Introduction to

Surveying

Geomatics
The science concerned with the
measurement, representation, analysis,
management, retrieval and, display of
spatial information describing both the
Earth's physical features and the built-in
environment.

 Includes disciplines
such as:
Surveying
Geodesy
Remote Sensing and
Photogrammetry
Cartography
Geographic
Information Systems
Global Positioning
Systems

Geomatics
(Traditional Definition)
The art of making measurements of the
relative positions of natural and manmade features on the earth's surface, and
the presentation of this information
either graphically or numerically.

Geomatics
(Modern Definition)
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.

In Babylon

In Egypt

Eratosthenes

What can be mapped,

could be ruled.

In 1990
The military requirements of World Wars I
and II provided the motivation for vast
improvements in the design of surveying
equipment and execution of surveying
operations.

Uses of Survey
1. Establishment of boundaries of land.
2. Fixing of national and state boundaries.

3. Charting of coastlines and navigable

streams and lakes.
4. Precise location of definite reference points
throughout the country.
5. Collection of valuable facts concerning the
earths magnetism at widely scattered
stations throughout the country.

Surveying
Plane Surveying the type of surveying in
which the mean surface of the earth is
considered as a plane, or in which its
spheroidal shape is neglected.
Geodetic Surveying takes into account
the true shape of the earth.

Types of Surveys
1. Control Survey

consists of establishment of the

horizontal and vertical positions of
arbitrary points.
2. Property Survey

performed to determine the length and

direction of lot lines and to establish the
position of these lines on the ground.

Types of Surveys
3. Topographic Survey
made to secure data from which may be
made a topographic map indicating the
configuration of the terrain and the
location of natural and human-made
objects.

Types of Surveys
4. Hydrographic Survey
refers to surveys of bodies of water for
the purposes of navigation, water supply,
or subaqueous construction.

Types of Surveys
5. Mine Survey
utilizes the principles
for land, geologic and
topographic surveying
to control, locate and
map underground and
surface works related
to mining operations.

Types of Surveys
6. Route survey

refers to those
control, topographic,
and construction
surveys necessary
for the location and
construction of lines
of transportation,
etc.

Types of Surveys
7. Construction Survey

performed to lay out, locate and, monitor

public and private engineering works.

Types of Surveys
8. Photogrammetric
Survey
measurements
made on
photographs are
used to determine
the positions of
photographed
objects.

Definition of Terms

Total Station System

Digital Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
Satellite Positioning System
Geographic and Land Information Systems

Definition of Terms
Level surface a curved surface every element of
which is normal to a line that is directed exactly
toward the Earth's center of gravity (plumb line).

Zenith direction away from the center of the

Earth and above the observers head.

Nadir direction towards the center of the Earth.

Definition of Terms
Horizontal plane plane tangent to a level surface
at a particular point.
Horizontal line a line tangent to a level surface. In
surveying, it is commonly understood that a
horizontal line of sight is straight.
Horizontal angle an angle formed by the
intersection of two lines in a horizontal plane.

Definition of Terms
Vertical line a line perpendicular to the horizontal
plane.
Vertical plane is a plane in which a vertical line is
an element.
Vertical angle angle between two intersecting lines
in a vertical plane.

Definition of Terms
Zenith angle angle between two lines in a vertical
plane where it is understood that one of the lines is
directed toward the zenith.
Nadir angle angle between two lines in a vertical
plane where it is understood that one of the lines is
directed toward the nadir.

Definition of Terms
Horizontal distances distances measured along a
level line.
Elevation of a point vertical distance above (or
below) some arbitrarily assumed level surface, or
datum.
Contour an imaginary line of constant elevation on
the ground surface.

Definition of Terms
Difference in elevation vertical distance between
two points.
Leveling operation of measuring difference in
elevation.
Grade or Gradient of a line slope of the line or rate
of ascent or descent.

REFERENCES
Becker, B.J. Eratosthenes of Cyrene.
http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Eratosthenes.htm
ptolemy.eecs.berkeley.edu/ people/ptolemy.htm
Buckner (1994). http://surveying.mentabolism.org/buckner.html. Last
Accessed 16June08
Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies, University of Arkansas.
http://www.cast.uark.edu/home/research/geomatics.html
Davis, R.E., et. al (1981). Surveying: Theory and Practice. USA:
McGraw-Hill, Inc.

Federation of American Scientists. Html link lost

Great Pyramid of Khufu. http://vncafe.blogspot.com/2008/03/greatpyramid-of-giza.html

REFERENCES
International Federation of Surveyors.
http://www.surveyor.asn.au/for-the-public/internationaldefinition-of-surveyor.php
La Putt, J.P. (2007). Elementary Surveying. Philippines: National
Book Store.
ManSurveying.gif. From
http://everythingaboutsurveying.blogspot.com/2008/05/geodeticinstrumentation-methods.html
http://surveying.mentabolism.org/geomatic.htm. From the Dept.
of Surveying and Spatial Information Science, Univ. of Tasmania.
Link (broken):
http://info.utas.edu.au/docs/geomatics/geomatics_exp.html