Compass Surveying

Chain Surveying can be done when the

area of the surveying is
 Area is flat/level to the ground
 Comparatively Small

compass surveying is recommended

 But when the area is large

There are large many hindrance to pull the
chain
 Triangulation(Formation of triangle) is
difficult
 Traversin
g
Traversing is the frame work consist of
connecting lines

 The line are measured by the chain or

tape

Direction are measured with the help of angle

measuring
devices called compass

Compass surveying direction are measured by

compass
 Compass survey
 A prismatic compass is used for navigation and
for surveying instrument
 which is extensively used to find out the
bearing(Angle) of the traversing and
included angles between them,
Compass surveying is a type of surveying in
which theof surveying lines are determined with
directions
a magnetic compass,
And the length of the surveying lines are measured
with a tape or chain.
Prismatic compass
The compass is generally used to run a traverse
line.
The compass calculates bearings of lines with
respect to magnetic north.
The included angles can then be calculated using
suitable formulas in case of clockwise and anti-
clockwise traverse respectively
For each survey line in the traverse, surveyors
take two bearings that is fore bearing and back
bearing which should exactly differ by 180° if
local attraction is negligible

The name Prismatic compass is given to it

because it essentially consists of a prism which is
used for taking observations more accurately
 Definition and types of meridian

A circle of constant longitude passing through a

given place on the earth's surface and the terrestrial
poles
A meridian is an imaginary line from the North Pole
to the South Pole.
 Meridians are drawn on maps to help you describe
Inclination and Declination
Description
 Bearings
BEARINGS : Horizontal angles are angles
measured in a horizontal plane by a level instrument
Used to determine: the locations of points. the
orientation of lines.
The units of measurement most commonly used in
surveying is the hexadecimal system based on
degrees, minutes, seconds.
The bearing of a point is the number of degrees in
the angle measured in a clockwise direction from
the north line to the line joining the centre of the
compass with the point

 A bearing is used to represent the direction of

one
Bearing and Explanation
 Designation of bearing
Whole circle bearing (W.C.B) Or Azimuthal system
In this system bearing
of a line is measured
with magnetic North ( or
with south)
 In clockwise
direction.
 The value of bearing
thus varies from zero
degree to 360 degree
Prismatic compass is
graduated on this
system
 In India and UK the
WCB is measured
clockwise with magnetic
 Quadrantal Bearing(Q.B.)
In Q.B system quadrant are marked as bellow
How the angles are marked in both
the system
Quadrantal Bearing(Q.B.)
In this system bearing of
a line is measured East
ward or west ward from
North or South which ever
is nearer.
Both North and South
are used as reference
meridians
 The direction can be
either clockwise or
anticlockwise depending
upon the position of the
line.
In this system therefore,

the quadrant, in which
the line lies, will have to
be mentioned.
Various type of lines used in surveying
(1) For the first W.C.B+R.B. = 180° SO [ R.B.=180°-
quadrant W.C.B.]
the W.C.B will
The directions for reduced bearing
be equal to
R.B. because South to East (SE)
is
both of them it
starts from
the north the
directions. for
R.B. direction
will be North
to East (NE)

For 1st Quadrant For 2nd quadrant

 When the location is in the third quadrant

W.C.B.-R.B.=180°. SO R.B.=W.C.B.- 180°

The direction for reduced bearing is South to East (S
 When the location is in the Forth quadrant

W.C.B.+R.B.=360° SO R.B.=360-W.C.B.
The direction for reduced bearing is north to west (NW)
 Problem-2
The magnetic bearing of the line AB is 28°30´ E. Calculate the true bearing if
the declination is 7°30´ W est.

Solution of the problem will as

** Angle of AB line from TS
e.i. Equal to 28°30 ´ + 7°30´ = 36°00´
Hence True bearing can be written as
= S 36°00 E
 Problem-3
The following bearings were observed while traversing with a compass .Mention
which stations were affected by local attraction and determine the corrected
bearingsLine F.B. B.B. Line F.B. B.B.
AB 45°45´ 226°10´ CD 29°45´ 209°10´
BC 96°55´ 277°05´ DE 324°48´ 144°48´
To find out the magnetic attraction any point is to be calculated that
Fore / Back bearing - Back/Fore bearing = 180°
In the above problem only at the line DE has FB- BB= 180°, in this line there is
no attraction
But other all the lines are under magnetic attraction as the subtraction value is
other than 180°. It also suggested that as line DE has no attraction hence at the
point D as well as E has no attraction also
Line F.B. B.B. Line F.B. B.B.

AB 45°45´ 226°10´ CD 29°45´ 209°10´

no attraction
As per
suggested
BC 96°55´ 277°05´ DE 324°48´ 144°48´
no no attraction
attraction
Line F.B. B.B. Line F.B. B.B.
AB 45°45´ 226°10´ CD 29°45´ 209°10´
225°45´- 180° 25´=225°45´ 209°10´- no attraction
=45°45´ 180° As per
-29°10´=35´ suggested

BC 96°55´ 277°05´ DE 324°48´ 144°48´

276°30´- 180° -35´ no no attraction
96°30´ =25´ =276°30´ attraction

** Rule to calculate bearing F.B. - B. B = ±

*It clearly define that in CD line180°
D point is out of magnetic attraction but point C is
under attraction
If No attraction is there in the line CD the B. B – F.B = 180° i.e. 209°10´ - 180°
= 29°10´ so
F. B. at point C will be 29°10´, but due to attraction it is 29°45´, Hence 29°45´ -
29°10´= 25´ is subtractedfrom this bearing to get bearing with out magnetic
attraction
•Similarly that 35´ is more with point C at 277°05´, that will be corrected as
277°05´- 35´= 276°30´
•Hence at point B corrected as 276°30´ - 180° = 96°30´ by subtracting 25´ from the
attracted bearing. Again point B of AB has 25´ more in bearing with 226°10´.
•To make it correct 25´ is to be subtracted from the given bearing and it will be
226°10´ - 25´= 225°45´
 Adjustment in Prismatic compass

The following adjustment are necessary in the piezometric

compass

a) Station or Temporary adjustments

i) Centering ii) Leveling iii) Focusing the prism

b) Permanent adjustments
 The permanent adjustment of prismatic compass
are almost the same as that of the surveyor’s compass
except that there are no bubble tubes to be adjusted and
the needle can not be straightened.
 The sight vanes are not adjustable
i) Centering
Centering is the process of keeping the instrument exactly
over the station
Ordinarily prismatic compass is not provided with fine
centering devices as is generally fitted to engineers
theodolite.
 The centering is done by adjusting the legs of tripod
 A plum bob may be used to judge the center if it is not
available, it may be judge by dropping a pebble
from the center of the bottom of the instrument
ii) Leveling
If the instrument is a hand instrument, it must be held in
hand in such a way that the graduated disc is swinging
freely and appears to be level as judged from the top edge
of the case.
Generally a tripod is provided with ball and socket
arrangement with the help of which the top of the box can
be leveled
END