Answer questions

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Construction Surveying

CSMT 345

LECTURE 1

Getting started and organized in surveying

• Becoming a construction surveyor (field engineer in construction) – Carpenter, college graduates, surveying firms

• Planning – Most ideal in any construction venture

• Might require spending a lot of time on it to avoid future problems

– Is done to avoid conflicts

– Success as a field engineer is highly dependent in your planning ability

– Plan to plan and remember: your plan is dependent on plan of others

– Plan on relevant equipment to use

• Field book

• Pencil/chalk/marking pen

• Plumb bob/ hammer

• Tape measure/calculator

• PPE (Safety belt and harness, safety vest, hard hat, e.t.c.)

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Getting started and organized in surveying

Dress appropriately

for the job

Getting started and organized for surveying

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Getting started and Organized cont..

• Equipment checklist

– Field engineer must evaluate and have good understanding of the available surveying equipment needed at specific work points

– Manufacturer’s sheets provide various specifications of the available equipment

– Field engineer sources of information include various trade magazines which annually publish items such as

• GPS units

• Levels

• Theodolites

• Total stations

Getting started and organized cont..

• Daily Scheduling

– Time management is the most difficult task for a field engineer

– Take control of your time with proper planning

– Daily schedules will be used to communicate the plan to others thus making your work easier and overally enjoyable

– Can take the form of simple bar charts with sequence of activities

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Field engineering responsibilities

• Field engineering position introduces you to different activities on a jobsite that will develop your understanding of the construction process and company management systems

• It is important that you become a field engineer before becoming a project engineer, estimator, superintendent or project manager

• As a field engineer, you learn about control and layout, excavation, concrete forming and placement, steel erection

• Your success as a field engineer is a prerequisite to becoming a good project manager

Field engineering responsibilities cont..

• Success characteristics

– Commitment to construction; striving to be the best

– Hard worker

– Be an initiator

– Be responsible

– Be a learner

– Be a communicator

– Be a leader

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Field engineering responsibilities cont..

• Field duties

– Assisting the superintendent

– Engineering layout • establishing control points, providing stakes for site work, determining

the positions of retaining walls so as to provide safe working space, e.t.c.

– Quality control • Accuracy of equipment and of the data collected (crosscheck twice)

– Supervision • Comes with experience

• Field duties

– Assisting the superintendent

– Engineering layout • establishing control points, providing stakes for site work, determining

the positions of retaining walls so as to provide safe working space, e.t.c.

– Quality control • Accuracy of equipment and of the data collected (crosscheck twice)

– Supervision • Comes with experience

Field engineering responsibilities cont..

• Office duties

– Field engineers also do office work, usually for office engineers who do paperwork aspects of construction process among others

– Project documentation • accurate recording, updating, conveying, interpreting and

maintaining documents

– Procurement of materials • Involve processing of submittals, shop drawings, change orders

without delays and coordinate with subcontractors and suppliers

– Information request • Assisting the office supervision team in the preparation and

follow-up of information requests between owner and architects

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Field engineering responsibilities cont..

• Office duties cont..

– Planning for safety

– Material handling

– Interpretation of plans

– Maintaining schedule

– Problem prevention

Preparing reports and charts

• Record-keeping

– This require careful planning and accurate daily schedule

– Accomplished using engineer’s field book which has record of all pre-planning, control information, layout sketches, work activities, e.t.c

– The field book can be a source of reference in arbitration or any dispute resolution process. It is paramount that all information be fully described and clear

– Overall, ensure there is daily project logs for all activities in addition to weekly production reports

• Trend charts

– This is a graphical representation of work progress

– Has quantities (y axis), timeline (x-axis), actual production line, target line

• Success vs problem from trend chart analysis

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Qualified Land Surveyor

• Surveying must be done by a registered surveyor which requires combination of education and experience under the direction of a registered surveyor

• Education- four year degree in an accredited surveying program

• Surveyor in training exam-after four years degree, take 8 hrs surveyor in training (SIT) exam which covers topics included in the undergraduate program. If successful, you become a SIT and can proceed to complete the experience required for registration

• Experience: after passing SIT. Most States require 4 yrs of land surveying work experience under the direct supervision of a registered surveyor

• Professional exam: After field experience, you take 8hr licensing exam

• Alternative method: may have no degree but requires field experience of at least 12 years

Qualified Land Surveyor cont..

• Liability Issues: the surveyor is responsible if the building violates setback regulations.

• Remember: Mere construction surveying work does not qualify one to be a surveyor

Note: – ALWAYS WORK DILIGENTLY TO AVOID LITIGATION ISSUES LATER

– Work safely, think safety!