Advance Surveying

Unit-II

Hydrographic Surveying
Ashu S. Kedia
Lecturer, Dept. of Civil Engineering,
School of Technology,
PDPU, Raisan, Gandhinagar

Introduction: Hydrographic Surveying

It is that branch of surveying which deals with the
measurement of water bodies.
It is the art of delineating the contours and features of seas,
gulfs, rivers and lakes.
Applications:
Making nautical charts for navigation and determination of rocks
To secure information needed for the construction, development and
improvement of port facilities (Eg. Chek lap kok airport)
Measurement of areas subject to scour or silting and to ascertain the
quantities of dredged material
Controlling and planning of engineering projects like bridges,
tunnels, dams, reservoirs, docks and harbours
Establishing mean sea level and observation of tides
Determination of shore lines
Measurement of discharge of rivers

 Offshore engineering and the shipping industry requirements.

Drilling rigs (extracting oil, gas etc. from deep sea) locating up
to 125 miles offshore, search for resources particularly oil and
gas.
To construct offshore islands from dredged material (to bring
material form some where and dump there) to support marine
structure.
Hydrographic surveys are made to acquire and present data on
oceans, lakes and harbors. It comprises of all surveys made for
determination of soundings (measurement of depth below the
water level), depth available for navigation and velocity as well
as characteristics of flow of water.

Incheon Bridge, Korea

Chek lap kok, Hong Kong Airport

Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi

Palm Jumeriah Island, Dubai

Need of Hydrographic Surveys

In the past, many fishing ports were built at convenient locations, with no
particular attention paid to such environmental factors as wave heights, sudden
changes in water depths, water currents, tidal streams, seaweed and sand drift.

Many of the structures around the world, suffered from problems that were
considered minor earlier but have now developed into major ones, for example,
fouling up with seaweed or silting up (shelter mouth facing the wrong direction) or
just being inaccessible in rough weather.
A hydrographic survey, also known as a bathymetric survey, is therefore essential
if the correct design decisions are to be made right from the project inception stage
to ensure that the landing is easy to use and free of major maintenance problems
under all conditions.

Steps of Hydrographic Survey

Reconnaissance
Although principal function of the hydrographic survey is
obtaining the hydrography or making the soundings, it is must
to perform certain preliminary steps.
Careful reconnaissance of the area to be surveyed, to select
most-expeditious manner of performing the survey.
To plan all operations such that survey can be completed in
accordance with requirements and specifications governing
such work.
Aerial photographs can be of considerable help in this
preliminary study

Steps of Hydrographic Survey

Establishing Horizontal and Vertical Control
The main operation in hydrographic surveying is to determine the
depth of water at certain points
The measurement of depth below the water surface is called
sounding.
To take the sounding, a vertical control is necessary and to locate
the sounding (i.e., the point where the sounding is taken), a
horizontal control is necessary.
Horizontal control is a framework by which land and marine
features are held in their true relative positions.
For rough works, a Tacheometric traverse or a plane-table
traverse may be run.
However, for precise control, a theodolite and tape traverse is
usually run.

Steps of Hydrographic Survey

When the soundings are recorded, it is essential to know the gauge
reading. i.e. the level of water which continuously goes on
changing.
Tide gauges are kept in operation to establish the common datum
and to give the height of water for which each sounding is taken.

Number of benchmarks are established near the shore line at close

spacing to serve as vertical control.

Mean Sea Level

The elevation of the points generally refer to the mean sea-level
(M.S.L) which is considered as datum for all types of surveys.
It is determined by making observations extended over a period of
19 years.
Mean Sea Level as datum:
A gauge is set at a location where it is protected from rough waves
and where the water level is not affected by local conditions
Gauge should be located at a low level in sufficient depth of water so
that the gauge reading can be taken even at low tide
The zero of the gauge is referred to a bench mark located on shore
The readings of the elevation of water surface are taken continuously
for 19 years and the mean of all readings is the mean sea-level
(M.S.L).
The gauge reading corresponding to the mean sea-level is transferred
to a permanent point on the shore which serves as a bench mark for
determining the elevations of other points with reference to the
datum, i.e., M.S.L.

