LESSON 11

MAPS AND THEIR CLASSIFICATION

Map is a geographical presentation of all or portion of the earth’s surface or other celestial body by means of signs and symbols.
- Photographic image at some given scale or projection to which lettering is added for identification.

CLASSIFICATION OF MAPS
1. Planimetric Map- is a representation of the earth’s surface in two horizontal dimensions only. It shows the correct horizontal position of natural and
man-made features such as buildings, roads, bodies of water and farm vegetation and political boundaries.

2. Topographic Map- a representation of the earth’s surface.

3. Thematic Map- deal with a specific theme or subject usually against some skeletal topographic background. It is used to emphasize single topic such
as geography, population, crop production, land use and meteorological data.

4. Computer Generated Maps- maps generated by computer based in the information given.
 5. Photomaps- aerial and photographs on which gridlines, contours, boundaries, placenames and marginal information have been added or overprinted.
Ex. Google maps

MERIDIAN ARROW

-arrow displayed on the map for the purpose of orientation.

-direction of reference meridian used on the map

MAP TITLES
-usually appear in the lower right-hand corner of the sheet.
Content of Map
1. Purpose of survey
2. Name of owner
3. Location area
4. Date of survey
5. Name of engineer or surveyor
6. Contour interval
7. Reference
8. Scale used

MAP SCALE
Scale refers to the relationship which the distance of any two points on the maps bear corresponding distance in the ground.
Ways of Expressing Scale
1. Equivalence or by word & figures
Ex: 1 inch = 1 mile
1 cm = 1 km
1 cm = 1m
1 cm = 100 m
2. By ratio or representative fraction
-Natural scales are expresses in ratio, used by most agencies to plot topographic map
Ex: 100 or 1/100 → 1 unit in map to 100m on the ground
 3. Graphically or graphical scale
-graphic or bar scale – is a line subdivided into map distances corresponding to the convenient units of length in the ground
- The graphic scale is printed in the margins of the maps and specially preferred for particular map only.

Measure 8.25 m

TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS
Topography- configuration or shape and roughness of the ground which include the location of natural and artificial features
INFORMATION FROM TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS
1. Contours
2. Outlines
3. Gradients, slopes
4. Profile

REPRESENTATION OF TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS

1. Spot heights
Are the elevation of important features and critical points

Example: junctions, peaks, summits, sags and highway crossings

2. Hachures
Are series of short lines drawn in the direction of the slope
- For a steep slope the lines are heavy and closely spaced.
- For a gentle slope they are fine and widely spaced.

Hachures only give a general impression of the configuration of the

ground, but they do not provide numerical values such as the actual
elevations of the ground surface.

By their spacing and widths, these lines produce an effect similar to

shading, but are little more effective. In effect, these lines show
direction of water flow or drainage patterns.

3. Form Lines
Are lines drawn when not enough vertical control is available or when
the surface is too irregular or intricate to contour. Such lines resemble
contours, but are not drawn with the same elevation, but not enough
points are actually located to conform to the standard of accuracy
required for contour lines. Form lines are usually represented as
dashed lines and do not portray any actual elevations.
4. Contour Lines
The most widely used method of quantitatively representing hills,
mountains, depressions and ground surface undulations on a two-
dimensional sheet of paper is by contour lines or isohyets.

Contours are shown on maps as the traces of level surfaces of

different elevations. It is formed by the intersection of a level surface
with the surface of the ground.

The elevations of the contours are known definitely such that the
elevation of any point on the ground may be derived from the map.

5. Layer Tinting
Parts of a map lying between two particular contours may be
colored in order that the distribution of high and low land can be
seen at a glance. A color tint system is in common use for aerial
navigation charts and on small scale maps of the world. A scale of
graded color tints or a system of different colors is used to show
different zones of elevations.

6. Shading
It is an old method used to show relative elevations on maps. It
is dependent upon shadows cast by the elevated portions of the land.
This method is accomplished by the correct placement on the map of
different shades of gray tints.

