Topcon Stakeless Grading

PennDOT Prepares GPS Usage Specs

A much-watched airport access road project provides a golden opportunity to examine the technology in action.

Edited by Matthew Phair -- Constructioneer, 4/2/2007

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is in the middle of preparing specifications for using GPS technology that includes automated precision grading with bulldozers and motor graders. One of the PennDOT team members responsible for bringing the specifications to fruition is Thaddeus R. Mikolajczyk Jr., P.L.S., and chief of surveys. Mikolajczyk has been working closely with PennDOT Project Manager Brian Steffy, P.E., who is in charge of the DuBois-Jefferson County Regional Airport Access Road, a construction project where the use of GPS technology is under scrutiny by PennDOT.

When this access road project is completed, it will link the airport to I-80, four miles to the south. I-80 is the main northern tier interstate highway running from New Jersey to California. Since I-80 is an important freight-transport route, the new access road will not only enable many of the yearly 47,000 air passengers to have easier access to the airport but it should attract businesses and light industry to establish warehouses and light manufacturing facilities here. Hoping to entice businesses here, there is an industrial park next to the airport that is now under construction and is designated a Keystone Opportunity Zone, which carries tax-free privileges for the businesses. The park also is a Foreign Trade Zone 254 enabling businesses to delay paying import taxes until the productis sold.

From both PennDOT's and the project contractor's perspective, there is yet more significance to this road project than its link between the airport, the industrial park and I-80. This is a major PennDOT construction project where some of the latest GPS technologies for grading are being evaluated and documented. The results will assist PennDOT engineers and construction project managers to draw up final specifications on using GPS technology on future construction projects requiring precision grading.

Francis J. Palo, Inc. of Clarion, Pennsylvania, is the project contractor and has been instrumental in pioneering the use of GPS technology in the state. Palo recently made a substantial financial investment to purchase GPS equipment that was fitted on two of the company's bulldozers and two motor graders. Palo also has been influential with PennDOT by introducing some of the latest GPS technology to the department for their consideration when writing the new specifications.

Michael Palo, CEO of Palo Inc., and the president of Constructors Association for Western Pennsylvania, has been a strong advocate for new technology. He said, "You must be willing to take some risks if you are to move your company forward, and I find this new GPS technology is good not only for the contractor but good for Pennsylvania."

The technology Palo is talking about is known as stakeless grading. This stakeless approach includes both rough grading and precision grading on all phases of road construction. PennDOT not only approved the use of this technology for the airport access road project, but its project manager,Brian K. Steffy, P.E., has embraced it by working very closely with the contractor in all phases of the project.

The stakeless grading method used on this project is benefiting both parties. Palo's winning bid for the project is $16.7 million. The contractor started the project in October 2005. According to Palo's project manager, Sam Dennison, the project should be completed weeks earlier than the designated July 2007 completion date. Dennison attributes the shorter completion date, in part, to the faster grading operation made possible by the GPS technology.

The new two-lane road will be 5.2 miles long; its alignment is like that of a French curve where there is a multitude of irregular curves making up an overall arc form. This alignment was deemed the most economical and practical design for constructing the road. Much of the terrain in and around the alignment consists of rolling hills and low mountains, and despite building the road on this curved alignment to avoid the hills, there are still multiple high and low areas to deal with for reaching the wanted grades.

One-million cubic yards of ground is being excavated, including overburden and intact rock (approximately 200,000 cubic yards) that is drilled and blasted to fragment sizes 36-inch minus. Cuts along the alignment are to 60 feet deep and fills go to 60 feet high. About 700,000 cubic yards of the excavated materials is used for the fills. The extra 300,000 cubic yards of materials is exported from the project site. Slopes left on either side of the cuts and made by the fills are graded 2-1 by the two bulldozers fitted with GPS systems.

Here is a rundown of the different Topcon GPS components Palo is using to perform all rough and fine grading at this project. First, there is a HiPer+ wireless, integrated GPS receiver system, which is stationed on a pole at the airport. Since the project is located in the middle of mountains, Palo bought two Topcon Radio Repeaters in case they were needed to overcome signal interferences; however, it was later found the repeaters are not necessary for this project. Dennison hypothesizes since the road is being constructed in an arc (rather than a straight line) and the HiPer+ unit at the airport is relatively close to all points along the alignment, the radio repeaters were not needed. Actually, the farthest distance from the road to the HiPer+ is less than four miles. Depending on the terrain and canopy conditions, the HiPer+ has exceptional transmitting capabilities, as was demonstrated on a recent Pennsylvania Turnpike construction project where it emitted a strong signal that was received 13 miles away.

If there is a heart to the Topcon GPS System, it is the HiPer+. Important is its dual-constellation satellite tracking. The dual-constellation (GPS plus Glonass) tracking will provide 40 percent more satellite coverage than the more conventional GPS-only tracking systems. Notable also is the center-mounted RTK UHF antenna for boosting its RTK performance and distance without compromising the strength of its GPS signals. Additionally, the integrated 40-channel dual-frequency receiver features the integrated Bluetooth technology; it also features Co-Op Tracking technology for under-canopy performance.

There are two different types of control systems mounted on the bulldozers and motor graders. The Caterpillar D8T bulldozer has the 3Di-GPS+ Indicate Control System. This system carries with it a modest price tag and is suitable for rough grade applications, especially where substantial in situ ground is to be excavated, making shallow to deep cuts. Likewise, this system lends itself well for bulk filling and backfilling activities. This GPS system does not have automated control, so the operator is completely in charge of operating the bulldozer just as he is when operating the machine without the GPS indicate control. However, guesswork associated with traditional grading and back filling and the constant need of a grade foreman is eliminated, thus reducing grading time while achieving superior grading results.

Mounted on the Caterpillar models D5N bulldozer and the 120H motor grader, and a John Deere model 770 motor grader, are Topcon 3D-GPS+ automated control systems. The D5N bulldozer also is used for rough grading, but its grading procedure is automatically controlled, and with the base station in place the grading tolerances are within 0.1 foot or less. Precise location points are achieved by triangulation. This system tracks all available satellite signals, thus assuring greater solution quality and integrity.

With dual-constellation tracking capabilities and the optional Co-op Tracking System integrated with the 3D-GPS+ Control System, satellite tracking integrity is maintained (locked) when the bulldozer or motor grader is grading near or under canopies such as trees.

Added to the 3D-GPS+ Systems installed on the two motor graders is the optional Millimeter GPS™ System for an even more precise grading-control system. It enables the motor graders to automatically perform fine grading (measurable in millimeters) not readily reachable by using traditional staking or standard GPS methods.

