CE211

FUNDAMENTALS OF SURVEYING

ASSIGNMENT NO. 1

Objective:
To familiarize the development of Surveying Instrument and its function.

Instruction:
Provide picture and details (function, inventor & date of invention & etc.) of the
following surveying instrument:

1. Groma

 Accordingly, it is used to survey straight lines and right angles, thence

squares or rectangles. Moreover, it is for aligning or sighting as a points
and it consisted basically of cross arms fixed at right angles and pivoted
eccentrically upon a vertical staff.
 The said instrument was originated in Mesopotamia or Greece before the
4th century BC. In addition, it was brought to Rome by the Etruscans

2. Libella
 An “A” frame with a plumb bob used for leveling. Furthermore, this tool
had a plumbline suspended from its apex that coincided with a mark
on the crossbar at the center of the tool’s frame.
 Basically, it is developed by the Roman surveyors in the pursuit of
surveying during the Roman civilizations

3. Chorobates
 A 20’ straight edge with oil in notch mainly used for leveling. Moreover,
a bench with weighted strings on its sides for measuring the ground's
angle on a system of notches.
 Originally, it is developed by the Roman surveyors in the pursuit of
surveying during the Roman civilizations.

Instructor: Engr. Shiella Marie A. Pacturan

 CE211
FUNDAMENTALS OF SURVEYING

4. Quadrans

 An instrument that is used to measure angles up to 90°.

 Accordingly, it was invented by Edmund Gunter in 1623. To add up, Gunter's
quadrant was fairly simple which allowed for its widespread and long-
lasting use in the 17th and 18th centuries.

5. Astrolabe

 An astronomical instrument once widely used to measure stars or planets to

determine latitude and time, primarily for navigational purposes.
 It was said to be invented in the Hellenistic civilization by Apollonius of
Perga between 220 and 150 BC, often attributed to Hipparchus.

6. Cross staff

 An instrument used to measure angles and altitudes, consisting of a

trigonometrically graduated staff and one or more perpendicular vanes
moving over it. Furthermore, it allows a straightforward measurement of
the angular separation of two celestial objects, or the angular diameter of
a single object.
 Originally developed by Levi ben Gerson in the year (1288-1344).

7. Merchet

 A staff with a wide notched top used for measuring time and meridian.
Moreover, it consists of a slotted palm leaf through which to sight and a
bracket from which a plumb bob was suspended.
 It was first used and developed by the Chaldeans in about 4,000 B.C.

8. Water level
 It can give precise amounts and areas of floor sag or distress. In
addition, it is used to determine the apparent inclination of an object or
surface and for matching elevations of locations that are too far apart for
a spirit level to span.
 It was invented by an architect named Theodorus of Samos in 6th
century.

Instructor: Engr. Shiella Marie A. Pacturan

 CE211
FUNDAMENTALS OF SURVEYING

9. A-frame

 It is a collection of well-defined land units that is used to draw survey

samples.
 It is classically developed by the Roman surveyors way back in their times
of civilization.

10. Gunter’s chain

 It is 66 ft. long and contains 100 links, so that distances may be recorded
in chains and in decimal parts of the chain used for taping distances.
 It was invented and developed by Sir Edmund Gunter in the year 1620.

11. Telescope

 An instrument that can measure both horizontal and vertical angles, which
allows surveyors to “triangulate” the position of objects in a specific area.
 Its invention was in 1607 is generally accredited to Lippershey. In 1609,
Galileo constructed a refracting telescope for astronomical observations.

12. Transit

 It is well-known as the “universal surveying instrument.” An optical

surveying instrument used to establish a straight reference line, read
angles, and measure distances. Moreover, it typically features a spirit
level, a precision telescope, leveling screws, and a vernier scale.
 Accordingly, its invention was credited to Young and Draper who worked
independently from each other in the year 1830.

Instructor: Engr. Shiella Marie A. Pacturan

 CE211
FUNDAMENTALS OF SURVEYING

13. Theodolite

 It is basically a precision optical instrument for measuring angles

between designated visible points in the horizontal and vertical planes.
To add up, it is commonly used for land surveying, route surveying,
construction surveying, and in the engineering industry.
 Its version was invented by English mathematician Leonard Digges-
who gave it its name in the year 1571.

14. Plane Table

 It is said to be as one of the oldest types of surveying instruments

used in field mapping. Furthermore, it consists of a board attached
to a tripod in such a way that it can be leveled or rotated to any
desired direction.
 Its first version was developed and invented by Cyprian Lucar in
1590.

15. Compass
 A navigation and surveying instrument which is extensively used to
find out the bearing of the traversing and included angles between
them, waypoints and direction. Moreover, it consists of a
magnetized steel needle mounted on a pivot at the center of a
graduated circle.
 Its first version was invented as early as the Chinese Han
Dynasty (since c. 206 BC), and later adopted for navigation by the
Song Dynasty Chinese during the 11th century.

16. Semicircumferentor

 A surveyor’s instrument which is used to measure and layoff

angles, and establish lines of sight by employing peep sights.
Moreover, it consists of a semicircular limb divided into 180
degrees and sometimes subdivided into minutes.
 Accordingly, it was made throughout Europe, including England,
France, Italy, and Holland. By the early 19th century, Europeans
preferred theodolites to semicircumferentors.

Instructor: Engr. Shiella Marie A. Pacturan

 CE211
FUNDAMENTALS OF SURVEYING

17. Dumpy level

 Known as “builder's level, an automatic level”. An optical

instrument used to establish or check points in the same
horizontal plane. It is used in archaeological surveying to measure
horizontal levels.
 It is invented and developed by an English civil engineer William
Gravatt in 1832 while using the conventional Y level.

18. Electronic total station instruments

 An instrument used in modern surveying and building

construction that uses electronic transit theodolite in conjunction
with electronic distance meter (EDM). Furthermore, it is also
integrated with microprocessor, electronic data collector and
storage system.
 It was a properly introduced and developed by Hewlett-Packard
(HP) to promote its Model 3810A around 1975.

19. Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS)

 This replaces traditional optical and mechanical methods of

surveying that rely on theodolites and distance measuring
equipment that use angular and linear measurements and
the application of the principles of geometry and
trigonometry.
 It was launched in the late 1970s by the United States
Department of Defense.

20. Global positioning System (GPS)

 GPS was the first GNSS system. It is a highly accurate

navigation system using signals from satellites to determine a
location on the Earth's surface, irrespective of weather
conditions.
 It was developed and is maintained by the US Department of
Defense.

Instructor: Engr. Shiella Marie A. Pacturan

 CE211
FUNDAMENTALS OF SURVEYING

Compliance:

Name: Pacana, German Martin O.

Section: CE_2A_CE1
Date: Sept. 5, 2021

Instructor: Engr. Shiella Marie A. Pacturan