Laboratory Exercise

FAMILIARIZATION WITH TOTAL STATION

THROUGH TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYING

Student Name: Franchesca Marie Q. Gamboa Date Performed: Dec. 7, 2022

Group No.: 2 Date Submitted: Dec. 10, 2022
Group Leader: Franchesca Marie Q. Gamboa Grade:

1. OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this exercise are

1. To familiarize with the total station, its parts, and functions
2. To be able set up and center the instrument over a station
3. To be able to conduct a ground method of topographic survey

2. BACKGROUND

Topography is the configuration (or relief) of a land surface, consisting of its contours and features,
whether natural or man-made. The natural features include streams, rivers, lakes, swamps, rock
outcrops, large trees, hills, valleys and others. Man- made (or cultural) features are the products of
people, such as trails, roads, buildings, bridges, canals, and boundary lines.

Topographic surveys are conducted to locate these natural and cultural features. By means of various
lines and conventional symbols, topographic maps are produced from survey data. A topographic map
is a large-scale representation of a portion of the earth’s surface showing culture, relief, hydrography,
and vegetation. Engineers use topographic maps as the basis for the planning, layout, and design of
most civil engineering projects. They are useful in determining, for example, the most desirable and
economical location of highways, railroads, canals, pipelines, transmission lines, reservoirs, and other
facilities. Topographic surveys are conducted either by aerial (photogrammetric) or ground (field)
methods, and often a combination of both.

3. INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES

1 Total Station
1 rod with prism
2 Range poles

4. LOCATION

To be designated by the laboratory instructor.

5. PROCEDURE

1. Establish instrument stations T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5.

2. Setup and orient the instrument at T1.
3. With the telescope normal, lower clamp locked while upper clamp open, sightstation T5 and
set to 0, record vertical angle, and horizontal and vertical distances of line T1-T5.
4. Sight and record Angle to the Right, vertical angle, and horizontal and vertical distances to Pt.A
(any interesting feature).
 5. Foresight T2 and record Angle to the Right, vertical angle, and horizontal and vertical distances.
Lock upper clamp and open lowerclamp.
6. Transfer instrument at T2.
7. Repeat the process from step #2.

For Individual Report and Computation

1. Draw the Total Station, identify its parts and function
2. Show proof of ability to set up and center the equipment. Take a photo of your circular bubble and
optical plummet view over the marking pin.
3. Compute the field notes on the difference in elevation with respect to the reference station and
submit a report.
Group No: 2 Date of Field Exercise: _December 7, 2022
Group Leader: Franchesca Marie Q. Gamboa Date Submitted: December 10, 2022

Members: Francis Sabarillo Julius Andre Dimalaluan

Noel James Tugay Bonne Glandale Dadis

I. DATA AND RESULTS

STATION Angle to Vertical Horizontal Vertical Difference

Occ. Obs. the Angle Distance Distance in
Right (m) (m) elevation
T1 T5 0
Pt. A
T2
T2 T1 0
Pt. B
T3
T3 T2 0
Pt. C
T4
T4 T3 0
Pt. D
T5
T5 T4 0
Pt. E
T1
 Laboratory Exercise No. 2
FAMILIARIZATION WITH TOTAL STATION
THROUGH TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYING

Name of Student: Franchesca Marie Q. Gamboa Date Performed: December 7, 2022

Date Submitted: December 10, 2022
Grade:

CRITERIA RATING
The problem
definition and/or
objectives are
described clearly.
(5%)
The theoretical
equations are
derived completely
and used
correctly.
(10%)
Data presentation
and Illustration.
(20%)
Results and
Discussion,
Conclusion, and
Recommendation.
(60%)
Submission
(5%)
 I. OBJECTIVES

The surveyors aim to meet and accomplish the following objectives

required to determine the success of the surveyors’ performance and reference for
future improvements necessary:

a) The surveyors aim to recall the significant concepts and procedures of

getting the length, bearings of angles and interior angles of a certain area or
lot of the desired location of points in a closed traverse.
b) The surveyors aim to apply all concepts and formulas necessary for
measuring certain lengths of lots or areas learned from the previous course
from the last term.
c) The surveyors aim to perform indicated procedures with the right use of
instruments.
d) The surveyors aim to be familiar with the parts of the Engineer’s Transit
instrument and its respective functions.
e) After familiarizing themselves with the parts and functions of the
instrument, the surveyors must be able to set up the instrument at stations
and how to read the necessary measurements of lengths, bearings, and
interior angles.

