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Dr. Guoqing Zhou
7. Field Surveying with GPS
CET 318
Book: p. 133-179
3.3 Field Reconnaissance
3.4 Monumentation
3.5 Organizational Design
This is a Geodetic Control Test Field located at
Madison County, Central Ohio.
1. Radial Surveying (Cartwheel):
Radial Surveys: one receiver at a fixed
site, and measuring lines from this fixed
site to receivers placed at other locations.
A 0.1 m error in the points
2 and 3. Thus, the
expected error between the
two points would be 0.14
m (relative error of 1:714).
No Geometric Consideration for
planning this type of survey except
that points in close proximity should
be connected by direct observation.
Survey at Different Times: the
error between the two points could
be considerable, and Relative
Error would not be tolerated
since it would cause a bad
impression on the whole accuracy.
Example:
2. Network Surveying:
GPS surveys performed by static (and pseudokinematic)
methods where accuracy is a primary consideration
require that observations be performed in a systematic
manner and that closed geometric figures be formed to
provide closed loops.
An idealized scheme in Fig. 7.5; the basic principles
apply for all control network schemes.
The Major Points of Network Design:
The network should consist of closed loops or other
geometric figures.
4. GPS Surveying Procedure
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4.1 Pre-Observation
1. Antenna Setup:
2. Receiver Calibration:
Self-Calibration: In general, GPS receivers are
considered to be self-calibrating and users do not normally
perform equipment calibration.
Zero-Calibration: One simple test is a zero baseline
measurement.
3. Initialization:
In static surveying, the initialization of some receivers requires
the preprogramming or the on-site input of parameters.
1. Selection of the sampling rate,
2. Bandwidth,
3. Minimum number of satellites to track,
4. Start and stop time for the session,
5. Cutoff elevation angle, and
6. Assignment of a data file name.
Modern receivers have several channels and track all satellites
1. A preselection is necessary to disregard a satellite.
2. The ephemerides are gathered and stored automatically.
3. Many receivers have been designed to require the minimum
of operator interaction.
In the kinematic mode, the phase ambiguities are determined
during initialization by static or kinematic techniques.
1. One static technique is based on the occupation of a
short, known baseline which allows ambiguity
resolution after a few observation epochs.
2. Another method is to perform a (rapid) static survey to
determine the vector between the fixed point and the
unknown starting point for the kinematic survey.
3. A third static method is to perform an antenna swap
between the fixed point and the starting point. By this
antenna swap, the vector between the two points is
determined to millimeter accuracy for short lines.
The kinematic initialization on-the-fly (OTF) is the most
advanced technique to resolve phase ambiguities (more detail in
Sect. 9.2).
4.2 Observation
1. Communications between survey crews are desirable
and generally increase efficiency.
2. Most static observations can be performed in an
automated mode so that an operator is not required.
However, data checks during the session, and any
irregularity should be noted in the field log.
3. In kinematic surveying applications, after
initialization, the roving receiver proceeds to the points
for which coordinates are desired. As long as four or
more satellites are continuously tracked by both
receivers, vectors from the fixed point can be measured
to a high degree of accuracy.
4.3 Post-Observation
1. At the completion of a session, a check of the antenna
position and re-measurement of its height.
2. A final site occupation sheet with the following
information:
1. Project and station name
2. Date and session number
3. Start and stop times
4. Station identifier used for file name
5. Name of observer
6. Receiver and antenna serial number
7. Height of antenna and eccentricities in position
8. Meteorological data
9. Problems experienced.
5. In Situ Data Processing
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5.1 Data Transfer (Download Data)
1. The First Step in processing is to transfer the data
from the receiver to a computer hard disk using
software provided by the manufacturer.
2. The Main Task in transferring files is to make sure
the files are named correctly and the antenna height is
correct.
3. Most Batch File Processing Software Automatically
Extracts the antenna height from the site file data
stored in the receiver. After correcting the names of
the various files, one should then check and correct all
antenna heights.
5.2 Data Processing
1. Quality Control Check:
1. at least once per day
2. preliminary computations of baseline vectors in the
field before leaving the survey area.
3. The on-site vector processing on daily basis to ensure
adequate measurements made.
2. Batch File Processing:
Today, most of the routine processing is performed by
batch file processing. All batch files are generated using
the three- or four-digit site identification so that the first
task in processing GPS data is to ensure that all sites are
properly named.
3. Processing of Static Surveys:
1. Modern processing software uses batch processing to
compute baseline vectors.
2. Once the software has been initiated, the lines are
computed in order, automatically.
3. There are two types of processing software: (1) vector
by vector and (2) multipoint solutions.
4. Processing of Kinematic Surveys :
1. The basic steps are similar for kinematic post-
processing. The actual difference is the software used.
2. Much of the newer software is automated.
3. Main check for kinematic vectors is positions of the
roving receiver and check similar values on separate
visits to the same point.
5.3 Trouble Shooting & Quality Control
1. Depends on the computation experience
2. Delete the suspected low-quality point
3. Re-adjust the coordinates of whole network
4. Repeat the above processing until you find the low-qualify
points.
5.4 Datum Transformations
Horizontal Datum:
1. Geodetic coordinates are referenced to the values of the fixed
control and are on the same datum as the fixed control.
2. Proper ellipsoidal parameters should be used, for example,
NAD-83, GRS-80.
Vertical Datum: See Surveying Courses
5.5 Computation of Plane Coordinates
Software automatically compute all points coordinates
6. Survey Report
A Final Report is helpful to others in analyzing the conduct of
a survey.
1. Location and project area
2. Purpose and the extent
3. A description of the monumentation used
4. A description of the instrumentation used
5. The computation scheme (software version)
6. The coordinates system employed (Datum)
7. Computation accuracy in planimetry and height (RMS)
8. All problems encountered should be discussed and
equipment failures listed.
9. Finally, a copy of the original observations (or translated
RINEX) should be transmitted as part of the survey.
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Summary
What have we learnt?
Which parts are important?
Assignment 7
1. What are the code range and carrier phase GPS survey?
2. What are the static and kinematic GPS surveying?
3. What are the relative and differential GPS surveying?
4. How to transmit the correction data from fixed station to
rovering station?
5. How does the SA technology impact the Point positioning,
DGPS, relative position?
6. How to set up the observation window?
7. What does the difference between radial surveys and
network surveys?
8. What is zero calibration?
9. How to determine the phase ambiguities in kinematic mode
of initiation?
10. What should the survey report describe?