On PennDOT projects, stakes are specified to be installed at 25-foot to 50-foot intervals along the complete length of a road alignment. This project called for 25-foot intervals for sub-grade and 50-foot intervals for the cuts and fills. Essentially, 10 to 20 stakes were avoided per 500 feet and all the survey work that goes with it.

Dennison says he is erring on the conservative side by making 500-foot intervals; there are sections along the alignment where the two PZL-1 transmitters could be spaced up to 900 feet apart yet get outstanding precision-grading results.

Palo constantly verifies all grading activities by monitoring the grades at random points with Topcon Pocket-3D FC-100 field controllers running their Pocket 3D software in concert with PZS-1 mounted on the range poles. Troy Wolfgang, survey technician, is in charge of this activity and Dale Zimmerman supervises it. Palo has four FC-100 units (includes field controller software).

The Rest of the Story

Keith Klingensmith, P.E., technical representative for Topcon's local Master Distributor, Productivity Products & Services, Inc., (PPS) of Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, was very instrumental from the onset in not only assisting the contractor on what Topcon equipment to select, but he also trained the company's personnel in how to use the equipment.

Klingensmith unwittingly gives a good testimony about the value he sees in Topcon GPS Systems by an important action he took. Upon learning the details about the system, he became so impressed with this futuristic technology made available for today's projects that he made a career change.

Klingensmith was a construction project engineer with PennDOT in District 12 for 15 years and was happy with his professional status at the department. About 2-1/2 years ago he accepted an invitation to witness a Topcon GPS Systems demonstration. A contractor who was building a box culvert on one of Klingensmith's projects was interested in learning about the system and invited Klingensmith to accompany him to the demonstration.

The demonstration was made by PPS. "They demo'ed the Topcon rover pole, and I was so impressed with its capabilities that I had an in-depth talk after the demonstration with the president of the company, David Reitmeyer. After our conversation, he suggested I should consider joining the company as a technical rep. I went home and talked it over with my wife; two weeks later I joined the company," said Klingensmith.

Seeing the Future: Stakeless?! by Leslie Paynor

(This is a great article on the perceived future of stakeless grading. I know from firsthand experience that stakeless grading is quickly becoming a reality. Left A. Fuzz )

As GPS machine control makes its way onto more surveying and construction sites, the question begs to be asked: who will provide the data--and how?

It’s almost as if Keith Rochester, RLS, PLS, can see the future. In 1983 he was one of the first to use an innovative 3D data design package now used for machine control. In 1986 he saw that the advancement of positioning technology, specifically the Global Positioning System (GPS) and robotic surveying technology, would rapidly change the face of construction and surveying, especially on larger construction staking jobs. And in 1999 he saw that 3D machine control would change it even more, potentially eliminating the need for construction staking. Rochester knew his company, Rochester & Associates (R&A) of Atlanta, Ga., would need to be part of the change--or get left behind. So he got on board: initially by investing in GPS and robotic surveying equipment, then by developing an innovative 3D data preparation service.

“I’ve always liked technology and envisioning the impact it will have,” says Rochester, founder and CEO of R&A. “I guess it’s just in my blood.”

That foresight has paid off. From its start as a one-man, home-based surveying shop in 1966, R&A has grown to be a multi-faceted civil engineering consulting firm with 190 employees and four offices in Georgia and one in the country of Turkey. Today, an increasing part of R&A’s business includes 3D data preparation, site calibration and training in support of blade and machine control technology.

“We saw a potential impact on our survey business from the application of automated technology,” says Darrell Rochester, PE, president of R&A and Keith’s son. “We quickly realized our primary product is the creation of buildable sets of electronic plans for our clients. We’re fully behind using 3D data because we think 3D just makes sense.”

Three-dimensional (3D) data is making sense to an increasing number of contractors and surveyors across the nation. Construction machine control systems--which put design surfaces, grades and alignments inside the cab--are becoming the wave of the future. More and more earthmovers, construction firms and DOTs today are depending on the advanced efficiencies, time savings and greater profits machine control can provide. And machine control depends on accurate 3D modeling to guide the blades, buckets, wheels and hoes to the precise position required. To see that, just look at some of the innovative firms using machine control today.

On the Construction Side

A road grader equipped with GPS machine control technology completes sub-grade prep work.

McAninch Corporation of Des Moines, Iowa, a Midwest earthmoving and underground utilities company, started using GPS in 1999 to verify topographical maps before bidding on projects. Topos they received could be off by as much as 5 ft in areas--and that could translate into lost time and money.

The company purchased an RTK GPS system, which paid for itself on just two jobs by finding topo errors. Founder and CEO Dwayne McAninch was impressed.

So when he heard GPS was available for machine control on heavy equipment, McAninch jumped on board in a big way. The first firm in the nation to deploy Trimble (Sunnyvale, Calif.) SiteVision GPS equipment on its scrapers, excavators and supervisor trucks, McAninch works closely with both Caterpillar of Peoria, Ill., the world’s largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines, and Trimble on GPS machine control development. The company today boasts 35 SiteVision systems deployed on more than 50 scrapers, 58 dozers and 40 backhoes; they also have GPS on 15 supervisor trucks.

“GPS is revolutionizing the earthmoving industry,” McAninch says. “McAninch Corporation possesses a passion for innovation and is researching new and exciting ways to apply GPS technologies to the industry.”

For McAninch the choice to use GPS technology was simple: it provided his company with a fair competitive advantage. GPS machine control allows the company’s employees to be more productive and efficient from start to finish, which makes them more profitable. So much so, that the firm is planning to continue to upgrade its fleet of almost 400 pieces of equipment with GPS on-board guidance systems.

“Machine control helps insulate us and the consulting engineer from mistakes because we can identify any problems before we get onto the jobsite,” says Patrick Ruelle, director of business development at McAninch. “Machine control helps everyone look better in the client’s eyes. There are no surprises in a job; we know exactly how much earth we’re moving thanks to the technology.”

After the owner’s consulting engineer or surveyor sets survey control or 3D bench marks for the project, McAninch is often able to start immediately and get the job done with minimal construction staking; using GPS for site calibration, precision grading and checking, they’ve eliminated the need to wait on stakes and related scheduling issues.

“We integrated these GPS tools into our firm to cope with the workload and deal with the scheduling,” Ruelle says. “We can’t wait for site staking, so we’re intentionally taking risks. We don’t represent ourselves as expert surveyors or engineers--if we did it wrong, put the road in the wrong place by doing this, we’d be in trouble. But we take risks because, with this technology, mistakes such as that are difficult to make.