II. INSTRUMENTS

Engineer’s Transit: Its Parts and Functions

Figure 1.1 Total Transit Instrument for Surveying

Functions of its Parts

● Collimator: It is a tool used to transform rays of light that are diverging into
parallel beams. Range poles are used to line up with the total station using
it.
● Handle: It is used to turn the total station around in a circle (left or right
direction).
● Leveling foot screws: It is altered to account for the complete stations
leveling.
● Bullseye’s bubble: By lining up the bubble in the component's center circle,
it provides a precise measurement of the total station's leveling throughout.
● Vertical Motion Screw: The complete station must be locked with its
leveling.
● Horizontal Motion Screw: It is needed to lock the total station with its
leveling.
● Objective Focus: It is used to change how clearly the eyepiece focus is
visible.
● Eyepiece focus: By lining up the crosshair with the point of measurement,
it is used to see the location being measured.
● Display / Keyboard: It displays the results of different measurements.

Other Materials/ Instruments needed:

● Range Poles - These are long red and white poles used to mark a specific
end-to-end point of a measured distance. This was used in almost all
activities to designate a point where to start and end.

Figure 1.2 Range Poles

● Marking Pins - These are very significant when measuring long distances.
The surveyors used marking pins to make sure which point they ended up
measuring and started a new measurement right after another marking pin.
 Figure 1.3 Marking Pins

● Tripod - this is used to support the measuring device preventing it from

falling and also used for making sure that the instrument is aiming at the
right and desired point.

Figure 1.4 Tripod

III. SURVEY SITE

The fieldwork activity was held in an open area of the Marian Quadrangle
where it is covered with grass and surrounded by a lot of greens, like trees, plants
on pots, lamp posts, and benches too. One interesting item in the area that makes it
known for is the statue of Mother Mary in the middle of the garden. The Marian
Quadrangle is located beside Perico’s canteen on its right facing the St. La Salle
Hall and the Amphitheater on its left near the Yuchengco Building and Bro. Connon
Hall.

Figure 1.5 Marian Quadrangle with Bro. Connon Hall in sight

Figure 1.6 Marian Quadrangle with Mother Mary Statue and Yuchengco
Building in sight
IV. PROCEDURE

The surveyors must make sure they are wearing the appropriate protective
gear before beginning the activity to protect them from any physical danger. The
availability and completion of the equipment and other materials needed for the
activity allows for complete compliance with the objectives and instructions.

The Total Transit must be configured in the first place to operate within its
capabilities. When it's time to read, it needs to be put up in a tripod to support its
weight and posture. To keep the item from falling to the ground, the tripod features
a screw that can be tightened.

First and foremost, the surveyors established specified stations where the
instrument will be placed for reading elevations. Following a specific order, the
instrument is placed at T1 and prior to any reading, it must be set up and oriented
or levelled in reference to the circular bubble and the bubble at the tube centered as
well.

After doing so, the surveyors record the vertical angle and the horizontal
and vertical distances of line T1-T5 with the telescope in its normal configuration,
the lower clamp locked, the upper clamp open, and the sight station T5 set to 0.
Then, they viewed and noted the right angle, the vertical angle, and the lengths in
both directions to Point A, which the surveyors refer to any interesting feature in
the survey site.

Next is that the surveyors recorded the Right Angle, Vertical Angle,
Horizontal Angle, and Vertical and Horizontal Distances on Foresight T2, and it
was made sure that the bottom clamp is closed or locked while locking upper clamp.

The abovementioned procedures are repeatedly done on the next stations.

