CE 131: FUNDAMENTALS OF

SURVEYING
1st sem SY 2023 – 2024
TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYING

1st sem SY 2023 – 2024

TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYING
• Surveys to determine the shape of the ground, the
location and elevation of natural and artificial features
upon it
• Determining the relative locations of points/places on
earth’s surface by measuring horizontal distances,
differences in elevations and directions
• Used to produce topographic maps, constructing cross-
sectional profiles, establishing vertical/horizontal control
for accurately defining locations
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTOUR
• CONTOUR/CONTOUR
LINE – an imaginary
line which connects
points of equal
elevation. Such lines
are drawn on the
plan of an area after
establishing reduced
levels of several
points in the area.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTOUR
1. Contour lines must close, not necessarily in the limits of the
plan.
2. The horizontal distance between any two contour lines
indicates the amount of slope and varies inversely on the
amount of slope.
3. Widely-spaced contour indicates flat surface.
4. Closely spaced contour indicates steep slope ground.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTOUR
5. Equally spaced contour indicates uniform slope.
6. Irregular contours indicate uneven surface.
7. Approximately concentric closed contours with decreasing
values towards center indicate a pond.
8. Approximately concentric closed contours with increasing
values towards center indicate hills.
9. Contour lines with U-shape with convexity towards lower
ground indicate ridge.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTOUR
10. Contour lines with V-shaped with convexity towards
higher ground indicate valley.
11. Contour lines generally do not meet or intersect each other.
If contour lines are meeting in some portion, it shows
experience of a vertical cliff.
12. Contours of different elevations cannot cross each other. If
contour lines cross each other, it shows existence of
overhanging cliffs or a cave.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTOUR
13. The steepest slope of terrain at any point on a contour is
represented along the normal of the contour at that point.
14. Contours do not pass through permanent structures such as
buildings.
15. A contour line must close itself but need not be necessarily
within the limits of the map.
TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYING
TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYING
TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYING
TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYING
TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYING
HORIZONTAL CURVES

1st sem SY 2023 – 2024

HORIZONTAL CURVES
• Important transition elements in
geometric design for highways
• Provide a transition between two
tangent strips of roadway, allowing a
vehicle to negotiate a turn at a gradual
rate rather than a sharp cut.
HORIZONTAL CURVES
• The design of the curve is dependent on the
intended design speed for the roadway, as well as
other factors including drainage and friction.
• These curves are semicircles as to provide the
driver with a constant turning rate with radii
determined by the laws of physics surrounding
centripetal force.
HORIZONTAL CURVES
HORIZONTAL CURVES
HORIZONTAL CURVES
ELEMENTS OF HORIZONTAL CURVES
ELEMENTS OF HORIZONTAL CURVES
ELEMENTS OF HORIZONTAL CURVES
TYPES OF CURVES
•SIMPLE
•COMPOUND
•REVERSE
•SPIRAL
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE – SIMPLE CURVE
•A 3-degree simple curve is used to
connect two highways whose bearings
are S11°W and S47°W. Use arc basis.
Det. The length of the curve, external
distance, tangent distance and middle
ordinate in meters.
EXAMPLE – SIMPLE CURVE
•A 4-degree curve has tangents with
bearings of N20°E and N60°E,
respectively. The stationing of PI is
3+980. Det. the middle ordinate in
meters and the stationing of PT.
EXAMPLE – COMPOUND CURVE
• The common tangent AB of a compound
curve is 82.38m. The angles the common
tangent makes with the tangents through
PC and PT of the compound curve are
23°10’ and 15°20’, respectively. If the
degree of the first curve is 3°30’, what is the
radius of the second curve?
EXAMPLE – COMPOUND CURVE
•The long chord of a compound curve
makes an angle of 20° and 38°,
respectively with the tangents. The
common tangent of the compound
curve is parallel to the long chord that is
185 meters long.
EXAMPLE – REVERSED CURVE
• A reversed curve of a railroad track has the
following properties:
D1 = 3° I1 = 18°
D2 = 2° I2 = 24°
Stationing of PT = 32+121 m
What is the stationing of PC? Use chord basis.
EXAMPLE – REVERSED CURVE
• In a railroad layout, the centerlines of two
parallel tracks are connected with a reversed
curve of unequal radii. The central angle of the
first curve is 16° and the distance between
parallel tracks is 27.60m. The stationing of PC is
15+420 and the radius of the second curve is
290m. Compute the stationing of PT.