Course Outline: Surveying I
Week 1: Introduction to Surveying
Concepts: Definition of surveying, its history and importance in engineering and
construction. Different types of surveys (e.g., plane vs. geodetic). Introduction to
geomatics.
Practical: Familiarization with basic surveying equipment. Introduction to course safety
protocols.
Week 2: Measurements and Errors
Concepts: Principles of accuracy and precision. Sources of error in measurements
(systematic, random, gross). Methods for minimizing and adjusting errors.
Practical: Practice with linear measurements using pacing and taping.
Week 3: Linear and Angular Measurements
Concepts: Detailed study of linear measurements using electronic distance measurement
(EDM). Types and use of theodolites and total stations for angular measurements.
Practical: Hands-on practice with a total station to measure angles and distances.
Week 4-5: Leveling
Concepts: Principles of leveling. Different types of leveling instruments (e.g., dumpy
level, automatic level). Methods for differential leveling and profile leveling.
Practical: Conducting a leveling circuit to determine elevations. Creating a profile from
field data.
Week 6-7: Traversing
Concepts: Introduction to traverses (open and closed). Field procedures for conducting a
traverse. Methods for calculating coordinates and balancing a traverse.
Practical: Field exercise to conduct a closed-loop traverse. Calculations to adjust the
traverse closure error.
Week 8: Mid-Term Examination
Review: A review session covering material from Weeks 1-7.
Practical: Mid-term exam will cover theoretical concepts and practical problem-solving.
Week 9-10: Topographic Surveys
Concepts: Understanding and interpreting contour lines. Methods for conducting a
topographic survey (e.g., grid method, radial method).
Practical: Field work to collect data for a topographic map. Drawing a topographic map
from the collected data.
Week 11: Introduction to GPS and GNSS
Concepts: Principles of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the broader Global
Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Different types of GPS receivers and their
applications in surveying.
Practical: Using handheld and survey-grade GPS units to collect and process positional
data.
Week 12: Course Review and Final Project
Concepts: Final review of all course topics. Introduction to basic principles of
Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Practical: A final project involving a small-scale survey that integrates various learned
techniques (e.g., traversing, leveling, mapping).
Week 13: Final Examination
Concepts: Cumulative final exam covering all material from the semester.
