Impacts of the absence of topographic survey on road infrastructure works: A case study in Araucária, Paraná, Brazil

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v15i4.50973

Keywords:

Road topography, Topographic survey, Cost comparison, Geometric design, Road infrastructure.

Abstract

In road infrastructure works, topography plays a fundamental role by providing accurate terrain data that underpin the geometric design, construction staking, inspection, and volume control. The objective of this study was to compare the execution of a road infrastructure project with and without topographic survey, assessing the resulting financial impacts. A qualitative-quantitative case study approach was adopted, conducted in 2022 in the Campina da Barra neighborhood, municipality of Araucária, Paraná, Brazil, involving a 4.5 km urban road project. Field surveys were performed using a Leica TS02 Total Station via the planialtimetric method; data were processed in Posição and AutoCAD Civil 3D software to generate cross-sections for cut-and-fill analysis. Results revealed discrepancies of up to 1.47 m in drainage network depths and 33 cm in the road gradient profile compared to the geometric design supplied by the contracting authority. These differences generated two contractual addenda: the first amounting to R$ 265,407.17 (2.42% of the contract value) and the second to R$ 1,451,243.15 (14.94%), totaling R$ 1,716,650.32,  representing 17.67% of the total contract value, which would have been lost without the topographic data collected. It is concluded that investment in topographic surveying is economically justifiable and technically indispensable in road infrastructure works.

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Published

2026-04-22

Issue

Section

Engineerings

How to Cite

Impacts of the absence of topographic survey on road infrastructure works: A case study in Araucária, Paraná, Brazil. Research, Society and Development, [S. l.], v. 15, n. 4, p. e7715450973, 2026. DOI: 10.33448/rsd-v15i4.50973. Disponível em: https://www.rsdjournal.org/rsd/article/view/50973. Acesso em: 2 may. 2026.