UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, JAMAICA

FACULTY OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

SCHOOL OF BUILDING AND LAND MANAGEMENT
FINAL EXAMINATION SEMESTER 2, 2013/2014
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MODULE NAME : SITE SURVEYING

MODULE CODE : CVE1002

DATE : APRIL_MAY 2014

THEORY/PRACTICAL : THEORY

GROUP : CVE1

DURATION : 2 HOURS
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INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Answer all questions in Section A and one (1) question from Section B.

2. The answers for section A must be written on the question paper and
attached to the inside cover of the answer booklet.

3. The answer for section B must be numbered identical to the question being
answered.

4. Read the questions completely before answering.

5. The intended mark for each question is indicated at the end of the question
unless otherwise stated.

6. Use clearly labelled diagrams where appropriate.

7. This paper is worth a total of 70 marks and represents 60% of the total mark
for this module.

DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO

Page 1 of 9
 SECTION A PART 1 - 10 MARKS
Instruction:

Indicate the correct answer to each item below by circling for TRUE statements
and for FALSE statements.

1. T F No measurement can be perfect or exact because of the physical

limitations of the measuring instruments, as well as the of the limits
in human perception.

2. T F Geodetic surveying is that type of surveying in which the earth is

considered to be plane for all x and y directions.

3. T F The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a worldwide radio-navigation

system formed from a constellation of 24 satellites.

4. T F Plane surveying is that type of surveying in which the surface of

the earth is considered to be spherical.

5. T F A traverse that begins and ends on the same known point is known as
a closed loop traverse.

6. T F Errors can never be completely eliminated, but they can be minimized

by using certain instruments and field procedures and by applying
computed correction factors.

7. T F Global Positioning System (GPS)can be used to provide a detailed

topographic plan of a construction site.

8. T F The stadia hairs can be read as a check on the readings of the main
crosshair.

9. T F Vertical readings can be checked by determining if the difference

between face left and face right readings to the same point is 180°.

10. T F Plane surveying computations are carried out on the assumption that
the surveyor is working on a flat surface.

Page 2 of 9
 SECTION A PART 2 - 10 MARKS
INSTRUCTION:
Indicate the correct answer to each item below by circling the letter that indicates the
correct answer.
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Question # 11- 13

USE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO ANSWER QUESTION S 11-13

The readings obtained from a two peg test carried out on an automatic level with a single
level staff set up alternatively at two pegs A and B placed 60 m apart were as follows.

i. With the level midway between A and B

Staff Reading at A = 1.283m
Staff Reading at B = 0.860m

ii. With the level positioned 5m from peg B

Staff reading at A = 1.612m
Staff reading at B = 1.219m

Question 11

What is the true difference in elevation between and A and B?

(a) 0.740
(b) 1.491
(c) 2.143
(d) 0.423

Question 12

If the level is in good adjustment, what staff reading would be observed on point A
from the second set up?

(a) 1.642
(b) 2.380
(c) 2.079
(d) 2.502

Question 13

What is the error in the line of sight of the level?

(a) 0.003
(b) 0.030
(c) 0.300
(d) 3.000

Question 14

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Benchmark Levelling is defined as:

(a) the procedure to determine elevations on a map.

(b) the vertical distance above or below a reference datum.
(c) a line joining points of equal elevation above or below a datum.
(d) the procedure used to determine the difference in elevation between points that are
remote from each other.

Question 15

The temporary adjustments done on a total station are:

(a) centring and focusing.

(b) levelling and focusing.
(c) centring , levelling and focusing.
(d) adjusting the focus and adjusting for parallax.

Question 16

Which of the following is/are Global Navigation Satellite System(s) operating worldwide?

i) China BEIDOU
ii) Russian GLONASS
iii) United States NAVSTAR
iv) European Union's GALILEO

(a) (i) and (iv) only.

(b) (ii) and (iii) only.
(c) (iii) and (iv) only.
(d) (i),(iii) and (iv) only.

Question 17

Which of the following would provide an independent check for observations and
measurement?
(a) Triangulation with two angles measured.
(b) Trilateration with two distances measured.
(c) An open traverse with angles and distances measured.
(d) A closed traverse with angles and distances measured.

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Question 18

Which one of the following explains why the staff is sometimes tilted slowly to and from the
instrument during a levelling exercise?

(a) The highest actual staff reading is observed.

