INTRODUCTION TO

SURVEYING
 SURVEYING
• It is the art of determining the positions on or near the earth’s
surface by means of measurements in the three elements of
space; namely distance, direction, and elevation. (Rayner and
Schmidt)

• It is the art of measuring horizontal and vertical distances

between objects, of measuring angles between lines, of
determining the direction of lines, and of establishing points by
predetermined angular and linear measurements. (Davis,
Foote, Anderson and Mikhail)
 SURVEYING
• It is the art of making such measurements of the relative
positions of points on the surface of the earth that, on drawing
them to scale, natural and artificial features may be exhibited in
their correct horizontal or vertical relationship. (Clarke)

• It is that branch of applied mathematics which teaches the art of

determining the area of any portion of the earth’s surface, the
length and directions of the boundary lines, the contour of the
surfaces, and of accurately delineating the whole paper.
(Webster)
 SURVEYING
• It is the science or art of making such measurements as are
necessary to determine the relative position of points above, on,
or beneath the surface of the earth, or to establish such point.
(Breed, Hosmer, and Bone)

• It is the art and science of determining angular and linear

measurements to establish the form, extent, and relative
position of points, lines, and areas on or near the surface of the
earth or on other extraterrestrial bodies through applied
mathematics and the use of specialized equipment and
techniques. (La Putt)
 SURVEYING : IMPORTANCE

• Necessary for determining property boundaries and divide

sections of land into smaller pieces.
• Necessary for planning and laying out of projects.
• Subdivisions, highways, railroads, canal, piers, wharves, dams,
irrigation and drainage networks, etc.
• Industrial equipment, set machinery, hold tolerances in ships and
airplanes, forestry and geological maps, etc.
 CLASSIFICATIONS OF SURVEYS
PLANE SURVEYING GEODETIC SURVEYING

• The Earth is considered to be • Takes into account the

a flat surface spheroidal shape of the Earth

• The curvature of the Earth is • The curvature of the Earth is

not taken into consideration taken into consideration

• Suitable for small area • Suitable for large area

surveying
 CLASSIFICATIONS OF SURVEYS
PLANE SURVEYING GEODETIC SURVEYING
• Survey accuracy is low • Survey accuracy is high

• Economic and easy survey • Special instrument needed

method and long survey method
 TYPES OF SURVEYS

CADASTRAL SURVEY

• These are closed surveys in

urban and rural locations to
determine and define
property lines and
boundaries, corners, and
areas.
 TYPES OF SURVEYS

CITY SURVEY

• These are surveys of the

areas in and near a city for
the purpose of planning
expansions or improvements,
locating property lines, fixing
reference monuments,
determining the physical
features and configuration of
the land, and preparing maps.
 TYPES OF SURVEYS

CONSTRUCTION SURVEY

• These are undertaken at

construction site to provide
data regarding grades,
reference lines, dimensions,
ground configuration, and the
location and elevation of
structures which are of
concern to engineers,
architects, and builders.
 TYPES OF SURVEYS

FORESTRY SURVEY

• These are surveys in

connection with forest
management and
mensuration, and the
production and conservation
of forest lands.
 TYPES OF SURVEYS

HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEY

• These are surveys made to

map shore lines, chart the
shape of areas underlying
water surfaces, and measure
the flow of streams.
 TYPES OF SURVEYS

INDUSTRIAL SURVEY

• These are the use of

surveying techniques in ship
building, construction and
assembly of aircraft, lay-out
and installation of heavy and
complex machinery, and in
other industries requiring very
accurate dimension layouts.
 TYPES OF SURVEYS

MINE SURVEY

• These determines the position

of all underground excavations
and surface mine structures, to
fix surface boundaries of
mining claims, determine
geological formations, to
calculate excavated volumes,
and establish lines and grades
for other related mining work.
 TYPES OF SURVEYS
PHOTOGRAMMETRIC
SURVEY
• These survey uses
photographs taken with
specially designed cameras
either from airplanes or ground
stations.
 TYPES OF SURVEYS

ROUTE SURVEY

• These involves the determination

of alignment, grades, earthwork
quantities, location of natural and
artificial objects in connection
with the planning, design, and
construction of highways,
railroads, pipelines, canals,
transmission lines, and other
linear projects.
 TYPES OF SURVEYS

TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY

• These surveys determine the

shape of the ground, the location
and elevation of natural and
artificial features upon it.
 TYPES OF MEASUREMENTS
DIRECT MEASUREMENT INDIRECT MEASUREMENT

• Comparison of measured • Made when it is not possible

quantity with a standard to apply a measuring
measuring unit (makes use of instrument directly to a
instruments to measure the quantity.
quantity)
 TYPES OF MEASUREMENTS

• Linear, Area, and Volume Measurements

• Angular Measurements
• Radians – SI unit for plane angles (the angle subtended by
an arc of a circle having a length equal to the radius of a
circle).
• Sexagesimal Units – the degree, minute, second
• Centesimal Units – use grads (360° = 400 grads) –the grad
is divided into 100 centesimal minutes and the minute is
divided into100 centesimal seconds.
SURVEYING FIELD NOTES
 TYPES OF NOTES
1. Sketches
2. Tabulations
3. Explanatory Notes
4. Computations
5. Combination of the above
 INFORMATION FOUND IN FIELD NOTEBOOKS
1. Title of the Field Work or Name
of Project
2. Time of Day and Date
3. Weather Conditions
4. Names of Group Members and
their Designations
5. List of Equipment
 FIELD SURVEY PARTY
CHIEF OF PARTY ASSISTANT CHIEF OF PARTY
• RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERALL • Assists the chief of party in the
DIRECTION, SUPERVISION AND
OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE accomplishment of the task assigned to
SURVEY PARTY. the survey party.
• RESPONSIBLE FOR SUBMITTING • Responsible for employment of
SURVEY REPORTS AND RECORDS, AND
SEES TO IT THAT THESE ARE surveying equipment, instruments and
COMPLETE, ACCURATE AND ADHERES accessories used in the survey operation.
TO PRESCRIBED TECHNICAL
STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS • Prepares field and office reports and
survey plans for submission to chief of
party.
 FIELD SURVEY PARTY
INSTRUMENTMAN TECHNICIAN
• Person whose duty is to set up, • Person responsible for use and
level, and operate surveying operation of all electronic
instruments. instruments required in a field
• Sees to it that instruments to be work operation.
used are in good working • Has a duty to see to it that the
condition and in proper equipment are functioning
adjustment. properly, are regularly
calibrated, and are in proper
adjustment.
 FIELD SURVEY PARTY
COMPUTER RECORDER

• Person whose duty is to • Person whose duty is to keep a

perform all computations of record of all sketches, drawings,
survey data and works out measurements and
necessary computational observations taken or needed
checks required in a field work for a field work operation
operation
 FIELD SURVEY PARTY
HEAD TAPEMAN
REAR TAPEMAN
• PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCURACY
AND SPEED OF ALL LINEAR • Person whose duty is to assist the head
MEASUREMENTS WITH TAPE. tapeman during taping operations and in
• DETERMINES AND DIRECTS THE other related work.
MARKING STATIONS TO BE OCCUPIED
BY INSTRUMENTS AND DIRECTS
CLEARING OF OBSTRUCTION ALONG
THE LINE OF SIGHT.
• RESPONSIBLE FOR ELIMINATING OR
REDUCING POSSIBLE ERRORS AND
MISTAKES IN TAPING.
 FIELD SURVEY PARTY
FLAGMAN RODMAN

• Person whose duty is to hold • Person who holds the stadia or

the flagpole or range pole at levelling rod when sights are to
selected points as directed by be taken on it.
the instrumentman.
• Responsible for setting up
reflectors or targets where
electronic distance measuring
instruments are used.
 FIELD SURVEY PARTY
AXEMAN / LINEMAN AIDMAN
• Person whose duty is to clear • Person whose duty is to render
the line of sight first aid treatment to members of
• Responsible also for the safety the survey party who are
and security of members of the involved in accidents involving
survey party at the survey site. their health, safety, and well
being.
 FIELD SURVEY PARTY
UTILITYMAN

