REPORT

ON
ENGINEERING SURVEY

Name : N.M. Ajas Faloomy

Reg. No : D/BSV/20/0002
Designation : Survey Student
Date : 06/03/2021

Department of Spatial Sciences

General Sir John Kotelawala Defense University
Southern Campus
Contents

1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 2

1.1 Usage ........................................................................................................................................................ 2
1.2 Objectives............................................................................................................................................... 2,3
2.0 Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Equipment used ........................................................................................................................................ 3
2.2 Field work ............................................................................................................................................. 3,4
2.3 Office work ............................................................................................................................................... 4
2.4 Plan work ................................................................................................................................................. 5
3.0 Discussion ...................................................................................................................... 6,7,8
4.0 Document annexed ............................................................................................................. 8

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 1.0 INTRODUCTION
Construction area is massively spread in all over the world. Almost all the countries are engaged with various
kind of projects carried out in the field of construction, such as large-scale buildings, highways, reservoirs,
water dams, etc. To do these types of construction works, engineers and designers have to get correct
information of the terrain that the construction is going to carried out. To achieve this, surveyors have to prepare
an engineering survey plan. It gives the high accurate field data of the terrain. To collect the high accurate data
about the terrain, Total station and Auto level is used in the field. The final output of this task is to get a contour
plan of the area.
The surveyor must have enormous awareness about instruments which are used in this survey task. It means
how to handle the instruments, how to collect data using the instruments and what are the errors may occur.
To do this task, first have to choose an area with 200m X 100m block inside the Kotelawala Defense University,
Southern Campus. Students were divided into 2 groups as 8 members for each group to carry out this task.
After accomplished this surveying, was able to clearly understand the general practical procedure from the
beginning to the end while having a decent awareness about the ways of designing, managing, and almost all
other important things in the projects. Engineering surveying includes to project planning and design, quality
control of construction project to ensure the projects progress and monitoring the performance.

1.1 Usage
Used to make a precise contour plan with the spot heights and coordinates and drawing the plan with the help
of a interpolate method. Used to survey a 100m X 100m area with decent undulations.
In this Engineering Survey practical task, the “Dodan Watta” and all the features inside the block, which are
in the KDU-Southern Campus premises is surveyed.
And this following points also be the usages of this survey task.
• For planning and reckoning new engineering projects.
• For planning navigational routes such as highways, railways, harbors etc.
• To construct dams, reservoirs, and subways.
• To determine the mineral treasure of the earth.
• For construct large scale buildings.
• For military strategic activities.

1.2 Objectives

• To carry out the survey task correctly and preciously.

• To survey an area accurately and precisely using a total station and auto level instrument.
• To get an understanding about several functions of total station.
• To get an idea about the carry forward method.
• To get a knowledge concerning how to achieve a closed traverse with less errors.
• Closing the level lines accurately.
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 • Giving the precise coordinates to the grid corners.
• Maintaining the diary in a proper way.
• Maintaining field book daily correctly and neatly.
• Completing the task in the given time.
• A basic knowledge about the contours and Interpolating the contours accurately.

2.0 METHODOLOGY

2.1 Equipment used

• Total station (01)

• Auto level (01)
• Target poles (02)
• Level staves (02)
• Steel tape (01)
• Linen tape (01)
• Prism targets (02)
• Tripods (03)
• Gig umbrella (01)
• Crowbar (01)
• Cement pickets

2.2 Field work

Field work started on : 23.01.2021
Field work completed on : 01.02.2021
Meridian used : True North.

Before starting the practical task, AutoCAD drawing of the Southern Campus which was drawn in the moderate
block survey task was taken and decided an area to carry out this engineering survey task. Using this drawing
200m X 100m block was fixed on that drawing and then the area was divided into two blocks with covering
100m X 100m. After that grid corner coordinates were taken and then using “CT Droid Sri Lanka” GPS
Application, grid corners were checked approximately on ground and the points were marked using cement
pickets then got the dead measurements of the pickets.

