SURVEYING

& LEVELLING
COMPASS TRAVERSING
 When area to be surveyed is large, undulating and
crowded with many details, triangulation is not possible.
So in such areas, the method of traversing is adopted

 In traversing, the framework consists of a number of

connected lines

 The lengths are measured by chain or tape and the

directions are identified by angle measuring instruments

 The method in which a compass is used as the angle

measuring instrument, it is called compass traversing
TRUE MERIDIAN
 The line or plane passing through the geographical north
pole, geographical south pole and any point on the
surface of the earth, is known as the ‘true meridian’ or
‘geographical meridian

 The true meridian at a station is constant

 The angle between the true meridian and a line is known

as ‘true bearing’ or ‘Azimuth’ of the line

 True meridian passing through different points on the

earth’s surface are not parallel, but converge towards
the pole
MAGNETIC MERIDIAN
 When a magnetic needle is suspended freely and
balanced properly, unaffected by magnetic substances, it
indicates a direction known as the ‘magnetic meridian’

 The angle between the magnetic meridian and a line is

known as ‘magnetic bearing’ or simply ‘bearing’ of the line

ARBITRARY MERIDIAN
 Sometimes for small area, a convenient direction is
assumed as a meridian, called ‘arbitrary meridian’

 Sometimes the starting line of a survey is taken as the

arbitrary meridian and the angle between the arbitrary
meridian and a line is known as ‘arbitrary bearing’
 MN GN

True meridian
passing through
different points
on the earth’s
surface are not
True Meridian
parallel, but
converge
towards the pole

S
WHOLE CIRCLE BEARING (WCB)
 The magnetic bearing of a line measure clockwise from
the north pole towards the line is known as ‘whole circle
bearing’ of that line. WCB have any value between 0o and
360o

QUADRANTAL BEARING (QB)

 It is bearing of a line measure clockwise or counter-
clockwise from the north pole or south pole towards the
East or West. QB have any value between 0o and 90o

 When WCB is converted to QB, it is called ‘Reduced

Bearing’ (RB)
 N

1 WCB of AB = 1
B
WCB of AC = 2

W E
A RB of AB = N1 E
2
RB of AC = S(180 -2)E

S
FORE AND BACK BEARING (WCB)
 The bearing of a line measured in the direction of the
progress of survey is called the ‘Fore Bearing’ (FB)

 The bearing of a line measured in the direction opposite to

the progress of survey is called the ‘Back Bearing’ (BB)

B
1 FB of AB = 
 BB of AB = 1
A
 In Whole Circle Bearing system, the difference between
the FB and BB should be exactly 180o i.e.,

BB = FB  180o

Use +ve sign when FB is less than 180o and the negative
sign when it is more than 180o

 In the Quadrantal Bearing system (Reduced Bearing

system), the FB and BB are numerically equal but the
quadrants are just opposite. For example, if the FB of line
is N 50oE, then its BB is S 50oW
MAGNETIC DECLINATION

 The horizontal angle between the magnetic meridian and

true meridian is known as ‘magnetic declination’

 When the north end of the magnetic needle is pointed

towards the west side of the true meridian, the position is
termed as ‘Declination West’ (W)

 When the north end of the magnetic needle is pointed

towards the east side of the true meridian, the position is
termed as ‘Declination East’ (E)
 MN GN GN
MN

W E W E

S S
DECLINATION WEST DECLINATION EAST
Numerical 1
Convert the following WCBs to QBs.

a) WCB of AB = 45o30’

b) WCB of BC = 125o45’

c) WCB of CD = 222o15’

d) WCB of DE = 320o30’
Numerical 2
Convert the following QBs to WCBs.

a) QB of AB = S45o30’W

b) QB of BC = S43o30’E

c) QB of CD = N26o45’E

d) QB of DE = N40o15’W
Numerical 3
Convert the following FBs to BBs.

a) FB of AB = S30o30’E

b) FB of BC = N40o30’W

c) FB of CD = S60o45’W

d) FB of DE = N45o15’W
Numerical 4
Convert the following BBs to FBs.

a) BB of AB = S45o30’W

b) BB of BC = S43o30’E

c) BB of CD = N26o45’E

d) BB of DE = N40o15’W
Numerical 5
a) The magnetic bearing of a line AB is 135o30’. What will be
the true bearing, if the declination is 5o15’W

b) The true bearing of a line CD is 210o45’. What will be the

magnetic bearing, if the declination is 8o15’E
Numerical 6
The fore bearings of the line AB, BC, CD and DE are 45o30’,
120o15’, 200o30‘ and 280o45’ respectively. Find the angles B,
C and D.

C
A
E

D
CONCLUDED