{"id":1299,"date":"2024-05-10T08:33:13","date_gmt":"2024-05-10T08:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/?page_id=1299"},"modified":"2024-06-21T09:12:27","modified_gmt":"2024-06-21T16:12:27","slug":"topographic-survey","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/topographic-survey\/","title":{"rendered":"Topographic Survey"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"1299\" class=\"elementor elementor-1299\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f3133c4 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f3133c4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a51ffd0 elementor-widget__width-auto e-transform elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a51ffd0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_transform_scaleX_effect&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;_transform_scaleX_effect_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;_transform_scaleX_effect_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;_transform_scaleY_effect&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;_transform_scaleY_effect_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;_transform_scaleY_effect_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 05-08-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Topographic Survey<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7898772 elementor-widget__width-auto elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7898772\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What is a Topographic Survey?<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b0b7da6 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b0b7da6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dbfee69 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"dbfee69\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-72edbe9 elementor-widget__width-inherit elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"72edbe9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 05-08-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"318\" height=\"338\" src=\"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/topo_survey_contours_gif-min.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1671\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/topo_survey_contours_gif-min.jpg 318w, https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/topo_survey_contours_gif-min-282x300.jpg 282w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 318px) 100vw, 318px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-65f0435 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"65f0435\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a4d40ed e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"a4d40ed\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d7e1381 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d7e1381\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What is a Topographic Survey?<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a5660fb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a5660fb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 05-08-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>Much like any other type of survey, a topographic survey, or topo survey for short, is done to locate natural and man-made features on a particular parcel of land. This is sometimes called planimetric features or things you can see from a plan view as if you were hovering over the site. The topo survey is different in that the elevation of the surface of the land is surveyed and represented on the resulting map of the survey. The topo survey usually also includes any man-made underground features, like utility lines. The survey will also show above ground improvements like buildings, utility poles, retaining walls, etc.\u00a0<\/p><p>The elevation or differences in elevation on the surface is usually shown as contours. A contour line is a line that connects points of equal elevation. There is usually a contour interval set, say 1-foot for conventional survey. An aerial topo survey may have a contour interval of 2-foot to 5-foot typically. Again, these contours are a way to represent the relative elevations of the surface of the land. By industry standards, contour lines are accurate to within half the contour interval. So, a 1-foot contour line should be within a half foot (0.5\u2019) of the actual elevation on the ground.<\/p><p>Some topo surveys also supplement the contours with spot elevations at certain important points. Depending on the purpose of the survey, these spot elevations may be accurate to a tenth of a foot (0.1\u2019) or even a hundredth of a foot (0.01\u2019) of the actual elevation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bb38d54 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"bb38d54\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-790bd1a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"790bd1a\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0d28f9b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0d28f9b\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e4a66e0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e4a66e0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What is the purpose of a Topographic Survey?<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b767987 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b767987\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Topographic surveys are usually carried out in order to have an accurate record of the existing conditions of a parcel of land that is about to undergo some type of construction activity.<\/p><p>Design Engineers use a topo survey as the beginning surface of their design and then plan what the proposed final surface will be like. Having this original surface allows the Engineer to calculate the amount of earthwork that might be needed to bring the site to the final grade. The Engineer can also balance the earthwork so that dirt need not be taken off the site or brought onto the site.<\/p><p>An Architect uses the topo survey in a similar way, but may also plot the surface in three-dimensions to get an idea of the finished look of the site with the improvements. This may be used in a presentation to the owner of the land, or the public in a public meeting before design and or construction of a municipal or government building.<\/p><p>Many times a topo survey is very helpful on a severely limited site. The site might be limited by extreme terrain (steep slopes) by existing features or adjacent structures. A precise topo survey will insure the designed improvement will fit on the site within the <a title=\"Boundary Survey\" href=\"http:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/boundary-survey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">property boundaries<\/a> and those limitations.