Integrated Surveying

Catalog description

The course objectives are directed toward providing instruction and practical experience in activities common in surveying practice, experience requiring the integration of virtually all abilities gained in previous surveying courses. The class is organized as a student surveying company with the instructor as general supervisor. Objective 1 of the student surveying company is to analyze a letter from a client (the instructor) requesting a survey. The letter will request a survey (typically ALTA boundary or construction). The client letter will specify standards (ALTA and other) the survey is to meet, standards commonly required in survey practice. The client letter will specify products to be delivered, typically a report of record of survey maps and analyses showing the degree to which required survey standards have been met. In addressing objective 1, students determine exactly what work needs to be done to satisfy client requirements. Typically these include several sub-surveys: (1) a relatively long-range satellite (GNSS) survey to bring control into the project area, (2) a traditional local control survey to create a control network to control subordinate surveys and the surveys producing what the client has requested, typically boundary retracement and mapping surveys. The result of work on objective 1 is the organization of the class into coordinating groups, one per sub-survey plus two additional groups for report compilation and editing and map production and editing. Objective 2 of the student surveying company is to develop detailed work plans for sub-surveys, report preparation and map production. The result of work on objective 2 is the set of work plans. A written contract (as a letter of understanding) between the student surveying company and the client is prepared. Objective 3 is to perform that record search, field work, data analysis, mapping and preliminary report writing for the sub-surveys necessary to meet client requirements. Objective 4 is to compile the final report of survey.