This is an engineering survey course notes.

1. 3A1 Engineering Surveying
Introduction

6. What is Engineering Surveying?
Engineering surveying involves:
-Investigating land, using measurement tools and geographic knowledge, to work out
the best position to build bridges, tunnels and roads etc.
-Producing up-to-date plans which form the basis for the design of a project
-Setting out a site, so the structure is built in the correct location to the specified
parameters
-Monitoring the construction process to make sure that the structure remains in the
right position and recording the final built position
-Providing control points by which the future movement of structures such as bridges
and dams can be monitored

7. Other types of surveys
-Hydrographic surveying: this when one surveys in a marine environment, this can
include – mapping coastlines and the sea bed to produce navigational charts
-Photogrammetry: this is a process where by one acquires measurements from
photographic images – typically aerial images. As this is a non-contact method of
obtaining information it is useful in hazardous situations.
-Remote sensing: this approach is very similar to photogrammetry in that it uses
satellite imagery to obtain information
-Geographic information systems (GIS): this method uses computer-based systems
which allow spatial information to be stored and integrated with many other different
types of data
-Cartography: cartography and map making is often considered to be the traditional
role of the surveyor

8. This is our site, where do we start?

9. How engineering surveys are conducted
Engineering surveys are usually based on horizontal and vertical control, which
consists of a series of fixed points located throughout a site whose positions must be
determined on some coordinate system.
Horizontal control: defines points on a two dimensional horizontal plane which covers
the site
Vertical control: is the third dimension added to the chosen horizontal datum.
The measurements for the control survey are taken using different types of equipment
depending on the size of the site.
In small sites typically theodolites, and tapes are used to observe horizontal control in
the form of a traverse with levelling providing the vertical control

10. How engineering surveys are conducted
In larger sites, total stations and digital levels are used.
Plane surveying: is where a flat surface is used to define the local shape of the Earth,
with the vertical always taken to be perpendicular to this.
The horizontal surface is assumed to be flat rather than curved to simplify the
calculation of the horizontal position by plane trigonometry.
Geodetic Surveying – is used when the assumption made in plane survey (i.e. a flat
horizontal surface) is no longer true and the curvature of the earth has to be taken into
account.
This occurs when is site is greater than 10-15km in either direction e.g. road building,
pipelines etc.
Setting Out – this is the surveying carried out to establish all the marks, lines and
levels needed for construction purposes on site.

11. Surveying Practical’s
Levels : Level survey, Two-peg Test, Laser Level
Theodolites: Theodolite traverse
Totals Stations: Total station traverse, detail survey
Software: Adding features and contours to survey, creating sections.
Each practical requires submission of a report containing tabular result, sketch, error
reporting, and commentary on the methods used.