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Then reconnaissance survey was carried out in that area and the prospection diagram was drawn. Then had to
mark those grid corners accurately on the ground by using cement monument. For that one control traverse
was run starting from KDUSC 03 GPS point and stopped at same control point but the traverse did not close.
So, ran the traverse again, it is closed. By using the control traverse got the adjusted coordinates of the points
and the four grid corners were set out by using this control traverse, and the monument were fixed correctly.
After that, the reduced level for the grid corners were given by running the level lines. Fly Back method was
used to run the level line. This level line was run using KDUSC 02 and KDUSC 03. The temporary benchmarks
(TBM) were established after giving the heights for the grid corners. For that the slope of the area was
considered. When marking the 10m intervals between grid corners, first set the instrument on one gride corner
and focused the opposite grid corner which the target was set, then clamp the instrument on the point and set
the 00՛ 00՛՛ 00՛՛. Then unclamp the instrument and orient to the 90՛ 00՛՛ 00՛՛.
Then by aligning the target pole with 10m intervals and TBMs were set out using distance setting out method.
According to the same procedure, TBM between other two grid corners was established by using cement
pickets. Then the relevant heights for that points were given from the grid corners by using fly back method.
Then established cement pickets to the outer side of the grid with 10m intervals on both sides. After that 10m
interval points were marked on ground between TBM points. Then the level lines were run in between those
points.

2.3 Office work

• Before starting the field work, prospection diagram was completed, diagrams for dead measurements of
the traverse were drawn.
• Clearing progress diagrams, traverse progress diagrams, level progress diagrams were completed in the
office.
• The diary was maintained daily. Levelling sheets were completed in the office.
• Preparing the coordinate sheet for control traverse and coordinates should not exceed 1.58√𝐾, where k is
the total traverse distance in kilometers.
• After coming from the field if any error in the field book want to clear that, and dairy of the field book
also want to be written on that day.

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 2.4 Plane Work

Plan work started on: 02.02.2021

Plan work ended on: 06.03.2021

• First an A3 sized Kent sheet is taken, then the 1cm margin of one side was drawn by measuring. After
that, the plan was divided in to two parts by using the beam compass. Then the other lines were also
plotted by using the rolling ruler. Next 11cm space was kept for lettering. Then another 4cm was kept
for the heading part from the upper margin.
• Then 20cm X 20cm grid was plotted by centering it in the plotting area. (20cm X 20cm grid consist of
16 squares with 5cm X 5cm dimensions). Then 2cm squares were marked with spot heights, spot
heights were plotted on the relevant areas of the corners in the grid cells with 45-degree angle and
1.5mm. After that, the detail (road) is plotted with the help of the grid using a plotting scale. (The
coordinates of the details were obtained from total station).
• After that, the main contours with the contour interval 1m were plotted using interpolation method.
Then the other minor contours were plotted using the interpolation and completed the plotting of
contours by maintaining 0.2m contour interval. The index contours (major contours) were darkened
than minor contours, the plan was plot in the scale of 1:500 scale.
• After that road names, road directions, index contour numbers were written, and other relevant technical
lettering was done, and coordinates of the grid corners were written as a part of the lettering part. Then
other technical lettering part was completed.
• Finally, the plan was traced on a tracing sheet by including only the area inside the 20x20 grid. All Spot
heights were not included in the tracing sheet, but the four grid corner heights were plotted, and the
grid corners were marked using 2mm square. Paperclips were used to clip the tracing sheet to the base
plan when tracing was done and rottring pen (0.20mm) was used for the tracing part. Tracing sheet was
included all the contours, technical lettering, and details of the features.

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 3.0 DISCUSSION
From this engineering survey task, got more experiences and skills in the field of survey, following points are
some of them,

• Completing a survey task efficiently and effectively within the period.

