Surveying: Definition, Meaning, Systems, Principles, Methods
Surveying is the determination of the relative spatial location of points on or near the surface of the earth. It is simply the art of measuring horizontal and vertical distances between objects or the art of measuring the angles between lines, or determining the direction of lines, and establishing points by predetermined angular and linear measurements.
Concomitant with the actual measurements of surveying are mathematical calculation.
Distances, angles, directions, elevations, areas, and volumes are thus determined from the data of the survey.
Graphical representation is utilized to portray much of the data of the survey. This representation could be done through the construction of maps, profiles, diagrams and cross sections.
Methods and equipment available and applicable for survey measurement and calculation have tremendously changed over the past few decades.
Modern systems and methods available for collecting survey data include satellite observation, aerial photogrammetry, electronic distance measurement, remote sensing, inertial surveying, and global positioning systems.
The relatively easy access to electronic computers of all sizes facilitate the rigorous processing and storage of large volumes of data.
With the development of these modern data acquisition and processing systems, the duties of the surveyor have expanded beyond the traditional tasks of the fieldwork of taking measurements and the office work of computing and drawing.
Apart from conventional construction engineering projects, mapping and property surveys, other physical sciences like wildlife, hydrology, oceanography and geography, including human and cultural resources make extensive use of surveying.
