Survey Equipment

Sr. Dr. Khairul Nizam Abdul Maulud

Department of Civil & Structural Engineering

Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment

National University of Malaysia

KH 1124 ENGINEERING SURVEY

Introduction

The important element in engineering survey

Type of engineering survey equipment is;

Distance equipment

Theodolite

Total Station

GPS equipment

Leveling

Teodolite & Total Station

A total station is an optical instrument used in modern surveying and

archaeology as well as by police, crime scene investigators, private accident

reconstructionists and insurance companies to take measurements of scenes.

It is a combination of an electronic theodolite (transit), an electronic distance

meter (EDM) and software running on an external computer known as a data

collector.

Some total stations also have a GPS interface which combines these two

technologies to make use of the advantages of both.

GPS - line of sight not required between measured points;

Traditional Total Station - high precision measurement especially in the

vertical axis compared with GPS and reduce the consequences of each

technology's

GPS

Low budget GPS

Low accuracy

Up to +- 15-30 meter

High accuracy

Up to +- 5 meter

RTK/DGPS = below 1 meter

ADVANTAGES OF GPS VS. TOTAL STATIONS:

a) No Need for Control Points:

To use a total station you will need professionally surveyed ground markers,

which are used as fixed reference points (control points). You will need a

control point within line of sight to each plant to be mapped. And, each of these

control points must be within line of sight to at least one other control point. For

GPS mapping, control points are not required. This eliminates the initial cost of

hiring a surveyor to install the markers.

b) Reduced Manpower:

To map plants efficiently using a total station, a two-person team is normally

required. One person holds the optical target and reads plant labels while the

other person operates the total station. Mapping plants with a GPS is normally

a one-person operation.

DISADVANTAGES OF GPS VS. TOTAL STATIONS:

a) Adverse Effects of Tree Canopies/buildings:

Tree Canopies, especially if wet, can affect GPS measurements, reducing their

accuracy or increasing the time it takes to measure. The GPS receiver will warn

you if reliable data is not available at a certain position. You can move to the

side and take a measurement away from the tree, specifying an offset - a

distance and an angle - between the point you are at and the actual location of

the tree. You can measure this distance and angle using a tape measure and a

compass. Or, you can purchase a laser rangefinder and a built-in electronic

compass, which will automatically provide the offset data to the GPS.

b) Periodic Loss of Satellite Signals:

At any given position and time, signals from a sufficient number of satellites

may not be available. You can determine ahead of time when satellite

coverage will not be adequate. Your GPS can vendor can help you with

this. Keep in mind though that it will sometimes be necessary to schedule your

work around these periods of low satellite availability.

Distance Equipment

Distometer Leica

Leica DISTO special - the Special Edition: Leica Geosystems AG, the inventor of the laser distance

measuring devices, celebrates the 750,000th sold

Leica DISTO with a special edition.

The special model, limited for this occasion to 10,000 pieces, is in unmistakable Leica red.

The Leica DISTO special5s tands out through its precision, ease of use and measurement comfort.

Leveling Equipment

Leica Sprinter 150(M) / 250M

http://www.leica-geosystems.com/en/Leica-Sprinter-150M-250M_5284.htm

Leica Sprinter 150(M) / 250M

Technical Data Sprinter 150/150M

Height accuraciesStandard devation height measurement per 1 km double run (ISO 17123-2)

Electronic measurement* 1.5 mm

Optical measurement With standard aluminum E-scale/Numeral staff: 2.5 mm

Single staff readingStandard Deviation: 0.6 mm (electronic) and 1.2 mm (optical) at 30m

Distance accuraciesStandard deviation distance measurement 10 mm for D 10 m

and (Distance in m x 0.001) for D > 10 m

Range 2 - 100 m (electronic)

Measuring modes Single and Tracking

Time for single measurement

Unmanned Aerial

Vehicle (UAV)

Introduction of UAV

A drone and also referred to as an unpiloted aerial vehicle and a remotely

piloted aircraft (RPA)

Application of UAV

Spec, Planning & Control

UAV Software

Benefits of Using UAV

Highest resolution

depending on the height, images taken from UAV are at 10 cm to 15 cm per pixel compare to 20 cm to 50 cm from conventional aerial photography and 50 cm to 200 cm from satellite.

This is due to UAV able to fly lower to the ground and able to avoiding cloud covers.

Following is comparison of 3 different images from satellite, conventional aircraft /helicopter and UAV.

Comparism

Satellite imaging Manned Aircraft UAV

Typical Coverage

Per Day

A typical size of coverage per

layer or scene is 60 x 60 km or

3,600 km2. Higher res sat. like

Geoeyes is 2000 km2 per scene

400 km2 8 10 km2

New acquisition to

delivery

Depending on cloud - New

tasking for Malaysia 1 4 months

2 weeks to 2 months Less than 2 weeks (for 30 km2) 4

days image acq. 5-7 days image

processing

Altitude 300 km 500 km (space) 2000 10,000 ft 500 ft to 2000 ft

Subject to strict

flying regulation

No Yes No

Image resolution

pixel per cm

60 cm 200 cm 20 cm - 60 cm 8 cm - 15 cm

Issues Cloud cover Cloud and weather Weather and wind

Original Format Ready GeoTiff, Ortho, Multispec

GeoTiff, RAW, multiple inc.

Hyper/Multispec, LIDAR etc.

JPEG and RAW. RGB image

Acquiring Cost RM150 to 600 per km2min. 10

km2 . sample SPOT pricing[1]

Min. aircraft engagement

RM80,000 . RM1000 per

km2 Typical 400 km2coverage

task, RM400,000, aircraft,

equipment rental and image

processing.

RM 2000 km2 for typical

30km2 coverage - including

image processing and georef.

The cost can reduce to RM1600

per km2 for larger coverage

Sample Image Cloud issues sample image res. as typical google earth

image

Advantages

Faster Delivery comparing to ordering new satellite imagery which average take 4 months, UAV can deliver within days or weeks.

Easy setup can be setup within 30 min to fly and highly mobilize.

Battery operated the propeller and engine do not produce high noise that possibly disturb existing habitant. Enable discreet operation for various surveillance purposes.

Computerized Geo Coordinated Log Flight Plan enable customer to assign periodic or interval flight using as the same log flight to take the same exact area over

a period of time for progress monitoring, auditing etc.

Aerial Video Recorder able to view live or recorded aerial video of the coverage areas for further monitoring.

Cost versus benefits for limited area coverage, UAV provides cheaper cost compare to conventional aircraft equipped with aerial camera. Eg. Average deploying

aircraft with airborne camera is approximately RM80,000.00. Average chartering

helicopter is from RM8,000.00 per day to RM25,000 this is without proper aerial

camera. While UAV stable position camera system is computerized, thus producing

high accuracy angles for mapping and planning purposes.

Laser Scanning