• Prepared and recalled the documents making and maintaining such as coordinate sheets, level sheets,
progress diagrams, angle observation sheets.
• Maintaining a diary for a project.
• Handling the instruments which are total station and auto level for carry out this task, especially in total
station learnt a new function setting out the coordinates.
• Working as a combined team, especially when clearing the obstacles for the observation.
• Prepare the final output of the task which are contour plan and base plan, when tracing in the tracing
sheet got new experience in the plan work process.
• To maintain the neatness and easiness of the work, all progress diagrams were colored by using color
system as below.
1st day Red

2nd day Blue

3rd day Yellow

4th day Brown

5th day Green

6th day Black

While doing this task faced many problems, also have to find solutions for them, the following points which
were happened in the field of engineering survey,

• Earlier starting this task have to choose a proper area with both artificial and natural features, with
decent undulation, so used the plan of the moderate block that had carried out last year. By using the
AutoCAD plan marked the 100m X 200m block with rounded coordinates for the grid corners.
• When finding the approximate grid point coordinates in the terrain we have to use an android GPS
application called” CT Droid Sri Lanka” in mobile phone.
• After that, our first control traverse using carry forward method. It is mis closed because at the end of
the first control traverse used the laser light observations due to the bad light, so it may be giving some
errors in the reading. And the next day ran the traverse again, it is closed.
• Gave the adjusted coordinates for the grid corners from the control traverse which we ran secondly.

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 • While giving the heights to the grid corners, fly back method was used to keep the accuracy.
• While running the level lines, level staves were swing to take a minimum reading. Because bull’s eye
bubble is not very much accurate than the swinging.
• To maintain the accuracy of the coordinates of the grid point’s traverse should be run around the grid.
• When establishing TBMs (Temporary Benchmark) in between the grid lines, due to trees around that
area faced a big problem. So, all members of the group got united and cleared those areas in a possible
way for observations. It took some of time to clear those areas.
• To protect the instruments from bright sunlight and raining gig umbrella was used. Auto level is very
heat sensitive instrument and it may affect to the readings.
• Stopped the field work for some time because of the raining.
• When running the level lines in between TBMs we did not use level plates because we need to acquire
the real height of the surface, but in giving heights to the grid corners we use plates to maintain the
accuracy.
• To find whether the contours were drawn outside to the grid, marked points 10m away from the grid.
• The final output of this task is a contour map and the base plan. Used 0.2 contour interval to get more
contours in the plan.
• This contour map is very important to civil engineer to understand how the terrain is changes
(Elevations).
• The main objective of this task is obtaining a clear and an accurate understand about the surface of the
terrain. So, must pay more attention about this task because it is a very accurate and precise work.
• By completing this task got knowledge about this type of survey and why it is more important to carry
out this task.
• The high temperature around this area also a big problem, so should wear protective clothes and use
sun protective creams and drink the water much as possible.
• When doing this we have to pay much attention about the safety, because the area was crowded with
trees and there are so many harmful reptiles around that area. So always have to wear boots when
travelling in those areas.
• If we use the GPS instrument for finding the coordinates of grid coordinates it will be accurate as
possible.
There are some errors will occur when doing this survey task, the following points were are the some of them,

• Instrument errors

• Line of collimation not being perpendicular to horizontal axis.

• Line of collimation not being parallel to axis of telescope.
• Tilting errors in total station.
• Horizontal axis not being perpendicular to vertical axis.

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• Personal errors

• The clamp screws are not properly fixed.

• Level bubble not perfectly centered.

• Instrument not being exactly over the station mark.

• The centering may not be done perfectly.
• Poor in focusing.

• Natural errors

• High temperature causes errors to irregular refraction.

• High wind cause vibration in the instrument.

4.0 DOCUMENT ANNEXED

▪ Plan number: DBSV20000206

▪ Diagram number: DBSV20000202
▪ Field book number: 37/2020/G02/01
▪ Level book number: 37/2020/G02/01
▪ Signature:
▪ Name: NM. Ajas Faloomy
▪ Designation: Survey Student
▪ Date: 06.03.2021

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