Civil Engineering Professional Engineer Practice Exam 2025 - Free PE Practice Questions and Study Guide

The primary function of a boundary survey is to define the property lines of a parcel of land. This type of survey is crucial for establishing the legal boundaries that dictate ownership and land use. It involves precise measurements and calculations to identify the corners and lines that delineate one property from another. Boundary surveys are often required for various purposes, such as transferring ownership, resolving disputes, and obtaining permits for construction.

While the other options pertain to important aspects of land and civil engineering, they do not reflect the primary purpose of a boundary survey. For example, determining the topography of a site relates to topographic surveys, which focus on the vertical relief and features of the land. Evaluating soil conditions is associated with geotechnical investigations, and measuring the volume of materials needed for construction is part of quantity surveying or estimation practices. Each of these serves a different function in the field of civil engineering, but defining property lines is the specific objective of a boundary survey.