Module Code and Title : BSR102 Surveying

Programme : Diploma in Civil Engineering

Credit : 12
Module Tutor : Kezang Tshering

General Objective
This module will enable students to understand the basic concepts, principles and applications
of surveying. Students will be able to do surveying using various surveying instruments like
Theodolite Total station and Real Time Kinematics (RTK).

Learning Outcomes
On completion of the module, students will be able to:
1. Carry out linear measurement.
2. Maintain a field book.
3. Operate leveling instrument and carry out different types of leveling works.
4. Operate total station and carry out topographic survey.
5. Perform setting out works by using total station.
6. Collect and process surveying data using drafting software.
7. Generate and interpret topographical maps.

Learning and Teaching Approach

Total credits
Type Approach Hours per week
hours
Lecture 3
75
Contact Practical 2
Independent Field works 2
45
study Written assignments 1
Total 8 120

Assessment Approach:
A. Phase Test (10 marks)
Students will sit for a closed book test for an hour in the eighth week. This will test learning
outcomes 1-4 based on unit I to IV.

B. Assignment (5 marks)
Individually, students will submit an assignment within 900-1000 words. The assignment will be
related to solving numerical exercises from measurement, levelling and setting out works. The
assignment will be given in the fifth week and students can submit it in the eighth week. The
assignment will be assessed on the following criteria:

Criteria Marks
 Format and Layout 1
Originality 1.5
Accuracy of information 1.5
Language 1
Total 5

C. Quiz (5 marks)
Student will sit for a quiz consisting of MCQ for an hour in the twelfth week. The quiz will be
conducted in the Moodle. It will cover Unit I to Unit V.

D. Field work (25 marks)

 Field Work I (12.5 marks)
Students in groups of 5 will carry out layout surveying (buildings/bridges/culverts/pipeline) using
total station in an around the campus and locality and present the works in the form of reports
(of 900 to 1000 words), drawings, layouts and presentation. The field work shall begin from the
third week and students can submit it at the end of seventh week.
 Field Work II (12.5 marks)
Students in groups of 5 will establish control point and validate existing control points and
parallelly carry out topographic survey in the campus or locality and process data in surveying
drafting software and present the works in the form of reports (of 900 to 1000 words), drawings,
layouts and presentation. The filed work shall begin from nineth week and student can submit it
at the end of thirteenth week.

The field work will be assessed on the following criteria:

Criteria Marks
Followed safety protocols 2
Data Collection 3
Data analysis (plots and graphs) 3
Format and Layout 4
Team work (communication and collaboration) 2
Relevant Drawings 4
Total 18

The presentation will be carried out at the end of thirteenth week. Students shall be given 15
minutes for presentation followed by a 15 minute Q&A session. The presentation for the
fieldwork will be assessed on the following criteria:
Criteria Marks
Language (verbal clarity) 1
Response to Question 2
Confidence 1
Presentation technique 1
Conclusion/Discussion/Recommendation 2
Total 7
E. Lab work (10 marks)
Students in group of 5 will carry out the lab work as stipulated in the list of practical. The
duration for each practical is 2 hours. The lab work will be assessed individually on the following
criteria:

Criteria Marks
Handling of tools 2
Team work (communication and collaboration) 3
Followed safety protocols and instruction 1
Laboratory Etiquette 2
Precision and accuracy in measurements 2
Total 10

F. Lab Report (10 marks)

Students in groups of 5 will submit the lab report for the stipulated practical with word count
ranging between 900-1000 after one week of completion of the lab work. The written report will
be assessed in groups on the following criteria:

Criteria Marks
Aims and Objectives 0.5
Materials/Tools required 1
Procedures 2
Drawings/schematics/tabulation 2.5
/Calculation
Result and Conclusion 3
Precaution 1
Total 10

G. Viva (5 marks)
Viva will be conducted after completing all the practical in the thirteenth week. Each group will
sit for Viva for an hour. The viva will be assessed on the following criteria:
Criteria Marks
Response to Question 2
Language (Verbal clarity) 1
Confidence 1
Ability to demonstrate the work 1
Total 5

