RESEARCH PAYS OFF. TEXAS LOOKS TO SPACE. IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY IN GROUND CONTROL SURVEYS

With the goal of reducing the manpower and time needed for performing ground control surveys, the Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation (SDHPT) investigated the use of satellite survey technology. To support both mapping and other engineering requirements, the SDHPT was looking for satellite technology that would produce accurate measurements to the centimeter level over baselines 1 to 50 kilometers long. In 1980, the SDHPT began studies to test the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS), and, in 1983, put three GPS receivers into service. After five years, results show that the use of GPS methods can reduce manpower requirements by at least a factor of 6 in applicable cases, usually large projects with great distances involved. For many applications the factor is much higher, and in some cases GPS techniques have accomplished measurements that were not possible by conventional surveying methods.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/trnews/rpo/rpo.trn142.pdf
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• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07386826
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
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  Transportation Research Board

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• Publication Date: 1989-5

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: p. 28-29
• Serial:
  • TR News
  • Issue Number: 142
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0738-6826

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accuracy; Artificial satellites; Cost effectiveness; Geodetic surveying; Global Positioning System
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00486052
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Aug 31 1989 12:00AM