INTRODUCTION TO ECG 422

This course deals with the work of surveying in Civil Engineering practices. Students will be
introduced to surveying equipment, surveying techniques and analysis.

Course outcomes

Acquire basic fundamentals of engineering survey

Set up and operate theodolite, level and modern surveying equipment

Apply knowledge and conduct field survey project

Interpret data taken from stated surveying equipment

Nurture leaders or managers as well as an effective team member

Engineering Survey - ECG422

ASSESSMENT
 Field work and reports(group) 20%
 Test and soft skills 20%

 Total Continuous assessment 40%

 Final exam 60%

Total 100%

Engineering Survey - ECG422

FIELD WORK
 P1- linear distance measurement, angle observation
and bearing detemination
 P2- levelling to transfer height from BM to TBM
 P3- tacheometry to determine horizontal distance
and height
 P4- traverse by total station instrument
 P5- details survey to produce detail survey plan and
contours
 P6- setting out building , bridge or road curve

Engineering Survey - ecg422

 Land Surveying Definitions
 Land surveying is the science of determining the dimensions and
shape of natural or man made features or three dimensional
characteristics of the earth surface by measurements of distance,
directions and elevations.
 Land surveying is the art of making such measurement of relative
positions of points on the surface of the earth, drawing them to
scale whether natural or artificial features.
 Land surveying is also the art and science of making field
measurements on or near the surface of the earth’s. Survey field
measurements include horizontal, slope, and vertical distance and
also horizontal and vertical angles.

Engineering Survey - ECG422

 Objectives of Surveying
Preparation of maps, plans, sections etc
the determination of relative positions of natural and artificial features
on the earth surface, so that correctly represented on maps, plans or
sections.
Setting out
is the process to transfer information from plan to the ground using
surveying instruments.
Computation areas and volumes
the execution of calculations for land areas, earthworks volume are
based on field measurements or measurement exstracted from maps,
plans and sections.

Engineering Survey – ECG422

 Surveying Classification

 Plane Surveying
Where surveys cover such a small parts of the earth’s surface that the
curvature of the earth can be ignored, then the operations are termed
plane surveying.

 Geodetic Surveying
Where measurements cover such a large part of the earth surface like
the whole country or continental, that the curvature of the earth
cannot be ignored, then the operation termed geodetic surveying.

Engineering Survey – ECG422

 Types of surveys

Cadastral/Title Engineering Geodetic

Topographical Land Surveying Hydrographic

GIS
Photogrammetry

Engineering Survey – ECG422

Classification according to the techniques used

 Off-set survey
 Traverse survey
 Tacheometry survey
 Triangulation
 Trilateration
 Air survey or photogrammetry

Engineering Survey – ECG422

Classification by the instrument used

 Theodolite survey
 Compass survey
 Chain survey
 Tapes survey
 GPS survey
 Plane table survey

Engineering Survey – ECG422

 4 Basic Principles of Survey
Line ties Off-set
A
A

D
C
C

Traverse Intersection & Resection

A A

C
B C
θ

Engineering Survey – ECG422

 Errors in surveying

 Sources of errors
i. Natural or nature eg. Temperature, air pressure,
humidity, winds
ii. Instrumental eg. Chain used is not standard whether
longer or shorter than the standard
iii. Personal or human being eg. Wrong reading 88 instead
of 58, wrong writing, wrong calculation

Engineering Survey – ECG422

 Three types of errors

 Mistakes (blunders or gross errors)

-cause by human being or surveyor
-mistakes can happen at early stage, middle or at the end
of the survey
-anybody can do mistakes, boys or girls, young or old,
professional or not professional.
-to overcome mistakes, check the reading, read more than
one time, read by another person

Engineering Survey – ECG422

Three types of errors(cont…)
Systematic or cumulative error
-due to the instrument used not standard
-consistent characteristic
-value of the error can be determined
-these error can be eliminated by applying correction
Random or accidental error
-cause by different capabilities of the instrument used and
the surveyor
-the remaining error after all mistakes and systematic
errors eliminated is call random
-these error are small, and they cannot be eliminated

Engineering Survey – ECG422

Characteristic of random errors
 Small error occur more often than large one
 Positive and negative error are equally alike
 Very large error seldom occur
 The distribution of the errors approximate closely to the
normal distribution curve
 Examples:
 1/8000 for linear accuracy ratio
 1’ 10” for angular mis-closure

Engineering Survey – ECG422

Accuracy and Precision
Accuracy
Is the relationship between the value of a measurement
and the true value of dimension being measured
The accuracy ratio of a measurement or series of
measurements is the ratio of error to the overall value of
measurement, expressed as with a fraction with a
numerator of 1 and a denominator rounded to the closest
100 units. Example, an error of 0.01 ft in 30 ft would result
in an accuracy ratio of 1 : 3000
Precision
Is the refinement of the measuring process and the ability
to repeat the same measurement with consistently small
variations in the measurements
Engineering Survey – ECG422
Relationship between Accuracy and Precision
Sight Aligned Sight Misalinged
(high Accuracy) (Low Accuracy)

Shortgun
(Low Precision)

Rifle
(High Precision)

Engineering Survey – ECG422

Guideline to carry-out survey work
Control – each survey should be provided with an accurate
control framework, normally the lower order being fitted to
control framework with higher order
Economical – the accuracy aimed should be appropriate to
the needs of the particular task. As a general rule, the
higher the accuracy then the higher the cost
Independent check – every survey operation should either be
self checking or independent check
Field data – the results of a survey should be write follow
survey regulation and field documents should be kept for
future use

Engineering Survey – ECG422

Some Survey Instruments

Ordinary Tape
Fiberglass Tape

Engineering Survey – ECG422

Some Survey Instruments

Compass

Engineering Survey – ECG422

Some Survey Instruments

Survey Chain

Engineering Survey – ECG422

 Some Survey Instruments

Precise Level Instrument Rotating Laser Instrument

Engineering Survey – ECG422

 Some Survey Instruments

Automatic Level

Theodolite

Engineering Survey – ECG422

Some Survey Instruments

Doing Survey Work

Engineering Survey – ECG422