Construction

Surveys
(Chapter 10)
PROF TERY JOHNSON

Stationing and Chainages

Chainage/Stations are points along a baseline used to
indicate distances along this line, either from the start point
(0+00) or between points. An example of such a baseline is
the centre line (C/L) of a road (i.e. centre line)- see Chapter 1
The beginning of the survey baseline is the zero. Notations:
Zero end 0+00 or 0+000.
A point 100 m (or ft) from the zero end is 1+00
A point 131.26 m from the zero end is 1+31.26
Most stations increase in regular intervals 0+10, 0+20, 0+100,
etc.

Construction Survey
Marking on the ground (using wood stakes, iron
bars, aluminium and concrete monuments, nails,
spikes, etc) features as illustrated or calculated on a
designed plan for engineering projects.
For example, establishing the corners of new house
footings from the property limits or some other
control point.

Construction Project
Process
1)

Preliminary phase Data collection process:

(Control, Topographic and Property Surveys may be used)

Surveys define the limit of construction: Building

Envelope (for houses, buildings) OR Right-of-Way for a
roads/highways.
These boundaries may also be used as the Control
survey for the layout of the buildings/roads.
The data collection process can use traverses and
topographic surveys (preliminary surveys) for physical
features to design the building, road, etc.

Construction Project
Process
2) Design Phase:

Design of the feature to be constructed is done inhouse using data collected during the preliminary
phase.
A Design Plan is created using software such as
AutoCAD, MicroSurvey, etc. using the data collected
in the preliminary survey, traverse, level loop and/or
topographic survey.

Construction Project
Process
3) Layout Phase:
(Control, Topographic and Property Surveys may be used
to layout in field what was created in the design phase)

Horizontal Control Points are used to layout

the horizontal locations of features
footings, building corners, lines for
columns/support beams, etc
Vertical Control, such as Bench Marks are
used to establish the required elevations for
footings, drains, floor grade, etc

Construction Control
Prior to the start of construction:
Construction Survey used to check/re-establish
horizontal and vertical control points to ensure
the layout is accurate and precise. Preliminary
surveys (control surveys) may have been done
months or years before construction begins.
Control points are established or verified
throughout the construction site to regulate the
line and grade for all points in the project.

Line and Grade

GRADE: Position of a feature in the VERTICAL
plane (e.g. elevation of a point)
VERTICAL Control of the Design Plan:
Establishes elevations;
Slope of profile line - gradient (as %);
CUT & FILL data: above or below design
elevations (usually indicated on offset grade
stakes)

Line and Grade

LINE: Position of a feature in the
HORIZONTAL PLANE (e.g. traverse from
control survey)
Horizontal control from the Design Plan:
Proposed location of points (in X,Y plane);
To create a road or a lot in a subdivision
To layout a traverse/control surveys that will be used to
establish location of horizontal points

Municipal
road
construction

Municipal Road
Construction
Plan and profile or Line and Grade:
Designed feature(s) must be built/laidout so they
meet the horizontal and vertical specifications
accurately and precisely.
In other words:
The blueprint (Design Plan/Layout Plan) shows the
vertical and horizontal details of the features that
must be constructed.

Plan view of a Road

This plan shows horizontal location of road. Typically,

elevations are also shown. Note the chainages along the C/L)
From Kavanagh, 2009, Surveying Principle and Applications

Profile view of same road

Profile of key elevations and slopes along the C/L.

Note chainages are also shown.
From Kavanagh, 2009, Surveying Principle and Applications

Determining Cuts and Fills

(vertical control-grade)
Offset grade stakes (nails or tacks for precise alignment)
are typically placed at 20m-even stations and critical
alignment change points.
Top-of-stake elevations are measured using level rods,
automatic levels using control points (Benchmarks).
Elevations of Top-of-Curb are determined using the
design/proposed C/L elevations and the measured offset
stake elevations (see next slide)

Calculating Cuts and Fills

Centreline CUT
and FILL
calculation

Top-Of-Curb (T-o-C)
CUT and FILL
calculation

1)- Calculate difference of

elevations between main
stations along C/L of Road

Do 1, 2 and 3 as you would

for calculatingC/L Road
elevations.

2)- Calculate gradients

4) Next, calculate the

TYPICAL Cross-Section
elevation difference between
T-o-C and C/L values

3)- Calculate centerline

elevations of required
chainages/stations
4)- Calculate CUT FILL
values based on Offset Stake

5)- Calculate T-o-C

elevations

Typical Cross section showing cut and fill

grades

From Kavanagh, 2009, Surveying Principle and Applications

Grade sheet showing CUT and FILL

values for centreline elevations
Station
0+00
-0.8%

BC 0+ 14.5
0+20
0+40

-0.8%
0+45
+1.0%
0+60
0+80
1+00
+1.0%

1+20

C/L Road
Elevations

Stake
elevation
(given)

180.270
- 0.116
180.154
- 0.044
180.110
-0.160
179.950
-0.040
179.910
+0.150
180.060

180.570

0.300

180.325

0.171

180.315

0.205

180.225

0.275

180.110

0.200

180.060

On
grade

+0.200
180.260
+0.200
180.460
+0.200
180.660

Cut

Fill
----------

180.200

0.060

180.445

0.015

180.610

0.050

1) Standard elevation difference

at the top of the curb

From Kavanagh, 2009, Surveying Principle and Applications

2%

C/L

0.150m

9m
ROAD CROSS SECTION

Now we can calculate the elevations along the centreline of the

road, and the top of the curve as well. Top-of-Curb is 0.060m higher
than the centreline of the road.

