ISO 9001:2015

TÜV-R 01 100 1934918 Republic of the Philippines

CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
San Jose, Pili, Camarines Sur 4418
www.cbsua.edu.ph

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND FOOD SCIENCE

Department of Agricultural Engineering

ELEMENTARY SURVEYING 1
Open Compass Traverse
Fieldwork No. 9

NAME: __________________________ RATING: _____________

SECTION & YEAR: _________________ DATE: _______________

I. Objective
a. To determine the magnetic bearings of each line of an open compass
traverse
b. To learn how to adjust an open compass traverse
II. Instruments
1. Compass
2. Steel tape
3. Range poles
4. Chalk
III. Procedures
1. Establish at least six distant stations for an open traverse. Call these
stations A, B, C, and so forth.
2. Set up and level the compass at A and release the needle of the
compass so that it will swing freely on its pivot.
3. Sight B and read the compass box for the direction pointed by the
north end of the needle. Record this as the forward bearing of line AB.
4. Transfer the compass to B and sight on A. read the compass box and
record this as the back bearing of line AB.
5. Turn towards the direction of C, then read and record the forward
bearing of line BC.
6. Transfer to C and sight on B. read and record the same process until
the last traverse stations occupied and a back bearing is taken on the
last line of the traverse.
7. With steel tape, measure the length of each line in the traverse twice
and record the mean as the actual length of the line.
8. Tabulate observed and adjusted values accordingly. Refer to the
accompanying sample format for the tabulation of field data.
NOTE: From the illustrated sample figure of an open traverse, the mean length of
each traverse line is indicated as d1, d2, d3, etc. The angular values corresponding

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 to the forward and back bearings of traverse lines are represented as θ1, θ2, θ3,
etc.

Length Observed Bearings Adjusted Bearings

Line
(m) Forward Back Forward Back
AB 452.50 S 40°25’ W N 40°30’ E
BC 405.65 S 55°40’ W N 55°50’ E
CD 495.08 N 36°15’ W S 35°55’ E
DE 284.15 N 73°10’ W S 73°30’ E
EF 367.29 S 44°45’ W N 44°45’ E
FG 217.73 S 20°30’ E N 21°00’ W

IV. Computations
1. A traverse line is free from local attraction if the bearings read at its
two ends are exactly opposite in direction. The traverse angles are
computed from observed bearings and starting from the unaffected
line.
2. If two or more traverse lines appear to be free from local attraction,
one of these lines is arbitrarily chosen as the best line. If none of the
lines is free from local attraction, the line with the least discrepancy
between the forward and back bearings is chosen and its forward
bearing is assumed to be correct.
3. The angle between the observed forward and back bearing at any
station can be determined correctly since the angle is independent of
local attraction.
4. Correct bearings of successive lines are then computed easily by
preparing a careful sketch of known data observed from each station.
There are no formulas to memorize since once the sketch is made, the
required calculations are obvious.

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 V. Results

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 VI. Sketch/Layout

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