26+ Types of Surveying Equipment with Their Uses * e ‘ : 23 Surveying Instruments and Their Uses | Instruments Used In Surveying | Surveying Equipment and Their Uses By Bhushan Mahajan Post Contents What Is Surveying? Importance of Surveying Types of Surveying Types of Surveying Instrumnts and Their Uses With Pictures Measuring Tapes Surveying Chains ArrowTwo types of measurements are taken in surveying: Linear measurements and angular measurements. There are different types of surveying equipment used in civil engineering such as Chain, Theodolite, dumpy level, cross-staff, plane table, ranging road, measuring tapes, etc. Importance of Surveying Planning and design of all civil engineering projects require measurements from surveying. Execution of work needs surveying too for transferring the points onto the ground. Fixing of state and national boundaries also required measurements obtained from surveying. Control points can be established with the help of surveying. Hydrographical and oceanographic charting and mapping are facilitated by surveying. * A topographic map of the land surface can be prepared with the help of surveying. Read More: Top 15 Civil Engineering SoftwareMeasuring Tape It is made up of cotton, coated linen, or any other synthetic material. Centimeters or decimetres are marked on the tape. They are available in length of 20, 30, or 50 metres. Some of the commonly used tapes in surveying are: Cloth/linen tape: Available in lengths 10, 20, 25, and 30 metre. Also available in lengths of 33, 50, 66, and 100 feet. A brass ring is provided at the terminal end of this tape. Rarely used nowadays Metallic tape: Available in lengths 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50 meters. Except for 2 and 5- meter tapes, other tapes have a small ring fastened at the ends which is of the same width as that of the tape for protection and are supplied in a leather or metal case with a winding device Steel tape: Available in lengths 1, 2, 10, 20, 30, and 50 meters. Except for 1 and 2 meter tapes, other tapes have a small brass ring fastened at the ends. These tapes are supplied in a corrosion-resistant metal case or a leather case with a winding device. It should be handled with care, as it is a delicate instrument. However, its quality and accuracy are far better than the other tapes. Invar tape: Available in lengths of 20, 30, and 100 meters. Made up of an alloy of nickel and steel with a low thermal coefficient of expansion. Used for linear measurements that require high precision. It should be kept on reels of high diameterThe total length of the chain is 20 metre or 30 metre, which also includes a brass handle on each end. The handles are provided with swivel joints for they can be easily turned during surveying without being twisted. Some of the commonly used chains in surveying are 1. Metric chain— Widely used and available in lengths of 5, 10, 20, and 30 meters. 2. Surveyor’s chain: Length is 66 feet and has 100 links Widely used for land measurement as 10 square chains make 1 acre. 3. Engineer's chain: Length is 100 feet and has 100 links. Brass tags are installed at every 10 feet. 4, Revenue chain: Length is 33 feet and has 16 links. A chain has to be tested if it is accurate and necessary adjustments are made if not. Arrow Surveying ArrowA hammer is used to drive the peg into the ground. Read More: Top 10 Civil Engineering Site Work Ranging Rods Ranging Rods Ranging rods are 2-3 metres in length and are painted with alternate bands of two colors like white and black, red and white in succession. Each band is kept at a length of 20 centimeters. Ranging rods are made of well-seasoned timber. Their cross-section is kept either circular or octagonal with 3 cm nominal diameter. They are used to range an intermediate point on a survey line.In theodolites, compass, plane table, and other surveying instruments, it is used for centring purpose. Read More: Unit of Measurement in Civil Engineering B. Instruments for Setting out Right Angles Cross Staff It is the simplest instrument for setting out right angles on a survey line. It has a frame containing two pairs of opposite slits mounted on a pole. The pole can be used to fix the instrument on the ground.Optical Square It is more accurate than a cross-staff. Also, it is convenient to use for setting out right angles. It has a circular box with three slits. The instrument is set on the line whose perpendicular is to be set out. Two slits point towards the ranging rod at the end of the survey line. Then another ranging rod is to be set at such a point that the two images coincide with each other. This point Is on the perpendicular of the initial line. Prism SquareIt comprises a magnetic needle attached to a graduated circular ring made up of aluminium. The needle orients itself to the magnetic meridian if it is on the pivot. Object vane and eye slit are attached to the compass box and help in locating the line of sight. 1 Prismatic Compass Object vane has thin vertical hair while eye slit has a vertical slit. A triangular prism is also attached below eye slit to suit different sighting requirements with both horizontal and vertical faces convex. The south end corresponds to 0° while the west end corresponds to 90° and so on. Thus, the north end is at 180° while the east end is at 270°. Temporary or permanent adjustments are to be carried out for the compass as required.meridian, north and south ends are at 0°. While the east and west end correspond to soe. Temporary or permanent adjustments are to be carried out for the compass as required. Centring and levelling are temporary adjustments. The temporary adjustments are to be made every time the instrument is set. Read More: Important point for Civil Site Engineer D. Instruments for Setting out Angles Theodolite It is the most precise instrument for the measurement of horizontal and vertical angles. It is popular in various surveying applications. There are two types of theodolite- transit and non-transit. Non-transit theodolites have become obsolete these days. Transit theodolite is such theodolite in which the telescope can be revolved by 180° in the vertical plane.levelling. Levelling up Is done by the screw head It Is either three screw head or four: screw head. Parallax is eliminated by focusing the eyepiece as well as the objective. A theodolite can be used to, * Measure the magnetic bearing of a line * Measure direct angles * Measure deflection angles * Extend a straight line * Establish a straight line between two points * Locating point of intersection between two straight lines * Setting out a horizontal angle * Setting out an angle by repetition * Establish grade Measure the difference in elevation * Setting out curves Repetition method or Reiteration methods can be employed for setting out horizontal angles to obtain more precise results. Total Station