GPS device (i.e., you should have one for sculpture
points, one for sidewalk lines, and one for parking lot polygons). Add your new, empty
shapefiles to your map.

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4. Using the ESRI Imagery base map layer as a reference, digitize the same features on your
screen that you collected using GPS in the field.
5. Save your digitized shapefiles.
6. Create the maps described below and answer the questions for the deliverables.

Deliverables

Submit a single PDF document formatted according to the guidelines in the syllabus to Canvas
with a hard copy for grading. Your document should contain the following elements. Each figure
in your submission should have an appropriate figure number and caption that describes the
contents of the map.

1. A simple map of USU’s campus or a subset of USU’s campus showing only the features
that you digitized in the field with your GPS (sculpture points, sidewalk lines, and
parking lot polygons) along with an appropriate base map and appropriate map layout
elements.
2. One or more maps (with appropriate layout elements) comparing GPS location data
collected by you or other students (i.e., sculpture points, sidewalk lines, parking lot
polygons), versus GPS location data collected by the instructors using a mapping grade
GPS, versus location data you digitized from the ESRI Imagery base map layer. Use
appropriate symbology to distinguish the layers so map readers can see the differences.
3. Create a map in ArcGIS Online zoomed to USU’s campus and showing the layers you
used to complete numbers 1 and 2. Name your map “Student Name – Assignment 5 –
USU Campus Map” and share it with the “CEE 5190 / 6190 GIS for Civil Engineers”
Group in ArcGIS Online. Include a screenshot of your browser window showing your
ArcGIS Online map in your homework solution.
4. Include a write-up with answers to the following questions:
a. Describe three reasons why there are differences between the GPS location data
collected by you or other students, those collected by the instructors using a mapping
grade GPS, and those that you digitized from the ESRI Imagery base map data.
b. List three ways the GPS locational data you collected in the field could be improved.

Bring a hard copy of your assignment to class and submit before class begins. Include the
grading rubric as the last page of your submitted PDF. Make sure you at least include a summary
of each of the questions with your submission.