H. Semester End Examination (30 marks)

Students will sit for a 2-hour closed book test at the end of the semester. It will test all the
learning outcomes.
Overview of the assessment approaches and weighting
Areas of assignments Quantity Weighting (%)
A. Phase test 1 10

B. Assignments 1 5

C. Quiz 1 5

D. Field Works 2 25

E. Lab work 7 10

F. Lab report 7 10

G. Viva 1 5

H. Semester End Examination 1 30

Total 100

Pre-requisites: None

Subject Matter
Unit I: Introduction to Surveying
1.1. Definitions and importance of surveying.
1.2. Types of surveying, classification of surveying.
1.3. Introduction to contour maps and its uses.
Unit II: Linear Measurements
1.4. Ranging out survey lines, measurements on flat and sloping/uneven ground.
1.5. Errors in measurements, tape corrections, locating objects to prepare site plan.
1.6. Booking readings in field book.
1.7. Obstacles in measurements.
1.8. Conventional symbols for plotting survey works.
1.9. Plotting a plan using given field data.

Unit III: Levelling

1.10. Parts of levelling instruments, temporary adjustment of level.
1.11. Methods of levelling, direct leveling.
1.12. Booking and reducing levels by rise and fall method.
1.13. Height of instrument method, reciprocal levelling, profile leveling.

Unit IV: Setting Out Works

1.14. Co-ordinates method and center-line method for setting out building.
1.15. Setting out bridges and culverts.
1.16. Types of curves and its method of setting.
Unit V: Introduction to Total Station
1.17. Total Station- parts of total station.
1.18. Principle and working of Total Station.
1.19. Horizontal and vertical angle measurements.
1.20. Steps involved in finding the elevation and slope.
1.21. Adjustments, observation of readings.
1.22. Stake out building/ bridges/ culverts.
1.23. Topographic surveying.
1.24. Monitoring long-term Landslide zones using total station surveying
1.25. Monitoring Road alignment and levelling.
1.26. Data collection, transfer, processing and plotting of surveying data.
1.27. Principle and Working of Real Time Kinematic (RTK) and Geographic Positioning
Systems (GPS).
1.28. Android Mobile application for data collection (e.g., SW maps).

Unit VI: Contours

1.29. Contours and contour interval.
1.30. Characteristics of contours, methods of contouring.
1.31. Interpolation of contours by estimate and arithmetic calculation.
1.32. Contouring using Surveying drafting software.

List of Practical(s):

1. Carry out indirect ranging, do chaining on sloping ground, take simple measurements
and record the data in the field book for a closed traverse.
2. Calculate the difference in elevation between two given points by height of instrument
method and rise and fall method using Dumpy levels.
3. Setting out Building Plans by Total Station and manually (3-4-5 method).
4. Carry out Topographic surveying using Total Station.
5. Process surveyed data using excel/CAD/QGIS to generate land profile, area, volume and
contours.
6. Layout a simple horizontal and vertical circular curve using total station.
7. Carry out RTK surveying.

Reading List:
Essential Reading
Anderson, J. M., & Mikkhail, E. M. (2012). Surveying: theory and practice (7th ed.). Tata
MCGraw Hill.
Agor, R. (2010). A text book of surveying and levelling (10th ed.). Khanna Publishers
Arora, K. R. (2010). Surveying: Vol. 1. Rajsons Publication Pvt. Ltd.
Chandra, A. M. (2005). Surveying: Problem solving with theory and objective type questions.
New Age International.
Chandra, A. M. (2015). Higher surveying (3rd ed.). New Age International.
Elliott, D.K. & Christopher, J.H. (2017). Understanding GPS/GNSS, principles and applications.
(3rd ed.). Artech House.
Nasthson, J., Lanzafama, M., Kissam, P. (2017). Surveying fundamentals and practices (7th
ed.). Pearson
Additional Reading
Arora, K. R. (2016). Surveying: Vol. 2 (14th ed.). Rajsons Publication Pvt. Ltd.
Bannister, A. (2017). Surveying (7th ed.). Pearson.
Clark, D., & Jackson, J. E. (2004). Plane and geodetic surveying for engineers: Vol. 1 (6th ed.).
CBS Publisher & Distributor Pvt. Ltd.

Date: June 2023