Unit 1

Introduction to Surveying and

Basic Principles of Surveying

ISM520S – Introduction to Survey and Mapping

 Definition of Land Surveying

The applied science of

making measurements (field
work) of the relative positions
of natural and man-made
features on the earth's
surface, and the presentation
(office work) of this
information either graphically
or numerically (Survey
Manual Version - January
2000).

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 Definition of Land Surveying

This implies that its the

science of measuring
and presenting the
three-dimensional
(horizontal and vertical)
position of objects.

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 Definition of Land Surveying cont…

This measuring and presenting

of horizontal and vertical
positions of objects is
achieved by:
- determining horizontal and
vertical distances between
objects through the
measurement of lines and
angles between those lines to
determine true directions from
one point to the other i.e.
angular and linear
measurements

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 Definition of Land Surveying cont…

This measuring and

presenting of horizontal
and vertical positions of
objects is achieved by:
- These angular and linear
measurements render it
child’s play to determine
positions of features.
See how this is achieved by
trigonometry in the names of
polars, joins, GNSS, etc.

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 Definition of Land Surveying cont…

• As indicated
surveying involves
fieldwork (the
actual
measurements)
and office work
(calculations and
drawings).

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 The FIG more contemporary definition of land
surveying

• According to the
International Federation of
Surveyors (FIG) a land
surveyor is a person who
may be involved in any of
the following disciplines that
may occur either on, above
or below the surface of the
land or the sea and may be
carried out in association
with other professionals:

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 A land surveyor may be involved in any of
the following disciplines:

1. Determination of the size

and shape of the earth,
2. Positioning of objects in
space,
3. Positioning of physical
features, structures, and
engineering work
4. Determination of property
boundaries, including
national and international
boundaries in support of
registration of land rights

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 A land surveyor may be involved in any of
the following disciplines:

5. Administration of land and

geographic information
systems
6. Study of the natural and
social environment
(disaster management)
7. The planning
development/redevelopmen
t of property
8. Assessment of property
value.
9. The production of plans,
maps, files, charts, and
reports.

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 Evolution of land surveying

• From the previous slide it can

be seen that traditional land
surveying has evolved
(changed and expanded) so
much leading to a more
contemporary term ‘Geomatics’
which encompasses other facts
of the profession which were
not considered to form part of
the traditional definition of
surveying.

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 The Principal Classification of Land Surveying

Geodetic Surveying –
Surveying that takes into
account the true shape of
the earth (recognises that
the earth is not a flat).
When surveying over very
large area like international
boundaries, the curvature of
the earth cannot be ignored,
otherwise one introduces
serious inaccuracies in the
survey

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 The Principal Classification of Land Surveying

Plane Surveying –
Surveys that assume that
the earth is flat. When
surveying over a small
area like an erf, the effect
of the curvature of the
earth is negligible. This
makes life easy in data
handling.

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 Branches of Land Surveying

Cadastral Surveying -
Surveying of land parcels
(erf (pl. erven), farms)
performed by a Professional
Land Surveyor in order to
register (mainly in the Deeds
Office) and preserve land
rights thence aiding land
taxation.

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 Branches of Land Surveying

Topographic Surveying
– Surveying for mapping
of natural and artificial
features of the earth
(terrain), like hills, valleys
lakes, rivers, roads,
railways, power lines,
buildings etc

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 Branches of Land Surveying

Engineering Surveying
- Surveying concerned
with the planning, design
and setting out in the field
of engineering works,
such as roads, railways,
dams, canals, tunnels,
services in townships,
etc.

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 Branches of Land Surveying

Mining Surveying –
Surveying for mining
works e.g. blasting
sights, excavations,
underground mining
tunnels
Hydrographical Surveying
– Surveying dealing with
bodies of water, e.g. ocean
bathymetry, maritime zones
and boundaries.

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 Branches of Land Surveying

Aerial Surveying or
Photogrammetry –
Surveys using aerial
equipment. Flying an area
and taking photographs of
the terrain in order to
develop plans, maps, from
such photography.

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 Related fields

• Surveying also includes the related activities of:

Cartography - The design and production of maps
compiled from existing data, and the development and
maintenance of map information systems.
Geographic (Land) Information Systems (GIS/LIS) - An
organized collection of computer hardware, software,
geographic data, and personnel designed to efficiently
capture, store, update, manipulate, analyse, and display
all forms of geographically referenced information.

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 Principles of Land Surveying

• The position of a point is said to be "determined", if its

distance and direction are known from one or more given
known points, i.e. if its location relative to other known
points is known.

Methods for determining the position of a point:

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 Methods for determining the position of a point

1. Trilateration (ties) – measure only distances.

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 Methods for determining the position of a point

2. Triangulation (intersection, resection)– measure only

angles

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 Methods for determining the position of a point

3. Polar, traversing – Combination of the above two

(distance and direction)

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 Common terms cont…

• Error - the difference between a measured value and

the true value of a reading or observation. Or the
quantity that must be removed from a measurement to
arrive at the true value, i.e. taking off the error.
• → Error = Measured Value – True Value
• Correction - the quantity that must be applied to the
measured value to eliminate the error i.e. the quantity
that must be applied to the measured value to get the
true value.
• →Correction + Measured Value=True Value
•  Correction = -e
• Residuals - the small discrepancy that remains after the
correction has been applied to a reading (e.g. residuals
of geo referencing).

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 Types of Errors
1. Gross Errors - blunders / mistakes – caused by
negligence or carelessness, e.g. misreading an
instrument. Magnitude: gross.
2. Systematic Errors – Errors occurring due to flaws in
instruments. These errors follow a pattern. Most are
eliminated by adopting responsible observation
strategies like taking mean observations, repeat
observation etc.
Caused by: e.g. an instrument being out of calibration,
physical and/or environmental conditions.
3…..

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 Types of Errors cont….

3. Random errors – Errors occurring due to limitations of

instruments. These are errors left after gross and
systematic errors have been removed.
• When repeat observations of the same quantity are
taken and gross and systematic errors have been
removed, the corrected values are not a constant.
• This is due to the presence of random errors.
• These are errors inherent in the measuring instrument.

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 Precision and Accuracy

• Precise Observations
• Although all observations are closely grouped, the
measurement (average value) is not necessarily
accurate.

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 Precision and Accuracy

• Accurate Observations
• Observations are not necessarily closely grouped, but
their average value (the overall measurement) is very
close to the true value.

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 Precision and Accuracy

• Accurate and Precise Observations

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 Precision and Accuracy

• Inaccurate and imprecise Observations

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 Units of Measure on the Namibian Coordinate
System
1. Length: German Legal metre. 1 SIm = 0.999986 GLm
2. Area: square metres and hectares for area ≥ 1ha =
10,000 square metres).
1ha = 100m*100m = 10,000 sqm.
(Correct your study guide to mm).
3. Angle: dmmss. 1deg=60min=60*60sec.

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 Entries in Fieldbooks and Calculations

• Field obs = in PENCIL.

• Reductions and calcs = in good quality INK.
• Corrections – corrected value must remain legible.
8
Example: 9

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 Plans and Maps

• Plans and Maps

• A plan is a true to scale representation of all the features
represented on the figure.
• A map is drawn to such a small scale that some of the
features shown on it cannot be drawn to scale, but are
indicated by means of symbols – hospitals, huts, police
station, reservoir, etc.

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