HOW DO WE COMPLETE A TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY DRAWING?

Contents

What Is A Topographic Survey?

A topographic survey is a process of gathering detailed data about the natural and man-made features of a site, including elevations. A topographic survey requires a high level of detail and accuracy, and all results must be provided in CAD and PDF formats.

Purpose Of Topographic Survey

Topographic surveys are used by Architects, Civil Engineers and Construction Contractors to plan and develop their projects in the most efficient way. The information recorded by the site survey team (field crew) will form the basis for future design.

What Information Does A Topographic Survey Gather?

After obtaining approval from the client and relevant parties, the field crew will proceed to the site and record all available information within and around the project site. This information must be in accordance with the national grid coordinate system, so that the recorded data will be linked to the other relevant products through this national coordinate system.

The information typically surveyed includes:

Natural Features:

Lake, rivers and streams.
Trees and other vegetation.
Natural ground features that change elevation (example: top bank, bottom bank).

Human-made Features:

Buildings and structures.
Roads, footpaths, pavements and sidewalks.
Bridge and culverts.
Utility lines (above ground and underground).
Fences and boundary markers.
Drainage systems and manholes.
Retaining walls.

THE TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY PROCESS

Field data collection

Before the field crew goes to the site for data collection, they must first prepare available documents such as Plat, Deed, Table A, FEMA map, PID, etc. Then, they will redraw the property boundary, easement, and setback as described in Autodesk Civil 3D software and place it in the correct position on the Geolocation map.

an example of setting coordinate systems in autodesk civil 3d — An example of setting coordinate systems in autodesk civil 3d

An example of a property boundary survey drawing produced in autodesk civil 3d

– Once a drawing containing the property boundary, setback, easement, etc. is available, the field crew will take this drawing to the site to record current data.

Establishing a control network: once on-site, the first task is to use the GPS device to align the survey with the national grid.
Conducting the topographic survey: the team will survey both coordinates and elevation for all natural and man-made features within the project area. This is typically done using a Total Station. Each survey point will be described with abbreviations to make it easier to complete the drafting later

an example of field code — An example of field code

Data processing and creating drawing

Once all the necessary data is recorded from the field, the survey team will process the survey data at the office.
Import the survey points into Autodesk Civil 3D and align the data from step 1 to the correct corner of the surveyed property line.
Based on the field notes and photos, use these to complete the linework, block, and surface contour.
The final drawing to be provided to the client will include both an AutoCAD drawing and a PDF. This final drawing will comprehensively show the surveyed area and include notes such as title commitment, legal description, notes corresponding to schedule B, flood information, utility notes, basis of bearing, vicinity map, benchmark, etc.

An example of a complete topographic survey drawing, showing all natural and man-made features, elevations, and other relevant details.

Benefits Of Topographic Survey

You will know the exact position and layout of existing items to ensure the new design can be implemented and achieve the highest efficiency. For example, you want to build an additional Granny flat on your existing land, and you have asked the architect to design it. The construction team will arrive, ready to build, but they would be worried if there is no survey drawing. They are afraid that designing a Granny flat over an existing large tree could result in the remove of the tree or changing the design, both of which are very costly.
The topographic survey drawing will help the civil engineering design process be more efficient and help avoid future problems. For example, you will know which locations should match the existing layout and which locations should remain as they are, etc.
This will help avoid potential planning application refusals.

A topographic survey is an essential step in the planning and design process for any project. By providing precise and detailed information about natural and man-made features, topographic surveys help architects, civil engineers, and contractors make informed decisions, minimize errors, and maximize efficiency. Whether you’re developing a new property or modifying an existing one, having an accurate topographic survey drawing ensures that your project progresses smoothly and avoids unnecessary costs or delays.

If you’re looking for high-quality, detailed topographic survey drawings tailored to your needs, explore our sample works here. Let us help you take your project from concept to completion with accuracy and confidence.

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