UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

BLE / BQS/ BCM 201: INTRODUCTION TO LAND SURVEYING
COURSE OUTLINE

COURSE OBJECTIVE:
Appreciation of the role of Surveying in Real Estate, Construction Management and Quantity Surveying

ASSESSMENT
Examination - 70 Coursework – 20 CAT – 10 Total – 100 Pass mark – 40

1. INTRODUCTION
The object and application of various types of surveys: Basic survey methods, principles of control
survey, checks in Surveying, mistakes and errors. Precision and accuracy of survey measurements

2. SOME SURVEYING PROCESSES, MAPS AND PLANS

Equipment used in chain and offset surveying. Procedure in the field: locating and plotting of existing
features. Computations: Join and polar computations; determination of areas and volumes. Maps and
plans that are commonly used by practicing surveyors in Kenya

3. SURVEYING METHODS
Introduction to electronic surveying: EDM, Satellite Positioning (GPS, GLONASS etc.). Remote Sensing and
Satellite Imaging: Software and hardware. Geographical Information Systems and their application

4. LEVELLING
Ordinary levelling and other methods for determination of heights: procedures for reduction of field data,
contouring and plotting

5. APPLICATIONS
Application of survey principles in building construction and related Civil Engineering Works:
Determination of Areas and Volumes, Introduction to setting out of works
Production of survey drawings

6. TEXTBOOKS
Any introductory text in Surveying will suffice e.g.
(i) Ghilani, C. D. and Wolf, P. R.,, Elementary Surveying: an introduction to Geomatics , Prentice Hall,
(ii) Allan A., J. Holwey and Maynes, Practical Field Surveying and Computations, Heinemann, London
(iii) Bannister A. and S. Raymond, Surveying, Addison Wesley Longman, Essex
(iv) Kahmen H. and W. Faig, Surveying, de Gruyter, Berlin
(v) Schofield W., Engineering Surveying, Laxton’s, Oxford
(vi) Rayner W. H., Surveying: Elementary and Advanced
(vii) Breed, Charles B., Surveying
(viii) Zeller, Max, Textbook of Photogrammetry,
(ix) Shahani, P.B., Textbook of Surveying

September 2019