• Person whose duties are to

render other forms of
assistance needed by the
survey party or as directed by
the chief of party.
 ERROR VS MISTAKE
MISTAKE
ERROR
• DIFFERENCE FROM A TRUE VALUE
• Difference between the true
CAUSED BY THE INATTENTION OF THE
value and the measured value
SURVEYOR.
of a quantity
• INACCURACIES IN MEASUREMENTS
• Can be caused imperfection of WHICH OCCUR BECAUSE SOME
a person’s senses, by the ASPECT OF A SURVEYING OPERATION
IS PERFORMED BY THE SURVEYOR
imperfection of the equipment, WITH CARELESSNESS, POOR
or by weather effects. JUDGMENT, AND IMPROPER
EXECUTION.
 TYPES OF ERRORS
SYSTEMATIC ERRORS ACCIDENTAL ERRORS

• This type of error is one which • These errors are purely

will always have the same sign accidental in character. The
and magnitude as long as field occurrence of such errors are
conditions remain constant and matters of chance as they are
unchanged likely to be positive o negative,
and may tend in part to
compensate or average out
according to laws of probability.
 SOURCES OF ERRORS
• Instrumental Errors – due to imperfections of the instrument
used.

• Natural Errors – caused by variations in the phenomena of

nature.

• Personal Errors – arise from the limitations of the senses of

sight, touch and hearing of the human observer which are likely
to be erroneous or inaccurate.
 PRECISION VS ACCURACY
PRECISION ACCURACY
• Refers to the degree of • Denotes the absolute nearness
refinement or consistency of a of observed quantities to their
group of observations and is true values.
evaluated on the basis of
discrepancy size

Precise but not accurate Neither Precise nor accurate Precise and accurate
 MOST PROBABLE VALUE
• It refers to a quantity which, based on available data, has more
chance of being correct than has any other
𝑋1 + 𝑋2 + 𝑋3 + ⋯ + 𝑋𝑛
𝑀𝑃𝑉 = 𝑋=
𝑛
STANDARD ERROR
• Estimates the likely accuracy of a number based on the sample
size
𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑢𝑎𝑙 Σ(𝑀𝑃𝑉 − 𝑥)2 Σ𝑣2
𝑣 = 𝑀𝑃𝑉 − 𝑥 𝐸=± =±
𝑛−1 𝑛−1
 STANDARD ERROR OF THE MEAN
• Indicates the size of the likely discrepancy compared to that of
the largest population
Σ(𝑀𝑃𝑉 − 𝑥)2 Σ𝑣2 𝐸
𝐸𝑚 = ± =± =±
𝑛(𝑛 − 1) 𝑛(𝑛 − 1) 𝑛

PROBABLE ERROR OF THE MEAN

• Probability of true error being less or greater than the probable
error is 50%
Σ(𝑀𝑃𝑉 − 𝑥)2 𝐸
𝑃𝐸𝑚 = ±0.6745 = ±0.6745
𝑛(𝑛 − 1) 𝑛
 RELATIVE PRECISION
• Ratio of the precision of a given measurement and the value of
the measurement itself.
𝑃𝐸𝑚
𝑅𝐸 =
𝑀𝑃𝑉
ERROR OF A SUM
𝐿𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 ± 𝐸𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙

𝐿1 ± 𝐸1 𝐿2 ± 𝐸2 𝐿3 ± 𝐸3
𝐿𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 𝐿1 + 𝐿2 + 𝐿3 + ⋯ + 𝐿𝑛
𝐸𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = ± (𝐸1)2 + (𝐸2)2 + (𝐸3)2 + ⋯ + (𝐸𝑛)2
ERROR OF A PRODUCT

𝐸𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = ± (𝐴 × 𝐸𝐵)2+(𝐵 × 𝐸𝐴)2

 WEIGHTED MEASUREMENTS
• The weight is DIRECTLY proportional to the NUMBER OF
OBSERVATIONS OR MEASUREMENTS
• The weight is INVERSELY proportional to the SQUARE OF
PROBABLE ERRORS
• The weight is INVERSELY proportional to the DISTANCE
• The weight is INVERSELY proportional to the NUMBER OF
SET-UPS
• The correction (C) is inversely proportional to the weight (W)

%𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑟.
𝐶= ×𝐸
Σ %𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑟.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
STEEL TAPE

