GENERAL SURVEYING

PREPARED BY JOSEPH M. PADILLA

 Surveying
The art or science of making measurements to
determine the relative positions of points and lines
of the earth's surface, or to establish such points or
line. By the term earth surface is meant all that
part of the earth that can be explored.
The primary aims of field surveying are :

1.To measure the horizontal distance between

points.
2.To measure the vertical elevation between
points.
3. To find out the relative direction of lines by
measuring horizontal angles
4.To find out absolute direction by measuring
horizontal angles with reference to fixed direction.
These parameters are utilized to find out the
relative or absolute coordinates of a point /
location.
 Types of
Surveying
 Plane
Surveying
The mean surface of the earth is considered as
a plane, or the earth's spheroidal shape is
neglected.
 Geodetic
Surveying
Takes into account the shape or curvature of
the earth.
Classification
of
Surveying
(PLANE SURFACE)
 Land or Property
Surveying
(ISOLATED )
Surveys made for determining and defining land
boundaries and areas; use for locating and
identifying property lines.
 Engineering Surveys
for Design and
Construction

Surveys of the sites where construction of engineering

nature is to be undertaken; They include the laying out
of lines, grades and detailed dimensions, which serve as
guides for construction work.
Topographic
Surveys
Those made for determining the shape of the
ground and the location of both natural and
artificial features upon it; made to secure field data
from which topographic map may be made.
Route Surveys
Necessary for the location and construction of lines
of transportation or communication, such as
highways, railroads, pipe lines and transmission lines,
and canals.
 Hydrographic
Surveys
Refer to surveying bodies of water, such as the shape of the
bottom of lakes, rivers, harbors and oceans, for purposes
of navigation, water supply or sub-aqueous construction,
include measurement of flow of water in streams and
estimation of water resources.
 Mine or
Underground
Surveys
Consists of surveys for locating the working
below the earth's surface, as in mines, tunnels
and aqueducts.
Classification
of
Surveying
(GEODETIC SURFACE)
 Land or Property
Surveying
(CADASTRAL )
Surveys made for determining and defining land
boundaries and areas; use for locating and
identifying property lines, for the entire
municipality, and/or barangay.
 Aerial or
Photographic
Surveys
Measurements are obtained from photographs, or from
three dimensional projections of stereo-pairs of
photographs fro airplane. The process obtaining such
measurements is called photogrammetry.
sensors and light reflected by lasers to measure distances
DO YOU FOLLOW...
 SURVEY TEAM COMPOSITION
TEAM ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
CHIEF OF PARTY

ASSISTANT CHIEF OF PARTY

MATHEMATICIAN
SURVEYOR DRAFTS MAN

AUTO CAD OPERATOR

INSTRUMENT MAN

LABORER

CARPENTER SURVEY AIDE

STEEL MAN
COMPOSITION OF
SURVEY TEAM
 Chief of Party
The person who is responsible for the overall direction,
supervision and operational control of the survey party.
 Assistant Chief of Party
The person whose duty is to assist the chief of party in
the accomplishment of the task assigned to the survey
party.
 Instrument Man
The person whose duty is to set up, level, and operate
surveying instruments such as the transit, level, theodolite,
sextant, plane table and alidade etc.
CTTO
CTTO
 Head Tape Man
The person responsible for the accuracy and speed of all
linear measurements with tape.
 Rear Tape Man

The person whose duty is to assist the head tape man during
taping operation.
 Flag Man

The person whose duty is to hold the flagpole or range pole at

selected points as directed by the instrument man
 Rod Man
The person whose primary duty is to hold the stadia or
leveling rod when sights are to be taken on it.
 Pacer

The person whose duty is to check all linear measurements

made by the tape man.
 Axe man/Lineman

The person whose duty is to clear the line of sight of trees,

brush, and other obstruction in wooded country.
 To date , Head tape man, Rear tape
man, Pacer, Flagman, Rod man, Aid
man and Axeman/line man can be
done by one personnel , called
SURVEY AIDE.
Duties and responsibilities of Survey Aide
 Assists survey party with the layout of the
construction projects
Holds level rod at designated points in levelling
works
Measures and records distances between points
using tapes.
Mark lay out points with paint, sticks, tacks or
stakes
Holds range pole at designated points
 Cuts and removes brush and other
obstruction affecting the line of sight
Control traffic in order to maintain safety of survey
crew
Load and unload equipment and secure it from
any damage that may occur
 Other duties that may assign