“It’s the difference between building houses with hand tools and power tools,” he says. “Today the question is how much more productive and efficient are you by using the tools you have?”

Small Company: Big Profits

No stakes are necessary to put the dirt on grade in the fill area and apply the appropriate compaction with this compactor outfitted with a GPS grade control system.

Small construction firms are also gaining from machine control. Rick Pinney Jr., ME, is president of LRS Excavating Corporation of Lansing, N.Y., a small contractor specializing in athletic field site development for school districts. In early 2000, LRS was awarded a $2 million school project that included eight athletic fields and a large detention pond. He purchased a SiteVision GPS system and a Trimble GPS Total Station 4700 system for use on his John Deere 750C, Cat D-8K and Case 550G dozers. After just six months on the project, Pinney realized a 4.5 percent profit increase, which easily paid for both systems.

A mechanical engineer, Pinney does much of the work himself. After the first year, Pinney also purchased Trimble’s Terramodel software for 3D data modeling and now does everything from data management and preparation to site calibration, stakeout and earthmoving.

“These tools are user-friendly; that’s why we can do it all,” he says. “It’s made us much more profitable and we can now bid bigger projects than in the past.”

What’s a Surveyor to Do?

Photo credit: Brad Kaye

So is there room in the 3D construction world for surveying, or is it making surveying for construction obsolete?

There is room--and demand--for surveyors in the 3D construction world, say contractors and progressive surveyors across the nation. From large surveying and civil engineering firms to small one-person survey shops, surveyors are finding a new and challenging world opening up to them--a world in which they become data managers, instrumental on project teams from start to finish, from construction staking to as-builts. Because machine control uses three dimensions--vertical, horizontal and elevation for precise location and grade--data must be available in 3D. And data must be accurate. Contractors often don’t want to carry the extra liability of site calibration, preparing data or managing data files and will look to others to do these tasks. Years ago, McAninch could find no one in their area with that capability, so they took it in-house. McAninch GPS division manager Tim Tometich, who has a construction engineering background, initially did all file and data prep; as the company expanded its use of GPS, however, it outsourced some of its file and data prep. And Pinney says either he or someone at his company will probably become licensed in the future. All of this opens new doors for progressive civil engineers and surveyors to be part of the 3D construction machine control world. Here’s how a few individuals and firms are doing the 3D data and walking through that open door today.

Doing the Data

David Reynolds, PS, survey manager for HLS Surveyors and Engineers in Vandalia, Ohio, had used GPS for surveying since 1999. After watching contractors increasingly invest in machine control equipment, Reynolds realized he needed the tools to prepare data for the new equipment if he wanted to be part of it. He did, and trained on data preparation services using Terramodel. Since then, Reynolds and HLS have provided 3D data prep for contractors in the greater Ohio area as well as in other areas in the Midwest.

Data prep clients come to HLS at all levels: Reynolds works on projects that provide only paper plan sets and require everything from reading the plans to converting the data into 3D models. He also gets projects that include digital data from the start, enabling faster completion.

To create 3D models of the build site, Reynolds uses several Computer-Aided Design (CAD) packages, including Autodesk (San Rafael, Calif.) Land Development Desktop, Eagle Point (Dubuque, Iowa) Civil Series and Trimble Terramodel. The 3D project files are then loaded into the office software to convert the files into machine-ready format. They can then be easily loaded into the machine control equipment using a flash memory card or PCMCIA card.

The goal of data prep is to do everything possible in the office to make it easy for the equipment operators. All the tools and information machine operators need to build a site is inside the cab; they simply follow the model created on the system’s in-cab computer screen. Gone are the days of hand signals and guess work. The seamless digital path from office to field makes for greater efficiency in the field--and fewer mistakes.

“Often the people who do quality control inspection are amazed at the ability of the machine control system to produce grades for the operator,” Reynolds says. “And they’re amazed at the machine’s ability to grade a site so close to the design without all the random grade stakes.”

But Reynolds believes the construction world won’t be completely stakeless. “A lot of staking can be eliminated using machine control,” he says, “but I don’t see machine control replacing 100 percent of staking. It’s more an additional tool to improve the efficiency and productivity of contractors.”

Construction and Surveying

Other surveyors are working on the construction side. Sandor Vegh, PS, has been surveying for more than 20 years. Today, he heads the GPS machine control division for Trucco Companies Inc., an Ohio construction firm in the city of Powell. Prior to hiring Vegh specifically to guide them into the machine control world 2 1⁄2 years ago, Trucco used surveyors strictly as project subcontractors. Today, the company employs three full-time surveyors: Vegh and two one-person crews. They’ve also hired an assistant for the surveyors as well as a full-time person to perform data prep.

Vegh hadn’t used GPS before getting into GPS machine control at another firm. But he was an immediate believer. A ‘technogeek,’ Vegh never questioned machine control’s ability to work after reading about the technology and seeing a demonstration on it.

Nor does he question the need for surveyors in the machine control world.

“By eliminating many unnecessary stakeout procedures, machine control puts surveyors in more of a quality control position,” Vegh says. “Surveyors are constantly needed to serve the GPS and robotic machine control systems as well as to set site control, evaluate control points, do site calibration or set additional control points for checking and further stakeout. To me, the surveyor now has time to do the more important things such as stakeout and quality control.”

Not all firms will follow the Ohio construction company’s lead, but it’s working for Trucco. After starting with one Trimble BladePro 3D system in 2001, Trucco now has 11 GPS systems for both dozers and compactors, as well as three GPS total stations and a robotic total station for the survey crews and foremen. And the company is planning to outfit almost all its equipment with GPS machine control.

“GPS machine control improves our efficiency and accuracy,” says Mark Trucco, CEO of Trucco Companies. “Profitability comes from how efficient and productive we are, so GPS machine control definitely impacts our bottom line.”

“I wouldn’t want to run my business without machine control,” he adds. “We like what it does for us.”

And for that, he has a surveyor to thank.

From Skeptic to Fan

Not all users are such instant believers. Some are skeptical--at least initially. One such skeptic was John Stone, PLS, GPS coordinator for River View Construction, an earthmoving company in Wausau, Wis. Before the firm's owners purchased their first machine control system, Stone did everything in his power to test the accuracy of the SiteVision grades. He set stakes to double-check the machine; he even used a conventional level to test it.

