PROBLEM SET 1

1.1 Develop your personal definition for the practice of surveying.

The practice of surveying is the observation of the land area and deciding
on the precise measurements on how to use it by analyzing and recording the
characteristics of a certain surface.

1.2 Explain the difference between geodetic and plane surveys.

In plane surveying, surveyors imagine earth as a flat surface while in

geodetic surveying, curvatures and refraction were considered. Another thing
that makes them different is that geodetic surveying has higher accuracy than
the plane surveying.

1.3 Describe some surveying applications in:

a. Archeology

Surveying methods can actually be useful in identifying the sites prior to

excavation. Previous uses of the land can leave physical marks on the modern
landscape, such as raised ridges where the walls of buildings once stood.

b. Mining

Geometric constraints like vertical shafts and narrow passages which

demands the use of specific survey techniques. While the basic principles of
surveying may have remained largely unchanged throughout the ages, the
instruments used have not. Common technologies in mine surveying today
include terrestrial laser scanning, airborne laser scanning, satellite imagery.
Besides this, software forms an essential part of the mining surveying profession
nowadays. After all, the captured data needs to be processed in order for it to
be of any use.

c. Agriculture

Principles of land surveying are applied to soil and water management on

agricultural, forested, and environmentally sensitive areas. Traditional surveying
methods, total stations and GPS were also used in this branch.

1.4 List 10 uses for surveying other than property and construction surveying.

 Topographical maps showing hills, rivers, towns, villages, forests etc. are prepared
by surveying.
 For planning and estimating new engineering projects like water supply and
irrigation schemes, mines, railroads, bridges, transmission lines, buildings etc.
surveying is required.
 To set out a work and transfer details from map to ground knowledge of
surveying is used
 For planning navigation routes and harbors, marine and hydro-graphic surveying
are used.
  To help military strategic planning, military maps are prepared by surveying.
 For exploring mineral wealth, mine survey is necessary
 To determining different strata in the earth crust, geological surveys are required
 Archeological surveys are useful for unearthing relics of antiquity.
 Astronomical survey helps in the study of movements of planets and for
calculating local and standard times.

1.5 Why is it important to make accurate surveys of underground utilities?

It is important to make accurate surveys of underground utilities so that we

can find out the exact locations of certain points or marks. And also it can be
known whether they need any construction or repair so that any kind of
accidental scenario related to excavation of other projects can be intercepted.

1.6 Discuss the uses for topographic surveys.

These surveys are used to determine the locations of elevations, artificial

features and natural features used in map. They are used whenever data of
elevation is required in the final product. Some examples of it include designing
highways and to assisting in construction surveys

1.7 What are hydrographic surveys, and why are they important?

Hydrographic surveys which define depth of rivers, seas, oceans, reservoirs

and other types of water bodies. Sea surveying is related to the offshore and
marine environment, including marine investigations and measurements carried
on by ship borne officials.

1.8 Name and briefly describe three different surveying instruments used by early
Roman engineers.

 Groma

The principal Roman surveying instrument was the groma. It was regarded as
the tool most typical of a surveyor; it appeared in stylized form on the tomb of Lucius
Aebutius Faustus. Lucius Aebutius Faustus lived in the colony of Eporedia in northern
Italy. He was a freedman. The groma was used in military and civilian surveying, and
we are told that a central point in a military camp was called the gromae locus. The
one that appears on Lucius Aebutius Faustus' tomb serves as a starting point. The
staff of the surveying instrument is upright and the cross is detached and laid
diagonally across it. There is not enough evidence to say for certain that this
instrument is a groma, but the consensus is that it most likely is. It certainly matches
the description.

 Chorobates

The chorobates was a bench with weighted strings on its sides for measuring
the ground's angle on a system of notches, and a short channel in the centre, likely
for testing the direction of the water flow. It was mostly used for the levelling of
aqueducts. It was probably too unwieldy for general leveling. It was also probably
 too unwieldy to use in the construction of tunnels, being too big to manoeuvre easily
in confined spaces.

 Dioptra

The dioptra was a different kind of level. It rested on the ground, and was
finely adjusted by tilting and rotating the top part by means of precision screws; it
could assess the angle of a stretch of aqueduct by looking through pivoting sights.
Whether or not it was actually used is debatable, as only Hero of Alexandria - he
lived during Nero's reign - gives us a description of the device. Vitruvius recommends
the dioptra as an alternative for levelling water-courses and Pliny the Elder
recognised its efficiency for astronomical work. Vitruvius' reservations and the lack of
further written evidence suggest that it may have been regarded as too elaborate,
expensive and unwieldy for general use As Hauck points out, the dioptra was
essentially a forerunner of the modern theodolite. Despite its apparent complexity, it
would have been useful in tunnels where the chorobates could not be used.

