Engineering Surveying -1 CE212

Compass Surveying
Lecture
2016, September 03-04

Muhammad Noman
Compass Surveying
Chain surveying can be used when the area to be surveyed is
comparatively is small and is fairly flat.
But when the area is large , undulating and crowded with many details ,
triangulation(which is the principle of chain survey) is not possible.
In such an area , the method of Compass surveying is used.
In Compass survey chain or tape is used for linear measurements and
compass is used for fixing direction.
In compass freely suspended magnetic needle directs to north- south
and the bearing of line is obtained by line of sight.
Traversing
• Traversing is that type of survey in which a number of connecting
survey lines form the frame work and the directions and lengths of
the survey lines are measured with the help of an angle measuring
instrument and a tape respectively.
• The routine of chaining and offsetting is the same as in chain survey
• Compass surveying is not recommended for areas where local
attraction is suspected due to the presence of magnetic substances
like steel structures, iron ore deposits, electric cables , and so on.
Types of Traverse
There are two types of Traverse:
1. Closed Traverse
A traverse is close when it
completes a circuit and returns
to the starting point. The
starting and end points are the
same. It is particularly suitable
for locating the boundaries of
lakes, woods etc. It is used for
moderately large area
Types of Traverse
2. Open Traverse
A traverse is said to be open or unclosed when it does not form a
close polygon. It consists of a series of lines extending in the same
general direction and not returning to the starting point. It is most
suitable for the survey of long narrow strip of country e.g. Cost
line, road, railway etc.
Meridian
Meridian is a line Joining North
Pole and South Pole.
There are two types of Meridian
1. True Meridian
The plane that passes through
true North Poles and True South
Poles at the time of Observation
is called True Meridian or
Geographical Meridian
Meridian
2. Magnetic Meridian
The direction indicated by a
magnetic compass is called as
magnetic meridian.
The angle which a line makes with
the magnetic meridian is called a
magnetic bearing of the line or
simply bearing of a line.
Magnetic Declination
The difference between True Meridian and Magnetic Meridian is called
Magnetic Declination
Bearing
Bearing is a Horizontal Angle
measured from the North
If Bearing is measured from True
Meridian than it is called True
Bearing and if it is measured from
Magnetic Meridian than it is called
Magnetic Bearing.
There are two systems commonly
used to express the bearing.
• Whole circle system
• Quadrantal system
Whole Circle Bearing
In this system the bearing of a line
measured with the magnetic north in
clockwise direction. The value of bearing
thus varies from 0o to 360o.
Its value varies from zero to 360°, increasing
in clockwise direction. Zero is north
direction, 90° is east, 180° is south and 270°
is west.
Quadrantal System
In this system the bearing of a line is measured eastward
or westward from north or south whichever is near.
The directions can be either clock wise or anti
clockwise depending upon the position of the line.
The value of bearing thus varies from 0o to 90o.
The quadrant of survey line is also mentioned after the
numerical value of the angle.
There are 4 quadrant
1St Quadrant = NE
2nd Quadrant = SE
3rd Quadrant = SW
4th Quadrant = NW
Reduced Bearing
The angle exceeding 90o is reduced to a value under 90o this is called
as reduced bearing (RB).

CASE WHOLE CIRCLE BEARING (WCB) REDUCED BEARING (RB) QUADRANT

I 0 – 90 WCB NE

II 90 – 180 180 – WCB SE

III 180 – 270 WCB – 180 SW

IV 270 - 360 360 - WCB NW

Types of Compasses
There are two types of Compasses
1. The Prismatic Compass
2. The Surveyor’s Compass

Assignment # 02
Problems: 01
Convert the following WCBs to QBs:

a) WCB of AB = 45˚ 30’ N 45˚ 30’ E

b) WCB of AB = 125˚ 45’ S 54˚ 15’ E
c) WCB of AB = 222˚ 15’ S 42˚ 15’ W
d) WCB of AB = 320˚ 30’ N 39˚ 30’ E
Problem 02:
Convert the following QB to WCB
a) QB of AB = S 36˚ 30’ W 216˚ 30’
b) QB of AB = S 43˚ 30’ E 136˚ 30’
c) QB of AB = N 26˚ 45’ E 26˚ 45’
d) QB of AB = N 40˚ 15’ W 319˚ 45’
Problem 03:
Q. The magnetic bearing of a line AB is 135˚ 30’. What will be the true
bearing, if the declination us 5˚ 15’ W.
A. True bearing of AB = Magnetic bearing – Declination
= 135 ˚ 30’ - 5 ˚ 15’ = 130 ˚ 15’
Fore Bearing & Back Bearing
Every line has two bearings one observed at each
end of the line.
The bearing of the line in the direction of
progress of the survey is called Fore Bearing (FB),
while the bearing in the opposite direction is
called Back Bearing (BB).
Therefore BB of a line differs from FB by exactly
180o.
BB = FB +- 180o
Use plus sign if FB < 1800
Use minus sign if FB > 1800
Thank You