 1. Recorder
 2. Lifts manhole covers and enter sewer
manholes if applicable and necessary.

 3. Operate motor vehicle.

 4. Assists in making basic calculations.

 5. Assists in setting up of instrument

 Other extra activities..
The Field
Notebook
In practice, the field notebook should be
of good quality rag paper with stiff board
or leather cover made to withstand hard
usage, and of pocket size. Treated papers
are available which will shed rain; some
of these can be written on even when
wet.
Don't forget that the 5 common types of
notes kept in survey practice are:

1. Sketches
2. Tabulation
3. Explanatory Notes
4. Computations
5. Any combination of the above
 Also be sure to always include the
following information in your field
notebook:
1. Fieldwork title
2. Time of day and date
3. Weather conditions
4. Name of group members & designations
5. List of equipment
 When organizing a survey party – Be
FLEXIBLE. Duties and responsibilities of
members should not always be fixed. Make
modifications to suit:

1. Work requirements and condition

2. Problem in field operations
3. Availability of instruments
DO’S & DONT’S
DO NOT PLAY USING TRIPOD
TAKE CARE OF INSTRUMENT CASE
TAKE CARE OF INSTRUMENT CASE
DO NOT PLAY WITH YOUR INSTRUMENT
ALWAYS PUT THE INSTRUMENT IN CASE
WHEN TRAVELLING
ALWAYS PUT THE INSTRUMENT IN CASE WHEN
TRAVELLING
ALWAYS PUT THE INSTRUMENT IN CASE
WHEN TRAVELLING
Do not expose electronic instrument to too much
hot temperature
SETTING UP OF SURVEY
INSTRUMENTS
Establish tripod over the point.
Open the case and remove instrument, place on the head of
tripod and attach securely with center screw.
Grasp two tripod legs and look through the optical plumb.

Utilize tripod legs to level the instruments

Loosen the centerscrew to move instrument exactly over the
point.

Complete levelling the instrument using the level vial.

QUESTIONS....
 Errors in
Measurements
It can be unconditionally stated that
(1) no measurement is exact, (2)
every measurement contains error
(3) the true value of measurement is
never known, and therefore (4) the
exact error present is always
unknown.
Mistake or blunder – An unintentional
fault of conduct arising from poor judgment
or from confusion in the mind of the
observer.

Error is the difference between the

measurement and the true value.
Sources of Errors
in Making
Measurements
Natural Errors or External Errors –
These are caused by variations in wind,
temperature, humidity, refraction, gravity,
and magnetic declination.

Instrumental Errors –These result from

any imperfection in the construction or
adjustment of instruments, and from the
movement of individual parts.
Personal Errors – These arise from
limitations of the human senses of sight,
touch, and hearing.
Types of Errors
Systematic errors - These errors
conform to mathematical and Physical
laws. Their magnitude may be constant
or variable, depending upon conditions
systematic errors, also known as
Cumulative errors, can be computed
and their effects eliminated by applying
corrections.
Random Errors - These error which
remain after mistakes and Systematic
errors have been eliminated. They are
cause by factors beyond the control of
the observer, obey the law of probability,
and are sometimes called accidental
errors. They are present in all surveying
measurements.
The magnitude and algebraic signs of
random errors are matters of chance.
There is no absolute way to compute or
eliminate them. Random errors also
known as compensating errors, since
they tend to partially cancel themselves
in series of measurements.
Magnitude of
Errors
Discrepancy – The difference
between two measured values of the
same quantity. It is also the
difference between the measured
value and the known value of a
quantity.
Precision – Denotes the degree of
repeatability among various
measurements of the same quantity
and is based upon the refinement of
measurements and size of
discrepancies.
Accuracy – Denotes absolute
nearness to the truth. It is the
degree of conformity with he
standard.