1.9 Briefly explain the procedure used by Eratosthenes in determining the Earth’s
circumference.

Eratosthenes was the one of the ancient person, who found out a method
of determining Earth's circumference, in about 200 B.C. He concluded that
Egyptian cities of Syene and Alexandria were approximately located on same
meridian. Erathosthenes had also observed that on summer solstice and at noon,
the sun at Syene was directly overhead. He reasoned that at that particular
moment the Sun, Alexandria and Syene were in one common plane of meridian,
and if the length of the arc between the cities could be measured and also the
angle which it subtends at the centre of Earth, he would be able to calculate
the circumference of Earth. He calculated the angle by determining the length
of the shadow cast at Alexandria from a long vertical shaft which was of known
length. Further the arc length was determined by multiplying the daily average
distance traveled and the number of caravan days between Alexandria and
Syene. Using these measurements and calculations, Eratosthenes computed the
circumference of the Earth to be approximately 25,000 mi.
Modern geodetic measurements which use better instruments, but methodology
similar to that of Eratosthenes showed that the value calculated by Eratosthenes
was a bit larger but still astonishingly close to the value which is currently the
accepted one.

1.10 Describe the steps a land surveyor would need to do when performing a boundary
survey.

Firstly, we need to do a preliminary walk with the owner and then we

need to make a courthouse research to locate adjoiners and deed of property
so as to determine ownership, right of ways, conflicts of interest, and possible
easements. Then we also need to locate surveys of properties in case of any
encroachments and elements of conflict. Resolving the elements of conlict
between surveys and deeds and lastly, delivering the report of survey to the
owner.
1.11 Do laws in your state specify the accuracy required for surveys made to lay out a
subdivision? If so, what limits are set?

Yes, the laws in my state specify the accuracy required for surveys made
to lay out a subdivision. There are various limits which are set on the engineers
and the surveyors working in the area. It is required that all engineers should be
aware of the accuracy limits possible in layout and plants design, construction,
and manufacturing processes, although there may be another person carrying
out the actual surveying. In short, civil engineers and surveyors, who are involved
in designing and planning of the survey, must have a deep and proper
understanding of the instruments and the methods used, including their
limitations and capabilities. This can be achieved by making observations with
the type of equipment which are used in practice so as to get an actual
concept of the errors and the small, but important differences that come across
in observed quantities.

1.12 What organizations in your state will furnish maps and reference data to surveyors
and engineers?

 County surveyor
 Register of deeds
 County engineer
 Department of Transportation
 Department equivalent to that of Natural Resources.

1.13 List the legal requirements for registration as a land surveyor in your state.

The basic educational requirement is a diploma in Geodetic Engineering

or a related field with subjects in surveying such as Civil Engineering and
Forestry. One must pass the examinations conducted by the Professional
Regulation Commission (PRC) to become a licensed Surveyor.

1.14 Briefly describe the European Galileo system and discuss its similarities and
differences with GPS.

1) Open service (OS)

2) Commercial service (CS)
3) Public regulated (PR) service
4) Search and rescue service (SAR)
5) Safety of life (SOL) service

The Galileo System is supposed to consist of 27 satellites and 3 spare ones

which would be orbiting in 3 planes inclined at an angle of 56 degrees to the
equator. The satellites are supposed to have a nominal orbital height of 23,222
kilometres above the Earth. L1F, L1P, E6C, E5a, E5b are the six navigation signals
broadcasted by these satellites.
The first experimental satellite of Galileo was launched in 2005. The second launch
was postponed to 2007 following the failure in second satellite. ESA (European
Space Agency) signed a contracting recent for launching the first 4 satellites.
The system would be validated by these satellites. After validation, the rest of the
 system would be launched in future. It is similar to GPS in the way that for both of
them the strength of the signals should work in canopy situations.
The difference is that it offers greater accuracy than GPS, because of its
commercial service which provides meter level positioning of point.

