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Section 12: Surveying

By Frederick S. Merritt (eds)
From Standard Handbook for Civil Engineers, Fifth Edition

Jonathan T.Ricketts
Consulting Engineer
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Overview

Surveying is the science and art of making the measurements necessary to determine the relative positions of points above, on, or beneath the surface of the earth or to establish such points. Surveying continues to undergo important changes.

12.1 Types of Surveys

Plane surveying neglects curvature of the earth and is suitable for small areas.

Geodetic surveying takes into account curvature of the earth. It is applicable for large areas, long lines, and precisely locating basic points suitable for controlling other surveys.

Land, boundary, and cadastral surveys usually are closed surveys that establish property lines and corners. The term cadastral is now generally reserved for surveys of the public lands. There are two major categories: retracement surveys and subdivision surveys.

Topographic surveys provide the location of natural and artificial features and elevations used in map making.

Route surveys normally start at a control point and progress to another control point in the most direct manner permitted by field conditions. They are used for surveys for railroads, highways, pipelines, etc.

Construction surveys are made while construction is in progress to control elevations, horizontal positions and dimensions, and configuration. Such surveys also are made to obtain essential data for computing construction pay quantities.

As-built surveys are postconstruction surveys that show the exact final location and layout of civil engineering works, to provide positional verification and records that include design changes.

Hydrographic surveys

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Products & Services
Mapping and Surveying Services
Mapping and surveying services perform all of the activities that involve the physical measurement of land areas, including field surveying and data collection operations as well as the creation of maps using existing or acquired data.
Total Stations, Theodolites, and Transits
Theodolites and Transits are used for the accurate measurement of features, orientation and absolute positioning of large scale objects in engineering, construction, mapping, industry, defense and other applications.
Navigational Instruments
Navigational instruments include products such as distance meters, range finders and mapping systems.
GPS Software
GPS software is used to program, manage, and monitor GPS receivers, radio-navigational devices that provide positional information for objects on Earth based on data transmitted by orbiting satellites.
Communication Tower Erection Services
Communication tower erection services build communication towers, set up satellite dishes and install related communications equipment.
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