Chapter One : Introduction to

Survey Engineering

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 Outline

Historical Surveying
Definition & principle of surveying
Understanding maps and plan
Coordinate system

Md Arif : Engineering Survey, UMP

 Historical Surveying

Since when?

The first surveying works date back to the

antiquity, the Greek provided the first account of
surveying techniques. Euclid founded the
theoretical background for surveying by the
development of his geometry.

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 Historical Surveying
Eratosthenes (ca.
250 BC)
„Spherical Earth”

Md Arif : Engineering Surveying, UMP

Historical Surveying

Md Arif: Engineering Surveying, UMP

 Outline

Historical Surveying
Definition & principle of surveying
Understanding maps and plan
Coordinate system

Md Arif: Engineering Surveying, UMP

 Definition & principle of surveying

Introduction
What is surveying??
Is a science and art of measuring, recording
and drawing to scale, the location, the size
and shape of natural and man-made features on
a surface of the earth.

Md Arif; Engineering Surveying, UMP

 Definition & principle of surveying

The traditional role of a surveyor has been to determine the

position of features in both the natural and built environment
on or below the surface of the Earth and to represent these on
a map.

Contemporary surveying expands beyond traditional

surveying and uses many different methods for collecting spatial
data about the Earth and its environment. This data is processed
in various formats and are also presented in an assortment of
media. Contemporary surveying is now a part of Geomatics or
Geoinformatics.

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The role of Surveying in Civil Engineering Practice

Before Construction Under construction After construction

Setting out on each Final (as-built)

Planning and
phase plan or map
data collection
of construction on the construction

Observations Field checks of Presenting

in the field construction documentation
to the client

Processing the Providing data Deformation

observations and services to Monitoring/
(office) the client Load Tests

Drawing maps,
plans or providing
numerical data

Presenting
documentation
to the client

Md Arif; Engineering Surveying, UMP

 Definition & principle of surveying
Plane Survey vs Geodatic Survey

• Survey that ignore the curvature of earth are called as plane survey
• Large areas of the earth’s involved and the curvature of the earth must be taken
into account.

Md Arif; Engineering Surveying, UMP

 Definition & principle of surveying
Plane Survey vs Geodatic Survey

• Survey that ignore the curvature of earth are called as plane survey
• Large areas of the earth’s involved and the curvature of the earth must be taken
into account.

Md Arif; Engineering Surveying, UMP

 Definition & principle of surveying

Based on instrument used

Chain survey

Traverse
triangulation
survey

Classification
of survey

Plane tabling Tacheometry

Levelling

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 Definition & principle of surveying
Based on purpose of survey
Engineering
survey

Control Defence
survey survey

Mine survey
Branches Geological
of survey survey

Geographical
Route survey
survey

Archaelogical
survey

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 Definition & principle of surveying
Based on placed of survey

Land survey

Classification Hydrographic
Aerial survey
of survey survey

Underground
survey

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 Definition & principle of surveying

Recall the definition of Surveying:

The art of making measurements of the relative positions of
The positioning is usually
separated
natural and man-made features on the Earth’s surface, and into horizontal (2D)
andorvertical (1D) positioning.
the presentation of this information either graphically
numerically.
Nowadays 3D positioning can
be achieved using satellite
How to achieve this? techniques, too.

Let’s determine the position (XP, YP) of point P!

Absolute vs Relative positioning
XP
Y
dBP
P Control points
(known coords;
dAP B marked on the field)
YP (XB,YB)

A
(XA,YA)
l AB
X

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 Definition & principle of surveying

Let’s determine the position of a third, unknown point (C).

We have two unknowns: XP, YP

We need two measurements: b

a
• two distances

Y • one distance and an angle

P
• two angles
• distance at right angle
dBP

dAP
dAP b
B
(XB,YB)
a
a
A
(XA,YA)
X

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 Definition & principle of surveying

The fundamental rule in surveying project is

WORK FROM THE WHOLE TO THE
PART.

WHY??

Md Arif : Engineering Survey, UMP

 Definition & principle of surveying

How engineering survey are conducted.

•Engineering surveys are usually based on horizontal and

vertical control, which consists of a series of fixed points
located throughout a site whose positions must be
determined on some coordinate system.
•Horizontal control: defines points on a two dimensional
horizontal plane which covers the site
•Vertical control: is the third dimension added to the
chosen horizontal datum. The measurements for the control
survey are taken using different types of equipment
depending on the size of the site.

Md Arif : Engineering Survey, UMP

 Definition & principle of surveying

How engineering survey are conducted.