The surveyors now transferred the instrument to station T2 and did the same
process, same as with T3, T4, and T5. Necessary computations were also done after
the conduct of the laboratory activity.
V. DATA AND RESULTS and COMPUTATIONS

The following table shows the data acquired from the performed activity
and is arranged according to the stations occ and obs. The given data sheet provides
the values of the Angles to Right, Vertical Angles, Horizontal Distances, Vertical
Distances, Differences in Elevation.

Table 1. Table of Data Gathered from the Difference Levels

Difference in Elevation

T1 & T5 = VD|T1|-|T5| T3 & T2 = VD|T3|-|T2|

T1 & PT. A = VD|PT.A|-|T1| T3 & PT. C = VD|T3-|PT. C|
T1 & T2 = VD|T1|-|T2| T3 & T4 = VD|T3|-|T4|

T2 & T1 = VD|T2|-|T1| T4 & T3 = VD|T4|-|T3|

T2 & PT. B = VD|T2|-|PT. B| T4 & PT. D = VD|T4|-|PT. D|
T2 & T3 = VD|T2|-|T3 T4 & T5 = VD|T4|-|T5|

T5 & T4 = VD|T5|-|T4|
T5 & PT. E = VD|T5|-|PT. E|
T5 & T1 = VD|T5|-|T1|
Sum of Interior Angles
= 155°35’10” + 134°38’35” + 85°17’05” + 96°44’10” + 67°39’45” = 539°54’45”

Expected Sum of Interior Angles = 540°

540°−539°54′45′
Percentage Error =| | x 100 = 0.0162%
540°

VI. ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure 1.7 Reading Cross-hairs Figure 1.8 Levelled bubble on tube

Figure 1.9 Levelled circular bubble Figure 1.10 Setting up the instrument
Figure 1.11 Transferring the instrument to next
station

Figure 1.12 Readings of Vertical Angle and

Horizontal Angle to the Right
VII. DATA ANALYSIS

Based on the data acquired, the surveyors were able to meet the objectives
set. Necessary calculations were made to complement the data that were obtained
from the laboratory activity. There are several factors in consideration since there
are discrepancies with the data. Human errors were considered since the surveyors
can’t assure full precision and accuracy of data. Although, it is a normal and honest
error if there are.

The surveyors were tasked to determine the differences in the elevations of

a closed traversed in the survey site. The closed traverse ideally has five sides
overall, thus the summation of its interior angles must be equivalent to 540 degrees.

Given the obtained data from the survey, the summation of the interior
angles was 539°54’45” and is close enough to achieve the 540-degree traverse. It
was considered by the surveyors to be a closed traverse since it only takes a little
discrepancy compared to its expected value. There are minor faults of having the
instrument a little farther from its expected station location, or there might be little
differences with the reading of the crosshair due to human error as well.

The precision and accuracy of data relies on how the surveyors actually
manage the instrument well and how it is placed and set up prior to reading.

VIII. CONCLUSION

I place a lot of value on experience and familiarity as a potential civil

engineer, especially when it comes to developing a strong knowledge and skill
basis. Although it might seem very challenging, it is crucial to understand more
about actual world situations, especially in the industry. These exercises might
appear easy at first, but they are quite important for developing a deeper
understanding of all engineering topics and principles. To increase one's
understanding in the field of engineering, one needs to cultivate these talents in
addition to knowledge, caution, and strategy. Several things need to be considered
before engaging in an activity. There would always be minute flaws and errors that
might be obvious because it wouldn't always guarantee a very precise or perfect
measurement or assumption. We must develop our work ethics to be cautious and
meticulous in our work because of this. Even a seemingly insignificant error can
have significant effects if handled incorrectly.
IX. RECOMMENDATIONS

One of the areas that typically needs the most improvement is the accuracy
of the data measurement. Given this, there must be a way to prevent human errors
that might lead to incorrect data computations. Because there may be a chance of
conflict with other groups, it is strongly advised to have a larger area of the site for
the situation of all groups. Despite these minor setbacks, the surveyors were still
able to successfully complete their task.