FIELDWORK EXERCISE NO.

14
MEASUREMENT OF ANGLES BY REPETITION
OBJECTIVE :
a) To learn how to measure precisely horizontal angles by the principle
of repetition.

INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES : Engineer’s Transit or Theodolite, Range Poles,

Chaining Pins, and Pegs.

A. PROCEDURE
1. Establish the corners of triangle (ABC) with each side measuring about
30-50 m long. Call the vertices or corners A, B, and C and use pegs or
chaining pins to mark each. Refer to the accompanying sample sketch

2. Set up and level the instrument at A and measure the interior angle (angle
1) in four or six repetitions. A horizontal angle is measured by repetition as
follows:
a. Release the upper and lower clamps and turn the instrument on its
spindle until the horizontal circle reading and index mark is near
zero. Then, tighten the clamps and turn the upper motion tangent
screw until the index reading is exactly zero.
b. Release the lower motion and sight the telescope (in direct position)
approximately to the preceding corner (B). Tighten the lower clamp
and set the line of sight precisely on the corner using the lower
tangent screw.
c. Loosen the upper clamp and turn the telescope toward the
succeeding corner (C), then clamp the upper motion and turn the
upper tangent screw until the line of sight is exactly on the
succeeding corner. The horizontal angle reading, should now be on
the circle.
d. Turn the telescope and again sight back on the preceding corner (B)
by using the lower clamp. Tighten the lower clamp and set the line
 of sight exactly on the corner this time using the lower tangent
screw.
e. The upper clamp is loosened, the succeeding point (C) is sighted
approximately again, and the upper clamp tightened. The
cross hairs are brought exactly on the point by turning the upper
tangent screw. The sum of the first two turnings of the angle should
now be on the horizontal circle.
f. The process is continued for the number of desired repetitions by
repeating steps d and e above.
3. After measuring the interior angle at corner A, also measure by a similar
number of repetitions the corresponding exterior angle, or angle 2.
4. Transfer the instrument to corner B, then to C, and again measure in a
similar process the interior and exterior angles at each corner to the
specified number of repetitions. Record each of these observed quantities
as the measured average value of the angle.
5. Tabulate observed and calculated values accordingly. Refer to the
accompanying sample format for the tabulation of field data.

MEASURED ADJUSTED
STATION ANGLE CORRECTION
AVE VALUE VALUE

1 36°50′ −1′ 36°49′

A 2 323°12′ −1′ 323°11′
SUM 360°02′ 𝟑𝟔𝟎°𝟎𝟎′
3 95°15′ 30" 95°15′30"
B 4 264°44′ 30" 264°44′30"
SUM 359°59′ 𝟑𝟔𝟎°𝟎𝟎
5 49°58′ 1′ 49°59′
C 6 310°0′ 1′ 310°01′
SUM 359°58′ 𝟑𝟔𝟎°𝟎𝟎

VALUE FROM
TRIANGLE ANGLE STATION CORRECTION ADJUSTED
ADJUSTMENT VALUE
1 36°50′ 36°9′
ABC 2 95°15′ 41′ 94°34′
3 49°58′ 49°17′
SUM 180° 180°

B. COMPUTATIONS:
1. The average value of each measured angle is determined by dividing the total
angle accumulated on the circle by the number of repetitions. The total angle
may be larger than 360 deg, making it necessary to add a multiple of 360 deg to
the reading prior to dividing.
2. If the sum of the angles about each station is not equal to 360 deg an error in
the observation exists. The error about a station is equal to 360 deg minus the
sum of the interior and exterior angles measured about the station. This
computed value may be a positive or a negative quantity.
3. To determine the correction to be applied to each angle about a station, divide
the computed error at the station by the number of angles observed about the
station.
4. The adjusted values of angles about a station are determined by adding
algebraically to each measured and averaged value the corresponding correction.
5. As a check the sum of the adjusted angles about a station should equal to 360
degrees.
6. A final check is made to determine if the sum of the adjusted interior angles
from station adjustment is equal to 180 degrees. If not, the correction is
determined by subtracting the sum of the interior angles from 180 degrees and
dividing by the number of interior angles The resulting quantity, which may be a
positive or negative value, is then added algebraically to each interior angle. The
sum of these angles should now equal to 180 degrees.
ILLUSTRATION:
C. REMARKS, HINTS & PRECAUTIONS:
1. When measuring an angle by a series of repetitions the instrument should first
be leveled very carefully and the leveling screws should not be disturbed when a
measurement is being made.
2. The measurement of angles by repetition is an effective method that nearly
eliminates mistakes commonly made in angle measurements and is thus always
employed in surveys of high precision.
3. To eliminate the effects of some maladjustments of an instrument, an even
number of repetitions should be taken, half with the telescope in normal position
and half with the telescope in reversed position.
4. Experience will show that the precision of an angular measurement is not
appreciably improved by making a very large number of repetitions (such as
more than 8 times) as there are systematic, personal, and instrumental errors
that may occur.
5. The error of closure for measurements made about a station should not
exceed 10 seconds times the square root of the number of angles for an
instrument with a least count of 1 minute.
6. The single measurement made for each angle should always be noted to
serve as a check on the number of repetitions made.