SETTING OUT FOR CONSTRUCTION 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

The course is aimed at:

  • Graduate Engineers with background knowledge but little or no setting out experience.
  • Trainee Engineers undertaking day release courses.
  • Engineers new to the role of Site Engineer.
  • Engineers having difficulty with the basics of setting- out.
  • Overseas Engineers
  • Any ground workers with a grasp of basic geometry who may be required to get involved with setting out.
  • Chain boys with a grasp of basic geometry who may be required to take a more involved role in setting out in order to support Engineers.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The candidate will:

  • become competent in all EDM and levelling related Setting- Out tasks.
  • become competent in checking and taking appropriate care of equipment.
  • reduce the time period of the learning curve in order to become a useful member of the site team.
  • learn how to minimise systematic errors and eliminate gross errors.
  • learn about the importance of good booking and keeping appropriate engineering sketches.
  • gain increased confidence on site and develop a 'Do it right, do it once' attitude.
  • learn about the responsibility of the Engineer in training their assistant.
  • become aware of the need for Engineers to take full responsibility for accuracy and efficiency in their own section of works.

COURSE CONTENT 

The course objectives will be achieved through practical exercises and worked examples in:

Levelling

  • systematic errors (collimation, staff verticality, reading errors, positioning errors).
  • gross errors (self- checking methods, independent checking).
  • establishing vertical control on site (transferring bench marks including correct booking and checking methods).
  • inverted staff readings and booking.
  • setting out from control points by taping.
  • setting out cutting/ fill using batter rails (e.g. excavation or section of road).
  • setting out cutting/ fill using profile boards (e.g. excavation or pipeline).
  • appropriate location of pegs in relation to the area of works.

 Total Station

  • setting up the instrument over a point.
  • checking the calibration of the instrument.
  • potential sources of error.
  • recording angle and distance observations correctly.
  • establishing and checking control co- ordinates.
  • extracting setting out points and other information from construction drawings
  • setting/ checking the prism constant.
  • carrying out a traverse and associated adjustment calculations.