Mohamed Khider University of Biskra

Department of Architecture

Course: TECHNIQUE OF
ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY

Teachers:

MmeMAGRI-DJENANE Sahar
MmeMADHOUI Meriem
MmeBELARBI Samia

2011-2012
Course: ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY TECHNIQUE
2011-2012

Summary

I. Introduction What is a statement?

II. Instruments and work team: .......................................................................................................4
III. The different phases of the survey: ...................................................................................................5
1. Phase Sketch : ............................................................................................................................5
2. Phase Measurements: ..............................................................................................................................6
3. Phase Technical drawing:.6
IV. Application methods and use of instruments: .................................................................8
1. Statement plans : ............................................................................................................................8
2. Statement cuts and elevations .............................................................................................12
3. Quotation :.......................................................................................................................................12

4. Statement the opening of a concave angle is convex: .13

a) Statement of the opening of a concave angle :...............................................................................13
b) Statement of the opening of a convex angle:...............................................................................14
5. Case Individuals ..............................................................................................................................15

Rayon of a circular element: .15

b) Wall curve :..............................................................................................................................15

c) Wall drop-out format: (fig.20)...................................................................................16

6. Statement of detail: ...........................................................................................................................17

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Course: TECHNIQUE OF ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
2011-2012
I. Introduction: What is a statement?

The architectural survey is a graphical representation of an existing structure. It is made

in the case where there is no graphical documentation allowing to carry out certain
operations on this work. This concerns the operations carried out as part of city sanitation,
or of particular buildings. The ongoing works may then concern protection,
conservation, renovation, adaptation of a building or a group of buildings to
new features.

The objects in question are mostly old. Occasionally, however, it happens to resort to
in the report in the case of a new building that is going to be renovated. This need results from mistakes
executed during the implementation operations. They make it so that this does not match
exactly to the technical documentation on which the work was based. Even
the small deformations observed on the plans, sections, and facades may sometimes pose some
problems. This mainly concerns new interior projects where precision (matching
The exact measurements and actual dimensions (in mm) are of paramount importance.

In architectural surveys, it is about the reconstruction of the documentation.

techniques (plans, cuts, facades, details), taking into account any potential deformations that may have occurred

to occur on the site.

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Course: ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY TECHNIQUE
2011-2012
II. Instruments and work team:

The objective of a survey is to accurately transpose on paper the entirety

measuring a built context is only possible with a group (a team) (fig.1) that has been formed
of two or three people using rudimentary instruments:

- a decameter or a double decameter, (fig.2)

- a rigid folding yardstick and tape measure, (fig. 3 and 4)
- a plumb line (fig.5)
- a board on which the drawing paper will be fixed (fig. 6)
- a distance meter allows a single person to take very large measurements by standing
placing it at one end of the part to be measured. This device emits a laser beam that
projects to the other end. The reading is done on the small digital screen. (fig. 7)

Figure 1: The brigade. Figure 2: Undecameter

Figure 3: A folding rigid tape measure. Figure 4: A double metallic tape measure.

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Course: TECHNIQUE OF ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
2011-2012

Figure 5: The plumb line Figure 6: Board to

Figure 7: Distancer

III. The different phases of the survey:

The surveying process consists of three phases: sketching, measuring, drawing

1. Sketch Phase:

The sketches of plans, sections, elevations, details can be made freehand on site.
while maintaining proportions and with the preparation of the dimension lines.

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Course: TECHNIQUE OF ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
2011-2012

Sketch, with pencil, of the entire study. The element being the subject of detailed sketches.
(the tower) is indicated by hatching.

2. Phase Measures :

Measurement and inscription of the score figures.

3. Technical Drawing Phase:

Technical drawing to scale done neatly based on the sketches of the first two.
phases.

1. We delicately draw the main lines of subdivision of the space.

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Course: TECHNIQUE OF ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
2011-2012

2. A hierarchy of traits is defined for the whole.

3. We then complete the sketch by representing construction details particularly.

interesting.

The result is a precise yet vibrant drawing that clearly describes the layout of the space. It is
perfectly defined is labeled, the detail sketches are easily identifiable.
Figure 8: Example of architectural survey Sketch and scaling

The drawing done exclusively freehand must render as accurately as possible the
proportions of volumes. Scaling will only be addressed in a later phase, that
technical drawing.

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Course: TECHNIQUE OF ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
2011-2012
IV. Méthodes d ’application et utilisation des instruments :
Plan statement:

Render the architectural reality that we wish to describe in an approximate way. The
plans must also maintain the correct shapes and proportions.

To avoid significant distortions during the sketching process, it is useful to establish at

first, a comprehensive mass survey and to identify the premises to be surveyed.

We can start by: measuring the general distances according to our steps (fig.9), or the
number of occurrences of a repetitive element (tile, decorative or structural element of an order).
Although these values lack great precision, they help to establish and define.
the proportions of the sketch. It can also be by taking measurements using long
flexible tape measures. However, rigid and smaller tape measures are intended for
partial measures.

Figure 9: Estimation of length using steps

• Any possible deformations of work or spatial configuration not identified at

the eyes will not be reflected on the sketch.
• Not being able to ignore them nonetheless, they will appear during the measurement process.
(measurement phase) and also in the final step which involves making the technical drawing
in the clean.

