TOTAL

STATION AND ITS APPLICATION TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

- PRESENTATION

TOTAL STATION AND ITS APPLICATION TO CIVIL ENGINEERING M.Parvathisam, Officer Surveyor, Survey of India 1. Introduction

Current State of the Art in Surveying:There can be little doubt that the single most important technological development in recent years has been the computer. It has affected almost every facet of what most of us do in our daily lives, regardless of our field of endeavor. But computers have especially impacted the technical areas of practice. In surveying and mapping, they have completely changed the way data are collected, computations are made, maps and other products are developed and then disseminated to users. Current State of the Art in Surveying (cont) :Among the newest computer-driven technologies available to assist surveying engineers in their work of developing and processing spatial data are (1) total station instruments, including robotic systems; (2) the global positioning systems (GPS); (3) digital photogrammetry and light detection ranging (LIDAR); (4) satellite remote sensing; and (5) geographic information system (GIS). These new systems are enabling surveying engineers to provide new and better types of information at lower cost and in fraction of time previously required.

1. Total Station

2. A total station is a combination of electronic transit and electronic distance measuring device (EDM).
With this device, as with a transit and tape, one may determine angles and distances from the instrument

to points to be surveyed. With the aid of trigonometry, the angles and distances may be used to calculate the actual positions (x, y, and z or northing, easting and elevation) of surveyed points in absolute terms.

3. A standard transit is basically a telescope with cross-hairs for sighting a target; the telescope is attached to
scales for measuring the angle of rotation of the telescope (normally relative to north as 0 degrees) and the angle of inclination of the telescope (relative to the horizontal as 0 degrees). After rotating the telescope to aim at a target, one may read the angle of rotation and the angle of inclination from a scale. The electronic transit provides a digital read-out of those angles instead of a scale; it is both more accurate and less prone to errors arising from interpolating between marks on the scale or from misrecording. The readout is also continuous; so angles can be checked at any time. 4. Total Station Instruments:

Beginning in about 1980, an EDM component, which also had been improved to enable automatic readout, was combined with an electronic theodolite to create a single instrument called the total station. The functions of the distance and angle measuring components were controlled by an interfaced computer. Modern total station instruments can now make slope distance measurements, automatically display the results, and also store the data in the computer memory. They can also measure angles both in horizontal planes and vertical planes, and again the results can be automatically displayed and stored. The on-board computer can use these measured data in real time to resolve horizontal and vertical distances, to calculate the positions and elevations of points, or to set points for construction projects. Total station instruments are probably the most commonly used and important instruments in modern surveying today, having practically replaced all transits, theodolites, and stand alone EDM instruments. With a total station one may determine angles and distances from the instrument to points to be surveyed. With the aid of trigonometry and triangulation, the angles and distances may be used to calculate the coordinates of actual positions (X, Y, and Z or northing, easting and elevation ) of surveyed points, or the position of the instrument from known points, in absolute terms. The data may be downloaded from the theodolite to an external computer and application software will generate a map of the surveyed area.

1. Components of a Total Station

P RISM : S INGLE

PRISM AND TRIPLE PRISM

T RIPOD

AND

P OLE

2. Micro-processor

P A B RESECTION 3. Specifications Range

Reflectorless > 3 550 meters

Single Prism -> 1 2000 m Triple Prism -> 1 2200 m Accuracy

Prism: 3500 m, 1 mm+1.5 ppm accuracy Non-Prism: 30 m FlexPoint Non-Prism: >400 m PinPoint Power Non-Prism: >1000 m PinPoint UltraData Storage 0 10000 points

1. Field to Finish Operation Control/operation (robotic) Measurement and basic comps Final Comps, checks and outputs Transfer remotely (radio/cell phone) Memory card USB and Compact Flash Automatic target recognition

2. Some total stations also have a GPS interface which combines these two technologies to make use of

the advantages of both (GPS - line of sight not required between measured points; Traditional Total Station - high precision measurement especially in the vertical axis compared with GPS) and reduce the consequences of each technology & disadvantages (GPS - poor accuracy in the vertical axis and lower accuracy without long occupation periods; Total Station - requires line of sight observations and must be set up over a known point or within line of sight of 2 or more known points). 3. Most modern total station instruments measure angles by means of electro-optical scanning of extremely precise digital bar-codes etched on rotating glass cylinders or discs within the instrument. The best quality total stations are capable of measuring angles down to 0.5 arc-second. 1.

Measurement of distance is accomplished with a modulated microwave or infrared carrier signal, generated by a small solid-state emitter within the instrument & optical path, and bounced off of the object to be measured. The modulation pattern in the returning signal is read and interpreted by the onboard computer in the total station. The distance is determined by emitting and receiving multiple frequencies, and determining the integer number of wavelengths to the target for each frequency. Most total stations use a purposebuilt glass Porro prism as the reflector for the EDM signal, and can measure distances out to a few kilometers, but some instruments are reflectorless, and can measure distances to any object that is reasonably light in color, out to a few hundred meters. The typical Total Station EDM can measure distances accurate to about 3 millimeters or 1/1000th of a foot.

1.

 Some modern total stations are robotic allowing the operator to control the instrument from a distance via remote control. This eliminates the need for an assistant staff member to hold the reflector prism over the point to be measured. The operator holds the reflector him/herself and controls the total station instrument from the observed point. Robotic total station instruments can automatically and repeatedly measure distances and angles to a moving reflector and store the values in memory without need of an operator.

With its built-in computer it can also calculate instantaneous positions and rely them by radio to users. This has many potential applications, including real-time tracking and positioning for hydrographic surveys, dredging operations, and of particular interest, stakeless construction.

