SUR 3501 SPATIAL MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS

SYLLABUS

Objective

Students will develop analytical skills for determining the spatial quality and error budgets associated with a variety of ground-based geomatics technologies. Specifically, students will:

  • Learn how to analyze data from total station, Lidar, laser level
  • Develop project reporting skills through project reports
  • Learn about recently developed technologies
  • Analyze different types of GPS
  • Develop baseline data for a monitoring project
  • Analyze the spatial quality of map information

Method of Instruction

This course is based on the concept of “learning by doing.” The material will be learned primarily through a series of field projects. The field part of the projects will be done in small teams (3-4 persons).  Each project requires an individual report and analysis of the measurements taken.  These deliverables will be due at specified dates (deadlines) throughout the semester (see schedule).  These deadlines are not flexible.

Meeting Times and Place

In general the class will meet weekly on Mondays/Wednesdays 4th period in Reed 302.  Some of the Wednesday classes are dedicated to data reduction, computations, analysis and report writing. See the Schedule on this website for specific meeting times and deadlines. The data reduction, analysis, etc, will be done independently, but I will be on hand to deal with queries. Most of the field projects will take place on the north lawn and you are expected to do these according to the instructions given or each project. (see Projects)

Textbook

Wolf, P. and D. Ghilani (1997). Adjustment Computations. John Wiley and Sons, New York , NY 

Grading

Grading will be based predominantly on project deliverables, but will also include two quizzes spread across the semester. The specific grade breakdown is as follows:

ü      Project Reports………………………... 75%

ü      Attendance and Class Participation…….. 10%

ü      Quizzes………………………………... 15%

Projects (See Projects for details)

There are 12 Projects throughout the semester. The field measurement part of these projects is done in groups, but all project reports are done individually. The measurement systems in these projects include a tape, total station, various types of GPS, different post-processing options, Lidar, laser/digital level, and GoogleEarth. Several of the projects address practical issues that will contribute to better understanding of the performance of the technologies.  The following projects will be completed this semester.

Ø      Project 1: Distance Measurement

Ø      Project 2: EDM Calibration

Ø      Project 3: GPS- Point Positioning

Ø      Project 4: GPS – Differential Correction

Ø      Project 5: GPS – OPUS

Ø      Project 6:  Monitoring Survey – Total Station

Ø      Project 7: Monitoring Survey – Lidar

Ø      Project 8:  Laser Leveling

Ø      Project 9:  GoogleEarth

Ø      Project 10:  Coordinate Conversion and Map Projections