Bathymetries, history of an evolution in precision and performance

Abstract

Bathymetries are a fundamental element in civil engineering when the work to be made must be based on the study of submerged terrain. In this sense, they are necessary in many situations: marine constructions such as dikes, docks, etc; dredging volume control, river flood study, etc. Traditionally bathymetries have been a difficult and costly job both in time and effort. However, over time and supported by the development of topographic and geodetic technologies, they have undergone an important transformation and progress in both precision and performance. In this sense, this article reviews the evolution of the different topographic techniques used over time, emphasizing the investigation and study of the accuracies and efficiencies typical of them; especially those that are used today. In this way, it can be concluded that, with the appropriate methodology, currently, bathymetries can be made with centimeter accuracy and with an efficiency that can exceed several square kilometers each day depending on the desired accuracy and the conditions of the bottom to be measured.