Horizontal Control

Ordnance Survey and National Grid

• The position of a point on the earth’s surface can be defined by its latitude
and longitude.
• Plane rectangular axes are very convenient for recording the position of
points by coordinates. The National Grid reference system of the Ordnance
Survey consists of a series of lines parallel to the adopted central meridian,
and a series of lines perpendicular to it (giving a square grid).
• In Britain, the grid was obtained by a Transverse Mercator projection , the
true origin being at 49 deg N on the central meridian through 2 deg W. In
order to make all grid coordinates positive, a false origin is taken 400 km to
the west of the true origin.
• In Sri Lanka, the origin of the grid lies to the south-west of the country that
gives grid coordinates of 200,000.00 m North and 200,000.00 m East at the
triangulation station located in Pidurutalagala peak.
Spherical Coordinates
The National Grid of Britain
 Bearing of a survey line

Direction of a line can be established, either

 in relation to each other (gives the angle between the two lines)
 in relation to any meridian (gives the bearing of the line)
A Meridian can be a direction such as,
 True meridian (which passes through the point and north and
south poles – can be established by astronomical observations)
 Magnetic meridian (direction shown by a free floating magnetic
needle – can be established with the help of a magnetic
compass)
 Arbitrary meridian (any convenient direction to a permanent
mark – used to determine relative directions in a small area)
 Designation of bearing

Two common systems used

 The Whole Circle Bearing (W.C.B.) - Measured clockwise from true north to the line
 The Quadrantal Bearing (Q.B.) (also known as the Reduced Bearing – R.B.) -
Measured clockwise or anticlockwise from true north or south
 Conversion of bearings

 WCB to QB (or RB)

WCB 0-90˚ RB = WCB Quadrant NE
WCB 90-180˚ RB = 180˚ – WCB Quadrant SE
WCB 180-270˚ RB = WCB – 180˚ Quadrant SW
WCB 270-360˚ RB = 360˚ – WCB Quadrant NW

 QB (or RB) to WCB

RB N θ E WCB = RB WCB range 0 – 90˚
RB S θ E WCB = 180˚ – RB WCB range 90 – 180˚
RB S θ W WCB = 180˚ + RB WCB range 180 – 270˚
RB N θ W WCB = 360˚ – RB WCB range 270 – 360˚
 Fore and back bearings

• If bearing of AB is measured from A to B – gives Fore Bearing of AB

• If bearing of AB is measured from B to A – gives Back Bearing of AB
Note that the Back Bearing of AB is the same as Fore Bearing of BA.

Back Bearing (ф) of AB = Fore Bearing (θ) of AB + 180˚

Back Bearing (ф) of CD = Fore Bearing (θ) of CD - 180˚
The rule is that, always, Back Bearing = Fore Bearing ± 180˚
 Fore and Back Bearings (contd.)

If we consider Reduced Bearings:

• For AB Fore Bearing → N θ E and Back Bearing → S θ W
• For CD Fore Bearing → S ф W and Back Bearing → N ф E
To convert Fore Bearings to Back Bearings,
Only necessary to interchange North and South, and East and West.
The numerical value remains the same.
i.e. NE → SW SE → NW SW → NE NW → SE

 Angles between lines can be calculated from their bearings

 Bearings of lines can be calculated from angles between them, if the
bearing of one line is known
Angles from bearings
 Bearings from angles

Whole Circle Bearing of the line AB has been measured as 60˚ 00 ́

Bearings in an Open Traverse