•In small sites typically theodolites, and tapes are used to

observe horizontal control
•in the form of a traverse with leveling providing the
vertical control
•In larger sites, total stations and digital levels are used.
•Plane surveying: is where a flat surface is used to define
the local shape of the Earth, with the vertical always taken
to be perpendicular to this.
•The horizontal surface is assumed to be flat rather than
curved to simplify the calculation of the horizontal position
by plane trigonometry.
Md Arif : Engineering Survey, UMP
 Definition & principle of surveying

How engineering survey are conducted.

•Geodetic Surveying – is used when the assumption made in

plane survey (i.e. a flat horizontal surface) is no longer true and
the curvature of the earth has to be taken into account.
•This occurs when is site is greater than 10-15km in either
direction e.g. road building, pipelines etc.
•Setting Out – this is the surveying carried out to establish all the
marks, lines and levels needed for construction purposes on site.

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Sources of errors
Personal errors

Instrumental errors

Natural errors

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Md Arif : Engineering Survey, UMP
 Identify sources of error

-An observer take a reading without doing

adjustment to the instrument used?
- Uncalibrated equipment used to collect data
- No umbrella used to protect equipment during
fieldwork on hot sunny days?

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Systematic error
• Error which occur from well
understood causes and can be reduced
by adopting suitable method.

Random error
• Error due to combination of causes
and beyond the control of surveyor.

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 SYSTEMATIC ERROR RANDOM ERROR

It is a constant error which

Definition remains same for all Occur because of the uncertain
changes in the environment
measurement

Incorrect calibration and Environment, limitation of the

Causes
incorrectly using the apparatus instrument, etc

Minimise By improving the design of the By repeatedly taking the reading

apparatus

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Identify, which one is the systematic error?
Why

Figure 1

Figure 2
 Outline

Historical Surveying
Definition & principle of surveying
Understanding maps and plan
Coordinate system

Md Arif : Engineering Survey, UMP

Understanding map and plan

Are representation on paper of physical features

on the ground
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 Plan
• Will accurately define widths of
roads, size of building, etc. every
features are exactly true to scale

Map
• Is a representation, no matter how
accurately it may be shown

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 Plan views of the actual
symbol objects being portrayed.

Ratio between the drawing

of the object and the actual
Surface Common
scale object itself.
relief features
-Expressed in word
-By a drawn scale (bar scale)
Undulation in the ground -By a representative fraction.
surface are shown on a plan
by contour lines and sport
heights. North point indicating the
Grid line direction of north chosen
for that particular plan

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SYMBOL / LEGEND

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SCALE

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Grid Line

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Surface Relief

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Unit and Measurement

QUANTITY UNIT SYMBOL

Length Metre m
Area Square metre m2
Volume Cubic metre m3
Mass Kilogramme kg
Capacity Litre l

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 Outline

Historical Surveying
Definition & principle of surveying
Understanding maps and plan
Coordinate system

Md Arif : Engineering Survey, UMP

Coordinate System
Is use to locate a features on the earth’s surface or a
two dimensional representation on this surface such
as a map.

Characteristic:
Include stability, the ability to show a points, lines
and area, and the ability to measured length, size
and shape.

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 Geographic
coordinate
system

Category

Non Rectangular
coordinate coordinate
system system

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Geographic coordinate system
GCS uses a three dimensional spherical surface to define location on earth

It is uses degree of latitude and longitude to describe a location on the earth’s surface and
also a datum based on spheroid

The coordinate of point is

55 N, 80 E

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 Prime
Longitude
Meridium
P

30 degrees
30o North
Equator
o
50

50 degrees east

Latitude
Rectangular Coordinate System
This Grid line is obtained by projecting the lines
of latitude or longitude from our representation
of the world as a globe onto a flat surface using
a map projection.

The lines of latitude and longitude become grid

lines on a flat map.
 Type of Projection

Cone Cylindrical Azimuthal

Tangent Transverse Polar

Secant Oblique Equatorial

Mercator Oblique
 Two dimensional system which is
refer to the two axis known as
easting and northing.
N
P

E
Also known as Cartesian or
O
orthogonal co ordinate system.

Origin may refer to

-RSO – Peninsular Malaysia
-Cassini – State in Malaysia
Non Coordinate System

No coordinate system will be used to define the location.

It location will be identify by using

Address
Postcode
Lot no and etc.
BENCH MARK

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Md Arif : Engineering Survey, UMP
Md Arif : Engineering Survey, UMP
Md Arif : Engineering Survey, UMP