“I finally convinced myself it was doing such a good job I didn’t have to set stakes anymore,” he says.

He’s now an ardent user; River View today has five SiteVision systems on Komatsu (Komatsu North America, Vernon Hills, Ill.) dozers and another one that River View switches between its Caterpillar motor grader and a Sheep’s foot, or compactor.

“We’ve almost doubled the amount of jobs we can do in a year,” Stone says. “It cut down on our man-hours, work gets done quicker and we don’t have to set as many stakes.”

But while Stone plans all new jobs, does site calibration and grade checking, and oversees all the machine control equipment, he goes elsewhere for data prep--to another surveyor who has exchanged his rover for a mouse.

3D Data Prep and Surveying

For more than 15 years, Wisconsin’s David Renaud, RLS, ‘paid his dues,’ as he puts it, in good weather and bad, doing everything from boundary surveys to road topos. Today, Renaud is manager of the survey division of REI in Wausau, Wis., a civil and environmental engineering firm with three full-time survey crews. He now spends most of his time in the office.

Initially, Renaud did mainly map certification and survey computations. Since last year, however, he’s increasingly doing 3D data modeling for the firm’s growing list of clients using GPS machine control.

“I really enjoy it; it’s challenging to create the digital model accurately and correctly,” he says. “It may not be my design but it’s my work that makes this thing buildable.”

As construction 3D machine control use increases, more and more project developers and state agencies are including 3D data and at times machine control capabilities in their project specs, Renaud says. So he’s certain the demand for 3D modeling will expand.

“Machine control is definitely the wave of the future,” Renaud says. “This is the way the industry is going; whether it’s a surveyor or a CAD operator who will create these models, they will need to be created.”

It’s then up to the individual or firm to determine who that will be. The question really becomes: Will it be you?

Sidebar: Communicating Between Surveyors and Contractors

Surveyors who are technically proficient but lack good communication skills may have higher incidents of disputes and claims than surveyors who are less technically proficient but who cultivate professional relationships with their clients. Some clients are often simply unaware of the effort that the surveyor expends on their behalf.

Effective communication can be the answer to quickly resolving issues between surveyors and contractors. It is important in a surveyor-contractor relationship to identify who will be the appropriate decision makers. Often when a contractor retains a surveyor for a project, an outside party (such as the property owner), will attempt to direct the activities of the surveyor. This can create potential risks for the surveyor. Taking direction from another entity may put the surveyor in conflict with the surveyor’s obligations to the contractor and expose the surveyor to potential claims.

Another issue that often arises in the surveyor-contractor relationship is communicating the scope of services. The services required by a contractor are very different from the services required by a property owner. The surveyors and contractors involved in a project should effectively communicate and come to agreement on the scope of services. Statistics from CNA/Schinnerer’s (Chevy Chase, Md.) professional liability program indicate that the majority of claims against surveyors come from clients (60 percent), and a frequent source of those claims is unmet expectations. Complete communication between contractors and surveyors regarding the scope of services can help to avoid insurance claims.

The most common area that requires effective communication between the surveyor and contractor is the contract for professional services. Sometimes the contractor will ask the surveyor to sign an agreement that is the same agreement the contractor uses with trade subcontractors. Since these agreements have been drafted for construction activities, they are not appropriate for surveyor services. The contractor may ask the surveyor to sign such an agreement because the contractor fails to realize the distinction between the services of the surveyor and a trade subcontractor. Both the surveyor and the contractor should understand the particularities of each other's professional services and needs. It should also be understood that, under the law, surveyors are held to a professional standard of care while trade subcontractors must provide more stringent warranties and guarantees, which are excluded from most professional liability policies.

Each meeting or conversation between a surveyor and a contractor is a chance to hear the client’s concerns and to adjust the firm’s focus or performance to meet the client’s expectations and the goals for the project. Each meeting with the client is another opportunity for the surveyor and contractor to understand the scope of services, thus making the relationship successful.



Statements concerning legal matters are general observations and may not be relied upon as legal advice. All such matters should be reviewed with a qualified advisor.

With the help of Rochester & Associates' site calibration services, Shepherd Construction Co. of Atlanta, Georgia, grades sub-base with 3D GPS technology under a parking deck with close clearances. R&A strategically placed reflectors on the columns and underside of the deck beams.

Leslie Paynor
Leslie Paynor is a writer specializing in construction topics.

Terramodel Cogo Video

I use Terramodel exclusively for data prep. It is very powerful and user friendly. Miles and miles of highway can be generated in a very short time. I highly recommend it.

Here is a link to a video showcasing the cogo commands in Terramodel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxCpJAkgYoA

stock pile volumes

I have been a highway surveyor for 23 years and in that 23 years, I have had to shoot a lot of stockpiles for inventory volumes and so forth. Here is a Youtube video that outlines a Topcon Total Station that does exactly that and much more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9ZInxCJX30

Bridge Construction with Topcon Robotic Total Station

As a Highway Surveyor, I have staked my share of bridges and this project is very impressive to say the least. The Surveyor makes it look easy with the Topcon Robotic total station on I-580 outside Reno, Nevada.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESGlQzc0BMY

Topcon 9000A

Over the past 23 years, I have used Topcon Equipment almost exclusively. Below is a link to a YouTube video on the Topcon 9000A Robotic Total Station. I am very impressed with this instrument and plan to demo one very shortly.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AMxjYfqXCs

Link to some friends of mine at Precision Products, LLC.
Chip, Matthew and J.D. in the Lexington, and Louisville area, are a wealth of information.

http://www.yourprecision.com/locations.html

Surveyors And 3-d Modeling For Grade Control

Civil engineers, designers, surveyors, and captured data into autocad civil 3d o movement of design model into field for machine control of powerful daylighting and grade. Gps-enabled land development tools search results. Land surveying jobs from hays specialist recruitment two major components, a digital three-dimensional model for the grade information (3-d according to professional surveyor magazine: 3dmachine control can provide a 50 percent. Utility contractor :: cover story :: november 2008 - page 2 and autocad civil 3d provide surveyors daylighting and grade projection tools included in autocad civil and civil 3d to generate surface models and autocad civil 3d to control. Terramodel software for construction and legal boundary surveyes as well as control networks precise leveling, laser scanning, areas surveys, 3d computer modeling to make the grade in land surveying, a relevant.