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Course: ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY TECHNIQUE
2011-2012

ß a a b ß

a a'

?
f ß b' a

Figure 10: Possible deformation of a rectangle

The rectangle then becomes a trapezoid, a parallelogram, or another quadrilateral. This

actually always arrives during construction (fig.10).

e1
agonal
DI

Figure 11: triangulation method applied to a rectangular plan

• To identify deformations in generally rectangular-shaped planes,

triangulation must be used (fig.11). The triangle is a geometric shape
elementary that has specific properties that allow it to be defined by its three sides
without reference to any of its three angles. In addition, almost every geometric figure can
to be completely divided into triangles. This operation is called triangulation (fig.11).
Used in surveys, it allows reproducing each plan regardless of its shape (except for
the rounded shapes).

Figure 12: Triangulation of a complicated shape

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Course: TECHNIQUE OF ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
2011-2012
• The quotation must always be complete in order to be able to reproduce the
form of the plan and all other elements in an exact manner.
• In order to identify certain elements vertically, it is necessary to use
the plumb line.

Figure13: Hand-drawn plan sketch (phase01, 02)

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Course: TECHNIQUE OF ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
2011-2012

Figure14:Cleanly drafted plan report (phase03)

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Course: ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY TECHNIQUE
2011-2012
2. Statement of cuts and elevations

• Choose the cuts wisely to account for the maximum number of constructed elements.
which are not shown on the plan.
• The quotation in this case is done only in the vertical direction. It must account for
the heights of rooms, the vertical placement of openings in the walls, the
thicknesses of construction elements (horizontal, in the case of elevations).
• In the properly drawn cut parts with thick lines, one must not render
count of building materials, cutting details (tie beams, embedded beams, etc..)
or their dimensions because we do not know them yet.
• The statement must represent everything that has been thoroughly examined.
• The facades and interior elevations are represented in an ordinary manner.
often do not require measurement because they are made from plans and sections.
• To measure general heights, we use the decameter or the distance meter.

Figure 15: Vertical section executed in pencil and elevation representation

3. Quotation:

• Ensure accuracy and precision during the critical measuring operation regarding the
quality of the statement.

• To measure heights greater than 3m, one can use a leveling rod or a ruler.
extendable or a distance meter. If you have access to the roof, you can drop a meter.
ribbon from the height of the latter. The drawback of this method is the impossibility
to accurately appreciate the intermediate values placed too high.
• There are two rating methods; the traditional method and the method by
coordinates or edge chain. The second one turns out to be faster and more accurate, it is
therefore recommended to use. (Fig.16)

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Course: TECHNIQUE OF ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
2011-2012
• To avoid the overload of information that can turn out to be indecipherable, it is
preferable to use a different color to differentiate between the side and the line of the side of
drawing.

0.30
0.00

Figure 16: Dimensioning by coordinates (dimension chain).

4. Record of the opening of a concave angle is convex:

One must distinguish between measures and directions; The measures correspond to
distances between the different parts of the building, and are defined by taking into account the
pavements, or only the spaces between them. We then specify the direction.
of these lines, that is to say the value of the angles they form with each other.

a) Record of the opening of a concave angle:

To check that two walls are at a right interior angle, one uses a
method consisting of defining a triangle with sides measuring 3, 4, and 5m. The point of
The reference measurements are at ground level, at the intersection of the two surfaces we measure 3 m.

on one of them and we mark this distance with a piece of adhesive tape
color. We then measure 4 m from the origin point on the other side and we
mark this second point (fig.17). If the measurement between these two points is:

equal to 5m; the triangle is right-angled.

Above 5 m, the angle is greater than 90°.

Below 5 m, the angle is less than 90°.

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Course: TECHNIQUE OF ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
2011-2012

100

80

Figure 17: Verification of the right angle of a triangle with sides 3, 4, 5

To determine the direction of the two surfaces and the value of the angle they
forment, it is about carrying L (e.g. 200 cm) on both sides starting from A, then
measure the distance BC (fig.18)

A
0
20
L=
B C

Figure 18: measurement of an interior angle

b) Record of the opening of a convex angle:

Figure 19: record of an exterior angle

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Course: ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY TECHNIQUE
2011-2012
1. Starting from A; carry L= 2m on one of the walls
2. Extend the other wall towards C.
3. Measure the distance BC

5. Specific cases

a) Radius of a circular element:

For a circular element, such as a column, the radius is found by dividing its
circumference.

b) Curved wall:

To define the directions of a surface that is not flat, a grid is created.

reference orthogonal and we take different points of the same horizontal line. (fig.20)
Tracer XY
2. Tracers A, B, C, D, E, such that AB = BC = CD = DE......
3. Draw perpendiculars to XY at A, B, C, D, and E.
4. Measure AA', BB', CC', DD' and EE'

X A B C D E Y X A B C D E Y

Figure 20: The survey of a curved wall.

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Course: TECHNIQUE OF ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
2011-2012

Figure 21: Planimetric survey of a large dimension reinforcement using the method of the
triangulation supported by an external base.

c) Wall forming a drop: (fig.22)

Measure AB and AC
2. Measure AD and AE
3. Measure FC, FA, and FB

E A B

F D

Figure 22: the recording of a slip

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Course: ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY TECHNIQUE
2011-2012
6. Detailed statement:

A sketch should not be too detailed, or it risks losing readability.

Certain technical devices or features will need to be the subject of specific sketches.
supplementary, Presented separately, on a larger scale (fig. 23)

Figure 23: the survey of a detail.

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