LECTURE NOTE ON
SURVEYING AND LEVELLING
4TH SEMESTER CIVIL ENGINEERING
PREPARED BY SASWAT SUMAN SHARMA
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEEERING
, Disclaimer
This document does not claim any originality and cannot be used as a substitute for prescribed
textbooks. The information presented here is merely a collection by the author for their
respective teaching assignments. We would like to acknowledge various sources like freely
available materials from internet from which the lecture note was prepared. The ownership of the
information lies with the respective authors or institutions. Further, this document is not intended
to be used for commercial purpose and the author is not accountable for any issues, legal or
otherwise, arising out of use of this document. The author makes no representations or warranties
with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this document and specifically
disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
, LECTURE 1
Introduction:
• Surveying is defined as taking a general view of, by observation and
measurement determining the boundaries, size, position, quantity, condition,
value etc. of land, estates, building, farms mines etc. and finally presenting the
survey data in a suitable form . This covers the work of the valuation surveyor,
the quantity surveyor, the building surveyor, the mining surveyor and so forth, as
well as the land surveyor.
• Another school of thought define surveying as the act of making measurement
of the relative position of natural and manmade features on earth s surface and
the presentation of this information either graphically or numerically.
The process of surveying is therefore in three stages namely:
(i) Taking a general view
This part of the definition is important as it indicates the need to obtain an overall
picture of what is required before any type of survey work is undertaken. In land
surveying, this is achieved during the reconnaissance study.
(ii) Observation and Measurement
This part of the definition denotes the next stage of any survey, which in land
surveying constitutes the measurement to determine the relative position and
sizes of natural and artificial features on the land.
(iii) Presentation of Data:
The data collected in any survey must be presented in a form which allows the
information to be clearly interpreted and understood by others. This presentation
may take the form of written report, bills of quantities, datasheets, drawings and
in land surveying maps and plan showing the features on the land.
Types of Surveying
On the basis of whether the curvature of the earth is taken into account or not,
surveying can be divided into two main categories:
Plane surveying: is the type of surveying where the mean surface of the earth is
considered as a plane. All angles are considered to be plane angles. For small areas less
than 250 km2 plane surveying can safely be used. For most engineering projects such as
canal, railway, highway, building, pipeline, etc constructions, this type of surveying is
used. It is worth noting that the difference between an arc distance of 18.5 km and the
subtended chord lying in the earth s surface is 7mm. Also the sum of the angles of a
plane triangle and the sum of the angles in a spherical triangle differ by 1 second for a
triangle on the earth s surface having an area of 196 km2.
, Geodetic surveying: is that branch of surveying, which takes into account the true
shape of the earth (spheroid).
Classification of surveying
Introduction
For easy understanding of surveying and the various components of the subject, we need
a deep understanding of the various ways of classifying it.
Objective
To enable the students have understanding of the various ways of classifying
surveying Classification Of Surveying
Surveying is classified based on various criteria including the instruments used, purpose,
the area surveyed and the method used.
Classification on the Basis of Instruments Used.
Based on the instrument used; surveys can be classified into;
i) Chain tape surveys
ii) Compass surveys
iii) Plane table surveys
iv) Theodolite surveys
Classification based on the surface and the area
surveyed i) Land survey
Land surveys are done for objects on the surface of the earth. It can be subdivided into:
(a) Topographic survey: This is for depicting the (hills, valleys, mountains, rivers,
etc) and manmade features (roads, houses, settlements ) on the surface of the earth.
(b) Cadastral survey is used to determining property boundaries including those of
fields, houses, plots of land, etc.
(c) Engineering survey is used to acquire the required data for the planning, design and
Execution of engineering projects like roads, bridges, canals, dams, railways,
buildings, etc.
SURVEYING AND LEVELLING
4TH SEMESTER CIVIL ENGINEERING
PREPARED BY SASWAT SUMAN SHARMA
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEEERING
, Disclaimer
This document does not claim any originality and cannot be used as a substitute for prescribed
textbooks. The information presented here is merely a collection by the author for their
respective teaching assignments. We would like to acknowledge various sources like freely
available materials from internet from which the lecture note was prepared. The ownership of the
information lies with the respective authors or institutions. Further, this document is not intended
to be used for commercial purpose and the author is not accountable for any issues, legal or
otherwise, arising out of use of this document. The author makes no representations or warranties
with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this document and specifically
disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
, LECTURE 1
Introduction:
• Surveying is defined as taking a general view of, by observation and
measurement determining the boundaries, size, position, quantity, condition,
value etc. of land, estates, building, farms mines etc. and finally presenting the
survey data in a suitable form . This covers the work of the valuation surveyor,
the quantity surveyor, the building surveyor, the mining surveyor and so forth, as
well as the land surveyor.
• Another school of thought define surveying as the act of making measurement
of the relative position of natural and manmade features on earth s surface and
the presentation of this information either graphically or numerically.
The process of surveying is therefore in three stages namely:
(i) Taking a general view
This part of the definition is important as it indicates the need to obtain an overall
picture of what is required before any type of survey work is undertaken. In land
surveying, this is achieved during the reconnaissance study.
(ii) Observation and Measurement
This part of the definition denotes the next stage of any survey, which in land
surveying constitutes the measurement to determine the relative position and
sizes of natural and artificial features on the land.
(iii) Presentation of Data:
The data collected in any survey must be presented in a form which allows the
information to be clearly interpreted and understood by others. This presentation
may take the form of written report, bills of quantities, datasheets, drawings and
in land surveying maps and plan showing the features on the land.
Types of Surveying
On the basis of whether the curvature of the earth is taken into account or not,
surveying can be divided into two main categories:
Plane surveying: is the type of surveying where the mean surface of the earth is
considered as a plane. All angles are considered to be plane angles. For small areas less
than 250 km2 plane surveying can safely be used. For most engineering projects such as
canal, railway, highway, building, pipeline, etc constructions, this type of surveying is
used. It is worth noting that the difference between an arc distance of 18.5 km and the
subtended chord lying in the earth s surface is 7mm. Also the sum of the angles of a
plane triangle and the sum of the angles in a spherical triangle differ by 1 second for a
triangle on the earth s surface having an area of 196 km2.
, Geodetic surveying: is that branch of surveying, which takes into account the true
shape of the earth (spheroid).
Classification of surveying
Introduction
For easy understanding of surveying and the various components of the subject, we need
a deep understanding of the various ways of classifying it.
Objective
To enable the students have understanding of the various ways of classifying
surveying Classification Of Surveying
Surveying is classified based on various criteria including the instruments used, purpose,
the area surveyed and the method used.
Classification on the Basis of Instruments Used.
Based on the instrument used; surveys can be classified into;
i) Chain tape surveys
ii) Compass surveys
iii) Plane table surveys
iv) Theodolite surveys
Classification based on the surface and the area
surveyed i) Land survey
Land surveys are done for objects on the surface of the earth. It can be subdivided into:
(a) Topographic survey: This is for depicting the (hills, valleys, mountains, rivers,
etc) and manmade features (roads, houses, settlements ) on the surface of the earth.
(b) Cadastral survey is used to determining property boundaries including those of
fields, houses, plots of land, etc.
(c) Engineering survey is used to acquire the required data for the planning, design and
Execution of engineering projects like roads, bridges, canals, dams, railways,
buildings, etc.