1. Application Vehicular Accident Reconstruction applications

Total stations are used by police, crime scene investigators, private accident reconstructionists and insurance companies to take measurements of scenes. Once they take accurate measurements with a total station they can use software to recreate the accident in a 3D animation . Mining applications - Total stations are the primary survey instrument used in many mining applications. As the development drifts in an underground mine are driven, a total station will be used to record the absolute location of the tunnel walls (stope), ceilings (backs), and floors. This data can then be loaded into a CAD program, and compared to the designed layout of the tunnel. At regular intervals, the survey party will install stations. These are small steel plugs that are drilled into the walls or the back. The plugs are installed in pairs. For wall stations, two plugs are installed in opposite walls, forming a line perpendicular to the drift. For back stations, two plugs are installed in the back, forming a line parallel to the drift. When the survey crew wants to set up the total station in a drift, they use a set of plugs to locate the total station.

1. Continuing Evolution of Measurement Technologies Leica Smartstation Topcon Imaging TS Merging TS

and GPS Merging TS and Lidar Terrestrial Photogrammetry? High Resolution Satellite Imagery Google Earth Broadcast of Real-Time Corrections.

Instrument manufacturers: Leica, Nikon, Sokkia, Topkon, Trimble, Pentax etc,

Advantages of total station: 1. Reduce error 2. Time saving 3. Accurate outcome 4. Precise data Disadvantages of total station: 1. Not weather free i.e. cannot be used during rainy season 2. Cost-effective i.e. some of the total stations are not equipped with quick coding and to survey with such instruments using coding lot of time is consumed in the field work and the cost of the work will be increased. 3. In-accurate outcome if the operator is not trained properly 4. A little jungle clearance is necessary to get line of sight Types of surveys and applicability:

Archaeological Survey: used to accurately assess the relationship of archaeological sites in a landscape or to accurately record finds on an archaeological site. As-built survey: a survey carried out during or immediately after a construction project for record, completion evaluation and payment purposes. An as-built survey also known as a 'works as executed survey' documents the location of the recently constructed elements that are subject to completion evaluation. As built surveys are typically presented in red or redline and overlayed over existing design plans for direct comparison with design information. Bathymetric survey: a survey carried out to map the topography and features of the bed of an ocean, lake, river or other body of water. Boundary survey: a survey that establishes boundaries of a parcel using its legal description which typically involves the setting or restoration of monuments or markers at the corners or along the lines of the parcel, often in the form of iron rods, pipes, or concrete monuments in the ground, or nails set in concrete or asphalt. Deformation survey: a survey to determine if a structure or object is changing shape or moving. The three-dimensional positions of specific points on an object are determined, a period of time is allowed to pass, these positions are then re-measured and calculated, and a comparison between the two sets of positions is made. Engineering surveys: those surveys associated with the engineering design (topographic, layout and as-built) often requiring geodetic computations beyond normal civil engineering practise. Foundation survey: a survey done to collect the positional data on a foundation that has been poured and is cured. This is done to ensure that the foundation was constructed in the location, and at the elevation, authorized in the plot plan, site plan, or subdivision plan. Geological survey: generic term for a survey conducted for the purpose of recording the geologically significant features of the area under investigation. . Hydrographic survey: a survey conducted with the purpose of mapping the coastline and seabed for navigation, engineering, or resource management purposes. Measured survey : a building survey to produce plans of the building. such a survey may be conducted before renovation works, for commercial purpose, or at end of the construction process "as built survey"

Mortgage survey or physical survey: a simple survey that delineates land boundaries and building locations. In many places a mortgage survey is required by lending institutions as a precondition for a mortgage loan. Soil survey, or soil mapping, is the process of determining the soil types or other properties of the soil cover over a landscape, and mapping them for others to understand and use. Structural survey: a detailed inspection to report upon the physical condition and structural stability of a building or other structure and to highlight any work needed to maintain it in good repair. Tape survey: this type of survey is the most basic and inexpensive type of land survey. Popular in the middle part of the 20th century, tape surveys while being accurate for distance lack substantially in their accuracy of measuring angle and bearing. Standards that are practiced by professional land surveyors. Topographic survey: a survey that measures the elevation of points on a particular piece of land, and presents them as contour lines on a plot. SURVEYING FREE STATION DISTANCE RESECTION RADIATION STAKEOUT DISTANCE ELEVATION MEASURMENT COGO COORDINATE GEOMETRY APPLICATIONS REFERENCE LINE/ARC a) Fixing parallel lines b) Fixing curves c) Random distance measurement radial & continuous d) Area calculation e) Stake Out Chord

APPLICATIONS: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

This allows taking out a series of equidistant chords along the arc. CL: Chord length, SP: Start point of arc, EP: End point of arc, P: Point to stake

Total Station Applications (Diagrammatic Representation) 3-D Coordinate Measurement & Staking-out Measure and calculate 3-D coordinates. Display as N, E, Z coordinate format. Stake out according to the input coordinate value and display the position of staking-out point. Azimuth Setting Automatically set the coordinate azimuth in the back sight direction by using the coordinates of the instrument point and back sight point.

Missing Line Measurement (MLM) Automatically calculate the horizontal distance, slope distance and elevation difference between two target prisms.

Instrument Height Instrument height can be obtained through measuring the height of several points (Max.10 points).

Remote Elevation Measurement(REM) To obtain elevation of the point at which setting the prism is impossible.

Resection Calculate the coordinate of the unknown point by two or more known points.

Angle Offset Place the prism (offset point) on the left or right of the target point and make the distance between

Area Calculation Calculate the area of a closed figure from measured data or coordinate data file.

the offset point and instrument point be same to that between target point and instrument point. After measuring offset point, face the instrument to the direction of target point, then the coordinates of target point will be calculated automatically.