www.Vidyarthiplus.

com
WWW.VIDYARTHIPLUS.COM

SURVEYING-I

Question Bank

_______________________________________________________________________

UNIT-I INTRODUCTION AND CHAIN SURVEYING

1. Define surveying.
2. State two primary divisions of surveying.
3. Enumerate the fundamental parameters of surveying measurement?
4. State the basic principles of surveying.
5. State the basic assumptions of plane surveying.
6. Differentiate between plan and map.
7. Enumerate the essential elements of a map.
8. What are the classifications of survey?
9. What do you understand by “measurement” in surveying practice?
10. Define “significant figures” and “rounding off” of a measurement. Explain their
relevance in surveying.
11. List the different types of errors in survey measurement and state their significance
12. Describe how you would range a survey line between two stations which are not
intervisible?
13. What do you mean by limiting length of ‘off set’ in chain surveying?
14. What are the equipments used to measure right angle in the chain surveying?
15. Enumerate the instruments used for measurement of lengths of survey lines
16. Distinguish between perpendicular offset and oblique offset, with neat sketches.
17. Which of the following scale is the smallest and largest respectively:
(i) 1 cm = 10 meter. (ii) 1: 10,000. (iii) R.F=1/100, 000 (iii) 1cm=1000 Km
18. The distance between two stations were repeated 10 times and observed to be as follows:
500.335m, 500.360m; 501.345m, 500.395m, 500.420m, 500.355m, 500.315m,
500.360m, 500.415m, and 500.325m. Justify, if there is any observation having gross
error.
19. Illustrate with neat sketches, various types of obstacles encountered in chain surveying.
20. A survey line PQ intersects a pond. To overcome these obstacle two stations A and B
were taken on either side of the pond. A line AC, 90 m long was laid down on the left of
AB, and a second line AD, 130 m long was laid down on the right of AB. If points C, B
and D are on the same straight line and CB = 75 m and BD = 78 m, determine the length
AB.

www.Vidyarthiplus.com
 www.Vidyarthiplus.com

UNIT-II COMPASS SURVEYING AND PLANE TABLE SURVEYING

1. Tabulate the differences between different types of meridians along with differences in
their utilities.
2. What is magnetic declination?
3. What do you understand by plane table survey? What are the advantages and dis-
advantages of Plane Tabling? List the different accessories used in plane tabling along
with their uses.
4. Describe the steps involved in setting up of a Plane Table.
5. Explain the different operation involved in temporary adjustment of plane table
surveying.
6. Enumerate the different types of plane tabling and highlight the topographical conditions
under each is generally used.
7. Describe the method of orientation of plane table by Backsight method.
8. Define "three point problem" in Plane Tabling.
9. What do you understand by "Trial and Error" method of solving Three point problem?
10. Explain the basic Lehmann's Rule for reducing the number of trials. Further, state the
additional rules for special cases.
11. Define Bearing.
12. Define Dip and Declination
13. Define local attraction
14. Define W.C.B.
15. What is the use of plane table Survey?
16. Draw and explain the prismatic compass.
17. Write merits and demerits of the plane table.
18. Explain the instruments used in plane table surveying
19. Explain two point problem with diagram
20. Explain Bessel’s method with diagram.
21. Define ‘bearing of lines’ and ‘true meridian’ in compass surveying.
22. What is ‘orienting the table’ in plane table surveys?
23. What do you understand by quadrantal bearing of a line?
24. What is plane table surveying? When is it preferred?
25. A survey line AB crosses a river obliquely. P and Q are two points selected on the line
one at each end of the river. Another line EPF is run parallel to the centre line of the river
and point E is such that angle QEP is right angle and EP = PF = 100 m. A third point G is
set at a distance of 150 m from P such that angle GFP is also right angle. Compute the
distance PQ.
26. The magnetic bearing of a line was found to be N 60° 30' W in 1992, when the
declination was 5° 10' E. find its present magnetic bearing, if declination is 3° W.

27. The bearing taken for two lines are as follows:

www.Vidyarthiplus.com
 www.Vidyarthiplus.com

Line Fore Bearing Back Bearing

AB S 37° 30' E 322° 30' (WCB)

BC 223° 15' (WCB) N 44° 15' E

Compute the interior angle at B.

28. Following are the observed magnetic bearings of the traverse legs:
Line PQ QR RS SP
FB 74° 20' 107° 20' 224° 50' 200° 15'
BB 256° 00' 286° 20' 44° 50' 126° 00'

29. At what stations local attraction is suspected? Determine the correct bearings of the
traverse legs and also calculate the included angles.
30. What are the precautions to be adopted in using the Compass?
31. The bearings of the sides of a traverse ABCDE are as follows :
Side Fore bearing Back bearing
AB 107º 15' 287º 15'
BC 22º 0' 202º 0'
CD 281º 30' 101º 30'
DE 189º 15' 9º 15'
EA 124º 45' 304º 45'
Compute the interior angles of the traverse.