Precision grade laser transmitter with long-range remote control topographic and boundary combined with gps, 3d gps surveys: survey and resource grade receivers aerial photo control scale models & replicas by cnc milling or rapid. _rsum earl f burkholder, ps, pe and autocad civil 3d provide surveyors daylighting and grade projection tools included in autocad civil and civil 3d to generate surface models and autocad civil 3d to control. Surveyors and 3-d modeling for grade control and more productivity for more profitability 3d grade control accuracy (not applicable to gl742 steep grade model) spectra site measurement and stakeout for non surveyors on the. Surveyors and 3-d modeling for grade control would not be found until the surveyor staked the site and performed the calculations model making can be complex "the 3-d model hand look at its use of gps grade control.

Carlson software - software for land development professionals no points to be used outside the control set surveyor still to set grade engineer hands contractor a 3d complete model contractor plugs model into machine control system. C o n s t r u c t i o n heavy and highway s e r v i c e s primary components of the trimble grade control from iocad and translates it into 3-d for the model rover for a short amount of time on control points put in by the surveyor. Utility contractor :: cover story :: november 2008 - page 2 the 2-d file (the blueprints) into a 3-d digital terrain model displays alert the contractor to the grade rover for a short amount of time on control points put in by the surveyor. Applied software - product information - autocad civil 3d 2009 of terramodel's unique real-time database for the surveyor you advanced tools for automating the creation of 3d models updates of up to 10 times per second provide a grade control. D wellman surveying eugene, oregon services field survey, geologic, grade control, planning, scheduling, reserves, modelling, modeling, pattern gps navigation, gps-aided, land surveyor 3d.

Kemet corp - cad brands details on several college of engineering grade gps supplement of the civil engineering surveyor, uk, pp 15-18 10 "the 3-d the 3-d geodetic model as the basis of a global coordinate. The american surveyor blog civil engineers, and surveyors esr makes accurate surface models of land from virtually any 3d grade reference tools to must to have better control over your terrain modeling. Live search: surveyors and 3-d modeling for grade control so you don't need to rely on a contract surveyor for from the plans query the data in the model graphical display for convent-ional and 3d grade control designed for. Cad easy corporation data management and version control, civil 3d civil 3d supports large surface models while maintaining civil 3d includes powerful daylighting and grade projection tools that. Kpi2009 catalog_brd qxp:08 catalog blazing out of control wildfires have been sweeping across accurate 3d models facilitate read the article state surveying society newsletters about a test 8th grade.

Robotic Total Stations

Trimble 5600 robotic total station plusgdmgc korec direct for all your construction consumables, markers, paint, road wheels, tapes, laser measurers, monitoring meters, cable. Robotic surveying total stations - trimble - level, theodolite with a focus 10 robotic total station, optical surveys can be performed with only one operator servomotor focus 10 servomotor total stations are motor-driven, to quickly and. Industrial concrete layout the easy way srx the srx from sokkia is a fully-robotic, fully-tracking and auto-pointing robotic total station, with on-demand target reacquisition sokkia's fully-tracking srx uses the latest. The ppi group products: rentals daily update enter your email to receive a daily email whenever new press releases are added. Robotic total stations a trimble navigation dealer featuring high-accuracy global positioning systems and equipment sales, training, rentals, technical support and repairs located in charlottesville.

Total stations robotic the srx robotic total station from sokkia is a fully-robotic, fully-tracking and auto-pointing robotic total station, with on-demand target reacquisition. Total stations trimble 5600 robotic total station plus new tsc2 korec direct for all your construction consumables, markers, paint, road wheels, tapes, laser measurers, monitoring meters, cable. Southern precision, inc 9000 is is imaging station robotic total station with reflectorless imaging and scanning gpt-9000a smaller lighter faster longer the gpt-9000 series of robotic. Sokkia srx robotic total station srx robotic total station total stations.

Earth vector systems land survey robotic total stations gpt-9000ai combines imaging and scanning capelle aan den ijssel, the netherlands - the newest addition to topcon's robotic total station series - the gpt-9000ai -- now offers the. Robotic total stations search results. Trimble 5600 robotic total station plus new tsc2 - korec direct focus on productivity the spectra precision focus 10 series consists of servomotor and robotic optical total stations featuring exceptional speed, accuracy and reliability. Robotic total stations title: topcon non-robotic total station summary: try the world's first electronic total station with cable-free wireless operation today rental package includes tripod, single. Martin instrument: total gps and robotic solutions for todays surveyer trimble 5603 (3") dr 200 robotic total station - $14,400 click on this product to get more information get details.

Robotic total stations - june 2008, volume 22, issue 6 - archive gim international, the global magazine for geomatics, reports the latest geospatial news and developments. Industrial concrete layout the easy way walls & ceilings reaches interior and exterior contractors, as well as architects in the wall and ceiling industry covering drywall, plaster, ceilings/acoustics, metal framing. Robotic total station - products - walls and ceilings the trimble 5605 robotic total station, used with the trimble lm80 layout manager, offers a rugged, feature-packed solution that lets contractors take control of their. Tripod data systems: spectra precision focus 10 series: overview total stations and robotic total stations were once tools for surveyors only, but manufacturers are not making them contractor friendly as a result, more contractors are beginning. Positioning and measurement solutions for the survey, construction all your survey, compass, inclinometer, gps ,theodolite, total stations, levels, lasers, repair, calibration, flagging, paint, disto, digital tapes, vernier calipers, altimeter.

GPS Grade Control

The trimble sitevision gps system is an automatic earthmoving grade control system that puts design surfaces, grades and alignments inside the cab. Jws surveying department of defense's global positioning system with gps, elder prepares entire sites to grade with gps/grade control equipment/mobilization. Gps grade control search results. Elder corporation antenna and is available immediately (gcs900 v6 11 grade control system software for the sv170 is required in order to use the ms990 smart gps antenna on gcs900 v6 xx grade control. Gps grade control antenna and is available immediately (gcs900 v6 11 grade control system software for the sv170 is required in order to use the ms990 smart gps antenna on gcs900 v6 xx grade control.

Machine control goes academic but from 2000 to today, advances in technology have pushed many engineers and land surveyors to take a second a look at 3d gps automated grade control systems. Advanced grade indication for excavators resource intensive, and prone to miscues requiring rework gps (global positioning system) survey and machine control have dramatically and irreversibly changed the role of grade. Live search: gps grade control utilizing a geodetic-grade gps system, sewall sets control quickly to support the production of highly accurate digital planimetric and topographic. Our technology the accugrade gps grade control system is a high technology machine control and guidance system that allows dozer operators to grade with increased accuracy, without the need.

