Surveyors play a vital role in the construction of any major project.

Land surveyors are involved with a diverse variety of projects from land subdivision to tunnel building and major construction. Licensed or registered surveyors are experts in the profession who interpret and navigate legal aspects of land ownership. They also give advice and provide information to guide the work of engineers, architects and developers.

Here’s a snapshot of the diverse work that Land Surveyors undertake:

Shrine of Remembrance

The architecture of the Shrine of Remembrance was originally designed with surveyors so a beam of sunlight hits the stone at 11am on 11 November each year. However, the introduction of daylight savings in Victoria in the summer of 1971 meant that the beam of light was an hour behind and would hit the outer walkway. A theatre spotlight was relied upon until in 1976, Mr. Frank Johnson – a surveyor and RMIT professor – devised an elegant and simple solution. He installed an inclined mirror on the outer walkway, which bounces sunlight up to a hole in the roof, where a horizontal mirror directs the sunlight through a hole in the ceiling and down the granite stone of remembrance.

Sydney Opera House

The shells and tiles of the Sydney Opera House had to be sited to 3mm accuracy. This was the most challenging three-dimensional structure ever built in Australia. In the mid-1960s, Sydney only had one computer – itself the size of a room – to assist with the complex spatial calculations. The surveyors were responsible for ensuring that all 10,000 tile bolts were aligned correctly so that prefabricated tiles would fit like a huge jigsaw puzzle. This was all achieved in the days before portable electronic instruments. Surveyors continue to monitor the Opera House for any signs of settling or deformation.

Speed Calibration Baseline

Car manufacturers need to calibrate the speedometers in all new vehicles to make sure they are travelling at the identified speed. Surveyors determine the speed by using high-tech equipment and legal principles in measurement standards to accurately determine speed and distance.

Head over to our Cool Projects page to find out more about how surveyors play a vital role in major projects.