Total Stations

Total stations
• A total station must include:
– Electronic theodolite
– EDM
– Processor “computing power”
• A total station can read and record horizontal and
vertical angles through the theodolite, slope distances
through the EDM, and perform various mathematical
operations through the processor.
• Programs and functions are different from one brand
to the other, but most of the surveying functions are
built into the any total station such as:
– averaging angles and distances,
– determining X, Y, Z (elevation) coordinates from
angles and distances measured,
 – setting out of points,
– remote object elevations,
– distance between remote points,
– Traversing: calculations of errors and adjustments
– Resection: computation of unknown occupied point
coordinates by observing known points.
– making atmospheric and instrumental corrections.
• Measurements are recorded on “data collectors of
various types such as cards or little instruments.
• Data can be uploaded from a computer to the TS; and
Data can be downloaded to a computer from the TS
through a card reader or directly from the TS to the
computer via a cable.
• Total stations display the amount of battery charge
and will allow the input of variables such as the prism
constant and ppm for atmospheric effect.
 Major Parts of
a Total Station

LEICA TOTAL
STATION
TOPCON TOTAL
STATION
Major axis of a total
station
Optical Plummet
Memory Card Sokkia Total Station Display
Topcon Data Collector
Sokkia PowerSET Keyboard Layout
 Azimuth Equations
Important to remember and understand:

ΔΧ XB − XA Departure
tan(AZ AB )= = =
ΔΥ YB − YA Latitude

B
ΔΧ = d * sin( AZ ) C

ΔΥ = d * cos( AZ )
A

Azimuth of a line (AC)=Azimuth of the line AB ±angle (BAC)

 Total station (TS) Operation
Background
Knowing the azimuth of a line such as C1- R, and the
length of the line, coordinates of (R) can easily be
computed and displayed on the screen:
XR = XC + ΔXRC , YR = YC + ΔYRC
Where: ΔXRC = LengthRC sin (AZ) RC and
ΔYRC = LengthRC cos (AZ) RC
- So, for a TS to compute coordinates, it needs to
measure the distance from a known point such as C in
the example, and the azimuth of the line RC.
- We do not measure Azimuth, why?? But we measure
angles.
- For this we need to start with a known length and a
known azimuth, we measure the angle from the line of
known azimuth and compute the azimuth of the new
line, then solve for the new point.
EXAMPLE:
Compute the coordinates of point C if the coordinates of
points B and A were: C
Point X (m) Y(m) B

B 738.23 654.34
A 823.58 457.50 A

A total station was used to measure angles and

distances from point A. The angle BAC was 95° 45’
34”, the length AC was 255.84 m,
 Answer
- Compute the azimuth of the line AB:
ΔΧ X B − X A Departure
tan(AZ AB ) = = =
ΔΥ Y B − Y A Latitude
- Compute the azimuth of the line AC: C
Azimuth AC = Azimuth AB + 95° 45’ 34”
B

- XC = XA + LCA sin AzAC

- YC = YA + LCA cos AzAC A

- This is how a TS computes coordinates. Before

computations, it needs to know the coordinates where it is
at and a reference azimuth. This process is called
“orientation” of the total station.
 Total station (TS) Operation
1. Upload data to the TS from a computer if
needed such as:
- names (codes) and coordinates of control
stations such as C1, C2, and so on. What
are codes and why are they important??
- azimuth of a known line such as the
azimuth of C1-C2
- coordinates of points to be set-out such as
points on a road, corners of a building, etc.
2. When you turn on the instrument you first
check and update:
– Power level: Sokkia goes from “0” weak to “3”
strong.
– Prism Constant “P.C”
– Temperature and pressure for environmental
effects “ displayed variable is ppm”
– Curvature and refraction corrections
– Sea level Correction
– Instrument height, measure it
and update it
– Target height.

TS Operation
– Measuring units: meter or feet for distances and
angles in degrees or grad.
– Create a new “Job file”, or open an existing one to
append or add to it. Measurements are stored in
electronic files called “job files” this way you have
the data associated with a certain project in one
place, data of different projects will not get mixed.
This also allows you to use the same instrument to
work at different projects and keep their data
separate.

Creating a Job File in a Sokkia Power Set TS

3- TS Orientation
set it up so that a horizontal zero reading is north, or
local north. In other words, the goal of the orientation
process is to “tell” the TS where it is and where north
is. You do that by occupying a point such as C1 called
the station and perform the orientation by one
several methods such as:
3-1 Using two known points
Occupy one of the known points, say (O), aim at a
prism on a another known point such as (b) called
“backsight”. The TS will compute the azimuth of
the line O-b = tan-1 {(Xb – Xo) /(Yb – Yo)}
Now the total station knows where it is:
- on point (O) of known stored coordinates, and
- where north is: it knows that the line O-b is at
angle from north that is equal to the azimuth of
the line O-b.
Geometry of a Two-Point TS Orientation
First you select a Then input the
method for station name “A-
orientation “Nikon 123”, if stored, the
TS” for example coordinates and
code are displayed.
Now the point is selected, you may enter the
instrument height. The TS knows now where it is and
how height the TS is above the ground.