7. Relief Models Relief or terrain models provide the most striking and realistic expression
of topography. The model is a representation of the terrain done in three dimensions to
suitable horizontal and vertical scales. It is in fact a miniature of the terrain it
represents. They are made from wax, clay, plastic, cardboard or other materials and
shaped to agree with the actual terrain
TYPES OF CONTOURS
Contours are designed by cartographer to portray the relief of the ground surface to make map reading easier.

1. Index contour- are contours drawn in a heavier line at regular

intervals on a topographic map
- They are drawn every fifth contour and carry
the contour number or elevation designated
- Serve as visual reinforcement of the in the
contour image.
2. Intermediate contour- are contours that can be found between
index contour and drawn in a lighter line
- These lines are not labelled

3. Depression contour – are drawn to shown low spots such as

excavation around which contour close
- The symbol used is the index or the
intermediate contour to which the ticks are
drawn perpendicular to the contour line on the
downhill side

4. Supplementary contour

5. Approximate contour

CONTOUR

Contour lines- lines that indicate the elevation of the points

Contour Interval- constant vertical distance between two adjacent contour lines.
• Neighboring contour lines are drawn either close together or far apart to show changes in slope and relief variations.
• The contour interval will affect the degree of detail for portraying information related to slope and relief.
• Small contour interval will allow slight changes in slope.
• Large contour interval may be desirable in areas with steep slopes where the contours will still be relatively close together.
• Common contour intervals: 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 meters.
• Contour interval for different types of terrain:
Flat to gently rolling 1 to 5 m
Hilly 5 to 20 m
Mountainous 25 to 100 m
• Contour interval for different map scales:
Scale
1: 500 0.50 m
1:2000 1m
1:5000 2m
1:10000 5m
1:25000 10 m
1:50000 20 m
1:100000 25 m
1:250000 50 m
CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTOUR

1. All points in any one contour have some elevation 6. Contours are parallel to each other on a plane surface.

2. Every contour closes itself either within or beyond the limit of the map. 7. Irregular contours signify rough or rugged terrain
The closure may occur within the map but often happen outside the
area, hence will not appear in the map sheet.

3. Contour which closes within the limits of map indicate either summit 8. The horizontal distance between adjacent contours indicates
or depression. the stiffness where the contours are relatively close together,
the contours are comparatively steep, where the contours are
far apart, the slope is gentle.

4. Contours on the ground cannot cross one another except when an 9. Contours cross- curbs and a crowned sloping street in the U-
overhanging cliff, a vertical edge or a wall is represented on a map shape curves

5. Contours are spaced evenly in a uniform slope. 10. As a contour approaches a stream, the contour line forms
upstream until it intersects the shore line. If then crosses the
stream at right angles to the center of the bed, and turns back
along the opposite bank of the stream.
LOCATING CONTOUR LINES
In construction of topographic map, one of the major steps is the locating and plotting of contour
Interpolation – The process of locating contour lines proportionally on the map between plotted lines

Methods of locating contour lines

1. By estimation
2. Rubber band method
3. Analytical method
4. Triangle and scale method
5. Template method

1. By estimation- Drawing – Drawing the contour which appear to be

most definitely located by the plotted points
Example (5 m interval) 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60

2. Rubber band method – graduation of equal interval is marked on the

rubber band. Then stretched between two points so that these points
fall at the scale divisions corresponding to their elevation

3. Analytical method – Locating contour lines when high accuracy is desired by employing arithmetical computations
Distance between elevations are measured and the location contour are determine.

4. Triangle and scale method

5. Template method
Example: Draw the topographic map at 0.2 m interval.
A B C D E
1 10.1 10.4 10.6 10.2 9.4 Draw the contour lines with 1 m interval
2 12.1 12.5 12.5 11.6 10.5
3 10.8 13.1 13.5 12.4 9.50
4 11.4 11.7 11.9 12.2 9.6
5 9.8 10.4 9.6 10.8 9.2

Draw the contour line with 1m interval

Draw the contour line with 1m interval