The Total Station

HIGHLIGHTING THE MOST ESSENTIAL TOOLS FOR SURVEYING THE LANDSCAPE

MiDori Evans
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY | ENGL 202 C

Audience and Scope

The purpose of this document is to inform landscape contracting students or anyone interested in field surveying about the essential parts of a Total Station. The first manual transit was the Gurley transit (Figure 1), invented in 1845. The manual transit could be used to survey slopes but the surveyor had to mark distances by hand. Over the centuries transits evolved into Total Stations, where every point and distance in the field is recorded and saved electronically. The intended audiences for this technical document are Figure 1 landscape contracting students and students wanting to Gurley Manual Transit explore the possibility of becoming a field surveyor. Source: Survey Antiques

What is a Total Station?

A total station is an electronic machine used in land surveying and construction. The total station operates as a transit with built in electronic distance meter to read slopes distances from a particular point back to the instrument. This instrument, along with the reflector prism, can gather coordinates of horizontal angles and vertical angles, and distances from any point on the earths surface. Total Stations are used to map a field of interest for landscape construction, building construction, and even mapping out the utilities and hardscape on an existing property.

Parts of a Total Station

There are many different kinds of Total Stations out there to choose from. The most common is the Sokkia Total Station. This equipment comes with many parts, which allows the surveyor to gather information about a site in various ways. The surveyor can choose to catalog the data in a booklet by hand or the surveyor can use the hand held device that electronically stores the data, which can later be transferred to a computer. The most important parts that make up a Total Station are the laser scope, scope focusing ring, plumb bob, tripod, reflector prism, horizontal and vertical clamps, circular plate levels, base plate, and the display. All of these basic parts of the total station work together to gather information about a landscape site.

Tripod
The tripod (Figure 2) consists of three legs and on the tips of the three legs are sharp steel points. All tripods arent the same. Some have a small step in order to anchor the tripod in the ground. The basic function of this part is to secure the total station into the ground on a level plane, on the base plate, which is located on the tripod head. The tripod also functions as the first leveling mechanism for the total station. If the leveling of the tripod is off, it could take more time to level the total station, so securing this piece is essential.
Figure 2

Base Plate Centering Screw Hook for Plumb Bob

Tripod Legs

Tripod
Source: DH Resources

Tripod securing steps Tripod securing stakes

MiDori Evans

Technical Definition

ENGL202C

Base Plate
The base plate (Figure 3) is on the top of the tripod head. It is a steel plate used to secure the total station on to the tripod. The base plate has a centering screw that is below it which is used to then screw and center the total station into place. This base plate allows the total station to stay in place while surveying. If the total station is not properly secured on the base plate, the equipment can fall or the data that is collected can be wrong.
Figure 3

Base Plate

Centering Screw Hook for Plumb Bob

Tripod Head
Source: DH Resources

Plumb Bob
The plumb bob (Figure 4) is a heavy piece of brass, on a string, in a shape of a conical triangle that attaches to the tripod. This brass piece is used to obtain a precise point, chosen by the surveyor, in which to survey the landscape. The plumb bob is attached to the tripod by a hook on the bottom of the centering screw. It then dangles from the tripod over the point that the landscape will be surveyed from.

Figure 4

Plumb Bob
Source: Etsy Static

REM Display
The REM display (Figure 5) is a screen on the total station that displays the vertical and horizontal distances as well as the northern and southern coordinates of the point. The display is used to operate the total station if a hand held is not used. It has options to obtain the points, record and store the points as well as edit different variables that affect the data collected. The display can also be used to level the total station digitally, which is the most efficient way to level this piece of equipment.
Figure 5

Total Station Rem Display Screen

Source: Shutter shock

MiDori Evans

Technical Definition

ENGL202C

Circular Plate Levels

The circular plate levels (Figure 6) are on the bottom of the total station itself. There are three circular plates. The plate that is in the front (not shown in picture) of the total station controls the forward motion and back motion, the second controls the left motion and the last plate controls the right motion of the total station. Any two plates are turned simultaneously to perfectly level the total station parallel to the point on the ground. It can take a while to adjust these levels but if done with patience the total station can operate correctly.

Figure 6

Total Station Circular Plate Level

Source: Surveyors Exchange

Left Circular Plate Level

Right Circular Plate Level

Horizontal and Vertical Clamps

The horizontal and vertical clamps (Figure 7) are knobs on the sides of the total station that locates a precise item being surveyed. The horizontal clamps are used to horizontally locate the subject; they are used to electronically move the total station from left to right. The vertical clamps are used to vertically orient the total station up and down. The clamps primary use is to halt the rotating mechanism of the total station so the surveyor can focus on the subject. If the subject being surveyed isnt exactly right on, these clamps are most often used to fine tune the total station onto the point of interest. The clamps are used only to rotate the total station only a few degrees, they are not useful for fully rotating the total station.

