Total Station | Geomatics Engineering (Surveying) - Civil Engineering (CE) PDF Download

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TOTAL STATION 
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TOTAL STATION 
 The most commonly used surveying instrument today is the 
total station . A total station is a combination of an electronic   
theodolite, an electronic distance measuring device (EDM) and a 
microprocessor with memory unit.  
 The electronic digital theodolite first introduced in the late 
1960s by Carl Zeiss Inc., helped to set the stage for modern field 
data collection and processing. When the electronic theodolite was 
used with a built –in electronic distance –measuring unit, the birth 
of new concept in fully automated surveying started.  
Page 3


TOTAL STATION 
 The most commonly used surveying instrument today is the 
total station . A total station is a combination of an electronic   
theodolite, an electronic distance measuring device (EDM) and a 
microprocessor with memory unit.  
 The electronic digital theodolite first introduced in the late 
1960s by Carl Zeiss Inc., helped to set the stage for modern field 
data collection and processing. When the electronic theodolite was 
used with a built –in electronic distance –measuring unit, the birth 
of new concept in fully automated surveying started.  
 The original name for an instrument of this type was 
electronic tacheometer, but Hewlett-Packard introduced the name 
total station over 30-years ago and the name immediately caught 
on with the profession.  
 With this devices, one can determine angles and distances 
may be used to calculated the actual positions(X, Y, and Z or 
nothing, easting and elevation) of surveying points in absolute 
terms. 
Page 4


TOTAL STATION 
 The most commonly used surveying instrument today is the 
total station . A total station is a combination of an electronic   
theodolite, an electronic distance measuring device (EDM) and a 
microprocessor with memory unit.  
 The electronic digital theodolite first introduced in the late 
1960s by Carl Zeiss Inc., helped to set the stage for modern field 
data collection and processing. When the electronic theodolite was 
used with a built –in electronic distance –measuring unit, the birth 
of new concept in fully automated surveying started.  
 The original name for an instrument of this type was 
electronic tacheometer, but Hewlett-Packard introduced the name 
total station over 30-years ago and the name immediately caught 
on with the profession.  
 With this devices, one can determine angles and distances 
may be used to calculated the actual positions(X, Y, and Z or 
nothing, easting and elevation) of surveying points in absolute 
terms. 
 The electronic transit provides a digital read-out of those 
angles instead of a scale, which is more accurate and less prone to 
errors arising from interpolating between marks on the scale or 
from recording error. The read-out   is also continuous, and hence, 
angles can be checked at any time. 
 The EDM instrument transmits an infrared beam, which is 
reflected back to the unit with the help of a prism (for total internal 
reflection), and the EDM uses timing measurements to calculated 
the distance travelled by the beam. With few exceptions, the EDM 
instrument requires that the target be highly reflective, and a 
reflecting prism is normally used as the target. 
Page 5


TOTAL STATION 
 The most commonly used surveying instrument today is the 
total station . A total station is a combination of an electronic   
theodolite, an electronic distance measuring device (EDM) and a 
microprocessor with memory unit.  
 The electronic digital theodolite first introduced in the late 
1960s by Carl Zeiss Inc., helped to set the stage for modern field 
data collection and processing. When the electronic theodolite was 
used with a built –in electronic distance –measuring unit, the birth 
of new concept in fully automated surveying started.  
 The original name for an instrument of this type was 
electronic tacheometer, but Hewlett-Packard introduced the name 
total station over 30-years ago and the name immediately caught 
on with the profession.  
 With this devices, one can determine angles and distances 
may be used to calculated the actual positions(X, Y, and Z or 
nothing, easting and elevation) of surveying points in absolute 
terms. 
 The electronic transit provides a digital read-out of those 
angles instead of a scale, which is more accurate and less prone to 
errors arising from interpolating between marks on the scale or 
from recording error. The read-out   is also continuous, and hence, 
angles can be checked at any time. 
 The EDM instrument transmits an infrared beam, which is 
reflected back to the unit with the help of a prism (for total internal 
reflection), and the EDM uses timing measurements to calculated 
the distance travelled by the beam. With few exceptions, the EDM 
instrument requires that the target be highly reflective, and a 
reflecting prism is normally used as the target. 
 Most of the total stations include data recorders. The raw 
data (angles and distances) and the co-ordinates of points sighted 
are recorded along with some additional information (usually codes 
to aid in relating the co-ordinates to the points surveyed). The data 
thus recorded can be directly downloaded to a computer at a later 
time. The use of a data recorder further reduces the recordings 
errors and eliminates the need for a person to record the data in 
the field. 
 At the present, total station is widely used in many survey 
sites.  Sometimes it is not fully used since the users are unaware of 
its full operational capability. Total indirect leveling. It can maintain 
considerable accuracy and is hence used for many public works 
such as construction of roads, airports and harbours.