Week 10:

COMPASS SURVEYING

CESURV30
Fundamentals of Surveying
COMPASS SURVEYING:

In order to get the location of a

point in surveying on, above or
below the surface of the earth, it
is necessary to know its distances
from a point / station along a line
whose direction is known.

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Fundamental Concepts

1. Direction of a line
It is defined by a horizontal angle with respect to a
reference line. Depending on the type of reference, the
direction of the line is termed as relative or absolute. In
relative direction, the reference line does not remain fixed
over time.
2. Meridian
The reference line with respect to which horizontal angle
of survey line are measured.
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There are different types of meridians based on the type

of reference.
1. True Meridian
2. Magnetic Meridian
3. Grid Meridian
4. Arbitrary Meridian

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Fundamental Concepts

True Meridian
It is the (imaginary) line of intersection of
a (imaginary) plane passing through the
geographical North and South poles of the
earth with its actual surface.
The direction of true meridian at any
station is constant and hence, direction of
a line with reference to this remains same
over time.
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Fundamental Concepts

True Meridian
At any station, it can be determined through Astronomical
survey. For any engineering works of importance, the
direction of at least one line is determined with true
meridian as reference.

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Magnetic Meridian
It is the (imaginary) line of
intersection of a (imaginary) plane
passing through the magnetic
North and South poles of the
earth with its actual surface.

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Magnetic Meridian
The direction of a freely suspended well balanced magnetic
needle provides the magnetic meridian at a station.
As the magnetic poles of the earth changes with time and
so the magnetic meridian at any station. Thus, the direction
of a line with reference to magnetic meridian varies with
time. Magnetic meridian is employed as a line of reference
for rough surveys.

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Convergence of meridian
Meridians on the surface of the earth converge towards
each other as the distance from the equator towards either
of the poles increases.

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Arbitrary Meridian
Any convenient direction from
a survey station to some well
defined permanent object
This is used for small area
survey or to determine the
relative directions of small
traverse.

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Fundamental Concepts

Relative Direction
The direction of a line is expressed
in different ways depending upon
the type of survey. It is depicted by
bearing, included angle, deflection
angle etc. These quantities may be
observed directly in the field or can
be obtained indirectly by
computation.
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Fundamental Concepts

Bearing
The horizontal angle measured in
clockwise or anticlockwise
direction between the meridian
and the survey line

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Fundamental Concepts
Different types of bearings are defined based on different
criteria.
1. Based on meridian
Azimuth or True Bearing, Magnetic Bearing, Grid Bearing,
Arbitrary Bearing
2. Based on direction
Fore Bearing, Back Bearing
3. Based on designation
Whole circle bearing, Quadrant bearing (or Reduced bearing)

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Azimuth or True Bearing

It is a horizontal angle from the
North direction of the true meridian
measured clockwise.
In Figure 19.2, azimuth of a line OA
is given by NOA (= 52°), measured
from the North (Geographical) and
that of line OB is NOB (= 208°).

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Magnetic Bearing
The horizontal angle which a line
makes with the magnetic meridian
measured from Magnetic North
line.
It varies with time. Magnetic
meridian of a line can be measured
in the field by using prismatic
compass (Figure 19.3).
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Arbitrary Bearing
The horizontal angle of a line measured with respect to an
arbitrary meridian.
Based on the Direction:
Any straight line has two diametrically opposite directions. The
direction in which a survey work proceeds is known as forward
direction and the opposite direction is known as backward
direction. Thus, there are two types of bearing depending upon
the direction of the line for which it is being is determined.
Fore Bearing and Back Bearing
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1. Back Bearing
The bearing of a line measured in the
backward direction (i.e., opposite to the
direction of progress of survey)
In Figure 19.5 the back bearing of the line
AB is NOA (= 223°). NOA is also called
bearing of the line BA.
Back Bearing = Fore Bearing ± 180

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2. Fore Bearing
The bearing of a line measured in the
forward direction (i.e., along the progress of
survey)
In Figure, fore bearing of the line AB is
given by NOB.
Fore bearing = Back bearing ± 180°

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Designation of Bearing
The angle representing bearing is designated depending
on the measurement of the angle either in clockwise and
anti-clockwise direction measured either from the North or
from the South limb whichever provides minimum angle
Whole circle bearing
Quadrantal bearing (or Reduced bearing)

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The Whole Circle Bearing (W.C.B.)

The whole circle bearing (W.C.B) of a line
is the horizontal angle measured clockwise
from the North limb of the meridian. It
varies from 0° to 360°.
In Figure 19.6, the whole circle bearing
(W.C.B) of the line OA is 52° and that of line
OB is 208°.

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Quadrantal Bearing (or Reduced Bearing)

The quadrantal bearing (Q.B.) also known as reduced
bearing (RB) of a line is defined by the acute angle which
the line makes with the meridian. Thus, it depends on the
quadrant in which the line presents. It is measured in
clockwise or anti-clockwise direction either from the North
or from the South limb of the meridian whichever is
nearer and thus provides minimum angle.