1.15 List at least five nonsurveying uses for GPS.

 Logistics in transportation
 Hunting
 Tracking information about location of phone calls
 Timing of telecommunication networks
 Boating industry uses it for navigation

1.16 Explain how aerial photographs and satellite images can be valuable in surveying.

Satellite imaging and aerial photography has innumerable applications in

surveying. Photogrammetry, for example, is used in surveying of land, in order to
compute the coordinates of corners of a section, boundary section, or point of
proof which can help to locate these corners. Maps of large scale made by
photogrammetry are of many uses, for example, subdivision design.
Photogrammetry is used in hydrographic surveying, mapping shorelines, to
determine accurate ground coordinates in control surveying and to develop
cross sections and maps for engineering and route surveys. Photogrammetry also
plays a necessary role in collection of important data required for modern
Geographical and Land Information Systems.

1.17 Search the Internet and define a VLBI station. Discuss why these stations are
important to the surveying community.

VLBI actually means "Very Long Baseline Interferometry'. VLBI is a

geometric technique, in which the data is recorded from the radio source by
multiple telescopes that are scattered on the earth's surface. Since the
telescopes that are fixed on Earth, VLBI tracks the orientation of Earth in an
inertial frame of reference and thus important information related to any kind of
space navigation and satellite orbit determination can be provided.
These stations are important for the surveying community because these stations
provide exact locations on the Earth's surface. They are used in determining
tracking information of satellites; these stations may also be used in developing
ITRF00 and similar worldwide reference frameworks.

1.18 Describe how a GIS can be used in flood emergency planning.

GIS plays an important role in flood emergency planning because it has

capabilities to overlay the type of soil and its permeability with slopes, watershed
regions, and soil saturation. A list of residences and business which will be
affected by the flooding can be obtained with the help of GIS for evacuation
process. It can be used to get the safest routes out of the flooded region.
1.19 Visit one of the surveying websites listed in Table 1.1, and write a brief summary of
its contents. Briefly explain the value of the available information to surveyors.

NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey provides the framework for all

positioning activities in the Nation. The foundational elements of latitude, longitude,
elevation, and shoreline information impact a wide range of important activities. The
value of this institution is that it defines, maintains, and provides access to National
Spatial Reference System who provides a consistent coordinate system that defines
latitude, longitude, height, scale, gravity and orientation and shoreline throughout the
United States and its territories.

http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/

1.20 Read one of the articles cited in the bibliography for this chapter, or another of
your choosing, that describes an application where GPS was used. Write a brief
summary of the article.

One of the applications of GPS is that, is can assist our business and travel
arrangements. For a person who is new to a city, GPS allows him to travel
intercity, from one town to the other on highways and so on. The person even
knows the whereabouts of the next fuel station, just because of a dash mounted
or a hand held GPS unit.
GPS can easily extract the location and the directions to the nearest motel.
Nowadays, portable in-car navigator is available which have voice guidance to
eateries. Fuel stops and restaurants already listed with their contact numbers.
GPS directs to the exact door of the specified location, thus making life simpler
on the road.
GPS helps in getting to the right person as well. GPS can automatically track
persons, vehicles or boats, thus enabling one to conduct his meetings and
various proceedings in an efficient manner.

1.21 Same as Problem 1.20, except the article should be on safety as related to
surveying.

Surveying is a job which requires working with heavy equipment. So, it is

necessary to keep a check on the various measures that can lower the amount
of danger involved. Land surveyors move from one construction site to the other.
Thus, they should be informed about the hazards, so that necessary precautions
can be taken.
Land surveyors are not allowed to involve themselves in dangerous occupations
such that of timber cutters, construction laborers and mining workers. They are
asked to follow the rules of traffic and road safety. This prevents them from
getting hurt or killed while they are working on the roadside.Land surveyors are
provided with a set of equipment which includes a hard hat, tough stitched
clothing and a satellite phone. These measures thus ensure proper safety of the
surveyors as well as proper surveying by the surveyor.
PROBLEM SET 2

6.1 What distance in travel corresponds to 1 msec of time for electromagnetic energy?

299.792 m = 299,792,458(0.001)

6.2 A student counted 92, 90, 92, 91, 93, and 91 paces in six trials of walking along a
course of 200-ft known length on level ground. Then 85, 86, 86, and 84 paces were
counted in walking four repetitions of an unknown distance AB. What is (a)* the pace
length and (b) the length of AB?

(a) Pace Length = 200(6)/(92+90+92+91+93+91) = 2.18 ft/pace

(b) AB = (85+86+86+84)2.18/4 = 186 ft

6.3 What difference in temperature from standard, if neglected in use of a steel tape,
will cause an error of 1 part in 5000?

31° F or 17.2° C
1 = 0.00000645 (T) 5000

T = ________1_________ =31° F
0.00000645 (5000)

6.4 An add tape of 101 ft is incorrectly recorded as 100 ft for a 200-ft distance. What is
the correct distance?

202 ft

6.5 List five types of common errors in taping.

 Natural errors - The horizontal distance between end graduations of a tape

varies because of the effects of temperature, wind, and weight of the tape itself.
 Instrumental errors - A tape may differ in actual length from its nominal
graduated length because of a defect in manufacture or repair, or as a result of
kinks.
 Personal errors – Tape persons setting pins, reading the tape, or manipulating the
equipment
6.6 List the proper procedures for taping a horizontal distance of about 123 ft down a
4% slope.

In taping on uneven or sloping ground, it is standard practice to hold the

tape horizontally and use a plumb bob at one or perhaps both ends. It is difficult
to keep the plumb line steady for heights above the chest. Wind exaggerates
this problem and may make accurate work impossible. On steeper slopes, where
a 100-ft length cannot be held horizontally without plumbing from above
shoulder level, shorter distances are measured and accumulated to total a full
tape length. This procedure, called breaking tape, is illustrated in Figure 6.3. As
 an example of this operation, assume that when taping down slope, the 100-ft
end of the tape is held at the rear point, and the forward tapeperson can
advance only 30 ft without being forced to plumb from above the chest. A pin is
therefore set beneath the 70-ft mark, as in Figure 6.4. The rear tapeperson moves
ahead to this pin and holds the 70-ft graduation there while another pin is set at,
say, the 25-ft mark. Then, with the 25-ft graduation over the second pin, the full
100-ft distance is marked at the zero point. In this way, the partial tape lengths
are added mechanically to make a full 100 ft by holding the proper graduations,
and no mental arithmetic is required. The rear tapeperson returns the pins set at
the intermediate points to the forward tapeperson to keep the tally clear on the
number of full tape lengths established. To avoid kinking the tape, the full 100-ft
length is pulled ahead by the forward tapeperson into position for measuring the
next tape length. In all cases the tape is leveled by eye or hand level, with the
tapepersons remembering the natural tendency to have the downhill end of a
tape too low. Practice will improve the knack of holding a tape horizontally by
keeping it perpendicular to the vertical plumbbob string. Taping downhill is
preferable to measuring uphill for two reasons. First, in taping downhill, the rear
point is held steady on a fixed object while the other end is plumbed. In taping
uphill, the forward point must be set while the other end is wavering somewhat.
Second, if breaking tape is necessary, the head tapeperson can more
conveniently use the hand level to proceed downhill a distance, which renders
the tape horizontal when held comfortably at chest height.
In measuring the distance between two points on a steep slope, rather
than break tape every few feet, it may be desirable to tape along the slope and
compute the horizontal component. This requires measurement also of either the
altitude angle or the difference in elevation d. Breaking tape is more time
consuming and generally less accurate due to the accumulation of random
errors from marking tape ends and keeping the tape level and aligned for many
short sections. If altitude angle is determined, the horizontal distance between
points A and B can be computed from the relation where H is the horizontal
distance between points, L the slope length separating them, and the altitude
angle from horizontal, usually obtained with an Abney hand level and
clinometer.
6.7 For the following data compute the horizontal distance for a recorded slope
distance AB,

(a) AB 385.29 ft, slope angle = 6°03’26’’

H = 385.29cos 6 03 26  = 383.14 ft

(b) AB 186.793 m, difference in elevation A to B = -8.499 m

H  sqrt (186.7932 - 8.4992) =186.600 m

 A 100-ft steel tape of cross-sectional area 0.0025 in.2, weight 2.3 lb, and standardized at
68°F is 99.992 ft between ends marks when supported throughout under a 12-lb
pull.What is the true horizontal length of a recorded distance AB for the conditions
given in Problems 6.8 through 6.11? (Assume horizontal taping and all full tape lengths
except the last.)

