About Cooper Construction Surveyor
Surveying is the process by which a surveyor measures certain dimensions that generally occur on the surface of the Earth. Surveying equipment, such as levels and theodolites, are used for accurate measurement of angular deviation, horizontal, vertical, and slope distances. With computerisation, electronic distance measurement (EDM), total stations, GPS surveying, and laser scanning have supplemented, and to a large extent supplanted, the traditional optical instruments.
Land surveys and surveys of existing conditions are generally performed according to geodesic co-ordinates. However, for the purposes of construction, an arbitrary construction co-ordinate system will often be used. During construction surveying, the surveyor will often have to convert from geodesic co-ordinates to the arbitrary co-ordinate system used for that project.
In the case of roads or other linear infrastructure, a chainage will be established, often to correspond with the centre line of the road. During construction, structures would then be located in terms of chainage, for example, offset and elevation. Offset is said to be left or right relative to someone standing on the chainage line whom is looking in the direction of increasing chainage. Plans would often show Plan views, viewed from above; Profile views, a transparent section view collapsing all section views of the road parallel to the chainage; Or Cross-section views, a true section view perpendicular to the chainage. In a Plan view, chainage generally increases from left to right, or from the bottom to the top of the plan. Profile views are shown with the chainage increasing from left to right, and Cross-sections are shown as if the viewer is looking in the direction of increasing chainage, so that the left offset is to the left and the right offset is to the right.
In the case of buildings, an arbitrary system of grids is often established so as to correspond to the rows of columns and the major load-bearing walls of the building. The grids may be identified alphabetically in one direction, and numerically in the other direction, similar to a road map. The grids are usually, but not necessarily, perpendicular, and are often, but again not necessarily, evenly spaced. Floors and basement levels are also numbered. Structures, equipment, or architectural details may be located in reference to the floor and the nearest intersection of the arbitrary axes.
Cooper Construction Surveyor perform the following tasks
- Survey existing conditions of the future work site, including topography, existing buildings and infrastructure, and even including underground infrastructure whenever possible, for example, measuring invert elevations and diameters of sewers at manholes.
- Construction surveying, otherwise lay-out or setting-out, to stake out reference points and markers that will guide the construction of new structures such as roads or buildings for subsequent construction. These markers are usually staked out according to the arbitrary co-ordinate system used for the project.
- Verify the location of structures during construction.
- As-Built surveying. A survey conducted at the end of the construction project to verify the work authorized was completed to the specifications set on plans.