Geodetic Control

Network Establishment
and Densification

Lecture 2

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network Establishment and Densification
OUTLINE

• Components of a Geodetic Control

Network
• Order, Accuracy Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network
• Monitoring and Maintaining the Geodetic
Control Network
• Technical Manuals and Guidelines

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network

• an accurate positional framework from which

nationwide supplemental surveying and mapping
are referred

• a system of precisely positioned, permanently

marked stations distributed over an area, taking
into account the curvature of the earth, to serve
as primary reference or as check points for other
subsequent surveys to be used in engineering
projects

• the basic spatial framework for the control and

integration of surveys, mapping and all land
related information

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

 Relevance of Geodetic Network

Tenure
Unify and standardize all surveying data! and value
records

Resources Other records Administrative Other parcel-

records related records records related
records
Other Identifiers
Parcel id

Cadastral
Other Data-exchange boundary
overlays Conventions overlay
Base maps

GEODETIC REFERENCE FRAMEWORK

Source: National Research Council 1980

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

 Components of a Geodetic Control Network
HORIZONTAL CONTROL

• provided by two or more points in the

ground, permanently or semi-permanently
monumented, and precisely fixed in position
horizontally by distance and direction, or
coordinates
• usually established by performing
triangulation, trilateration, traversing, or by
the use of GNSS

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

 Components of a Geodetic Control Network
VERTICAL CONTROL
• provided by benchmarks in or near the track
to be surveyed, and it becomes the basis for
all elevations and in portraying the relief of
the area
• usually established by running lines of
differential levels
• GPS surveying may also be used, but
elevations must be converted to orthometric
heights first in order to be acceptable

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Related DAOs, Technical Manuals and
Guidelines
• Implementation of PRS92:
• Executive Order No. 45, “Adopting the
Philippine Reference System Of 1992 As The
Standard Reference System For Surveys In The
Philippines
• DENR Administrative Order No. 2005-13,
“Revised Guidelines for the Implementation of
the Philippine Reference System of 1992”
• DENR Administrative Order No. 2010-17,
Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) on
the Conduct of Inspection, Verification and
Approval of Survey (IVAS) in the Philippine
Reference System of 1992 (PR92)

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Related DAOs, Technical Manuals and
Guidelines
• Geodetic Control Survey Accuracy/Standards:
• DENR Administrative Order No. 2007-29,
“Revised Regulations on Land Surveys”
• US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Manual
1101-1-1004, “Engineering and Design:
Geodetic and Control Surveying”

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Related DAOs, Technical Manuals and
Guidelines
• Field Operations:
• Land Administration and Management
Project 2, “Field Operations Manual Module 2:
Control Establishment”
• DENR Memorandum Circular No. 2010-13,
“Adoption of the Manual on Land Survey
Procedures”
• US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Manual
1101-1-1004, “Engineering and Design:
Geodetic and Control Surveying”

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network
• Depends on the purpose and extent of the
survey.
• Importance of standards:
• To provide a uniform set of standards specifying
minimum acceptable accuracies of control
survey for various purposes.
• To establish specifications for instruments, field
procedures, and misclosure checks to ensure
that the intended level of accuracy is
achieved.
• Factors affecting accuracy:
• Type and condition of accuracy
• Field procedure
• Capabilities of survey personnel

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network
• Mainly governed by the Revised Regulations
on Land Surveys (DAO 2007-29)
• Article 7 – Survey Accuracy
• Section 28. Control Surveys
For the purpose of this regulation and
consistent with the adoption of new
survey technologies, the Control
Survey Accuracy shall be as follows:

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network
• To integrate all surveys to the PRS-92, all subsequent
interconnections must be surveyed at the following
geometric relative positioning accuracy standards:

Accuracy Specifications of Geodetic Controls:

Positional Vertical
Relative Nominal Max Error
Order Linear Error
Error Space of Closure
1st 1/100,000 1 cm per km 50 km 4.8 mm √K
2nd 1/50,000 2 cm per km 25 km 8.4 mm √K
3rd 1/20,000 5 cm per km 5 km 12.0 mm √K
4th 1/10,000 10 cm per km variable ---

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network
• Section 29. Cadastral Surveys
a. Controls and Political Boundary Surveys –
3rd order geodetic control accuracy for
municipal and 4th order geodetic control
accuracy for barangay
b. Lot Survey – 5th order geodetic (tertiary
project) control accuracy

• Section 30. Isolated Surveys

a. Original, subdivision, consolidation, or
consolidation-subdivision isolated survey -
5th order geodetic (tertiary project)
control accuracy

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network
• Section 31. Mineral Land Surveys
a. Survey of mineral lands - 4th order
geodetic (secondary project) control
accuracy

• Section 32. Forestland and National

Park/Protected Areas Delimitation Surveys
a. Depends on the area coverage under
the project control surveys (similar to
isolated surveys)

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network
• Based on the Manual on Land Survey
Operations (DMC 2010-13), pursuant to DAO
2007-29:
• Article 1 - Geodetic Control Surveys
• Section 2
All Geodetic Control Surveys shall be
conducted in the Philippine
Reference System of 1992 (PRS 92)
using survey grade GNSS receivers.

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network

• Section 10. Designing Network of Controls

• The inter-visibility of stations are not
necessary in order to have a good
Network Geometry in the GNSS
observations
• However, in the preparation of the
Network Design, it is necessary that the
points selected can be occupied,
located in a stable ground and shall
not be affected by any construction
activities in the near future.
• Swampy or loose soil areas should be
avoided.

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network

• Section 12. Map of the project site:

• The available NAMRIA Topographic Map
on the area shall be used as base map;
• All the fixed controls (Old Control Points)
based on the available records shall be
plotted;
• The Points to be established shall be
approximately plotted on the selected
locations;
• Caution shall be taken in order to scale
the map correctly. The distance between
points is an important factor;
• Each station shall be numbered properly;
• The Network Design’s final map may be
modified upon the conduct of Field
Reconnaissance.