Shore Line Survey

The shore line surveys are conducted for purposes such as:
delineation of shore lines,
locating prominent features on the shore to which horizontal positions
of soundings may be connected,
determination of low and high water lines
Normal methods of chain survey and plane-table survey are adopted to
survey irregularities in the shore line
Clearly visible points from the water surface, are selected as reference
points such as church, temple, light houses, wind-mills, transmission
pylons, etc. and their locations plotted easily
Determination of high-water line may be easily judged roughly from
the marks on permanent rocks
To locate the line accurately, method of contouring may be adopted in
which a number of points are established at the time of high tide. The
line connecting these points so obtained, is the required high water line.
The determination of low-water line is usually done by interpolation
from sounding since the low-water line does not remain exposed for a
longer time

Tides and Tide Gauges

Tides
Tides are periodical variations in the level of the surface of a large
water body like a sea or an ocean.
These variations are mainly due to the attraction between earth
and celestial bodies (mainly the Sun and the moon). Tides have a
bearing on a number of aspects of hydrographic surveys.

Tide Gauges
Gauges used to measure the height of tidal water over the areas to
be surveyed are called tide gauges.
These instruments measure vertical movements of tides. It is
desirable that the site for a gauge must have deep water and
shelter from storms. Most popular tide gauges are as follows:
1. Non-registering type of tide gauges (requires attention of the
observer)
2. Self-registering type of tide gauges (records the reading
automatically)

Contd.
Non-registering gauges can be of three types:
Staff gauge
Staff gauge is the simplest type of tide gauge, consists of a graduated
board, 150 to 250 mm wide and 100 mm thick, fixed in a vertical
position.
It is marked in metres and decimetres from bottom upward, board is
long enough to accommodate highest and lowest tides.
The zero graduation is generally below the lowest water level so that
all readings are positive.
The reduced level of the zero mark is obtained by levelling, staff
gauge is fixed vertically at the site of observation.
Staff gauge is read by noting down the readings of crests and troughs
of several waves, two values are recorded and the average value is
taken at the water level, difficult to read when the intensity of tides is
high

Staff gauge

Contd.
Float gauge
Designed to overcome the difficulty in reading a staff gauge
when the intensity of tides is high, and the variations of water
level is more.
Consists of a float to which a graduated vertical staff is
attached
Float and staff are enclosed in a stilling well which is
generally made of pipe or wooden boards having crosssection of 300 mm X 300 mm with some orifices (holes) in
the bottom and the sides of the well to permit entry of the
water into the well
The reading is taken against an index mark through a slit
window

Float Gauge

Weight gauge
It consists of a weight attached to brass chain or wire, chain
passes over a pulley and is laid horizontal along the side of a
graduated scale
The weight is lowered to touch the water surface, and the
reading is taken on the graduated scale against an index attached
to the chain. Before making use of the weight gauge, it is
calibrated.
The R.L. of water surface corresponding to the zero reading of
the gauge is determined by differential levelling.
Although the length of the chain has to match the range of water
levels, the graduated scale need not be unduly long, as a second
or third index can be attached to the chain at suitable interval.

Weight Gauge

Self-registering Gauges
The self-registering tide gauges automatically record the
variation of water level with time. It consists of a float protected
from wind and waves.
The vertical movement of the weight is transferred through a
float wheel and gearing to a stylus (or a pen) which traces a
curve on a sheet of paper (graph paper) wound round a drum
attached to clockwork machine.
The clockwork machine rotates the drum at a constant speed.
The time is indicated on the horizontal axis of the graph, and the
water level is indicated on the vertical axis by the stylus.
The gauge gives a graphical record of the movement of the float
with time. The stylus wire is kept under constant tension by two
counterweights.
Sometimes the self-registering tide gauges stop working. They
require frequent visual checking by an attendant. They are
usually housed in a well, constructed under a building in order to
minimize the effect of wind and other disturbances

Sounding
One of the main objectives of hydrographic surveys is determination
of general topography of the bottom of water bodies. The process of
determining depths below the water surface is called sounding.
Sounding is analogous to levelling on land.
Application of Soundings:
Preparation of accurate charts for navigation
Determination of the quantities of the material to be dredged
Location of the areas from where material to be dredged, and where
to be dumped
Obtaining information for the design of breakwaters, wharves, seawells, etc.

