Topographical Drawing Definition and Meaning
In order to know the meaning of the term topographic drawing, we are going to know, first of all, the etymological origin of the two words that give it shape:
-Drawing, first of all, derives from the French verb “déboissier”, which can be translated as “to draw”.
-Topographic, secondly, it is a word with Greek origin. And it is that it is the result of the sum of three well-differentiated components of said language: the noun “topos”, which is synonymous with “place”; the verb “graphein”, which can be translated as “to record” or “to write”; and the suffix “-ikos”, which is equivalent to “relating to”.
The drawing that is made on a surface to represent an image is called a drawing. Topographic, on the other hand, is that related to topography: the discipline dedicated to the description and delineation of a terrain. Topography is also called the set of surface characteristics of a region.
alt=”topographic drawing” class=”alignright size-full wp-image-48465″ v:shapes=”_x0000_s1026″>A topographical drawing, in this framework, is a graphic whose purpose is the representation of the surface properties of a piece of land. It is a technical drawing since it provides useful data for the analysis, design, construction and/or maintenance of some kind of work, installation or infrastructure.
By means of a topographical drawing it is possible to represent the height, the relief and other characteristics of an area. Those who create these graphs appeal to symbols, accepted by convention, that facilitate the understanding of the information.
When carrying out a topographical drawing, it is especially necessary to pay attention to aspects that are essential to create it, such as these:
-The level curves, which come to be the representation by means of lines of the points that on that terrain are at the same height or below sea level.
-The drawing by coordinates.
-The drawing of the profiles.
-The intermediate ones.
The development of a topographical drawing requires calculations so that the graph accurately reflects the measurements and distances projected on the paper. Otherwise, the drawing will not faithfully represent what is recorded on the real surface. That is why it is very important to use scales and respect them.
Regarding the scales, it must be established that basically there is a convenience with respect to them that usually classifies them into three well-differentiated:
-The small scales, which are those that go from 1:12,000 onwards.
-The medium or intermediate scales, which are those that range between 1:1,200 and 1:12,000.
-Large scales, which are those based on a ratio of 1:200 or less.
The usual thing is that the most used are the medium and large ones.
It must be taken into account, on the other hand, that the topographic drawings are flat, while the land has curves, depressions, etc. When making a topographical drawing, projections are used to minimize distortion.
With a well-made topographical drawing or map, you can ultimately obtain an accurate representation of the features and shapes of a terrain.