(b) The lowest actual staff reading is observed.
(c) Errors due to curvature and refraction are minimized.
(d) Errors due to the staff not being properly extended are avoided.

Question 19

Cumulative errors in surveying are more serious than compensating errors because:

(a) cumulative errors can build up into large errors.

(b) compensating errors can be located more easily.
(c) cumulative errors are caused by human imperfections rather than by instrumental
error.
(d) cumulative errors are caused by instrumental flaws rather than by human error.

Question 20

Which one of the following sources of error would be eliminated by making backsight
distances and foresight distances equal?

(a) Staff not held vertically.

(b) Staff not properly extended.
(c) Instrument not levelled correctly.
(d) Collimation line not horizontal.

SECTION A PART 3 - 25 MARKS

Page 5 of 9
INSTRUCTION
Answer ALL the questions in this Part in the spaces provided
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Question 21

The following observations were taken with the Total Station. Reduce the fieldbook to obtain
the mean horizontal and vertical angles. [6
marks]

Table # 1
Pointing Horizontal. Reading Vertical Reading Slope Dist.
F.R. A-B 200o 30′ 50″ 264o 59′ 40″
F.R A-C 240o 40′ 59″ 265o 34′ 20″
F.L .A-C 060o 40′ 50″ 094o 25′ 26″ 32.48m
o o
F.L. A-B 020 30′ 40″ 095 00′ 04″ 39.67m

Question 22

State the plans and drawings which are required from the beginning to the end of any
construction project. [4 marks]

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Question 23

List four (4) methods of controlling the vertical alignment of high rise structures. [2 marks]

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Question 24

List three (3) methods for measuring vertical distances and determining the elevations of
points.
[3 marks]
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Question 25

Three points A,B, and C lie on a straight line with B between A and C. The distance BC =
211.000m. The coordinates of A and B in metres are

A 497.000m N, 610.000m E
B 350.000m N, 331.000m E

Calculate the distance AC. [5

marks]

Question 26

What are the steps that would be taken if it was found that the proportional accuracy of a
traverse is not acceptable? [5 marks]

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Page 7 of 9
 SECTION B - 25 MARKS

INSTRUCTION
Answer one (1) from this section in the answer booklet.
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Question 27

Table # 2 shows the readings taken to determine the clearance between the level of a river
and the soffit of a road bridge.

Table # 2
Intermediate Reduced
Back Sight Sight Fore Sight Level Remarks
0.872 21.460 OBM
0.665 3.980 TP1
2.920 River level at A
-1.332 Soffit of Bridge at A
-1.312 Soffit of Bridge at B
-1.294 Soffit of Bridge at C
-1.280 Soffit of Bridge at D
2.920 River level at D
4.216 0.597 TP2
1.155 OBM

(a) Reduce the levels and determine the clearance between the river level and the soffit of
the bridge using:

i. the rise and fall level of booking; [10

marks]

ii. the height of instrument. [10

marks]

(a) Explain three (3) practical field procedures that should be adhered to in order to
avoid the errors that may arise when carrying out levelling work. [5 marks]

Question 28

(a) You are required to work on a small residential building site. Your supervisor tells
you that he has a topographic plan which shows a TBM but its elevation cannot be
read from the plan. There is a BM located 400 m down the road. He has asked you
to re-establish the elevation of the TBM on the site to within + 0.02 m.

Explain how you would go about this task. [15 marks]

(b) As the junior engineer in charge of surveying works on site, what suggestions would
you make to the surveying assistant to help ensure accurate work in levelling?
[10 marks]

Page 8 of 9
Question 29

On a small construction site a five-sided traverse was set up in order to establish

the control points for setting out purposes. An abstract of the computed latitudes and
departure is given in Table No. 3

Table # 3

Line Bearing Distance North South East West

AB N33 10W 362.55 303.484 198.343
BC N39 10E 218.00 169.018 137.684
CD S10 20E 163.22 160.573 29.278

DE S66 50E 195.95 77.088 180.149

EA S32 20W 278.53 235.344 148.970

(a) Compute the Closing Error and the Proportional Accuracy. [4

marks]

(b) Compute the adjustments to be applied to all the lines in the network. [10
marks]

(c) Calculate the corrected latitudes and departures for all the lines in the network.
[10 marks]

(d) How would you check that the latitudes and departures were correctly adjusted? [1
mark]

*** END OF PAPER ***

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