It is an electronic transit theodolite with an electronic distance meter (EDM). The crosshairs on the reflector of TS are aligned to the ranging rod and the vertical and horizontal angles are measured along with slope distances simultaneously. arentE. Instruments for Plane Table Surveying Tripod A tripod with a device for levelling and controlling its orientation is used in the plane table surveying. Plane Table Plane Table Three types of plane tables are commonly used, + Traverse table: It consists of a small drawing board mounted on a light tripod so that the board can be rotated about the vertical axis and then clamped in the desired position. The table is levelled via tripod legs by eye-estimation. * Johnson table: It consists of a drawing board of size 45 * 60 cm or 60 * 75 cm. The head has a ball and socket joint while on its underside, a vertical spindle with thumbscrews is present. After loosening the upper screw, the table can be tiltedpaper surface. A narrow slit is provided at one vane while the other vane has a hair or thin wire. Both slits can thus give a line of sight, which is oriented towards the object to be sighted. Alidade can be rotated about the point corresponding to the station point. After sighting the object, a line is drawn against the working edge of the alidade. It is not sultable for hilly regions. Telescopic alidade: It is employed to take inclined sights. It is more accurate and provides a larger range as compared to plain alidade. It has a small telescope with a level tube and a graduated arc fixed on the horizontal axis. The horizontal axis is along the A-frame comprising of verniers as in transit. All the parts are fixed on one side of a heavy rule while the other forms working edge. The inclination of the line of sight can be read from the vertical circle. The horizontal distance between the station point and the point sighted can also be computed by taking stadia readings of the staff at the object point. Plumbing Fork It Is used for centring In large-scale works at the station point. It Is composed of a hair pin-shaped light metal frame with arms of equal length. A plumb bob is suspended from the lower arm. It is also used for transforming the ground point on the sheet at the beginning of the survey so that the plotted point and ground station are in the same vertical line.F. Instruments for ect Level Barometric levelling, trigonometric levelling, and spirit levelling are the three principal methods employed for levelling. Instruments used in spirit levelling are discussed below: Level It is used to provide a horizontal line of sight. A horizontal line can be established with the help of a level. It is the line perpendicular to the plumb line. Telescope, level tube, levelling head, and tripod are the main parts present in every level. Temporary adjustments or station adjustments are to be made each time the level is set up include setting up the level, levelling up and elimination of parallax. Differential levelling, profile levelling, cross-sectioning, reciprocal levelling, and precise levelling are some of the methods of precise levelling that can be carried out by a level. There are four types of levels: Dumpy levelsupports are in the form of curved clips. The telescope can be rotated or removed by raising the wyes. By fixing the wyes, the movement of the telescope is restricted. The bubble tube is attached to either telescope or the stage that has wyes. Levelling head is similar to the dumpy level. Adjustments are done easily with accuracy in the case of Y level, unlike the dumpy level. Reversible Level It is @ combination of dumpy level and Y level. The telescope is fixed into two rigid sockets connected to the spindle with the help of a stage. After pushing the telescope in the socket through either end and tightening the screw, it acts like a dumpy level. Tilting level In the tilting level, the line of sight can be tilted slightly without tilting the vertical axis. Hence, this level facilitates quick leveling. The vertical axis is made roughly vertical with the help of the foot screws and bubble tube. The line of sight is made exactly horizontal when the staff is sighted by centering the bubble with the help of a fine pitched tilting screw with respect to vertical. It is a straight rod with graduation marks with zero from the bottom. It helps in determining how much above or below is the station from the line of sight. There are two types of levelling staffs- self-reading staff and target staff.Care of Instrument An instrument that has telescope attached should not be lifted by telescope. The instrument should be lifted from the base plate. The instrument should be carried on the shoulder and the clamps should be tightened, but not entirely so that they can yield if bumped. The lens of the telescope should be covered with a cap if not in use. To clean the lens, the dust can be brushed off with a brush. Avoid rubbing with a silk or muslin cloth. Tripod legs should not be spread on a smooth ground carelessly. Else, the legs can easily spread out. The graduation marks on the vertical circle or other places should not be touched more. They should not be exposed to sunlight, dust, or dampness. A fine film of water oil should be applied to the instrument if the survey is to be carried out near seashore to avoid the effects of saltwater. The instrument should not be left on the road unguarded. The screw or any part of the instrument should not be moved against strain by force. It can be lubricated to facilitate easy movement. The compass needle should not be allowed to swing needlessly. It should be lifted off the pivot when not in use. Read More: What is PLot Area, Built-up Area & Carpet Area Surveying Instruments And Their Uses Following are different surveying equipments and their uses14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. Levelling Staff Theodolite Total Station Tripod Plane table Alidade Plumbing fork Spirit Level Trough Compass Drawing Paper To determine the height difference between two points To measure the height or depth of a point with respect to the datum To measure the angle between two pre-decided visible points in either horizontal or vertical plane. To measure horizontal angle To measure vertical angle To measure slope distance To support surveying instruments like compass, level, theodolite, or total station To provide a solid and level surface to make field drawings To sight a distant object and establish a line of sight in plane table surveying For centring of alidade in plane table surveying To level the table in plane table surveying To set the orientation towards magnetic north in plane table surveying To note field points on paper in plane table surveying Types of Surveying Equipments and their uses Summary Surveying can be understood as an art of deducina the relative position of the points on,