CA Surveying case studies

CA Surveying · Put your knowledge to work in context.

The California Civil – Engineering Surveying exam is one of the state-specific examinations the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists requires of civil engineers seeking California licensure. It tests the surveying knowledge that falls within a licensed civil engineer's authority under Business and Professions Code section 6731.1 - the surveying work civil engineers may perform without holding a separate land surveying license. The CA Surveying case studies are 5 cases and about 4,641 words.

The Iron Pipe That Disagrees With the Deed

A 1925 subdivision map created Block 4, Lots 1-14, each shown as 50.00 ft wide on the north side of Elm Street. You are retracing Lot 12 for a buyer.

1,009 words, about 5 min 2

Two Benchmarks, One Elevation, Four Stories of Steel

You are the layout surveyor for a four-story structural steel building. Control points CP-1 and CP-2 were set by a previous surveyor from the county NAD83(2011) network; their published distance is 480.215 ft (grid).

899 words, about 4 min 3

Grid, Ground, and a 1998 County System

You are establishing control for a 2,000 ft water main in the Central Valley. Your RTK solution is reduced to NAD83(2011), epoch 2010.00, which is what the state's CORS network serves.

943 words, about 5 min 4

LiDAR, One-Foot Contours, and a Swale That Isn't Where It Says

Your firm delivered a LiDAR-derived bare-earth DEM for a 6-acre school site. The vendor reports a fundamental vertical RMSEz of 0.28 ft against 42 checkpoints, and 0.55 ft at the 95th percentile in the vegetated portions of the site.

883 words, about 4 min 5

A Lot Line Adjustment That Would Break Two Rules at Once

Two adjoining R-1 parcels: Parcel A is 11,000 sq ft and Parcel B is 10,800 sq ft, with a 10,000 sq ft minimum lot size and a 7.5 ft side yard. The owners of both parcels are the same person, who wants to shift their 200 ft common line 4.0 ft into Parcel B and build a garage on the enlarged A.

907 words, about 5 min