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Quadrantal Bearing (or Reduced Bearing)
The quadrantal bearings of different lines OP, OQ, OR and
OS are respectively, can be given as N 40°E, S 49° E,
S 72° W, and N 31° W. In all cases, values of bearing of
angles lie between 0° and 90°.
Thus, reduced bearing of a line is designated by the
direction from which it is measured (i.e., either N for North
or S for South) followed by the value of the angle at the
end, the direction to which it is measured (i.e., either E for
East or W for West).
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Fundamental Concepts
Examples:
I. Whole circle bearing

II. Quadrantal bearing (or Reduced bearing)

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Conversion of RB to WCB:

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ENITV31D – Fundamentals
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 COMPASS SURVEYING:
Fundamental Concepts

Conversion of WCB to RB

CESURV30-LEC
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 COMPASS SURVEYING:
Fundamental Concepts
Local Attraction
In presence of magnetic materials, the magnetic needle deviates
from the magnetic meridian and thus provides wrong direction of
a line. The deviation arising from such local sources is called local
attraction. If the fore bearing and back bearing of a line does not
differ by 180°, then there is a possibility of local attraction during
the observation of the line. Otherwise, if the sum of the interior
angles of a closed traverse does not provide (2n - 4) right angles
[where n is the number of sides in the traverse], then there is a
possibility of local attraction during the observation of the
traverse.
CESURV30-LEC
ENITV31D – Fundamentals
– Intervention for Physics of Surveying
 COMPASS SURVEYING:
Fundamental Concepts

Determination of Angles/ Directions.

Direction and thus angles can be determined by means of a tape,
plane-table, alidade, sextant, or compass etc but normally these
are measured with a transit theodolite. In this module,
measurement of angles using theodolite has been considered.

CESURV30-LEC
ENITV31D – Fundamentals
– Intervention for Physics of Surveying
 COMPASS SURVEYING:
Fundamental Concepts
Determination of Angles/ Directions.
Direction and thus angles can be determined by means of a tape,
plane-table, alidade, sextant, or compass etc but normally these
are measured with a transit theodolite. In this module,
measurement of angles using theodolite has been considered.

CESURV30-LEC
ENITV31D – Fundamentals
– Intervention for Physics of Surveying
COMPASS SURVEYING:
Problem No. 1:
Following are the observed magnetic bearings of the traverse
legs: At what stations local attraction is suspected? Determine
the correct bearings of the traverse legs and also calculate the
included angles.

CESURV30-LEC
ENITV31D – Fundamentals
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COMPASS SURVEYING:
Problem No. 1:
The FB of the lines are givenin reduced bearing. Their
equivalent WCB are:
FB
Line BB
RB WCB

AB S 59° 30' E 120° 30' W 300° 30'

BC N 78° 15' E 78° 15' 256° 00'

CD N 59° 30' W 300° 30' 125° 15'

DA S 30° 15' W 207° 45' 27° 45'

CESURV30-LEC
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COMPASS SURVEYING:
Problem No. 1: ( Solution):
Differs exactly by 180°, if the stations are free from local
attraction. In the given observation, the FB and BB of the line
AB differs by 180° and thus stations A and B are free from local
attraction. The bearing of the lines observed at stations A and
B may be considered to be correct.
• Given, FB of BC = 78° 15'
Therefore Correct, BB of BC = 78° 15' + 180° = 258° 15'
• But, observed BB of BC = 256° 00'
• Therefore Error at C = 258° 15' - 256° 00' = - 2°15'
Correction at C = 2° 15'
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COMPASS SURVEYING:

• Observed FB of CD = 300° 30’

Correction at C = + 2° 15'
• Therefore corrected FB of CD = 302° 45' - 180° = 122° 45'
and corrected BB of CD = 125° 15'
• Error at D = + 2° 30'
or Correction at D = - 2° 30'
• observed FB of DA = 210° 15'
Therefore corrected FB of DA = 210° 15' - 2° 30' = 207° 45'
and corrected BB of DA = 207° 45' - 180° = 27° 45' (Checked)
Correction at C = 2° 15’
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Included angle

As the traverse is running anti-clockwise the included angle will be the interior
angles.
Angle at A = F.B. of AB - B.B. of DA = 120° 30' -27° 45' = 92° 45’
B = F.B. of BC - B.B of AB = 78° 15' - 300° 30' = - 222° 15' + 360° = 137° 45’
C = F.B. of CD - B.B of BC = 300° 30' - 256° 00' = 44° 30’
D = F.B. of DA - B.B of CD = 210° 15' - 125° 15' = 85° 00'
CESURV30-LEC
ENITV31D – Fundamentals
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 COMPASS SURVEYING:
Problem No. 1: ( Solution):
Calculation of Bearing (2nd method)
Line Corrected FB Corrected RB
AB 120° 30' 300° 30'
BC 78° 15' 258° 15'
CD 302° 45' 122° 45'
DA 207° 45' 27° 45'
Line FB BB Angle
AB 120° 30' 300° 30' A = 92° 45'
BC 78° 15' 258° 15' B =137° 45'
CD 302° 45' 122° 45' C = 44° 30'
DA 207° 45' 27° 45' D = 85°
[Note : In any traverse, running anti-clockwise, included angle at any stations =
F.B. of the forward line - B.B. of the backward line].
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ENITV31D – Fundamentals
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