Plane Survey

Course outline
1. Definition of terms
2. Units of Angular Measurements
3. Chain Surveying
4. Areas and Volumes
5. Contour Surveying
6. Levelling
7. Compass Surveying
8. Theodolite Traversing
9. Coordinates System
10. Tacheometry
References:
1. Problems and Solutions for Mine
Surveyors [Chamber of Mines of
South Africa]
2. Surveying for Mine Surveyors
[ Chamber of Mines of South Africa]
3. Solving Problems in Surveying [ A
Bannister and Raymond Baker]
4. Surveying [A Bannister and
Raymond Baker]
5. Surveying Principles and
Applications [ B.F.Kavanagh and S.J
Bird]
6. Engineering Surveying [ W.
Schofield]
1. Definitions

Surveying
Surveying is the art and science of making field
measurements on or near the surface of the earth
and the presentation of this information either
graphically or numerically. The information can
either be presented on a plan or a map.

Survey field measurements include:

– Horizontal and slope distances

– Vertical distances (heights)
– Horizontal and vertical angles

The above can be considered as raw data and

upon computations this can then be transformed
into co-ordinates. In addition to taking
measurements in the field the surveyor can derive
related distances and directions through geometric
and trigonometric analysis.
Basic Divisions of Surveying
Plane Surveying
Geodetic Surveying

1. Plane surveying
The vast majority of engineering and construction
projects are so limited ingeographic size (small
areas) that the surface of the earth can be
considered tobe a plane for all Y and X
dimensions. Surveys that ignore the surface of the
Earth are known as Plane surveys.

2. Geodetic surveying
Surveys that cover large geographic areas, for
example provincial boundary surveys, must have
corrections made to the field measurements so
that they willreflect the curved (ellipsoidal) shape
of the earth’s surface. Such surveys are called
Geodetic surveys.
Branches or Types of
Surveying

1. Engineering Surveying
These are surveys preparatory to, or in
conjunction with the construction or
formation of engineering works such as
roads, railways, dams, tunnels and
sewerage works and construction works
generally including the calculation and
placing of pegs in the fields.

EXAMPLES

• Transmission line route locations

• Route location
• Deformation monitoring
• Mining and precise alignment surveys
• Bridges and plant site layout
• Volume calculations
2. Mine Surveying:
The objective in this type of surveys is to
determine the extent of existing work, to keep
the relationships between surface and
underground work correct, and to
determine which way work must proceed in
order to reach any other point i.e. ore body.

Importance of Mine Survey

1. For legal Aspects such as

plans
2. To direct mining operations
( pegs, grades in
developments )
3. For geological requirements
i.e. location of faults
3. Hydrographic Surveying:

These surveys deal with surveys for the

determination of water areas, volumes, rate of
flow and the form and characteristics of
underwater surfaces, in connection with
rivers, harbours, lakes and along coast lines.
Civil engineering works connected with water
supply, irrigation, flood control and river works
generally, also involve the practice of
hydrographical surveying. It also includes the
determination of mean sea level.

Examples:

• Sub-sea pipeline and cable route locations

• River cross-sections
• Coastal bathymetry (study of ocean/lake
floors)
• Marine development

4. Topographical Surveying:
This branch is concerned with the location
and representation (by plan or map) of the
main natural and a0rtificial features of the
earth's surface including hills, valleys, lakes,
rivers, villages, buildings, roads, railways,
power lines etc.

Examples:
•Land development planning and
construction
• Regional/urban planning
• Pipeline and utility design
• Highway/Geometric design

5. Cadastral Surveying:
These are surveys which, are carried out by
Registered Land Surveyors, and involve the
measurement of land for the preparation of
plans and diagrams, drawn to scale,
showing and defining legal Property
boundaries in order that ownership may be
registered in the Deeds Office. It is illegal for
anyone, other than a Registered Land
Surveyor to undertake or attempt to
undertake Cadastral Surveys.

• Subdivision land
• Land registration and titling
• Mining claims
• Cadastral map compilation
6. Quantity Surveying

7. Photogrammetry
Made to gather data to produce a topographic map
showing the configuration of the terrain and the
location of natural and man-madeobjects.

8.Geograpphical Information System

[GIS]

DEFINITIONS of Some Common terms

used in surveying

Gravity
This is the force that keeps the earth in
equilibrium (balance), and for our purpose, we
assume that the force of gravity is towards the
centre of the earth.
A suspended plumbline will, therefore, point
towards the centre of the earth and will be
vertical at the place of suspension.

(A plumb-bob or a plummet is a weight with a pointed tip on

the bottom that is suspended from a string and used as a
vertical reference line.)

Vertical plane
A Vertical Plane is one that contains the plumb-
line

Horizontal Plane
This is the plane lying at right angles to the
plumb line, i.e. tangentially to the earth’s surface.
Horizontal planes at different places around the
globe are therefore not parallel.

Mean Sea Level

Mean Sea Level (M.S.L.) is the mean level of the
sea on the surface of the earth. At any point it is
horizontal, but its surface is not a plane. A
Horizontal plane will be tangential to the M.S.L.
of the earth at the point of contact only.

Datum
Datum (or Reference Surface). The elevation (or
level) of any point is expressed as the vertical
distance of the point, above or below a definite
datum. This datum is an imaginary level surface
whose constant elevation is assumed to be
zero. The most commonly used datum is mean
sea level.

Horizontal and vertical

Measurement
All measurements made in surveying are resolved
into two planes i.e. horizontal and vertical planes.

Surveying is carried out by the following four

methods ofmeasurement:

1. Horizontal Distances (e.g. using tape, stadia

distance, EDM etc)

2. Horizontal Angles (e.g. using a Theodolite, Total

station)

3. Vertical Distances (e.g. using a Dumpy,

Automatic, Digital level)

4. Vertical Angles (e.g. using a Theodolite, Total

station)
Measurement of horizontal and vertical angles is
made only in their own respective planes.
Distances can be measured in any plane, but are
always resolved into thehorizontal and vertical
components by means of vertical angular
measurementsand trigonometrical ratios.

On nearly every type of map, distances

betweenpoints on the surface of the earth are
plotted as horizontal distances.

Reduced Level
The Reduced Level of a point is its height above
or below the particular datum adopted. Any
suitable datum may be selected for a particular
survey.

Bench Mark
A Bench Mark (B.M.) is a fixed point of known
height, from which the level of other points
may be established.

Levelling
Levelling may be defined as the operation of
determining the differences in height of points
on the surface of the earth.