Land Surveying - 2021 entry

Surveying is a multidisciplinary skill that is applied to any area of science and engineering that requires the accurate measurement of natural and manmade features on the Earth’s surface. This applied module is designed to provide all the underpinning knowledge to become a surveyor.

The course begins by introducing the fundamental surveying techniques. This includes the application of surveying techniques to make spatial measurements (angles, distances and elevations), as well as the theory and mathematics involved with establishing control networks. As the module advances you will be introduced to global navigation satellite systems in surveying, and be given an introduction to setting out and engineering surveying. This module is delivered in the form of lectures, workshops and practical sessions.

The second half of the module goes through the processes of a topographic survey. During several exercises you will use your knowledge and understanding of surveying to establish a primary control network on a site and connecting to a coordinate system, collect topographic detail, and produce a scaled topographic plan using digital terrain modelling software and AutoCAD.

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

 

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

1 Understand the aims of surveying and define the role of the surveyor in engineering;

2 Define coordinate systems on different scales and understand their origins and uses, and utilise the sexagesimal system of angular measurement;

3 Demonstrate knowledge and skills in applying the fundamental surveying techniques – including levelling, angle and distance measurement, traversing and coordinate calculations, working “whole to part”, detail surveying, area calculations, global navigation satellite systems, and setting out;

4 Become competent in the application of surveying techniques and spatial data collection, including elevations from levelling equipment, angular measurements with a theodolite, distance measurement using EDMs, as well as integrated systems such as total stations, and RTK GNSS receivers;

5 Undertake surveys using a variety of techniques, and be able to accurately record data, perform the appropriate survey calculations and critically analyse results;

 

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

6 Prove knowledge and capability in the use of computer aided design software (LSS and AutoCAD);

 

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge:

7 Use a wide range of academic skills in data acquisition (through the use of equipment), interpretation (through calculation) and communication of results; 8 Develop problem solving, learning skills and data handling and manipulation;

9 Develop mapping skills through field-based activities and assessments;

10 Develop interactive and group-working skills through working in small teams throughout the assignments and field-based exercises;

11 Apply given tools/methods accurately and carefully to a well-defined problem and begin to appreciate the complexity of the issues in the discipline.

Topic 1 - Introduction to Surveying: purpose of surveying, applications of surveying, origination of coordinate systems, true, grid and magnetic north derivations, sexagesimal angular measurement, equipment used in surveying, outline of surveying techniques, introduction to mathematics in surveying (lecture, example sheet 1);

Topic 2 - Levelling: levelling techniques and purpose, vertical coordinate systems, equipment and types of levels used, booking of data, levelling calculations and checks, trigonometrical levelling methods, errors involved with levelling (lecture, example sheet 2);

Topic 3 - Measuring Angles and Distances: types of theodolites and an explanation of their use, methods of reading both the horizontal and vertical circles, booking of data and consequent reduction and calculations, measuring of distances with EDMs (electromagnetic distance measurement), tapes and steel bands, linear surveying procedure, stadia tacheometry (lecture, example sheet 3);

Topic 4 - Traversing and Coordinate Calculations: purpose and types of control surveys, traversing procedure including both an example of closed coordinate and open / link traverses, calculation procedures for closed traverses including angular adjustment, converting angles to bearings, partial coordinate calculations, traverse accuracy, Bowditch adjustments and subsequent coordinate calculations (lecture, example sheet 4);

Topic 5 - Introduction to GNSS: development and importance of GNSS, different types of GNSS and applications, application of GNSS in surveying, GNSS positioning methods, errors in GNSS (lecture);

Topic 6 - Setting Out and Area Calculations: aims, principles and methods of engineering surveying, uses and applications of setting out, control methods, equipment used in setting out, worked area calculations for straight and irregular bounded shapes (lecture, example sheet 5);

Campus Survey – complete a topographic survey of an area of the Penryn Campus. The survey will be completed over a duration of 6 weeks. During this time there will be lectures and workshops including:

- Introduction to total stations;

- Introduction to surveying topographic detail;

- Introduction to AutoCAD and LSS;

Topic 7 - Revision Session: at the end of term there will be a tutorial session covering the mathematics and theory covered during the module in preparation for the closed book examination (lecture, tutorial);

(Syllabus plan may be subject to change during term time).

If a student is referred or deferred, the failed / non-completed component(s) will be re-assessed at the same weighting as the original assessment.