Equipment for Sounding

1.) Shore signals and buoys
2.) Sounding equipment
3.) Angle measuring instruments

1. Shore signals and buoys

Shore signals are required to mark the range lines. The line joining
two or three signals in a straight line, usually perpendicular to shore
line, constitutes the range line along which sounding are taken.

Signals are also used for making angular observations from the
sounding boats.

Shore signals and buoys

Signals are made sufficiently conspicuous to make them visible from
considerable distances in the sea.
10 cm X 10 cm masts painted white, and firmly braced at the bottom.
Different range lines are distinguished by flags of different colours,
attached to the mast or pole of the signal.

A buoy is a float made of light wood or hollow air tight vessel properly
weighted at the bottom, and is anchored in a vertical position by means
of guy wires. A hole is bored through the vertical axis of the buoy to

accommodate a flag. In deep waters, the range lines are marked by a

signal at shore and buoys in water.

Sounding Equipment
Sounding Boat: The sounding operation is generally carried out from a
flat-bottom boat of low draft. The boats of large size equipped with a
motor, are used for sounding in sea. These boats are generally provided
with opening, called wells through which soundings are taken.
In smaller boats, sounding platforms extended far enough over the

sides, are provided so that the sounding line or sounding poles to the
bottom of the water body, does not strike the boat.

Sounding Pole or Rod

These are made of strong timber usually 5 to 10 cm in diameter and 5 to
8 m in length. The sounding rods consist of two or three lengths
screwed together so that unnecessary length may be removed when not
required for soundings in shallow water.

A lead shoe of sufficient weight is fitted at the bottom to keep the rod
vertical in flowing water, and to avoid sinking in mud or sand. The
graduations on the rod are marked from bottom upwards.

Thus the readings on the rod corresponding to the water surface, is

directly the depth of the water.

Lead Line
A graduated rope made of hemp or chain attached to the lead or sinker.
Chains of brass are better than hemp lead lines because they maintain
their length.
To minimize elongation of hemp lead lines due to wetting, the line is
first stretched when wet and then dried.
The process of wetting and drying is repeated till the stretch becomes
negligible. The line is then soaked in water and graduated by tags of
cloth or leather at every metre intervals.
Mass of the lead is generally between 5 to 10 kg, depending upon the
strength of current and the depth of water. Leads are sometimes
provided with recesses (bucket) in their bottom for lifting the soil
sample.
Correction to measured length is applied to get true length.

Fathometer (Echo-sounding)
A fathometer is an echo-sounding instrument used to determine the
depth of oceans indirectly. It works on the principle of recording time of
travel by sound waves.
Knowing the time of travel from a point on the surface of the water to
the bottom of the ocean and back, and the velocity of sound waves, the

depth can be calculated.

The fathometer gives truly vertical and accurate depths. It is more
sensitive than a lead line. It gives a continuous profile by recording the

measurements on a drum.

Contd.
The soundings can be made with greater speed. Since the velocity of
sound waves varies with the density of water, adjustments can be made
to read the depth of water of any type.

Angle Measuring Instruments

Most common instruments for measuring angles are theodolite,

prismatic compass, and sextant.
Prismatic Compass and Theodolite are not suitable for angle
measurements from sounding boats due to unstable rowing boats.
Sextant is suitable to measure angles from sounding boat.

Locating the Soundings

Soundings Points made in the water body are required
to be located for plotting on the drawing sheet.
Depending upon the places of observation points
from where the locations are made, the methods can
be:
Observations from the shore
Location by transit and stadia or tacheometer
Location by range and one angle from the shore
Location by two angles from the shore line
Observations from the sounding boat
Range and one angle from the boat
Two angles from the boat

Observations from both the shore and the sounding boat