Course Details

1. Understand the definition of angular measurement, whole circle bearings, azimuth, Eastings and Northings.
2. Measure horizontal and vertical angles using the total station.
3. Perform open and closed Traverse and Triangulation surveys and calculate bearings, point coordinates and reduced levels.
4. Correct angle and distance misclosure errors in traverse surveys.
5. Analyze measurements and apply adjustments to errors using statistical distributions and parameters, and the method of least squares.
6. Compute earthworks volumes from cross sections by methods of mean areas and end areas.
7. Compute volumes along curved road sections and also for cuttings and embankments and compute cut and fill volumes for excavations.
8. Set out circular curves from tangent points and control points and construct vertical curve passing through certain point and transition between two circular curves.

Introduction to angle measurement: Definition of angles and angle measurement, whole circle bearings, Eastings and Northings, Departure and Latitude. Operation of the total station for horizontal and vertical angle measurements and distance measurements.

Angle Measurement: Measurement of horizontal and vertical angles using the total station. Booking and reduction of angle measurement data in tabular format. Open and closed Traverse surveys. Calculation of bearings and coordinates. Triangulation surveys and calculation of bearings, station coordinates and reduced levels. Correction of angle and distance misclosure errors in traverse surveys.

Theory of Errors: Introduction to theory and analysis of errors. Analysis of measurements and identification of errors. Correction and adjustment of errors using statistical distributions and statistical parameters. Definition and computation of mean, residual and standard deviation of observations. Computation of most probable value for observations using the least squares method. Definition and explanation of the theory of combinations of errors and weighted observations.

Volumes and Earthworks: Introduction to area and volume calculation. Area and Volume calculation for areas bounded by straight lines (trapeziums etc.) or irregular lines (using Trapezium rule and Simpson’s rule). Computation of earthworks volumes from cross sections by the methods of mean areas and end areas. Computation of volumes from contour lines and spot levels. Excavation volumes and basic costs based on formation level of excavation. Applications in road sections. Effects of curvature and Pappu’s theorem. Definition and explanation of mass-haul diagrams and their use for determining costs. Computation of volumes along curved road sections.

Road curves: Introduction to setting out of road curves. Methods for setting out horizontal and vertical curves in road construction. Setting out of a circular curve from tangent points and control points. Construction of vertical curve passing through certain points and transition between two circular curves. Applications of road curve techniques in civil engineering projects.

• ‘’Surveying for Engineers’’ Uren, J. & Price, W.F., 4th ed., Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.

• ‘’Surveying for Construction’’ Irvine W. & Maclennan, F., 5th ed., McGraw Hill, 2005.
• ‘’Solving problems in Surveying’’, Bannister, A. & Baker, R., 2nd ed., Wesley Longman, 1996.
• ‘’Surveying’’ McCormac, J.C., 5th ed., Wiley, 2003.

The course will be presented through formal theoretical lectures, practical problems and tutorial sessions in class. The lectures will present to the student the course content and allow time for questions and discussion. Numerical examples are solved in class and tutorial questions are provided for private study. Practical exercises in lecture periods are submitted as assignments by the students and are completed with reduced angle calculations and plan drawings. Notes shall be taken by the students in class during lectures. In addition, all of the course material will be made available through the class website and also through the university’s own e-learning platform. Finally, the instructor will be available to students during office hours or by appointment in order to provide any necessary tutoring.