Distance Average Means of Support Tension (lb)

Recorded AB Temperature (°F)
(ft)
6.8 86.06 68 Throughout 12
6.9 124.73 85 Throughout 15
6.10 86.25 50 Throughout 22
6.11 94.23 75 Throughout 25

86.15 ft:
99.992−100
CL = 86.06 = −0.007 ft
100

124.74 ft:
99.992−100
CL = 124.74 = −0.010 ft
100

CT = 0.00000645(50-68)124.74 = 0.014 ft
124.73
CP = (15-12) = 0.005 ft
0.0025(29,000,000)

86.35 ft:
99.992−100
CL = 86.35 = −0.007 ft
100

CT = 0.00000645(50-68) 86.35 = -0.010 ft

86.35
CP = (22-12) = 0.012 ft
0.0025(29,000,000)

CS = -0.0232(86.35)3 = -0.012 ft
24(22)2
94.23 ft:
99.992−100
CL = 94.23 = −0.008 ft
100

CT = 0.00000645(50-68)94.23 = -0.004 ft
94.23
CP = (25-12) = 0.017 ft
0.0025(29,000,000)
 CS = -0.0232(94.23)3 = -0.017 ft
24(25)2
For the tape of Problems 6.8 through 6.11, determine the true horizontal length of the
recorded slope distance BC for the conditions shown in Problems 6.12 through 6.13.
(Assume the tape was fully supported for all measurements.)

Recorded Average Tension (lb) Elevation Difference

Slope Temperature Per (ft)
DistanceBC (ft) 100 ft (°F)
6.12 95.08 48 15 2.45
6.13 65.86 88 20 3.13

95.08 ft:
99.992−100
CL = 95.08 = −0.008 ft
100

CT = 0.00000645(48-68)95.08 = -0.012 ft
95.08
CP = (25-12) = 0.004 ft
0.0025(29,000,000)

H = √ (95.064)2 – 2.452 = 95.032 ft

65.86 ft:
99.992−100
CL = 65.86 = −.005 ft
100

CT = 0.00000645(48-68)65.86 = -0.008 ft
65.86
CP = (25-12) = 0.007 ft
0.0025(29,000,000)

H = √ (65.86)2 – 2.452 = 65.796 ft

A 30-m steel tape measured 29.991 m when standardized fully supported under a 5.500-
kg pull at a temperature of 20°C.The tape weighed 1.22 kg and had a cross-sectional
area of 0.016 cm2 . What is the corrected horizontal length of a recorded distance AB
for the conditions given in Problems 6.14 through 6.15?

Recorded Average Tension (kg) Means of Support

Distance AB Temperature (°C)
(m)
6.14 28.056 18 8.3 Throughout
6.15 16.302 25 3.9 Ends only
 28.056 m:
29.991−30
CL = 28.056 = −0.008 m
30

CT = 0.00000116(18-20) 28.056= -0.0006 m

28.056
CP = (8.3-5.5) = 0.0024 m
0.0025(29,000,000)

16.302 m:
29.991−30
CL = 16.302 = −0.005 m
30

CT = 0.00000116(18-20) 16.302= 0.0009 m

16.302
CP = (8.3-5.5) = 0.0012 m
0.0025(29,000,000)

For the conditions given in Problems 6.16 through 6.18, determine the horizontal length
of CD that must be laid out to achieve the required true horizontal distance CD.
Assume a 100-ft steel tape will be used, with cross-sectional area 0.0025 in.2, weight 2.4
lb, and standardized at 68°F to be 100.008 ft between end marks when supported
throughout with a 12-lb pull. (Assume horizontal taping and all full tape lengths except
the last.)

Required Average Means of Support Tension (lb)

Horizontal Temperature (°F)
Distance CD (ft)
6.16 97.54 68 Throughout 12
6.17 68.96 54 Throughout 20
6.18 68.78 91 Throughout 18

97.54 ft:
100.008−100
CL = 97.54 = 0.008 ft
100

CT = 0.00000645(68-68)94.23 = 0 ft

CP = 0 ft

68.96 ft:
99.992−100
CL = 68.96 = 0.006 ft
100

CT = 0.00000645(54-68)68.96 = -0.006 ft
68.96
CP = (20-12) = 0.008 ft
0.0025(29,000,000)
68.78 ft:
99.992−100
CL = 68.78 = 0.006 ft
100

CT = 0.00000645(91-68)68.78 = 0.010 ft
68.78
CP = (20-12) = 0.006 ft
0.0025(29,000,000)

6.19 When measuring a distance AB, the first taping pin was placed 1.0 ft to the right of
line AB and the second pin was set 0.5 ft left of line AB. The recorded distance was
236.89 ft. Calculate the corrected distance. (Assume three taped segments, the first
two 100 ft each.)

236.87 ft:

A-Pin1: √ 1002 - 12 = 99.995 ft

Pin1-Pin2: √ 1002 – (1+.05)2 = 99.989 ft

Pin2-B: √ (36.89)2 – .052 = 36.887 ft

A-B: 99.995 + 99.989 + 36.887 = 236.87 ft