ENGINEERING SURVEYING

UNIT – 4

The Compass Surveying

 The Compass Surveying

Topics Covered
• Bearings
• Measurement of Bearings
 Definitions
• True meridian: Line or plane passing through geographical north &
south poles and any point on the earths surface.

• Prime (Greenwich) meridian is the line of 0 longitude, the starting point

for measuring distance both east and west around the Earth. It separates
the eastern hemisphere from the western hemisphere.

• Magnetic meridian: When the magnetic needle is suspended freely and

balanced properly, unaffected by magnetic substances, it indicates a
direction. This direction is known as magnetic meridian.
 Definitions

• Magnetic meridian: When the magnetic needle is suspended freely and

balanced properly, unaffected by magnetic substances, it indicates a
direction. This direction is known as magnetic meridian.
 Magnetic Declination & Bearing of Line
• Magnetic declination: Horizontal angle between the magnetic and
geographic meridians at any place or angle between magnetic north and
true north.

• Declination is positive east of true north and negative when west. Magnetic
declination changes over time and with location. As the compass points
with local magnetic fields, declination value is needed to obtain true north.
 Bearing of Line
• True Bearing: The horizontal angle between
the true meridian and a line.

• Magnetic bearing: The horizontal angle

between the magnetic meridian and a line.

Relationship between TB, MB and δ

Rule:
1. If declination is East
T.B. = [Magnetic Bearing(M.B) + Declination]

2. If declination is West
T.B. = [Magnetic Bearing – Declination]
Measurement of Bearings
Measurement of Bearings
Fore Bearing & Back Bearing of a Line
Computation of BB from FB of a Line
Reduced Bearings of a Line
 Conversion from WCB to RB
Example:
Convert the following WCB to RB

1. 49o
Conversion from WCB to RB
 Conversion from WCB to RB
2. 335o
 Conversion from WCB to RB
2. 335o
 Conversion from WCB to RB

Example: