Surveying

(CE 341)

Prepared by:
Dr. Aslam Al-Omari
Chapter 1: Introduction
(Basics of Surveying)
1.1) Definition of Surveying

1.2) Boundary Surveys

1.3) Engineering Surveys

1.8) Spherical Earth

1.9) Plane Surveying

 1.1) Definition of Surveying

Surveying is simply defined as Earth Measurements

It involves
1. Measurement of:
Elevations, Distances, and Angles
2. Processing of measurements into positional
information (Maps & Coordinates)
Its activities include:
- The surface of the earth,
- The sea and deep underground,
- Extraterrestrial space.
 1.2) Boundary Surveys

One of the oldest uses of surveying is the

demarcation of boundaries.
Boundary surveys are conducted for boundaries:
- On the lands surfaces
- In the air (high-rise buildings)
- At sea (off-shore oil leases)
- Underground (Coal mines and rights-of-way for
tunnels and shafts)
 1.3) Engineering Surveys

Surveying is necessary for:

Planning, design, construction, and operation of
engineering facilities
Accurate topographic maps (with proper scales) are
needed for: planning and design of roads, dams,
reservoirs, tall buildings, canals, pipelines, etc.
Surveying measurements are also needed for
- Laying out designed engineering facilities,
- Computing surface drainage areas and volumes of
earthwork,
- Monitoring landslide, dam deformation, and
structural settlements
 1.8) Spherical Earth

Basic surveying problems:

- The irregularity in the shape of the physical
surface of the earth.
- The density of earths material is not uniform
(causes local & regional variations in the force of gravity)

Geodesy:
The science that deals with studies concerning the
size and shape of the earth.

Geodesists traditionally approximated the earth with

an ellipsoid
 1.8) Spherical Earth

Spherical geometry and advanced mathematics

must be used.
Geodetic Surveying:
Accurate surveys that extend over an area larger
than about 10 miles in radius must take into
consideration the spherical shape of the earth and
the effects of gravity (ex. Surveying and mapping of
an entire state or nation and large engineering
projects)
 1.9) Plane Surveying

Most common surveys are confined to an area less

than 10 miles in radius and then require only a
moderate level of accuracy.
For these surveys it is sufficient to project points on
the physical surface of the earth orthogonally onto a
flat surface.
Then, relative positions of points can be computed
by plane geometry.
This course deals mainly with the Fundamentals of
Plane Surveying