SURVEYING REVIEWER B.
MEASURING WHEEL
DISTANCE MEASUREMENT
is generally regarded as the most
fundamental of all surveying observations.
TRADITIONAL GROUND SURVEYS
Even though many angles may be read, the
length of at least one line must be
measured to supplement the angles in
locating points.
PLANE SURVEYING
The distance between two points means the
horizontal distance.
DISTANCE BY TACHYMETRY
It is based on the optical geometry of the
instruments employed and is an indirect
method of measurement.
TRANSIT OR A THEODOLITE
Used to determine subtended intervals and
angles on a graduated rod or scale from
which distances are computed by
trigonometry.
SUBTENSE BAR METHOD
Is a convenient and practical device used
for quick and accurate measurement of
horizontal distances.
STADIA METHOD
This method provides a rapid means of
determining horizontal distances.
It was introduced in 1771 by James Watt of
Scotland and was at that time referred to as
a micrometer for measuring distances.
DISTANCE BY MECHANICAL DEVICES
A. ODOMETER
The odometer is a simple device that
can attached to a wheel for purposes of
roughly measuring surface distances.
The wheel is rolled over the distance to
be measured and the number of
revolutions of the wheel is directly
registered by the device.
A measuring wheel is very similar in
operation to an odometer except that it is a
more portable and self-contained
measuring device.
C. OPTICAL RANGE FINDER
An optical rangefinder operates on the
same principle as a rangefinder on a single-
lens reflex camera. This device, which is
usually hand-held or mounted on a small
tripod, can be used to determine distances
approximately simply by focusing.
PACING
consists of counting the number of steps or
paces in a required distance.
PACE
Is defined as the length of a step-in walking.
It may be measured from heel to heel or
from toe to toe.
CADASTRAL SURVEY
A specialized type of survey that establishes
the property lines and property corner
markers to determine the status of the land.
Cadastral survey has 3 major categories –
original surveys, retracement surveys, and
condominium surveys.
CITY SURVEYS
A specialized type of survey that focuses on
the city for planning expansions, locating
the property lines, fixing reference
monuments or establishments, determining
the physical features of land, and preparing
maps.
CONSTRUCTION SURVEY
A specialized type of survey that provides
line, grade, control elevations, horizontal
positions, dimensions, and configurations
for construction operations. They also
secure the essential data for computing
construction pay quantities.
FORESTRY SURVEY
A specialized type of survey that focuses on
the conservation of the forest lands, it
corelates with forest management and
mensuration.

HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEY
A specialized type of survey that defines the
shorelines and depths of lakes, streams,
oceans, reservoirs, and other bodies of
water.

INDUSTRIAL SURVEY
A specialized type of survey also known as
optical tooling that requires a method of
conducting extremely accurate
measurements for manufacturing processes
where small tolerances are required. This is
used in ship building, aircraft, installation od
heavy and complex machinery.

MINE SURVEY
A specialized type of survey that both
applied above and below ground to guide
tunneling and other similar operations that is
connected to mining. This includes
geophysical surveys on minerals and
energy resource explorations.

PHOTOGRAMMETRIC SURVEY
A specialized type of survey that equips
specialized cameras to take photographs
either from an airplane or ground stations.

ROUTE SURVEYS
A specialized type of survey that focuses on
the planning, design, and construction of
highways, railroads, pipelines, canals,
transmission lines, and linear projects. The
survey determines the alignment and
locations of natural and artificial objects for
transportation.

TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYS
A specialized type of survey that determines
the shape of the area or ground, used
mostly whenever elevation data is required.
LEVEL SURFACE
It is a curved surface which is at any point
perpendicular to the direction of gravity or the
plumb line. It is best represented by the surface of
a large body of still water.
LEVEL LINE
A level line is a curved line in a level surface all
points of which are normal to the
direction of gravity and equidistant from the center
of the earth.
HORIZONTAL SURFACE
It is a plane that is tangent a level surface at a
particular point. The horizontal surface is also
perpendicular to the plumb line at the same point.
HORIZONTAL LINE
A straight line in a horizontal plane which is tangent
to a level line at one point.
VERTICAL LINE
A vertical line at any po sine parallel to the direction
of gravity
MEAN SEA LEVEL
Is an imaginary surface of the sea which is midway
between high and low. tides. This surface, which
considered to be at zero elevation, conforms to the
spheroidal shape of the earth and is perpendicular
to direction of gravity at every point.
DATUM
Is any convenient level surface coincident or
Parallel with mean sea level to which elevations of
a particular area are referred.
ELEVATION
For a particular point, its elevation is the vertical
distance above or below mean sea level or any
other selected datum.
DIFFERENCE IN ELEVATION
The difference in elevation between two points is
the vertical distance between the two-level surfaces
in which the points lie.
DIFFERENTIAL LEVELLING
Is the process of determining the difference in
elevation between two or more points some
distance apart.
BENCH MARK (BM)
Is a fixed point of reference whose elevation is
either known or assumed. They may be permanent
or temporary.
Permanent bench marks (PBM) are those which
are established at intervals throughout the country
by the Philippine Coast and Geodetic Surveys
(PCGS) or the Bureau of Lands.
BACKSIGHTS (BS)
Backsight is a reading taken on a rod held on a
point of known or assumed elevation. It is measure
of the vertical distance from the established line
measure of sight to the point sighted, and is always
the first rod reading taken after the instrument has
been set up and levelled.
Are frequently referred to as plus sights (+S) since
they are added to the elevation of points being
sighted to determine the height of instrument.
The backsight does not necessary mean that it is
always a sight taken backward.
FORESIGHTS (FS)
A reading taken on a rod held on a point whose
elevation is to be determined.
It is represented as a vertical distance from the line
of sight of the instrument to the point observed.
Also referred as minus sight (-S) since the reading
for a foresight is subtracted from the height of
instrument to determine the elevation of the point
on which the rod is held.
TURNING POINTS (TP)
Turning point is an intervening point between two
bench marks upon which point foresight and
backsight rod readings are taken to enable a
levelling operation to continue from a new
instrument position. It is also sometimes referred to
as a change point (CP)
Elev. Of TP1 = HI - FS
HEIGHT OF INSTRUMENTS (HI)
The height of instrument (or height of collimation) is
the elevation of the line of sight of an instrument
above or below a selected reference datum. It is
determined by adding the rod reading on the
backsight to the elevation of the point on which the
sight is taken.
HI = Elev. of BMa + BS
BACKSIGHT AND FORESIGHT DISTANCE (BSD
AND FSD)
The backsight distance is measured from the
center of the instrument to the rod on which a
backsight is taken.

The horizontal distance from the center of the

instrument to the rod on which a
foresight is taken is referred to as the foresight
distance.

Its length is usually made nearly equal to its

corresponding backsight distance.

DIFFERENCE IN ELEVATION (DE)

The difference in elevation between two points is
the vertical distance between the two level surfaces
in which the points lie.

Difference in Elevation =
Elev. of BMb – Elev. of BMa

ARITHMETIC CHECK
The arithmetic check should be done before the
survey team leaves the site

The difference between the sum of foresights(FS)

and sum of backsights (BS) is equal to the
difference in elevation between the first station
(BMa) and last station (BMb)

Elev. of BMa – Elev. of BMb = ∑FS - ∑BS