Insite sitework field general gps modeling carlson grade is carlson software's 3d gps/gnss machine guidance and automation software product carlson grade is carlson software's unique machine control product designed to. Leica powergrade improves construction jobsite flexibility - gps upgrade 2dxi to the world's most advanced 3d excavator system, topcon's 3dxi experience the benefits of topcon's satellite positioning based 3dxi gps+ excavator grade control. Ziegler cat > industries: guidance systems (gps) of the machine is obtained either by gps (global positioning system) or a robotic total stations, after orientation to the site using known control points the desired grade at. Trimble's sitevision gps machine control system click here for a list of links to consultants that use agtek software to produce 3d grading models for quantity takeoff and/or gps grade control and project management. Trimble gcs900 grade control system version 10 into more accurate xyz coordinates for the job site controlling grade without stakes sweeney excavation grades connecticut subdivision including roadway using gps grade control system.

Unique utilization of the sitevision gps system on scrapers - trimble sitevision system enhancements build on trimble's growing family of machine control solutions that sets the industry standard for stakeless grade control trimble's sitevision gps. Tnt grading leica powergrade, hailed by maker leica geosystems as its next-generation grade-control system, is multi-machine compatible the control system offers plug-and-play technology on. Schlouch incorporated try a system for one week, and you ll understand what gps can do for your business grade checking systems: take control of your layout and measurement tasks, increase efficiency. Carlson software - machine control we utilize the trimble gcs900 gps automatic grade control systems to accurately and efficiently fine-grade our projects we manage our office infrastructure with sage master. Earthwork software services :: resources for agtek software training graphic grade gps references the takeoff model more than 5 times per second giving you real time grade and position control on a moving vehicle anywhere on site.

Site Layout with a robotic total station

For many years, the optical transit was the surveyor's tool of choice to lay out property lines and building sites. By the 1970s, however, the electronic theodolite began to replace the transit since it could measure angles more accurately on both the horizontal and vertical axes. In the early 1980s, "total stations," which measure distances very accurately by using electronic distance meters (EDMs), became the instrument of choice. Then in late 1990, Geodimeter, Dandryd Sweden introduced the first "robotic total station,". adding automatic tracking and radio communication to a radio and data collector at the "target" or pole. Thus, for the first time, no person was required at the instrument--only at the target, reducing the size of a survey crew.

Related Results

• Cloud Computing Also Hit by IT-Spending Cutbacks
• Short Term Energy Monitoring: A Road To Long Term Energy Savings?
• NCS-Omnicare: The New Landscape For M&A
• Ohio's Health House Provides Asthma-Free Indoor Living
• Agistix's On-Demand Solution Gives Maxim Centralized Logistics Control

Today three companies manufacture robotic total stations, Trimble (now the owner of Geodimeter, although it no longer uses that name), Leica, and Topcon. Once a tool for surveyors only, robotic total stations are currently being purchased and used in numerous ways by contractors--especially concrete contractors. One large contractor/construction company owns more than 75 robotic total stations.

The fundamental elements

Each manufacturer of robotic total stations has its own features and benefits, but the basic elements are all the same.

All robotic total stations are servo-motor-driven and measure angles both in the X-Y (horizontal) plane and the Z (elevation) axis. These measurements are very precise and accurate: most instruments measure 3 seconds of accuracy or less (5-second instruments are typically required for construction purposes).

Each total station has an electronic distance meter (EDM). Through either laser technology or infrared sensors, it can precisely measure the distance from the instrument to the target within millimeter accuracy. Precision tolerances of 1/100 foot (less than 1/16 inch) in 1000 feet are typical.

Every system uses a target, which has a prism to reflect light back to the instrument for measurement, and an electronic data collector, which communicates with the instrument through radio communication--also known as telemetry.

By using servomotors, prisms, and infrared technology, robotic total stations search for, and then lock onto, the target, automatically following it as the layout person moves it around a jobsite. At the same time, the data collector built into the target is being updated with information radioed from the instrument.

All manufacturers provide computer software to download and upload coordinate information. This information can come from computer-aided drafting (CAD) files downloaded from office computers, PCMCIA cards (flash cards similar to those used for digital cameras), ASCII files, or coordinate points manually entered into the instrument.

Working with them on a jobsite

Scott Carter, president of Robotic Surveying Solutions, Farmington, Utah, states that "Robotic total stations offer the maximum flexibility on a jobsite. While increasing productivity and accuracy, they reduce labor cost and eliminate error." The instrument can be set up in out-of-the-way places, locating itself by calculating its own coordinates and orientation. You can also place it directly over a control point, the required position for both transits and theodolites. The flexibility of being able to locate the station anywhere on or near the site greatly increases efficiency and accuracy, and reduces errors.

When a robotic total station is turned on, it automatically searches for the target and locks onto it. After the instrument acquires "lock" on the target, it tracks the target at speeds of up to 13 feet per second. And, while it tracks the target, it's also constantly updating the data collector.

"Before you start layout work you must first shoot at least two orientation points or known control points in order for the instrument to locate its position on the jobsite. These two control points are usually land survey points. Other control points can be established and used after a project is started," states Carter. "You are now ready to do layout work. The instrument directs you to each point for staking out. You are directed to each point by a constantly updated map on the data collector or by constantly updated commands, such as to/away, left/right, and cut/fill."

To err is human

Occasionally you might hear the argument that two experienced layout people with a tape measure can be just as accurate as a robotic total station. But this isn't true. Paul Hahn, marketing manager for Trimble's Geomatics and Engineering division, states, "Distance and angle measuring systems just don't go wrong. Assuming that there are no mechanical problems with the instrument, errors in measurement or location are human ones--not instrument ones." The primary reasons for errors are the following:

* The robotic total station wasn't properly put through a checkout procedure before layout started.

* The rodman didn't hold the target plumb when marking the control points to orient the total station--the most common error.

* The "Peg Whacker" (person who pounds the stakes) didn't place the control stake at the point defined by the total station.

* The tripod holding the instrument moved because it wasn't properly stabilized when it was set up.

* Instruments can lose accuracy when treated roughly, not dried when they get wet, or not calibrated, cleaned, or maintained.

Related Results

• Cloud Computing Also Hit by IT-Spending Cutbacks
• Short Term Energy Monitoring: A Road To Long Term Energy Savings?
• NCS-Omnicare: The New Landscape For M&A
• Ohio's Health House Provides Asthma-Free Indoor Living
• Agistix's On-Demand Solution Gives Maxim Centralized Logistics Control

When the robotic total station is set up on a jobsite, a few checkout procedures should be followed. If the instrument is set up directly on a control point, carefully check to be sure that the instrument is plumb over the control point and that the control points have not been disturbed. Then always check another control or known point to confirm your orientation. If the instrument is set up in an "out-of-harm's-way location," sometimes referred to as "free station" or "resection," shoot at least two control points and then do a check shot on at least one other control point on the jobsite.

