subject: Topographic Survey And Its Utilities [print this page] One of the major purposes to conduct a topographic survey is to accumulate survey information about the natural and man-made characteristics of the land and its elevations. From this set of information the topographic land surveyors make three - dimensional maps. They prepare a topographic map after collecting the field data. To accomplish their topographic survey objectives, surveyors use elements of geometry, engineering, trigonometry, mathematics, physics and law.
They gather information through detailed study, observations and measurements in the field. It involves data analysis in the support of planning, designing, and establishing of property boundaries. It also includes the re-establishment of cadastral surveys and land boundaries based on documents of record and historical evidences, and certifying surveys of subdivision plats/maps, registered land surveys, and space delineation. Land surveying may involve associated services such as mapping and related data accumulation, construction layout surveys, precision measurements of length, angle, elevation, area, and volume, as well as horizontal and vertical control surveys, and the analysis and utilization of land survey data. This survey is also known as geomorphometry. Today, this involves generation of elevation data in electronic form. It is often measured to include the graphic representation of the landform on a map by a variety of techniques, including
ontour lines, Hypsometric tints, and relief shading.
The work involved in a topographic survey mainly consists of the following steps:
Establishing horizontal and vertical control that will serve as the framework of the survey,
Identifying horizontal location and elevation of ground points to provide enough data for plotting when the map is prepared
Locating natural and man-made features that may be required by the purpose of the survey,
Computing distances, angles, volumes and elevations of earthwork
Finally, drawing the topographic maps.
Topographic survey requires both horizontal and vertical control to reference the measurements of the chosen features and ground elevations that will be used to create the topographic survey map. The land surveyors can also provide aerial mapping and ground surveying to complete all topographical surveys. The methods used in the survey can be tailored to match the size and requirements of the project. Land surveyors use latest and powerful technologies and surveying tools like topographic surveys, ALTA / ACSM Land Title Surveys (ALTA Surveys), High-Definition Surveying - HDS (3D Laser Scanning), Geodetic Survey, and GPS Land Survey to perform their services more rapidly and perfectly. Topographic survey helps in real estate, development, engineering, environmental and telecommunications industries.