UNIT-III LEVELLING AND APPLICATIONS

1. Why levels are usually called as “spirit level”?

2. Explain the importance of level tube in a leveling instrument.
3. Explain the chief feature of a digital level.
4. State the differences in the temporary adjustment of a dumpy level and an IOP level.
5. State the difference between a dumpy level and a digital level.
6. Enumerate the order in which the permanent adjustment of a tilting level are carried out.
7. Describe the two peg method of permanent adjustment of a dumpy level State and
explain the basic principle of leveling.

www.Vidyarthiplus.com
 www.Vidyarthiplus.com

8. Enumerate the difference between rise and fall method (of reduction of level) and height
of instrument method.
9. Enlist the classification of levelling.
10. What are the special features of precise system of levelling?
11. What are the uses of contours?
12. How do you compute the reservoir volume?
13. Define sensitivity of a bubble tube. State any two factors affecting the same.
14. Distinguish between differential levelling and reciprocal leveling
15. What do you understand by reciprocal leveling
16. What are the different types of ‘levelling instruments’ used in leveling.
17. In the two-peg test of a level, the following observations are taken:
Instrument at
M P
Staff reading on A 3.612 m 1.862 m
Staff reading on B 3.248 m 0.946

M is equidistant from A and B, P is 40 m from A and 240 m from B. What is the true
difference in elevation between the two points? With the level in the same position at P,
to what staff reading on B should the line of sight be adjusted? What is the corresponding
staff reading on A for a horizontal line of sight? Check these two staff readings against
the true difference in elevation, previously determined.

18. Data from a differential leveling have been found in the order of B.S., F.S..... etc. starting
with the initial reading on B.M. (elevation 150.485 m) are as follows : 1.205, 1.860,
0.125, 1.915, 0.395, 2.615, 0.880, 1.760, 1.960, 0.920, 2.595, 0.915, 2.255, 0.515, 2.305,
1.170. The final reading closes on B.M.. Put the data in a complete field note form and
carry out reduction of level by Height of instrument method. All units are in meters.
19. The following reciprocal levels were taken on two stations P and Q:

Instrument Average near Average distant,

station readings, meter readings, meter

www.Vidyarthiplus.com
 www.Vidyarthiplus.com

P 2.165 3.810 R.L of P = 101.345 m

Distance, PQ = 1645 Km
Q 2.335 0.910

Determine the elevation of Q and the error due to refraction when the collimation error is
0.003m downward per 100m.

20. A surveyor standing on seashore can just see the top of a ship through the telescope of a
levelling instrument. The height of the line of sight at instrument location is 1.65 meter
above msl and the top of ship is 50 meter above sea level. How far is the ship from the
surveyor?
21. The following notes refer to the reciprocal levels taken with one level:

Staff Readings on Remarks

Instrument Station
Near Station Further station

P 1.03 1.630 Distance PQ = 800 m

Q 2.74 0.950 R.L. of P = 450 m

Find (i) the true R.L. of Q;

• combined correction for curvature and refraction

• the error in collimation adjustment of the instrument.

22. The areas enclosed by contours on the upstream face of dam in a hydro-electric project as

Contour (m) 800 790 780 770 760 750 740 730

Area (hectares) 31.41 26.74 24.89 22.23 19.37 17.74 12.91 5.35

www.Vidyarthiplus.com
 www.Vidyarthiplus.com

The lowest draw down level is 733 m. compute the full reservoir capacity

23. In levelling between two points A and B on opposite banks of a river, the level was set up
near A and the staff readings on A and B were 1.60 m and 2.44 m respectively. The level
was then moved and set up near B, and the respective readings on A and B were 0.70 and
1.26. Find the true difference of level between A and B.
24. Explain profile levelling with suitable example.
25. Enlist and explain the types of errors in leveling.
26. The following perpendicular offsets were taken from a chain line to a hedge :
Chainage in m 0 10 20 40 60
Offset in m 6.10 7.63 4.58 5.49 8.54
Calculate the area between the chain line and the hedge using Simpson’s method.
27. Write about the Prismoidal Correction to be applied to volume computation.

