The Inside Scoop on Survey Equipment

Before any property can be acquired, it has to be mapped out. The process of determining the dimensions and positions of land and other forms of property is called surveying. This is the first step to every construction project. To know exactly how much property can be used or built upon, the necessary measurements have to be made.

Surveyors have many gadgets to make accurate measurements. There are three components that they have to take into consideration, namely, distance, elevation, and angle. Each component calls for specific instruments. The following are some examples of survey equipment that surveyors use often.

Distance

Chains are the primary measuring tapes in surveying. These steel tapes have figured heavily in past and present survey work. In order to ensure the chains’ accuracy as well as equipment and handler safety, chaining pins and tension handles are required when using these instruments. Measuring wheels are also determinants of survey distances, which are computed based on the frequency of a wheel’s revolution.

Elevation

Hand levels are small measurement equipment that approximate vertical distances. Basically, they are manual sighting devices that tell a surveyor whether the elevation measurement is accurate. Like hand levels, level rods measure elevations as well. The two types of level rods are wood and aluminum, which are used depending on weather conditions. The sensitive nature of these instruments emphasizes the importance of reliable gadgets such as Leica survey equipment, for example.

Angles

While Abney levels function much like hand levels, they also measure angles and slopes. The additional protractor feature in the sighting tube makes simultaneous elevation and angle readings possible. A surveyor can get these and other angle measurement devices from the many survey instrument lines like Leica survey equipment that are scattered throughout the country.

Hybrid

There are gadgets that integrate the functions of several independent survey instruments. Examples of these are the GPS (Global Positioning System), which gives information on distance, direction, and height differences, and the total station, which is an electronic device that measures angles, elevations, and distances at the same time. Since these instruments are quite useful in the field, it is essential for a surveyor to only use quality products like Leica GPS and total stations, as well as tools from other reputable sources as well.