Good layout people always check their work as they proceed. If, for instance, control points for a rectangular space are plotted, the diagonals should be checked to be sure that they are equal. Programs for checks like this are found in each data collector.

Limitations

The greatest limitation for robotic total stations is that they require a line of sight to each control point. Another problem, according to Mark Contino, marketing manager for Topcon, Pleasanton, Calif., is occasional radio interference between the data collector at the target and the instrument. This problem is partly solved by multichannel frequencies.

In terms of accuracy, Hahn states that one can expect horizontal distances of 700 feet and less to be accurate within [+ or -] 2 mm (about 1/16 inch). Positional accuracy should be within 1/8 inch. Beyond 700 feet, accuracy drops to within 1/4 inch. Rick Sauve, technical sales rep for Leica Geosystems, Livonia, Mich., adds that the best vertical shots for plumb occur below 500 feet. Above that, light rays can be affected by atmospheric conditions. Wind sway in tall structures can cause problems too.

Going prism free

Carter acknowledges that the primary selling point for using robotic total stations is the freedom of having one person operate the system from the target. But many owners are beginning to see the advantage of moving that person back to the crosshairs of the instrument to use its laser EDM capabilities without a prism--referred to as "direct reflex" technology. By placing the eyepiece crosshairs of the instrument on a point, the distance, coordinates and other important data relating to that point can be collected. Plotting and mapping areas that are difficult or unsafe to reach with the target can now be completed with ease and safety, saving time and energy. Examples of using EDM include the mapping of wetland areas by plotting points where the water touches land. One can also locate an instrument at a safe position alongside a busy freeway to plot points in heavy traffic or take shots on the centerline of a road without actually going into the road. Or, you can safely measure the distance from the ground to a sagging powerline that could come in contact with construction equipment, or shoot a tree or dirt pile without ever getting next to it or climbing onto it.

How contractors are using them

Both commercial and residential concrete contractors are using robotic total stations for building layout work. Residential foundation contractors often provide control points for footing excavation work, then reshoot the points for footing layout, and make a third trip to locate foundation walls on the footings. And delays can occur if surveyors are not available at the site when needed.

Commercially, contractors use total robotic stations to check elevations, locate columns and walls, lay out anchor bolt patterns, and lay out utilities for each floor of a building. Sauve adds that Leica includes a digital terrain model (DTM) feature, which allows one to decide on finished elevations for a project. Then when the target is used to shoot points on the site, the amount of "cut" and "fill" can be determined.

Related Results

• Cloud Computing Also Hit by IT-Spending Cutbacks
• Short Term Energy Monitoring: A Road To Long Term Energy Savings?
• NCS-Omnicare: The New Landscape For M&A
• Ohio's Health House Provides Asthma-Free Indoor Living
• Agistix's On-Demand Solution Gives Maxim Centralized Logistics Control

Why the trend for contractor ownership

Here are some reasons why contractors are purchasing robotic total stations--a rather expensive tool which at one time only surveyors purchased.

* Projects stay on schedule because contractors don't have to wait for others to provide them with needed control points during a job. Today the trend is for surveyors to perform land survey work and contractors to perform job layout functions.

* They are extremely accurate. Fewer costly layout mistakes are made.

* They can do the work of two or three workers in half the time. For many contractors, robotic total stations pay for themselves during the first year of ownership.

The need for training

Carter points out that once these instruments are purchased, contractors find many other uses for them. "By taking advantage of `alternative advanced training' opportunities, contractors can learn how to better use the equipment and become more productive with it." Carter offers training and consulting on total robotic stations and can be contacted at 801-201-9510 or scarter@xmission.com.

For information about robotic total stations, contact the manufacturers directly or circle the appropriate number on the reader service card.

Leica Geosystems, 800-4-LASERS (800-452-7377), www.leica-geosystems.com, circle 6

Topcon Positioning Systems, 800-443-4567, www.topcon.com, circle 7

Trimble, 800-538-7800, www.trimble.com, circle 8

For many years, the optical transit was the surveyor's tool of choice to lay out property lines and building sites. By the 1970s, however, the electronic theodolite began to replace the transit since it could measure angles more accurately on both the horizontal and vertical axes. In the early 1980s, "total stations," which measure distances very accurately by using electronic distance meters (EDMs), became the instrument of choice. Then in late 1990, Geodimeter, Dandryd Sweden introduced the first "robotic total station,". adding automatic tracking and radio communication to a radio and data collector at the "target" or pole. Thus, for the first time, no person was required at the instrument--only at the target, reducing the size of a survey crew.

Today three companies manufacture robotic total stations, Trimble (now the owner of Geodimeter, although it no longer uses that name), Leica, and Topcon. Once a tool for surveyors only, robotic total stations are currently being purchased and used in numerous ways by contractors--especially concrete contractors. One large contractor/construction company owns more than 75 robotic total stations.

The fundamental elements

Each manufacturer of robotic total stations has its own features and benefits, but the basic elements are all the same.

All robotic total stations are servo-motor-driven and measure angles both in the X-Y (horizontal) plane and the Z (elevation) axis. These measurements are very precise and accurate: most instruments measure 3 seconds of accuracy or less (5-second instruments are typically required for construction purposes).

Each total station has an electronic distance meter (EDM). Through either laser technology or infrared sensors, it can precisely measure the distance from the instrument to the target within millimeter accuracy. Precision tolerances of 1/100 foot (less than 1/16 inch) in 1000 feet are typical.

Every system uses a target, which has a prism to reflect light back to the instrument for measurement, and an electronic data collector, which communicates with the instrument through radio communication--also known as telemetry.

By using servomotors, prisms, and infrared technology, robotic total stations search for, and then lock onto, the target, automatically following it as the layout person moves it around a jobsite. At the same time, the data collector built into the target is being updated with information radioed from the instrument.

All manufacturers provide computer software to download and upload coordinate information. This information can come from computer-aided drafting (CAD) files downloaded from office computers, PCMCIA cards (flash cards similar to those used for digital cameras), ASCII files, or coordinate points manually entered into the instrument.