UNIT-IV THEODALOITE SURVEYING

1. Enumereate the different parts of a vernier theodolite and explain their function.
2. Differentiate between Clamp screw and Tangent screw.
3. What do you mean by temporary 'adjustment' of a theodolite ?
4. Describe in breif the steps of temporary adjustment in proper order.
5. Enumerate the fundamental lines of a theodolite instrument and state their relationship in
a permanently adjusted instrument
6. Explain the use of ‘Bowditch’s rule’ in traverse computation.
7. Name the different cases of ‘omitted measurements’ in theodolite surveying.
8. How is a simple curve set out by using one theodolite and one chain?
9. Name the two methods of measuring horizontal angles using a theodolite.
10. What is an anallatic lens?
11. In order to reduce the error in measurement of vertical angle a set of measurements are
taken and find the average angle as 9° 02' 05? form a height of instrument as 1.565m to a
target height 2.165m. If the elevation of the instrument station is 189.250m above mean
sea level, find the elevation of staff station. Assume any data, if required.

www.Vidyarthiplus.com
 www.Vidyarthiplus.com
CHENNAI INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

12. Calculate the independent coordinates of the stations from the following observation of a
traverse assuming independent coordinates of station A as (10000, 10000):

Line AB BC CD DE EA
Length (m) 89.31 219.76 151.18 159.10 232.26
WCB 45° 10' 72° 05' 161° 52' 228° 43' 300° 42'

Use Bowditch Rule for adjustment of errors.

13. In a traverse ABCDEFG, the line BA is taken as the reference meredian, the coordinates
of the sides AB, BC, CD, DE and EF are

Line AB BC CD DE EF

Northing (m) 1190.9 565.3 590.5 606.9 1017.2

Easting 0 736.4 796.8 -468.0 370.4

If the bearing of FG is 284° 13' and its length is 896.0m, find the length and bearing of GA.

14. In a closed traverse ABCDE running anti-clockwise, calculate the missing data:

Line Length (m) W.C.B.

AB 343.56 245° 18'
BC 371.08 ?
CD ? 113° 37'
DE 417.66 37° 25'
EA 457.25 321° 42'

15. State and explain omitted measurements in theodolite surveying.

16. The interior angles of a closed traverse ABCDEF are as follows :
, 60º 40'; , 201º 38'; , 93º 19'; , 69º 48'; , 210º 13' and , 84º 22'.
Compute the deflection angles of the traverse.

UNIT-V ENGINEERING SURVEYS

www.Vidyarthiplus.com
 www.Vidyarthiplus.com

1. Briefly explain ‘reverse curves’ and ‘shift of a transition curve’

2. .State the relationship between the radius of a curve and the degree of the curve.
3. What are transition curves?
4. A railway curve is to be tangential to each of the following lines:
7. Length
5. Lines 6. W.C.B. (m)

8. AB 9. 0° 10. -

11. BC 12. 90° 13. 220

14. CD 15. 140° 16. -

Determine the salient parameters of the simple circular curve.

17. Two straights AB and BC meet in an inaccessible point B and are to be connected by a
simple curve of 600 m radius. Two points P and Q were selected on AB and BC
respectively and the following data were obtained.
R APQ = 150°, R CQP = 160°, PQ = 150.0 m
18. Calculate the salient elements of the simple circular curve. Considering the chainage of
point P to be 1000 m.
19. Two tangents intersect at chainage 2380 m, the deflection angle being 50° 30'. Compute
the necessary data for setting out a 5.7° curve to connect the two tangents if it is intended
to set out the curve by Rankine's Method of tangential angles. Take the length of the
normal chord as 30 m. Also, tabulate the values of the deflection angles for setting out
with a theodolite having least count of 20".
20. Two straights AB and BC meet at an inaccessible point B. They are to be connected by a
simple circular curve of 500 m radius. Two points P and Q are selected on AB and BC
respectively, and the following data are obtained: RAPQ = 157° 22' ; RCQP = 164° 38' ;
PQ = 200 m.
21. Calculate the necessary data for setting out the curve by the method of deflection angle.
The nominal length of chord is 30 m. Assume any data missing.

www.Vidyarthiplus.com
 www.Vidyarthiplus.com

22. A transition curve of length 230 m joins a straight to a circular curve of radius 800 m.
What is the angle turned by the transition curve and what is the necessary shift?. Find the
length of offset to the transition at a distance 150 m from the short along the tangent.
23. Two straights AB and BC intersect at chainage 1000 m, the deflection angle being 40°. It
is proposed to insert a right-handed circular curve 400 m radius with a cubic parabola of
90 m length at each end. The circular curve is to be set out with pegs at 20 m intervals
and the transition curves at 10 m intervals. Find the
24. Chainage at the begining and end of the combined curve
25. Chainages at the junction of the transition curve with circular curves
26. tangential angles for the first two points on the first transition curve
27. tangential angles for the first two points on the circular curves
28. Enumerate the classification of curves in Engineering surveys.
29. Two straights intersect at a deflection angle of 80? and are connected by a circular curve
of radius 10 chains. Find the length of ‘each end tangent’, the ‘curve’, and the ‘long
chord’, the Apex distance; the ‘Mid ordinate of the curve’ and the ‘Degree of the curve’.

www.Vidyarthiplus.com