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e237d89 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"e237d89\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-72d7e85 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"72d7e85\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"529\" src=\"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/land-survey-instrument-level-geomatics1-min.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1676\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/land-survey-instrument-level-geomatics1-min.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/land-survey-instrument-level-geomatics1-min-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/land-survey-instrument-level-geomatics1-min-768x508.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-01d0161 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"01d0161\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fae2774 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"fae2774\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0361731 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"0361731\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/elevated-view-measure-tape-stacked-coins-key-calculator-blueprint-21-min-1024x682.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1678\" alt=\"ALTA Survey Costs in Texas\" srcset=\"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/elevated-view-measure-tape-stacked-coins-key-calculator-blueprint-21-min-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/elevated-view-measure-tape-stacked-coins-key-calculator-blueprint-21-min-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/elevated-view-measure-tape-stacked-coins-key-calculator-blueprint-21-min-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/elevated-view-measure-tape-stacked-coins-key-calculator-blueprint-21-min.jpg 1073w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-614582d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"614582d\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d121e00 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d121e00\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e06eeef elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e06eeef\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How is a Topo Survey done?<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0e2199c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0e2199c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>There are two common methods of completing a topographic survey. They are:<\/p><p>1. Conventional<br \/>2. Aerial<\/p><p>A conventional survey is done by land surveyors on the surface of the land, usually with an instrument called a total station. Some surveyors now may also use a survey grade GPS unit to do this type work. Either way, this is somewhat manual work. A surveyor walks the entire site taking shots (horizontal location and elevation) at a specific interval in order to meet the project accuracy requirements. For example, a 1-foot contour topo survey might require shots at a 20-30 foot interval and also shots along all breaklines. A breakline is a point at which the contour changes abruptly, like the back of a curb, or the center line of a roadway.<\/p><p>An <a title=\"Drone Aerial Mapping\" href=\"http:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/drone-aerial-mapping\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">aerial topo survey<\/a> is done from aerial photos taken from an airplane or helicopter at a certain distance above the ground. The aerial photos are then viewed together to form a stereo pair that allows the mapper to \u201cvisualize\u201d the ground surface. Looking at two overlapping aerial photos to see the ground surface is exactly the way we have depth perception using both our eyes. The same point is seen from two different vantage points. From this, our brain can perceive the relative distance away from our eyes. With only one photo, or one eye open, you cannot perceive depth.<\/p><p>A conventional survey is typically used when the contour interval and spot elevations must be precise. The aerial mapping process is more limited in accuracy on both the horizontal and vertical location of points on the surface. A 1-foot contour is about the limit for aerial work and spot elevations may be accurate to only a half-foot. So, this type survey is not acceptable for designing something like a sanitary sewer main that might need to be within \u00b10.02\u2019.<\/p><p>While these are somewhat simplistic explanations of the methods for doing a topographic survey, you can get much more information online. The purpose of this explanation is to give an overview.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3d3eb77 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3d3eb77\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-18e60d7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"18e60d7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What does a completed <br>Topo Survey look like?<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-89bce2a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"89bce2a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The final product from a topographic survey is a map with all of the required features shown along with the contours representing elevations. An electronic map may also be supplied to an Engineer and\/or Architect for their use in further design. The electronic file will have all the spot shots and breaklines included in order for a digital terrain model (DTM) to be developed. All of these breaklines and spot shots might not be represented on the printed version of the topo map.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2cb8d64 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2cb8d64\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"636\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/final_topo_survey_map1-min.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1670\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/final_topo_survey_map1-min.png 636w, https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/final_topo_survey_map1-min-224x300.png 224w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Topographic Survey What is a Topographic Survey? What is a Topographic Survey? Much like any other type of survey, a topographic survey, or topo survey for short, is done to locate natural and man-made features on a particular parcel of land. This is sometimes called planimetric features or things you can see from a plan [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1299","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1299"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1299"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1299\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/altasurveytexas.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1299"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}