• Also called the engineer’s or

surveyor’s tape
• Graduated in feet or meters
together with decimal parts
and lengths may vary from 15
to 100 m.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
RANGE POLES

• Used as guides or markers

when sighting points, and for
lining up tapemen in order to
keep them going along the
correct direction.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
CHAINING PINS

• Used for marking the ends of

tapes or intermediate points
during taping.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
TAPE THERMOMETER

• Attached to the tape for the

purpose of determining the
temperature during actual
taping.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
SPRING SCALE

• Used at the end of a tape for

reading the pull applied to the
tape during measurement
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
TAPE CLAMPING HANDLE

• Used to apply tension by a

strong grip using a scissor-type
action on any part of a steel
tape.
• Device to provide a tapeman’s
hands from injury when
handling steel tapes with sharp
edges
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
PLUMB BOB

• Used to project a point on the

tape down to the ground, or to
project a point on the ground
up to the tape.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS

• TAPE LEATHER THONGS

• ATTACHED TO THE FORWARD END OF A STEEL TAPE TO

ALLOW THE TAPEMAN A BETTER HOLD ON THE TAPE
DURING MEASUREMENT.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
WOODEN HUB / PEG

• Used in surveying to establish

points on the ground.
• Driven to the ground and used
in staking out a building, to run
road center lines, and in
staking out lines or grades.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
BRUNTON POCKET COMPASS

• Combines the main features of

a sighting compass, a
prismatic compass, a hand
level, and a clinometer.
• An accurate and convenient
device for topographic and
preliminary surveys of all
kinds.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
DUMPY LEVEL

• Most widely used direct

levelling instrument.
• Name originated from the fact
that formerly this instrument
was usually equipped with an
inverting eyepiece and was
shorter than other levels of the
same magnifying power.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
WYE LEVEL

• Its telescope tube is supported

by two Y-shaped uprights fixed
to a horizontal bar and in turn
attached to the vertical spindle
about which the instrument
rotates.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
AUTOMATIC LEVEL

• Incorporated with self-levelling

features.
• Very useful under conditions of
unstable ground and wind, and
where speed in levelling work
is an important consideration.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS

• LEVELLING RODS

• USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN INSTRUMENT SUCH

AS A TRANSIT OR A LEVEL TO DETERMINE DISTANCES
OR DIFFERENCES IN ELEVATION.
• CAN BE SELF-READING OR TARGET RODS.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
LEVELLING RODS

• Philadelphia Rod is the most

commonly used type of rod
wherein it is a combination
self-reading and target rod and
consists of two sliding sections
so that it can be extended to a
length about twice the length of
one section.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
ENGINEER’S TRANSIT

• Essentially a telescope and

two large protractors, one
mounted in a vertical plane
and the other in a horizontal
plane, fixed to measure the
angle of rotation of the
telescope about the horizontal
and vertical axes, respectively.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
THEODOLITE

• Precision instrument for

measuring angles.
• Two general classes of
theodolites : repeating
theodolites and direction
theodolites
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS

• PLANE TABLE

• COMPOSED OF A DRAWING BOARD MOUNTED ON A

TRIPOD SO THAT IT CAN BE SET UP IN THE FIELD
AND LEVELLED.
• USED IN FIELD COMPILATION OF MAPS.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
ALIDADE

• Combination of a straight edge

and a sighting device.
• Can be used to plot angles
graphically, determine
horizontal, vertical, and
inclined distances by stadia
method
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
SUBTENSE BAR

• Device used for determining

distances indirectly.
• Consists of a bar made from
an alloy having a low
coefficient of expansion.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
SEXTANT

• An angle measuring
instrument, held in the hand of
the user.
• Functions by the physical
principle that a light ray striking
a plane mirror causes the
angles of incidence and
reflection to be equal.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
GEODETIC TOTAL STATION

• Consists of an electronic distance

measuring instrument, an
electronic digital theodolite, and a
microcomputer.
• Has the capability to
simultaneously measure distance,
as well as direction, and transmit
the results automatically to a
microcomputer.
 SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
REFLECTORS AND TARGETS

• Device used with an EDM

instrument when a continuous
beam of light needs to be
transmitted during the
measurement of distances.