BASIC'S OF SURVEYING

Monday, 30 April 2012


ELEMENTARY DEFINITION OF SURVEYING (as paraphrased in most texts):
The art, science, and technology of detecting the relative position of points at, above, or below the surface of the earth; or establishing such points.

BROADER DEFINITION (according to its true nature and scope)

Surveying Measurement:
The art, science, and technology of gathering and analyzing measurement data related to the land and other land-related surfaces and spaces, to include designing and devising the measurement specifications and standards to accomplish these measurements with the desired precision and accuracy and error control and adjustment, including the use of all instrumentation applicable to such measurements, said measurements typically being, but not limited to distances, heights, angles, directions, positions, areas, volumes, and other measurements associated with these quantities.

Professional Surveying:
The application of knowledge of the science of surveying measurement, the legal principles of boundary location, the laws related to boundaries and land use, the applicable mathematical and computational theories and principles, the natural and other forces which affect positional accuracy, the land planning and development concepts pertinent to subdivision of land and property surveys, land record and land tenure concepts, geodetic and other earth-related sciences to the analysis, design, and execution of surveying and mapping projects and the design of land mapping and information systems.

LOGICAL SCOPE OF PROFESSIONAL SURVEYING
1.        Original Surveys for Establishing Property Boundaries
2.        Retracement of Property Boundaries
3.        Field Surveys for Topographic and other Maps
4.        Photograrnmetric Surveys for Topographic and other Maps
5.        Construction of Maps and other Graphics for Design and Planning
6.        Layout and Staking to Guide Construction
7.        Measuring and Plotting the Position of Constructed Works
8.        Geodetic and other Precise Control Surveys
9.        Surveys for Mining and other Subsurface Operations
10.      Hydrographic and Underwater Surveys
11.      Making Surveys and Maps for Land Information Systems
12.      Design of Measurement Specifications for Various Surveys
13.      Development of Measurement Standards for Various Surveys
14.      Application, Use, and Adjustment of Measurement Instruments
15.      Development of Relative Geometric Positional and other Accuracy Needs for Land Information Systems
16.      Assisting Engineers, Lawyers, Planners, the Public, and Government Officials with the Solution of Problems Where Surveying Expertise is Needed
THE VALUE OF BEING A SURVEYOR:
Full understanding of the inexactness, uncertainty, and variable nature of measurement leads to humility since it teaches that one can never be sure of results. It is this very humility that, more than anything, creates the professional attitude needed to constantly seek new evidence, and consequently a higher probability of approaching the truth or proving something with confidence.

The surveyor is primarily an analyst. As an analyst of both measurement data and boundary location evidence (including geometric and other mathematical relationships) the surveyor is in a position to develop a keen sensitivity to the importance of finding and applying the truth.
A surveyor, when practicing according to the true nature of surveying, is ever seeking the truth, whether in measurement or in boundary location. Consequently, learning and applying the measurement science and the legal and other principles of boundary retracement develops character.

The art and science of surveying is a mirror of life itself.
Called "Geomatics" in Canada and much of Europe, land surveying is known as the world's second-oldest profession.  It dates back to ancient Egypt and Babylonia.  Surveying is essentially the art and science of measuring and mapping land.  While the entire scope of our profession is vast, it all eventually boils down to determining where people's land boundaries are located.  Without this service, railroads could not be built, skyscrapers could not be erected, and individuals could not put up fences around their yards, for fear of trespassing on someone else's land.  Would you like an interstate highway to be built in your backyard, one you've paid for, maintained, and paid taxes on for years, without your permission?  Of course, how would you know it was in your backyard without a surveyor to tell you where your property even was?  We also stake out boundaries of roads to be built, monitor skyscrapers to make sure they are being erected vertically, and measure airports so that the runways are perfectly aligned and smooth.  So, if you see a guy in the road looking through an instrument on a tripod, that is a surveyor, now you know that he is doing more than taking pictures.
What is a surveyor?
A surveyor is more than one of those guys you see out in the road.     Surveying is a vital part of the design and construction process.  We perform boundary surveys to tell people where their property is, map the topography of land for engineering design, establish elevations of home sites for flood insurance, perform title surveys for real estate transactions, certify that structures are built according to design, lay out buildings, subdivisions and other construction projects so the construction companies can relate the engineering plans to the real world, and build control networks that all land parcels can relate to in a given area.  We also map slopes and areas for pay volumes or quantities, map river bottoms for dredging, lay out photo control for aerial photography and photogrammetry, write legal descriptions that are used to describe pieces of property, map and layout corridors for tunnels, roads, airports, pipelines, cellular networks and railroads, and split up properties into new lots, such as subdivisions.

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