Grade Sheet showing CUT and FILL

values for Top-of-Curb Elevations
Station

0+00
BC 0+ 14.5
0+20
0+40
0+45
0+60
0+80
1+00
1+20
1+43

C/L Road
Elevations

PROPOSED
Top-of-Curb
Elevations
(Add
0.060m)

Stake
elevations

Cut

Fill

180.270
- 0.116
180.154
- 0.044
180.110
-0.160
179.950
-0.040
179.910
+0.150
180.060
+0.200
180.260
+0.200
180.460
+0.200
180.660
+0.230
180.890

180.330

180.570

0.240

180.214

180.325

0.111

180.170

180.315

0.145

180.010

180.225

0.215

179.970

180.110

0.140

180.120

180.060

0.060

180.320

180.200

0.120

180.520

180.445

0.075

180.720

180.610

0.110

180.950

180.914

0.036

Calculating gradient
How to calculate gradient

: RISE or
DISTANCE
RUN
ELEVATION

Example: A baseline has 0+345.116 (elev = 120.750m) and

0+480.616 (elev=122.261m). What is elevation at 0+420?
Dist = (480.616-345.116)m; Elev = (122.261-120.750)
Gradient = 1.511%
Elev = (0+345.116 to 0+420.000) = 74.880 x 1.511% =
0.835m
Elev 0+420.000 = 0.835m +120.750 = 121.585m

Sewer
Construction

Sewer Construction
Sewer are described
as:
Sanitary
Storm

http://www.gic-edu.com/805/Distance--Sanitary-Sewer-Stormwater-Drainage-Systems-Design-Workshop-12-PDHs

Sewer pipe section

Crown: unimportant for sewers construction;
important for pressurized pipe (natural gas, etc)

Spring Line: halfway up pipe

Pipe Wall: vitrified
clay, metal, plastic,
concrete

Invert: controlling grade for construction

inside base of pipe

Sanitary Sewers
Collect industrial, commercial liquid waste and sewage to
treatment plant usually deeper under roadway;
Gradient +/- 2% from basement to sewer main connection;
Between +/- 2.5 - 3.0m below road grade depending on
traffic load and frost penetration in soil and located 1.5m on
either side of C/L road;
Minimum slope 0.67% to achieve a self cleaning velocity of
0.8 to 0.9 m/s to avoid maintenance cost.
NOTE:
In Design Phase elevations of basement floor govern sanitary
sewer depth

Storm Sewers
Collect runoff (rain and snow) and transport this water to
the near natural water body (creeks, rivers, and lakes);
The runoff is collected at catchbasins at curb side or in
ditches along the way and about 2.0 to 2.5m below grade;
Slope less than sanitary sewer, minimum 0.5% along
centerline gradient to achieve a self cleaning velocity of
0.8 to 0.9 m/s to avoid maintenance cost;
Drain gradient based on principle that gravity needed to
transport material suspended in the water. Therefore to
avoid flloding/pooling grades must be calculated
accurately !

Typical X-section of a local

residential road

From Kavanagh, 2009, Surveying Principle and Applications

Important Terms
Maintenance holes:
(MHs) are located at 100 to 400
m intervals max, or at each
change in direction, slope or pipe
size.

http://www.lgam.info/sewer-maintenance-shaft

Important terms
Catch Basins (CB):
Usually about 100 -150m apart,
closer in areas with steeper
gradients (WHY?) along the
drain
Batter Board (BB):
Horizontal board (usually
wood), attached to a vertical
stake, used in construction
layout to establish a proposed
elevation.

(contd)

Sewer layout: Line and

Grade
ALWAYS working UP the gradient;
Not uncommon chainages restarts at each MH starting
with 0+00 to the next, then starting again from 0+00
to the next and so on.
Offset stakes with batter boards used to laying out
sewer grade;
Sewer contractors/layout personnel decide on location
of offset stakes. Usually locate offset line as close to
centreline of pipe/trench as possible - about 5m away
and parallel to line.

Example in meters from text book

(pg 277)

The existing MH3 is expected to be extended to MH4.

