Theodolites Fundamentals Explained

Since ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt and Rome, man has used tools to measure and keep his boundaries and separate himself from his neighbors. While the use of such tools were all but lost in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance saw a resurgence in interest and need in tools to survey and parcel the land around them. Many tools still used today are similar to those used to map and survey the initial settlements of america. We are at the dawn of a new era, on the other hand, where technology that has not drastically changed in the past hundreds of years are increasingly being introduced to the computer age, which has served to only make man's estimations even more accurate than before.

In its earliest forms, one of the main tools for conducting land surveys was a chain (sometimes known as a Gunter's chain) of a particular length. These chains would be pulled taut, and attempts were made to hold the measure level to be able to improve accuracy.

Leaps and bounds in accuracy in surveying were made with the introduction of such equipment as the surveyor's compass and theodolite. The surveyor's compass, or circumferentor, consisted of a brass circle and an index; on the circle was a compass. It was used to measure horizontal angles. A theodolite could measure both horizontal and vertical angles. As a result of the higher accuracy, the theodolite was the preferred tool for surveyors throughout Europe by the early 1800s. On the contrary, as a result of its bulk, the surveyor's compass was still utilized in heavily wooded areas, leading to its resurgence in popularity click through the following website page the Colonial period within the usa.

Theodolites, although more sophisticated versions, were still used as late as the 1990's for simple surveys, along with other equipment to enhance the accuracy. More recently, modern electronics have improved on the theodolite with the addition of an electronic distance measurement device, or EDM; these tools are generally known as total stations. In a short time period, total stations have gone from being mechanical/electronic devices to purely electronic systems with onboard computer and software.

Linear surveying is just one of the most basic methods of surveying and involves no measurement of angles. Whilst often now overlooked in favour of hi-tech theodolites and GPS equipment, It can be used to plot single features or whole towns. However it's most suited for small scale projects as accuracy can suffer over larger areas but it does give a cheap alternative to sophisticated but expensive measurement equipment.

How Does Linear Surveying Work? This method involves establishing a linear baseline over the area which is to be measured/plotted. Over short distances this will likely be achieved with a tape between two rods but over longer distances the baseline is best constructed by a team of at least two surveyors. One surveyor can stand at the previous rod and ensure the next rod is put in the ground in-line with the others.

Once a perfectly straight baseline is established then another tape may be taken from the baseline to an point that needs to be measured/plotted. The key is that this line is taken at exactly a 90 degree angle from the baseline. This will likely be ensured through the utilization of a standard surveyors triangle.

The two linear measurements that need to be taken are the distance of the point along the baseline and secondly the distance from the baseline. By having these measurements from all the points required, it is then possible to plot them and produce a drawing of the site.

For larger or maybe more complicated sites it is strongly recommended to setup multiple baselines across the site with ideally each point being measured from more than one baseline to improve accuracy.

Global Positioning Systems have also entered the arena of land survey, as well as have steadily gained in knowledge and use within the non-public field. For land surveying, however, they may be not absolutely as accurate as the surveyor would wish. Even though they have increased the speed of surveying, GPS systems will be just horizontally accurate to 20mm and vertically accurate to about 30mm. At the same, time, GPS systems have problems functioning properly in heavily wooded areas. In lots of cases, surveyors will still count on their total stations in conjunction with other equipment for example laser scanners. Where the budget is large enough, a helicopter equipped with a GPS system can verify the findings on the ground.

As the technology employed by land surveyors has been changing and moving forward by leaps and bound in the last 25 years, even the most advanced technology may only do so much. Land surveying remains an art, with the expertise of the surveyor can't be replaced by technology. The surveyor must investigate and infer precisely what the true boundaries of any property may be using both the technological and historical information they have at hand.