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The demolition trade has a particular character for being a harsh environment in which brute force takes precedence over calculated thought; however this image is far from correct. There is a substantial amount of work that goes on behind the scenes of the demolition and construction industry which is firmly grounded in the academic world.

One part of this unnoticed work is site surveying, or more specifically pre-demolition and post-demolition topographical surveying. This sort of work calls for a good balance of specific technical know-how as well as experience of the industry and a genuine intuition for the intricacies of the job. This article explores the ins and outs of this work.

Topographical Surveys

A topographical survey is a report of the actual features of a particular plot of land. The aim of a topographical survey is to chart the naturally occurring and man-made features of a particular landscape to a high degree of precision. Whilst topography itself may refer to the surface of virtually any object, it is more commonly associated with the surface of the Earth.

Topographical surveys can be carried out on a very broad range of landscapes, from open countryside to urban developments and across a variety of elevations and land surfaces. Surveys can be designed to take into account a great many factors, such as ground variables or vegetation, and as such can be used for a number of tasks.

Common Applications for Topographical Surveys

Perhaps the most widely used, and most generally recognised application for topographical surveys is cartography, or map making. Modern day maps include a great deal of information about the landscape they relate to, including waterways, elevations and ground surface, all of which will have been gathered via a topographical survey. This information is also being offered online.

Topographical surveys also have a key role to play in the construction business. When individuals or companies are looking to build any kind of structure they will need to carry out extensive surveys as part of the design phase of the project.

Surveys definitely play a key safety part in primary industries like mining, or in other industries that interact with the terrain, such as demolition and infrastructure. Companies in these industries will use surveys to prepare their projects, but also to be sure that they can guarantee the safety of their staff on site. As a result, topographical surveys are often a legal prerequisite for these types of projects.

Though it is not always the greatest option, any demolition survey could be performed whilst preparation work is taking place on-site.

Types of Survey

The arena of topography covers a large number of physical features so it is beneficial to determine what form of topographical survey is suitable for a particular situation. A few of the more typical types of survey required for construction sites are reviewed below.

“Lie of the land” Surveys

These types of topographical surveys are fashioned to create an overview of the physical characteristics of any given plot of land. Whilst the data gathered by the survey will be very accurate, and may be very extensive, the purpose of these surveys is to provide a site summary.

These surveys will usually include a boundary survey that sets out to define the extent of the site and spotlight any specific restraints that are determined by the geography of the site. They can also include a level survey that will plot the elevation of the land and the numerous gradients that exist.

Building Surveys

Building surveys are more typically concerned with man-made constructions on a site, including the surveying of special apparatus and even infrastructure features. This type of study is more regularly associated with the demolition sector because it can give a detailed plan of the structure to be demolished. It can be used on other projects as well.

A building survey will almost certainly include a measured survey, which involves creating a comprehensive plan of the external and internal dimensions of a structure. Depending on the requirements of the project, a measured survey might provide simple building “footprint” dimensions, or might produce a very detailed plan of the structure. This information can be used to create interior floor plans and even roof plans.

Content of a Topographical Site Survey

A survey of a demolition site will almost definitely include the details gathered by the types of boundary and building surveys mentioned above. This information will be necessary so that the demolition company can plan a demolition that is both satisfactory and safe.

Surveys will often include information about the utility services that are present on a site prior to any demolition or construction work takes place. This is an essential safety factor since any unmonitored damage to pipes and cables carrying water, gas and electricity could be very dangerous.

Another aspect of the site study will often be an inventory of materials on the site. This type of study will be a quantity survey of the various kinds of materials that can be located on site, for example, tiles and masonry, concrete that can be used as hardcore or even wood. By getting an accurate audit of site materials the construction company can more accurately gauge the need to import building materials, or they can re-use the materials on a different project.

Undertaking a rigorous and comprehensive house demolition survey would ensure the protection of people in the immediate locality of the work site.

Importance of Site Surveys

Perhaps the most important reason to perform a topographical site survey is to ensure the health and safety of the people who will be working on the site. The industries that most commonly call for site surveys are risky enough as it is without having to be concerned about the condition of the ground on which they are working.

Another important reason to get a suitable survey done is to highlight any potential difficulties that may arise because of the physical characteristics of the region. Certain things may not be evident on the surface of the site and will only be uncovered once digging or demolition has started.

The inventory of site supplies, as previously mentioned, can be of great value to a demolition or construction organisation working on a project. Not only are construction materials themselves expensive, but importing them to the site may be a very expensive task in itself. Any time that material can be reused on site offers an opportunity to save development time and money. Only by taking an exact audit of these supplies can a company correctly plan its imported material requirements.

Topographical surveys can also identify other areas that will be of use to the project planners. For example, if the gradients on a site would be prohibitive to specific vehicles or machinery then a new access route or alternative equipment will have to be found.

Positioning of Survey Control

During the surveying and construction stages of a construction project, the apparatus required for the physical surveying of the site and control of the survey data will often be stored on-site. This is obviously a problem when it comes to the demolition stage of a project since the equipment is both expensive and sensitive.

Once the demolition has taken place and the site has been deemed safe for workers to return to it, the surveying equipment can be restored to its original position on site. This will allow for effective data gathering to take place for a post-demolition study, and keeps a single point of contact for anyone who requires the topographical survey information. Most surveying companies will oversee this redeployment.

Las Vegas is the setting to a good deal of commercial demolition since older resorts need flattening so that newer ones may be created in their place.

Who can Perform Site Surveys?

Because topographical site surveys can play such a vital role in the success or failure of a construction or demolition project it is critical that they are carried out thoroughly by the correct people. There are different branches of site surveying and each one will have specific qualifications associated with it. Finding surveyors with these specific skills will certainly be beneficial.

When choosing a company to undertake the surveying work required for your project it will be wise to choose a company with a good reputation and a proven track record. Ask to see reviews of their previous work and try to get feedback about their overall performance on previous projects.

Who will use the Survey Information?

Once an adequate level of information has been gathered by a site survey it needs to be passed out to the appropriate people on-site. Who gets what pieces of information will mostly depend on the job roles being executed, but can also rely on the stage that a project is at.

Project Planners

Project planners will generally need access to all of the information collected by a topographical survey, though they will particularly need to use information concerning the physical relief of a site before the design phase, and a site materials inventory before they can prepare the construction phase.

Demolition Experts

Demolition companies will want to know about the interior and exterior characteristics of any building or structures that they are arranged to take down. Whilst every job will have individual requirements, demolition workers will typically need to know about the fundamental structure of a building and the materials it is made out of. They will need this information before demolition can take place.

Site Engineers

Construction engineers on-site will be mainly interested in the survey data about the relief and topography of the site. It is usually the case that they will need to build on a flat surface, so they will use details about the natural lay of the land to calculate what work will be needed to create a steady foundation for any building.