Total station for construction
Overview
Duration
Minimum 3 days of 6 learning hours per day.
Purpose/scope
This purpose of this standard is to cover the principles of using a Total Station for site surveying and setting out. These principles can be applied to all types of construction including earthworks, roads, houses, buildings, foundations, piles, structural steel, structures and reinforced concrete.
The scope covers:
- set up
- calibration checks
- possible errors
- topographical surveys
- installing primary and secondary control points
- using different functions
- different methods for plumbing columns and walls
- data management and transfer
- capabilities and limitations
Occupational relevance
Training delivered against this standard would be relevant to the following occupational group(s):
- operative and craft
- supervision
- management and leadership.
Candidate pre-requisites
There are no candidate pre-requisites as part of this standard. However, candidates are expected to be familiar with basic and co-ordinate geometry, basic angles and trigonometry, basic mathematical theory e.g. Pythagoras and Euclidian Geometry.
Instruction/supervision
As a minimum, course instructors must be able to demonstrate that, in relation to this standard, they have:
- a train the trainer or instructional techniques course certificate
- successfully completed training to this standard
- a verifiable CV demonstrating extensive experience as a site engineer across a broad range of construction projects (civils, building etc.) and current experience / CPD in the use of modern topographical equipment
- a relevant Civil Engineering degree or equivalent.
Delivery
Delivery may be in an on or off the job environment with outdoor space to support a range of relevant practical related tasks.
All materials and equipment must be of a suitable quality and quantity for candidates to achieve learning outcomes, and must comply with relevant legislation.
The class size and candidate/instructor ratio must allow training to be delivered in a safe manner and enable candidates to achieve the learning outcomes.
The following delivery methods shall not be used in the delivery of this standard:
- E-learning
This standard is considered to contain 51% or more practical training.
Assessment
For the successful completion of training, candidates must complete an end of course practical assessment or knowledge test that measures the learning outcomes and has a pass or fail criteria.
Quality assurance
Quality assurance against this standard will require initial approval of the training organisation and their content mapped to the standard.
CITB will also conduct an approval intervention, either desk-based or centre visit, to ensure the training organisation can meet the requirements of the training standard.
Approved training organisations (ATOs) will be required to present information on records of training and assessment upon request to CITB for desk based analysis. They will also be visited annually by the CITB quality assurance team.
Renewal/refresher
There are no mandatory renewal or recommended refreshment requirements for this standard.
Approval date
November 2018
Review cycle
Either on request or in 3 years from approval date.
Learning outcomes
| The candidate will be able to: | Additional guidance to support learning outcome |
|---|---|
| Set up a Total Station over a point | |
| Carry out relevant calibration checks | e.g. horizontal and vertical collimation error, trunnion axis, prism constant, optical/ laser plummet, diaphragm orientation. |
| List possible sources of error when using a Total Station |
|
| Use techniques for improving and checking accuracy and precision | |
| View, edit, add and delete data | |
| Install network of primary control points | from scratch (traverse) |
| Install accurate secondary control points (retro targets) using correct procedure | |
| Create local coordinate system for a building on gridlines | |
| Use correct procedures for measuring and setting out reduced levels with the Total Station | |
| Describe a range of methods for plumbing columns and walls | |
| Set-up position and orientation of the Total Station using resection or by setting up over a known point and referencing another known point. | |
| Take a topographical survey and record results systematically | |
| Measure horizontal distance and level differences between points using tie-distance function | |
| Set out points of known co-ordinates using stake out function | |
| Set out points in relation to a baseline using reference line function | |
| Set out points at given chainages and offsets along a radius | e.g. road centrelines using the reference arc function |
| Measure irregular areas and volumes | |
| Transfer large amounts of data between the Total Station and a computer | |
| Describe capabilities and limitations of GNSS equipment | |
| Describe capabilities of Robotic Total Stations |
Additional information
Training delivered against this standard would be relevant to the following occupational group(s):
- Students studying Civil Engineering or Construction Management at any level
- Trainee and Graduate Engineers and Construction Managers
- Those who are already using the total station on site but have not had structured training
- Site Managers who would like to be able to supervise, recruit for, check or carry out setting out activities
People with direct experience of the construction industry who would like to broaden their skills to include using a Total Station to set out.
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