Classification of Surveying

I) Classification based on the nature of the field

1) Land Survey

• Land Survey is done on land to prepare plans and maps of a given area. Topographical, city and cadastral surveys are some examples of land surveying.

A) Topographical Survey

• This consists of the horizontal and vertical locations of certain points to determine natural features such as rivers, hills, etc., and artificial features such as roads, railways, towns, villages, etc.

B) City Survey

• They are made in connection with the construction of streets, and water supply systems to know the position of services in the city.

C) Cadastral Survey

• A cadastral survey is done to define the property line of different owners to fix the boundaries.

2) Marine/ Navigational/ Hydrographic Survey

• This is conducted on or near a body of water such as a lake, river, or coastal area. This survey consists of locating shorelines of water bodies. This survey is conducted by Indian Metrological Department(IMD).

3) Astronomic Survey

• The survey is conducted to determine latitudes, longitudes, azimuths, local time, etc. for various places on the earth by observing heavenly bodies. (The Sun on Stars).

4) Aerial Survey

• An Aerial Survey is conducted from aircraft. Aerial cameras take photographs of the surface of the earth in overlapping strips of land. This is also known as a Photographic Survey.

II) Classification based on the purpose

1) Geological Survey

• In this both surface and subsurface surveying are Conducted to locate different minerals and rocks. In addition, geological features of the terrain such as folds and faults are located.

2) Mine Survey

• Mine surveys include surface and underground surveys, conducted to explore mineral deposits and to guide tunneling and other operations associated with mining.

3) Archeological Survey

• It is conducted to locate relics of antiquity, civilization kingdoms, forts, temples, etc.

4) Military Survey

• It has a very important and critical application in the military Aerial Surveys are conducted for this purpose of army operations.

III) classification based on Methods

1) Triangulation

• Triangulation is a basic method of surveying. When the area to be surveyed is large, triangulation is adopted. The entire area is divided into a network of triangles Survey is used for linear measurement.

2) Traversing

• A traverse is a circuit of the survey line. It may be open or closed when linear measurements are done with a chain and tape and the direction on horizontal angles are measured with a compass or a theodolite respectively, the survey is called traversing.

• Survey is used for linear & angular measurement.

IV) Classification based on instruments

1) Chain Survey

• This is the simplest type of surveying in which only linear measurements are made with a chain on tape.

• Angular measurements are not taken.

2) Compass Survey

• In the compass survey, the angles are measured with the help of a magnetic compass.

3) Plane table Survey

• It is a graphical method of surveying in which field works and plotting are done simultaneously.

4) Theodolite Survey

• In the theodolite survey, the horizontal angles are measured with theodolite more precisely than a compass and linear measurements are made with a chain on tape.

5) Tacheometry Survey

• A special type of theodolite known as a tachometer is used to determine horizontal & vertical distance indirectly.

6) Levelling

• This type of survey is used to determine the vertical distance (Elevations) and relative heights of points with the help of an instrument known as level.

7) Photogrammetry

• This survey is the science of taking measurements with the help of photographs taken by aerial camera from the aircraft.

8) EDM Survey (electronic distance measurement)

• In this type of survey, all measurements (lengths, angles, co-ordinate) are made with help of an EDM instrument. (i.e. Total Station )