In the following screen, the user chose to input the

backsight point by coordinates.
Enter the Backsight point
number and then its target
height.
Aim at the backsight point
and press the required
button, “MSR OR ENT” in
this Nikon TS. You get the
difference in distance.
This difference is the
difference between the
computed and the measured
distance between the points.
3-2 Orientation of TS by Entering the Azimuth Angle
-If we know the azimuth of a line that starts at the
STATION, but not the coordinates of the BACKSIGHT
point. For example, we now the azimuth of the line that
connects a point on the roof of known coordinates
“STATION” and the azimuth to Cairo Tower, but we do
not know the coordinates of Cairo tower.
- Set the TS on the Station and enter the information of
the station as the previous method.
- Input the azimuth of the line that connects the station
and the backsight points, instead of the coordinates of
the backsight point as before

TS Operation
Geometry of TS Orientation by Azimuth
 The total station asks for
First you select a
the azimuth, or display it
method for orientation
if previously uploaded.
“Nikon TS” for
Aim at the backsight, the
example. This time
display lists the difference
select “ Angle”
in azimuth
3-3 Orientation of TS using a Multiple Point
Resection

A resection orients the TS using angle. Distance

measurements to Known points.
TS is on an unknown point, observe three angles to
three known targets OR angles and distances to TWO
known targets. Why is that and when to use which????
The TS will solve a resection problem and solves for
the location of the STATION and the Azimuth of the
directions to the known lines.
Geometry of TS Orientation by Resection
1 2

3
3-3 Orientation of TS using local coordinates
- Used if local
coordinates are used,
assume coordinates of
STATION and choose
a direction to call
North, or zero
Azimuth.
- All coordinates will
be in that local
coordinate system,
distances and angles will be correct, but Azimuth is
not.
- Used in small scale projects when there is no need
to relate to the surroundings.
4- Topographic Survey ‫اﻟﺮﻓﻊ‬
• The total station can give directly reduced coordinates of
surveyed points (Easting, Northing and elevation) or (X,
Y, and Z) if you input the station coordinates (E0, N0,
H0), height of instrument (hi), and initial orientation of
the instrument before you begin. You will also need to
input the reflector height (hr) of measured points.
• Place the prism on the point to be surveyed, aim the total
station at it, measure, and record the coordinates
• Points have IDs or point number that can be increase
automatically and have codes that make the description
of points clear and drawing a map easier and more
automated.
• A group of points will form a map, the data is
downloaded to a computer and a software is used to
draw the map.
5- Set out Surveys ‫اﻟﺘﻮﻗﻴﻊ‬
• To mark points in the field that are on a drawing or a map, and
of given coordinates. Such as corners of a building, edges of a
road, tress, etc.
• You first create a job file and define the variables, and upload
all the points from a computer to the total station of possible.
Coordinates can be entered manually if needed.
• Orient the TS onsite using one of the previously described
methods.
• Select a method for setting out, usually by coordinates.
• Enter the number of the point to be located the TS might
display the angle to rotate and the distance to measure.
• Rotate the TS by the angle needed and ask a person holding
the prism to move in that direction the required distance,
approximately.
• Guide the person holding the prism to be on the
required direction by sighting through the telescope,
once you see the prism in the telescope, measure.
• The total station shows the difference in distance and
maybe the angle.
• Do not rotate the TS, tell the assistant to move by
that difference along the line, towards you or away
from you.
• Repeat this process until you are satisfied with the
difference in distances, should be minimal, and mark
that point on the ground.
• Move to the next point in the file within the TS, and
repeat the process.
 Examples of Functions within the TS
• Programs within a TS to make repeated
surveying operations faster such as traversing,
remote distance, remote elevation, offsets, and
so on. Some of them might not be available in
all brands “kinds’ of TS.
1- Line Division
2- Offset
This function allows you to stake out point
based on offset from a line for example
3- Remote Distance (Missing Distance)
This function measures the horizontal, slope and
vertical distances between two points and the
azimuth of the line that connects them.
 Example
Compute the length and azimuth of the line AC if
the total station at point B measured the angle
ABC and the lengths AB and BC. The total
station was properly oriented and the
horizontal readings at A and C were 20° 12’
14” and 55° 13’ 25”, the lengths of the lines
BA and BC were 250.01m, and 234.42m.
4- Remote Elevation
To measure the elevation of high points, such as the
top of a tower or a building. You set a prism below
the point on the ground, measure the horizontal and
vertical distances to the target. Then measure the
Zenith angle (θ) to the high target.
B

A
Example
To define the height of a steel communication
tower, a total station was used to collect
measurements. A prism was placed at the
bottom center of the tower, the total station was
aimed at the prism, the HD was 50 m and the
vertical distance between the centers of the TS
and the prism was 0.8m. The TS was then
aimed at the top of the tower and the vertical
angle measured was 67° 20’ 30”. If the height of
the prism was 1.3 m, calculate the height of the
tower above ground.

If the elevation of the ground under the tower was

38.64 m, what is the elevation of the top of the
tower?
 Most common mistakes when
using a TS
1- Entering wrong point number
2- Switching STATION and BACKSIGHT
points
3- Other errors in orientation, such as aiming
at a wrong point.
4- Improper centering and/or targeting
5- Ignoring corrections or entering
inaccurate parameters such as P.C.,
temperature, and pressure.
 Advanced Total Stations
• Reflectorless or prismless TS up to 2000m on
white surfaces today
• Robotic TS “ONE MAN CREW”
 High Definition Survey (HDS)
(Terrestrial Laser Scanners)

The scanner sends millions of laser pulses to

measure coordinates as it rotates to scan the
features around
 All-in-One Total Stations
• More than one technology
• The Topcon IS Imaging Station includes:
– Robotic total station
– 3D Scanner
– Imaging system
• Can perform as a regular or a robotic total
station