Vertical Clamp

Figure 7

Showing Total Station Horizontal and Vertical Clamp Adjustment

Source: Surveyors Exchange

Horizontal Clamp

Scope Focusing Ring

The Scope focusing ring (Figure 8) is used to focus the scope on the point of interest. It is located on the back of the laser scope. It is a turning mechanism that the surveyor can use to focus on the subject. If the scope isnt in focus the surveyors readings can be off. The scope can be turn left or right depending how far or near the subject is.

Scope Focusing Ring

Figure 8

Total Station Scope Focusing Ring

Source: Surveyors Exchange

MiDori Evans

Technical Definition

ENGL202C

Laser Scope
The laser scope (Figure 9) is the most important part of the total station. The scope on the total station is used to locate the point that is being surveyed. Inside of that scope is a laser. The laser is used to pinpoint the exact distance and location of the surveying point. Using the lens focusing ring, the point is put into focus and the transit is now ready to collect information. The surveyor obtains the data due to the laser shooting a red light from the total station to the reflector prism. The red light, which contains distance information, and vertical and horizontal coordinates then shoots back to the total station and is displayed on the REM screen. The total station calculates how long it took for the beam of light to reach the reflector prism and to come back again to obtain the distance from the station to the prism. The vertical and horizontal distances are captured by the angle and rotation of the scope on the total station.

Laser Scope

Figure 9

Total Station Laser Scope

Source: Surveyors Exchange

Reflector Prism
The reflector prism (Figure 10) is a separate entity from the total station. Its primary use is to capture and reflect the shooting beam back to the total station. This piece of equipment is made up of many reflective mirrors in a small box. It can also be used to obtain the height of the total station, which is essential in collecting the correct site data. The prism is used like a stake to mark a point in the landscape. The reflector prism is essential because it deflects the red beam back to the total station. If the total station isnt centered on the reflector prism the site data can be incorrect.
Reflective Mirrors (Aim Laser in Middle)

Figure 10

Total Station Reflector Prism

Source: Allen Precision

Conclusion
The Total Station is truly a phenomenal piece of equipment. It can collect data for a site more than 400 feet away at any horizontal or vertical distance. It can be used on any site in any weather. The total station has revolutionized the way landscape designers, architects, and contractors gather information. The transit can be used to place corners of a building, or locate where a tree will be place. This equipment has made building a landscape more feasible. The evolution of the transit has allowed collection of site data easier and efficient.

MiDori Evans

Technical Definition

ENGL202C

Bibliography
Aluminum Tripod. N.d. DH Resource. Web. <http://www.dhresource.com/albu_345684748_00-1.0x0/tripod-aluminum-m1y-fortheodolite-for-total.jpg>. "Antique A.P.E. 18oz. Solid Brass Plumb Bob Vintage Retro Primitive Carpenter Tool Collectable." Etsy. ETSY, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. <http://www.etsy.com/listing/128498803/antique-ape-18oz-solid-brass-plumbbob?ref=sr_gallery_39&ga_search_query=plumb+bob&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=1&ga_ search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery>. "CX Total Station Series." SOKKIA USA. SOKKIA, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. <http://us.sokkia.com/products/optical-instruments/reflectorlessprism/cx-total-stationseries>. A Precise Transit. 1921. W. & L.E. Gurley. Surveying Antiques. By Brian Aregood. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. <http://www.surveyantiques.com/content/gurley/1921_gurley_transit_features.JPG>. "Seco 62mm Rear-Locking Premier Prism Assembly W/Small Target." Prisms. Allen Precision Equipment, 2013. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. <http://www.allenprecision.com/supplies/equipment-accessories/prisms/seco-62mmrear-locking-premier-prism-assembly-w-small-target/>. "Sokkia Automated 3-D Stations." Instrument Sales, Helping You Measure the World. Surveyors Exchange, 25 Oct. 2011. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. <http://iss.surveyorsexchange.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_3&p roducts_id=683>. Stearns, Dan. Total Station SetUp and Operation. N.P.: N.P., n.d. Print. "Total Station Screen Stock Photos, Illustrations, and Vector Art." Total Station Screen Stock Photos, Total Station Screen Stock Photography, Total Station Screen Stock Images: Shutterstock.com. Shutterstock, 2013. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. <http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&language=en&ref_site=photo&sear ch_source=search_form&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&search_tracking_id= Y4dIaGy5AOAV1ANrX2m2mw&searchterm=total+station+screen&show_color_wheel=1 &orient=&commercial_ok=&media_type=images&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photogr apher_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&c olor=>. "Total Station." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.

MiDori Evans

Technical Definition

ENGL202C