Course Code: ARS 220

Course Title: Surveying

Unit Credit: 2units Lecture/ 2 hours per week
1 unit Lab/ 3 hours per week
Pre-requisites: College Algebra and Plane Trigonometry

Course Description:
This course deals with: Measurement of distance
and distance corrections, the use of surveying
instruments, area computations, balancing the
traverse, elevation determination and leveling, stadia
surveying, topographic surveying, triangulation and
trilateration, missing data, irregular boundaries and
global positioning system.
 Course Outline:

MIDTERM:

-Introduction to Surveying
-Distance Measurement
a. of Horizontal Distance
b. Taping over Level
Ground and along Sloping Ground
-Distance Corrections Finals:
-Leveling Methods
-Angles and Directions
Measurements
-Traverse Adjustment and Area
Computation
-Missing Data
 Grading System:
59.99 5.00
60.00 64.44 3.00
64.45 68.89 2.75
68.90 73.34 2.50
Midterm Exam = 20% 73.35 77.79 2.25
77.80 82.24 2.00
Final Exam = 20% 82.25 86.69 1.75
Quizzes = 20% 86.70 91.14 1.50
Problem Set = 15% 91.15 95.59 1.25
95.60 100.00 1.00
Seatwork/Assign = 10%
Research Work/CS = 10%
Notes = 5%
 PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA
College of Architecture & Urban Planning
Surveying (LEC)

Lesson 1
Introduction to Surveying

Lecture slides by
Engr. Patrick Louie Jay R. Federizo, CE
*Definition of Surveying:
-the art and science of determining angular and
linear measurements to establish the form, extent and
relative position of points, lines and areas on or near the
surface of the earth or on other extraterrestrial bodies
through applied mathematics and the use of specialized
equipment and techniques.
*Two General Classifications:
1. Plane Surveying:
-is that type of surveying in which the earth is
considered to be a flat surface and where distances and
areas involved are of limited extent that the exact shape
of the earth is disregarded.
2. Geodetic Surveying:
-are surveys of wide extent which take into
account the spheroidal shape of the earth.
*Types of Surveys:
1. Cadastral Surveys:
-are usually closed surveys which are undertaken in
urban and rural locations for the purpose of determining
and defining property lines and boundaries, corners and
areas. These surveys are also made to fix the boundaries of
municipalities, towns and provincial jurisdictions.
2. City Surveys:
-are surveys of the areas in and near a city for the
purpose of planning expansions or improvements, locating
property lines, fixing reference monuments, determining
the physical features and configuration of the land and
preparing maps.
*Types of Surveys:
3. Construction Surveys:
-these are surveys which are undertaken at a
construction site to provide data regarding grades,
reference lines, dimensions, ground configuration, and
the location and elevation of structures which are of
concern to engineers, architects and builders.
4. Forestry Surveys:
-a type of survey executed in connection with
forest management and mensuration and the
production and conservation of forest lands.
*Types of Surveys:
5. Hydrographic Surveys:
-refers to surveying streams, lakes, reservoirs,
harbors, oceans and other bodies of water. They are of
general importance in connection with navigation,
development of water supply and resources, flood control,
irrigation, production of hydroelectric power, subaqueous
constructions and recreation.
6. Industrial Surveys:
-sometimes known as optical tooling. It refers to use
of surveying techniques in ship building, construction and
assembly of aircraft, layout and installation of heavy and
complex machinery and in other industries where very
accurate dimensional layouts are required.
*Types of Surveys:
7. Mine Surveys:
-are surveys which are performed to determine the
position of all underground excavations and surface mine
structures, to fix surface boundaries of mining claims, determine
geological formations, to calculate excavated volumes, and
establish lines and grades for other related mining work.
8. Photogrammetric Surveys:
-a type of survey which makes use of photographs
taken with specially designed cameras either from airplanes
or ground stations. Measurements are obtained from the
photographs which are used in conjunction with limited
ground surveys.
*Types of Surveys:
9. Route Surveys:
-involves the determination of alignment, grades,
earthwork quantities, location of natural and artificial objects in
connection with the planning, design, and construction of
highways, railroads, pipelines, canals, transmission lines and
other linear projects.
10. Topographic Surveys:
-are those surveys made for determining the shape of
the ground, and the location and elevation of natural and
artificial features upon it. The features shown include such
natural objects as hills, mountains, rivers, lakes, relief of the
ground surface, etc; and the works of man, such as roads,
buildings, ports, towns, municipalities and bridges.
Development of Surveying Instruments:
1. Astrolabe (Hipparchus)
 one of the best known of measuring instrument (ancient
times)
 developed sometime in 140 B.C. further improved by Ptolemy
 had a metal circle with pointer hinged at its center, held by
ring on top and across staff, a wooden rod about 1.25m with
adjustable cross-arm at right angles to it.
 for determining the latitude of the stars.
Development of Surveying Instruments:
2. Telescope:
 1607 (invention) by Lippershey
 1609 Galileo constructed a refracting telescope for
astronomical observations.
 Use as early surveying instrument
Development of Surveying Instruments:
3. Transit:
 Young & Draper – sometime in 1830
 Known to be the UNIVERSAL SURVEYING INSTRUMENT.
Development of Surveying Instruments:
4. Semicircumferentor:
 use to measure and lay off angles, and establish line of sight
by employing peep sights.
Development of Surveying Instruments:
5. Plane Table:
 one of the oldest type of surveying instrument.
 used in field mapping.
 consists of a board attached to a tripod; it can be leveled or
rotated to any desire direction.
Development of Surveying Instruments:

6. Dioptra:
 perfected by HERON of Alexandria
 used in leveling and for measuring
horizontal and vertical angles
 consists of a copper tube supported
on a stand and could be rotated in
either horizontal or vertical plane.
 for measuring horizontal angles, a flat
circular disc with graduations in
degrees is used.
Development of Surveying Instruments:
7. Roman Groma:
 Used as an instrument for aligning or sighting points.
Development of Surveying Instruments:
8. Libella:
 Assyrians and Egyptians (believed to be first users)
 Had an A-frame with a plumb line suspended from its apex.
 Used to determine the horizontal
 Archeologists are of the belief that the horizontal foundations
of the great pyramids of Egypt were probably defined by this
device.
Development of Surveying Instruments:
9. Vernier:
 It was invented in 1631 by a Frenchman name Pierre Vernier.
 Surveying instruments employ either a direct or retrograde
vernier.
 is a short auxiliary scale placed alongside the graduated
scale of an instrument, by means of which fractional parts of
the smallest or least division of the main scale can be
determined precisely without having to interpolate.
Development of Surveying Instruments:
10. Diopter
 developed by the Greeks sometime
in 130 B.C.
 known to be their most famous
surveying instrument.
 used for leveling, laying off right
angles, and for measuring hori-
zontal and vertical angles.
 Since the telescope was not yet
invented during the time the diopter
was used, peep sights were
employed for sighting and in
aligning the device.
Development of Surveying Instruments:
11. Compass:
 The magnetic compass came into wide use during the 13th century
 for determining the direction of lines and in calculating angles
between lines.
 first introduced for use in navigation.
 consists of a magnetized steel needle mounted on a pivot at the
center of a graduated circle. The needle continues to point toward
magnetic north and gives a reading which is dependent upon the
position of the graduated circle.
Development of Surveying Instruments:
12. Gunter’s Chain:
 invented by Sir Edmund Gunter in 1620
 was the forerunner of instruments used for taping distances.
 66 ft. long and contains 100 links, so that distances may be
recorded in chains and in decimal parts of the chain.
 Each part, called a link, is 0.66 ft or 7.92 inches long.
Development of Surveying Instruments:
13. Chorobates:
 designed for leveling work.
 consisted of a horizontal straight-edge about 6 meters long with
supporting legs, and a groove 2.5 cm deep and, 1.5m long on top.
 Water is poured into the groove and when the bar is leveled so that
water stood evenly in the groove without spilling, a horizontal line is
established.
Development of Surveying Instruments:

14. Merchet:
 a device for measuring time and meridian.
 first used by the Chaldeans in about 4,000
B.C.
 It consisted of a slotted palm leaf through
which to sight and a bracket from which a
plumb bob was suspended.
 By sighting through the 'slot and past the
plumb bob string, a straight line could be
projected.
*Measurement:
-is the process of determining the extent, size or
dimensions of a particular quantity in comparison to a given
standard.
In surveying, measurements are usually concentrated on
angles, elevations, times, lines, areas and volumes.

1. Direct Measurement is a comparison of the measured

quantity with a standard measuring unit or units employed for
measuring a quantity of that kind.
2. Indirect Measurement is when it is not possible to
apply a measuring instrument directly to a quantity to be
measured. In this type of measurement, the observed value is
determined by its relationship to some other known values.
*Meter:
The international unit of linear measure is the meter. This
was proposed sometime in 1789 by French scientists who hoped
to established a system suitable for all times and all people and
which could be based upon permanent natural standards.
Originally, the meter was defined as 1/10,000,000 of the earth’s
meridional quadrant.
The growing use of the meter led to demands for an
international organization to insure the uniformity and
standardization of its defined length. Several conferences were
convened by the French government for this particular
objective. Finally, in May 20, 1875, a treaty was signed in Paris
by representatives of 18 countries which created a permanent
International Bureau of Weights and Measures.
Sample Problem #1:

Express 45-degrees in mils.

Note:
360-degree= 6,400 mils
360-degree= 400 grads

Answer: 800 mils

Sample Problem #2:

A line was measured with a 50m tape.

There were 2 tallies, 8 pins and the distance
from the last pin to the end of line was 2.25m.
Find the length of line in meters.
Note:
1 tally= 10 pins 1 perch= 1 rod
1pin = 1 tape length = 16.5 ft.
= 100 links 1 vara = 33 in.
1 link = 1 ft.

Answer: 1,402.25m
Sample Problem #3:

An engineer’s chain was used to measure

a line, there were 6 tallies recorded, the rear
chairman had 5 marking pins and the distance
from the last pin to the end of the line was
51.1 links. What was the length of the line in
ft.

Answer: 6,551.1 ft
Sample Problem #4:

A distance was measured and was

recorded to have a value equivalent to 8
perch, 6 rods and 45 vara. Compute the total
distance in meters.

Answer: 108.128m
Sample Problem #5:

Given the area and width of the following

rectangular-shaped pieces of property.
Determine the length of each property in meters:
A. 0.85 sq. km and 925.09m
Answer: L= 918.83m
B. 2.575ha and 195.42m
Note:
1ha = 10,000 sq m= 100 ares
1 are = 100 sq m
Answer: L = 131.767m