From Kavanagh, 2009, Surveying Principle and Applications

Grade sheet calculations

Calculation are somewhat similar to Offset Grade Stake to C/L or T-o-C
calculations. Batter Board calculations are different to

anything in road construction:

STEP 1 Calculate the gradient of sewer invert profile

(proposed invert elevations).
For 1.2% gradient for 20m (0+00 to 0+20) Elev:
20m x 1.2% = 20m x 0.012 = 0.24m
STEP 2 Calculate CUT values
As before and for every station, from 0+00 (MH3)
to 1+00 (MH4)

Grade sheet calculations

Similar to C/L and Top-of-curb, with additional
calculation for Batter Board (BB) calculations:

STEP 3:
Calculate Grade Rod length and Stake to BB heights:
Selecting a proper Grade Rod length =
Mean CUT Offset Stake height + Height of Inspector
Use 1.7m, if height of inspector is unknown.
For example: 2.3 0.3 + 1.7 = 3.7m
Grade Rod length is made to the nearest 0.1m. In this case
use 3.7 or 4m

Free standing batter

boards

From Kavanagh, 2009, Surveying Principle and Applications

Grade sheet calculations

STEP 4: Distance from Top of Grade Stake to Top of Grade
Rod: calculate the Stake to batter-board values
Station

MH 3 0+00

0+20

0+40

0+60

0+80

MH 4 1+00

Invert
elevation

Stake
elevation
(given)

Cut

420.86
(+ 0.24)
421.10

422.96

2.10

Stake to
Batter
Board
Rod = 4m
1.90

423.37

2.27

1.73

421.34

423.67

2.33

1.67

421.58

423.82

2.24

1.76

421.82

424.17

2.35

1.65

422.06

424.45

2.39

1.61

In summary for Sewer

layout
Grade Rod has 2 main uses:
Directs the person on the machine to dig to the
proper depth at each station along the trench
Used by the inspector to check the sewer elevations
are at the proposed/required elevations.
This method of line and grade transfer has been
shown because it is simple to follow however it is
not widely used in field anymore (QUOTE from
Kavanagh)

Highway
construction

General comments
Highways like municipal roads are classified local,
collectors, arterials and freeways think of Hwy #7
going east, #27 North the old roads to Ottawa and
Barrie
Most highways are arterials joining towns and cities
Unlike municipal roads, highways do not have curbs,
storm sewers, instead ditches on sides.

General comments
Before construction begin establish C/L of construction from
limits of R-O-W of highway;
Stationing is also reestablished based on the original
preliminary survey, usually every 10 m or 20m or 25m apart;
Additional stations are required at changes in horizontal
alignment (BC, EC), vertical direction (BVC, EVC)
Full stations at are 100 m intervals (0+00, 3+00, 6+000, etc)

Highway construction Ground

Prepartion
Clearing/grubbing: cutting trees, removing
shrubs, bush, garbage
Full highway width of clearing is
approximating the limits of cut and fill
Next stripping of top soil stockpiled for use
later:
Cut sections: stripped the full width
Fill sections: stripped width of highway
embankment

Cut and Fill

Limit of Stripping

CUT SECTION
Finished Grade

Slope stake

FILL SECTION

R-O-W

Slope stake

Placement of slope takes

To locate the slope stakes calculate the

difference in elevation of the c/l of the profile

grade and the difference in elevation with :
the invert of the ditch (for CUT); see next
slide
or toe of embankment (for FILL); see next
slide
NOTE: side slopes are given as 3:1 ( meaning
3 units in horizontal to 1 unit in vertical)

Examples: Invert and Toe

of slope
Invert of the ditch with arrow
showing the direction of flow
along gradient

Toe of embankment where

to place Slope Stake for
FILL section of highway

Example of cut section of

highway

Calculate Distance from C/L Highway to Slope

Stake
R-O-W

C/L
Profile/Grade elevation

C/L ditch
3:1

Original Ground
2:1

7.45m
@ 3% (d1)

Gran A + Gran B = 0.45m

Fig 15.15(b) pg 267

Slope stake

1.5m (d2)

Min 0.5m
(d3)

Example of cut section of

highway
d1 = 7.45m
d2 = 0.5 x (ratio of 3:1) = 1.50m
To calculate d3:
Find the difference in elevation from C/L Road
to C/L ditch:

Granular A = 0.15m

Granular B = 0.30m

total 0.45m

Subgrade = 7.45m at 3.0% = 7.45 x .03 = 0.22m

Minimum depth of ditch = 1.5 3 = 0.50 m

Example of cut section of

highway
Difference in elevation = 0.45 + 0.22 + 0.50
= 1.17m (C/L highway to C/L ditch)
Profile grade is 1m lower than Slope Stake grade,
Therefore ADD 1m to Slope Stake elevation or include
1m more for ratio on right side:
TOT Elevation from C/L Ditch to Slope Stake =
(1.17 + 1.00)= 2.17 m
So d3= 2.17m x2 = 4.34m
Distance from C/L Highway to Slope Stake:
= 7.45 + 1.50 + 4.34 = 13.29m

To locate slope stake in

the field
For this example:
Assume profile grade (C/L elevation) = 180.40m
Then Elevation at ditch invert (C/L) = 180.40 1.17* = 179.23m
(* calculated on previous slice)

Next, assuming Height of instrument (HI) elevation for profile grade

= 182.15
Then rod reading at ditch invert (C/L) would be : 182.15 179.23 =
2.92m
We need to go down by 2.92m in this case, using these numbers