What is the purpose of site surveying in earthwork projects?

Site surveying plays a critical role in earthwork projects as it involves the systematic collection of data regarding the land's topography, boundaries, and existing structures. This information is foundational for planning and executing earthwork operations.

Topography data helps in understanding the natural landscape, including elevation changes and the locations of slopes, which affect how earthwork will be carried out. Recognizing property boundaries is essential to ensure that the project complies with legal requirements and does not encroach on neighboring properties. Additionally, understanding existing structures on the site, such as utilities or buildings, is key to planning excavation or grading activities safely and effectively.

The other options, while relevant to construction projects, do not directly describe the primary function of site surveying. Creating blueprints is more about design and planning than surveying. Assessing environmental impact, although important, is a separate assessment that may arise from surveying data but is not the primary focus. Similarly, calculating project costs and timelines involves budget management and scheduling, which are based on the information gathered from site surveys but are not direct purposes of the surveying process itself.