Working with them on a jobsite

Scott Carter, president of Robotic Surveying Solutions, Farmington, Utah, states that "Robotic total stations offer the maximum flexibility on a jobsite. While increasing productivity and accuracy, they reduce labor cost and eliminate error." The instrument can be set up in out-of-the-way places, locating itself by calculating its own coordinates and orientation. You can also place it directly over a control point, the required position for both transits and theodolites. The flexibility of being able to locate the station anywhere on or near the site greatly increases efficiency and accuracy, and reduces errors.

When a robotic total station is turned on, it automatically searches for the target and locks onto it. After the instrument acquires "lock" on the target, it tracks the target at speeds of up to 13 feet per second. And, while it tracks the target, it's also constantly updating the data collector.

"Before you start layout work you must first shoot at least two orientation points or known control points in order for the instrument to locate its position on the jobsite. These two control points are usually land survey points. Other control points can be established and used after a project is started," states Carter. "You are now ready to do layout work. The instrument directs you to each point for staking out. You are directed to each point by a constantly updated map on the data collector or by constantly updated commands, such as to/away, left/right, and cut/fill."

To err is human

Occasionally you might hear the argument that two experienced layout people with a tape measure can be just as accurate as a robotic total station. But this isn't true. Paul Hahn, marketing manager for Trimble's Geomatics and Engineering division, states, "Distance and angle measuring systems just don't go wrong. Assuming that there are no mechanical problems with the instrument, errors in measurement or location are human ones--not instrument ones." The primary reasons for errors are the following:

* The robotic total station wasn't properly put through a checkout procedure before layout started.

* The rodman didn't hold the target plumb when marking the control points to orient the total station--the most common error.

* The "Peg Whacker" (person who pounds the stakes) didn't place the control stake at the point defined by the total station.

* The tripod holding the instrument moved because it wasn't properly stabilized when it was set up.

* Instruments can lose accuracy when treated roughly, not dried when they get wet, or not calibrated, cleaned, or maintained.

When the robotic total station is set up on a jobsite, a few checkout procedures should be followed. If the instrument is set up directly on a control point, carefully check to be sure that the instrument is plumb over the control point and that the control points have not been disturbed. Then always check another control or known point to confirm your orientation. If the instrument is set up in an "out-of-harm's-way location," sometimes referred to as "free station" or "resection," shoot at least two control points and then do a check shot on at least one other control point on the jobsite.

Good layout people always check their work as they proceed. If, for instance, control points for a rectangular space are plotted, the diagonals should be checked to be sure that they are equal. Programs for checks like this are found in each data collector.

Limitations

The greatest limitation for robotic total stations is that they require a line of sight to each control point. Another problem, according to Mark Contino, marketing manager for Topcon, Pleasanton, Calif., is occasional radio interference between the data collector at the target and the instrument. This problem is partly solved by multichannel frequencies.

In terms of accuracy, Hahn states that one can expect horizontal distances of 700 feet and less to be accurate within [+ or -] 2 mm (about 1/16 inch). Positional accuracy should be within 1/8 inch. Beyond 700 feet, accuracy drops to within 1/4 inch. Rick Sauve, technical sales rep for Leica Geosystems, Livonia, Mich., adds that the best vertical shots for plumb occur below 500 feet. Above that, light rays can be affected by atmospheric conditions. Wind sway in tall structures can cause problems too.

Going prism free

Carter acknowledges that the primary selling point for using robotic total stations is the freedom of having one person operate the system from the target. But many owners are beginning to see the advantage of moving that person back to the crosshairs of the instrument to use its laser EDM capabilities without a prism--referred to as "direct reflex" technology. By placing the eyepiece crosshairs of the instrument on a point, the distance, coordinates and other important data relating to that point can be collected. Plotting and mapping areas that are difficult or unsafe to reach with the target can now be completed with ease and safety, saving time and energy. Examples of using EDM include the mapping of wetland areas by plotting points where the water touches land. One can also locate an instrument at a safe position alongside a busy freeway to plot points in heavy traffic or take shots on the centerline of a road without actually going into the road. Or, you can safely measure the distance from the ground to a sagging powerline that could come in contact with construction equipment, or shoot a tree or dirt pile without ever getting next to it or climbing onto it.

Commercial Construction Staking

by: Charles Iner

Construction staking for commercial projects is a crucial step in the building process that can directly influence whether a project finishes on time, on budget, and free from errors. It is in the best interests of the construction company or developer to utilize the skills of a qualified registered land surveyor to perform the staking. A good surveyor will interpret the plans and layout the project to best fit the site as the designer, engineer, or architect intended. By having someone with the skills and knowledge of a professional registered land surveyor, the builder can be certain of the accuracy and reliability of the results.
Commercial construction staking is needed for a variety of different projects, including subdivisions, streets, utilities, and more complex, multi-story building sites. Construction staking is, at its most basic, the laying out of survey points on the ground to act as a guide for constructing site improvements. In many ways, construction staking can be seen as the opposite of the as-built survey. The as-built assesses a building or project after completion to ensure that is was built according to the plans. Construction staking is performed at the beginning of the project to make sure that the project is built according to plan. Good construction staking will lead to a good as-built survey.
Construction staking, especially in a commercial application, calls upon all the skills that a land surveyor possesses. They are required to complete a boundary and topographic survey to ensure that the property matched the site plan and engineering design. They must also perform field staking for mass grading, building offsets for construction, utilities (sanitary sewers, water mains and storm sewers), as well as any parking lots, streets, curbs, or gutters. These are all done before the surveyor even begins to address the proposed buildings on the property.
Once a surveyor moves on to staking the proposed structures, he provides the location and grade stakes for building foundations, walls, and column lines. This is a crucial step in the process. If the buildings foundations are not staked properly, it can be a very costly mistake for the construction crew that could have the potential to ruin the job altogether. A knowledgeable land surveyor is a builder's best tool to avoid foundation problems further on in the process. A good surveyor will establish a coordinate network with horizontal and vertical controls from the beginning of the property and use it to calculate and determine the exact corners and levels of proposed structures.
While construction staking is seen by many to be a simple step at the beginning of a project, it can have very dire ramifications for the rest of the project if not completed correctly. In commercial projects, the importance of a well-performed construction staking is magnified, given the larger structures and vast amounts of money the construction staking affects. It is money and time well spent to make sure that a qualified individual with the proper surveying knowledge and experience is conducting your construction staking survey.
We at Point to Point Land Surveyors pride ourselves on accuracy, customer service and quality work delivered on time, guaranteed. Commercial land surveys are a specialty.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_Iner