Total station
From Freepedia
A total station is an optical instrument used in modern surveying. It is a combination of an electronic theodolite (transit), an electronic distance measuring device (EDM) and software running on an external computer.
With a total station one may determine angles and distances from the instrument to points to be surveyed. With the aid of trigonometry, the angles and distances may be used to calculate the coordinates of actual positions (X, Y, and Z or northing, easting and elevation) of surveyed points, or the position of the instrument from known points, in absolute terms. The data may be downloaded from the theodolite to a computer and application software will generate a map of the surveyed area. Some total stations also have a GPS interface.
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Mining Applications
Total stations are the primary survey instrument used in many mining applications.
Underground Mining
As the development drifts in an underground mine are driven, a total station will be used to record the absolute location of the tunnel walls (tope), ceilings (backs), and floors. This data can then be loaded into a CAD progra, such as AutoCAD, and compared to the designed layout of the tunnel.
At regular intervals, the survey party will install stations. These are small steel plugs that are drilled into the walls or the back. The plugs are installed in pairs. For wall stations, two plugs are installed in opposite walls, forming a line perpendicular to the drift. For back stations, two plugs are installed in the back, forming a line parallel to the drift.
When the survey crew wants to set up the total station in a drift, they use a set of plugs to locate the total station.
