Which type of surveying accounts for Earth’s shape and gravitational forces?

Geodetic surveying is specifically designed to account for the Earth’s shape, which is not a perfect sphere, but rather an oblate spheroid due to its rotation and varying density. This type of surveying also incorporates the effects of gravitational forces, which can influence measurements of distance and angles across larger areas.

By considering these factors, geodetic surveying allows for precise calculations over vast distances, making it essential for applications that require high accuracy, such as mapping, navigation, and satellite positioning.

Other types of surveying, such as topographic, boundary, and control surveying, typically focus on smaller areas and do not necessarily account for the curvature and gravitational influences of the Earth in their computations, making them less suitable for tasks that require a geophysical understanding of the planet’s dimensional attributes.