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network
• Section 13. The Network Design shall be made
to conform to the following conditions:
• The lines connecting the control points
within the network should create closed
polygons with the minimum number of
sides, such as triangles that will create a
rigid network.
• The Network shall be designed so that all
stations or points included therein have at
least three (3) known PRS 92 control points.
• The designed Network should have an
adequate amount of redundancy:
optimal number of known points should be
included, with as many cross-ties and
repeated measurements as possible.
• The field observations shall be timed when
the Position Dilution of Precision (PDOP) is
low.

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network

• Section 15. Geodetic Control Monuments

The position of reference points shall be
defined and marked on the ground by
monuments of permanent nature in the form
of a square base frustum
a. Dimension of Survey Control
Monuments:

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network

• Section 15. Geodetic Control Monuments

b. Concrete monuments shall be
fabricated with reinforced steel bar (10
mm in diameter for vertical bars and 8
mm in diameter for ties) and satisfying
the requirements of class A concrete
specifications in the ratio of 1:2:4
(cement, sand, and gravel). Sand and
gravel must be clean, free from dust or
mud or other organic matter.
c. The concrete monuments shall be cast
in place where they will be established.

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network
• Section 16. Markings of Reference Monuments
• NAMRIA shall be consulted for assignment
of Code to the newly created provinces.
• The numbering of control points shall be
from 1 to 3000 for those established by
NAMRIA and 3001 and so forth for those
established by LMB/LMS and other entities.
• The name of the office or entity that
established the control point shall be
inscribed using only one word which could
either be an acronym , company name or
surname of a person .
• To avoid duplication of numbers, the
establishing entity shall coordinate with
NAMRIA for the 1st and 2nd Order control
points and with the concerned LMS
Regional Office for the 3rd and 4th Order
control points.

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network

Where: CGY - is the Provincial Code (Cagayan); 3000 - is the Control Point Number;
2005 - is the year when the monument established; Δ - is the Control Point mark, with
any non-corrosive metal such as brass rods or copper nails embedded at the center of
the triangle; 2nd Order – is the order of accuracy of the monument; LMS2 - is the office
or entity that established the Reference Point

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network

• Section 16. Markings of Reference Monuments

• All the letters and numbers shall be in “Arial
Bold” Font Type, all capital and shall be 2.5
cm in height, 2 cm in width and 0.4 cm in
thickness with margins not less than 2 cm.
along the edge of the monument to give
allowance for chipping.
• It should bear the mark “GOV PROP”
which stands for government property.

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network

• Section 19.
• The establishment of geodetic control
covering the 1st and 2nd Order
Accuracy shall be done only using a
GNSS Receiver.
• There shall be at least three (3)
receiver units per survey team.
• The employment of more than four (4)
Receivers is preferable.

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Order, Accuracy, Standards, and
Specifications of Geodetic Control Network

• Section 25. Connection to existing controls

• Connection shall be made to control
of the same or higher Order of
Accuracy with the following number
of observations:

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Monitoring and Maintenance

Manual on Land Survey Operations (DMC 2010-

13):
• Article 25 – Geodetic Controls
• Section 186. The NAMRIA shall verify the
correctness and technical accuracy of
the survey returns of the 1st and 2nd Order
Geodetic Control Surveys.

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Monitoring and Maintenance
Revised Regulations on Land Surveys (DAO 2007-29)
• Article 14 – Management of Survey Records and
Information
• Section 67. National Geodetic Network
Information System (GNIS)
a. Consists of a national facility that shall have the
storing, updating, reporting, transformation,
data analysis, and security capabilities with
online access for other agencies.
b. NAMRIA in coordination with LMB/LMS shall
develop the system
c. NAMRIA shall publish (print and digital) the 1st
and 2nd order PRS92 Geodetic Control Points,
LMB and LMS shall do the same for 3rd and 4th
order control points
d. NAMRIA and LMB/LMS shall regularly update
the GNIS and exchange digital copies of lists
including name/designation, location, grid and
geographic coordinates, and upon request,
descriptions of the control points
UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network
Geodetic Control Network
Monitoring and Maintenance

Revised Regulations on Land Surveys (DAO

2007-29)
• Article 8 – Reference Monuments
• Section 35. National Database of
Geographic and Plane Coordinates (GPC)
of all Land Survey Reference Monuments
• 3rd order and below – managed by LMB
• New reference points – data should be
furnished to LMB for updating of the
National Database
• Online access between the DENR, LMB,
NAMRIA, and the LMS regional offices for
data sharing and efficient servicing of the
public

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Monitoring and Maintenance
Geodetic Control Densification based on
Engineering and Design: Geodetic and Control
Surveying:
• Conventional control and GPS surveying
methods can be used for wide-area, high-
order geodetic control densification.
• 1st, 2nd or 3rd order work can be achieved using
conventional or GPS surveying techniques.
• GPS techniques are now generally used for
most horizontal control surveys performed for
mapping frameworks.

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

Geodetic Control Network
Monitoring and Maintenance
Vertical Control Densification based on
Engineering and Design: Geodetic and Control
Surveying:
• Conventional leveling methods are used to
determine orthometric height elevations of
benchmarks established for vertical control
densification.
• For large mapping projects, differential GPS
may prove more cost effective for densifying
vertical control.
• However, for small project sites or construction
projects, conventional spirit leveling is
generally preferred.

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network

 Thank you for
listening! 

References
DAOs and Technical Manuals listed
in this lecture notes. 

UP Department of Geodetic Engineering GE 155: Geodetic Control Network