SURVEYING

Surveying is the art of and science of determining the relative positions of various points or
stations on the surface of the earth by measuring the horizontal and vertical distances, angles,
and taking the details of these points and by preparing a map or plan to any suitable scale .

Objective of Surveying
The object of surveying is to prepare a map or plan to show the relative positions of the objects
on the surface of the earth.

Uses of Surveying
The surveying may be used for following purposes:

• To prepare a topographical map which shows hills, valleys, rivers, forests, villages, towns etc.

• To prepare a cadastral map which shows the boundaries of fields, plots, houses and other
properties..

• To prepare an engineering map which shows the position of engineering works such as
buildings, roads, railways, dams, canals.

• To prepare a contour map to know the topography of the area to find out the best possible site
for roads, railways, bridges, reservoirs, canals, etc.

• Surveying is also used to prepare military map, geological map, archaeological map etc.

• For setting out work and transferring details from the map on the ground.

Primary Divisions of Surveying

We know that the shape of the earth is spheroidal. Thus the surface is obviously
curved. Surveying is primarily divided into two types considering the curvature of
the earths surface.

• Plane Surveying

• Geodetic Surveying
Plain Surveying

 The plain surveying is that type of surveying in which earth surface is considered as a
plane and the curvature of the earth is ignored.
  In such surveying a line joining any two stations is considered to be straight. The triangle
formed by any three points is considered as a plane triangle, and the angles of the triangle
are considered as plain angles.
 Surveying is carried out for a small area of less than 250 km2 . It is carried out by local
or state agencies like R & B department, Irrigation department, Railway department.

Geodetic Surveying
 The geodetic Surveying is that type of surveying in which the curvature of the earth is taken into
account. It is generally extended over larger areas.
 The line joining any two stations is considered as curved line.
 The triangle formed by any three points is considered to be spherical and the angles of the
triangle are considered to be spherical angles.
 Geodetic surveying is conducted by the survey of India Department and is carried out for a
larger area exceeding 250 km2
Fundamental Principles of Surveying

Two basic principles of surveying are:

• Always work from whole to the part, and

• To locate a new station by at least two measurements ( Linear or angular) from fixed reference
points.

Classification of Surveying

Survey can be classified into various categories depending on methods used and nature of the
field, Instruments and purpose.

• Classification Based on Instruments.

Chain Survey:

• This is the simplest type of surveying in which only linear measurements are made with a chain
or a tape. Angular measurements are not taken.

• Compass Survey:

• In Compass Survey, the angles are measured with the help of a magnetic compass.

• Chain and compass survey:

• In this survey linear measurements are made with a chain or a tape and angular measurements
with a compass.

Plane Table Surveying

• It is a graphical method of surveying in which field works and plotting both are done
simultaneously.

Theodolite Survey:

• In theodolite survey the horizontal angles are measured with the theodolite more precisely than
compass and the linear measurements are made with a chain or tape.

Tachometry Survey:

• A special type of theodolite known as tachometer is used to determine horizontal and vertical
distances indirectly.

Leveling Survey:
• This type of survey is used to determine the vertical distances (elevations) and relative heights
of points with the help of an instrument known as level

• Classification Based on methods.

Triangulation:

• Triangulation is basic method of surveying, when the area to be surveyed is large, triangulation
is adopted. The entire area is divided into network of triangles.

Traversing:

• A Traversing is circuit of survey lines. It may be open or closed. When the linear measurements
are done with a chain and a tape and the directions or horizontal angles are measured with a
compass or a theodolite respectively the survey is called traversing.
Classification based on Purpose

• Geological Survey:

• In this both surface and subsurface surveying are conducted to locate different minerals and
rocks. In addition, geological features of the terrain such as folds and faults are located.

Mine Survey

• Mine Survey includes include both surface and underground surveys. It is conducted for the
exploration of mineral deposits and to guide tunneling and other operations associated with
mining.

• Archaeological Survey

• It is conducted to locate relics of antiquity, civilization, kingdoms, forts, temples, etc.

• Military Survey

• It has a very important and critical applications in the military. Aerial surveys are conducted for
this purpose. It is conducted to locate strategic positions for the purpose of army operations.
Classification based on Nature of field

• Land Survey

• Land Survey is done on land to prepare plan and maps of a given area. Topographical, city and
cadastral surveys are some of the examples of land surveying.

• Hydrological Surveying

• This survey is conducted on or near the body of water such as lake, river, coastal area. This
Survey consists of locating shore lines of water bodies.

• Astronomical Survey

• This survey is conducted for the determining of latitudes, longitudes, azimuths, local time, etc.
for various places on earth by observing heavenly bodies ( sun or the stars).

• An aerial survey is conducted from aircraft. Aerial cameras take photographs of the surfa•
Aerial Survey

ce of the earth in overlapping strips of land. This is also known as photographic survey

Plan and Maps

Plan

A plan is the graphical representation to some scale, of the features on, near or below the surface
of the earth as projected on a horizontal plane

In plane surveying the area involved are small, the earth‟s surface Map

may be considered as plane and hence plan is constructed by orthographic projections. A plan is
drawn on a relatively large scale.

Map

If the scale of the graphical projection on a horizontal plane is small, the plan is called a map

Thus graphical representation is called a plan if the scale is large while it is called a map if the
scale is small.
On plan, generally only horizontal distances and directions or angles are shown. On
topographical map, however the vertical distances (elevations) are also represented by contour
lines.