Compass Surveying

Dr. Ashish K Rohila

Jaypee University of Information Technology
Waknaghat

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 Compass Surveying
 In chain surveying, the area to be measured is divided
into a number of triangles.
 Method is suitable for fairly ground covering small
area
 If area is large, undulating with many details,
triangulation is not possible, method of traversing is
adopted

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 D
B
A
C

 In traversing, the frame consists of number of

connected lines.
 Length is measured by chain or tape and the
direction are identified by angle measuring
instruments- Compass 3
 Bearing and angles
 The direction of a line can be established
 (a) with relation to each other- angle
between two lines
 (b) with relation to any meridain – bearing
of the line
 Bearing of a line is its direction relative to
a given meridian,
 A meridian is any direction such as
magnetic meridian
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 Concept of magnetic bearing
 When a magnetic needle is suspended freely , it will
show a direction- which is known as magnetic
meridian
a magnetic compass
Magnetic meridian is used to measure it
N
Magnetic bearing Magnetic bearing is expressed as
W A E 1. Whole circle Bearing (WCB)
2. Reduced or Quadrantal Bearing
(RB)
B
S
Line of sight
5
 Whole Circle Bearing

 In this system, the bearing

of a line is measured with
magnetic north or magnetic A
N
south in clock-wise direction
 The value of bearing varies
form 0 - 360º W O E
 Prismatic compass is
graduated on this system
 In India – bearing C S B
measurement with magnetic
NORTH
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 Object vane

Eye vane

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 E

S Magnetic north
N 40º E

8
 Quadrantal Bearing System
(Reduced Bearing)
 North and south are used as D
N A
reference meridian and directions NW
60º 40º NE
can be either clockwise or
anticlockwise depending upon the
position of line W E
 Bearing is observed by Surveyor’s
compass 65º SE
SW
 Four Quadrants are considered C 25º B
NE, NW, SE, SW S
 Values of RB lies between 0-90º

RB Of OA = N 40º E RB Of OC = S 65º W
RB Of OB = S 25º E RB Of OD = N 60º W 9
 Conversion of WCB to RB
B
E N
φ α
Line WCB RB
W A
AB 0-90 =WCB NαE E

AC 90-180 =180-WCB = SβE

C
D θ β
AD 180-270 =WCB-180= SθW
S
AE 270-360 =360-WCB= NφW

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 Conversion of RB to WCB
B
E N
φ α
Line RB WCB WCB

W A
AB = RB 0-90 E
NαE
AC =180-RB 90-180
SβE θ
(180-β) β C
D
AD SθW =180+RB 180-270
S
(180+θ)
AE NφW =360-RB 270-360
(360-φ)

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 E N
Convert the following
WCB into RB A
E
22º 30‘
170º 12‘
211º 54‘ D C
327º 24‘
S
RB=WCB = N 22º 30‘ E

RB=180-WCB = S 9º 48‘ E

RB=WCB-180= S 31º 54‘ W

RB=360-WCB= N 32º 36‘ W

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 Convert the following N 12º 24‘E
RB into WCB S 31º 36‘E
S 68º 6‘ W
N 5º 42‘ W
Line WCB WCB
N
1 = RB 12º 24‘
W A
E
2 =180-RB 148º 24‘
3 =180+RB 248 º 6‘
4 =360-RB 354 º 18‘

S
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 Fore bearing and Back Bearing

If Bearing of line AB is measured from A- B

Forward bearing
If Bearing of line AB is measured from B-A
Backward bearing
N
N α
α B
β
A β= α+180
Fore Bearing of Line AB = α
Back Bearing of Line AB = β For circulation in JUIT Only, (Strictly 14
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 N
N
β C
D
α α

Fore Bearing of Line CD = α

β= α-180
Back Bearing of Line CD = β

So BB = FB ± 180
Use -sign if FB is more than 180
Use + sign if FB is less than 180

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 the angle between Magnetic North and the True
North direction is called magnetic declination.
 The North Magnetic Pole moves over time due
to magnetic changes in the Earth's core 17
 True or Geographical Meridian

 The line or plane passing through the geographical

north pole and any point on the surface of the earth
 True meridian at a station is constt
 True meridian passing through different points on the
earth surface are not parallel but converge towards
poles
 For small survey they are considered parallel

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 True Bearing: the angle between the true meridian
and a line is known as true bearing of the line

True meridian
AZIMUTH- the smaller angle
A true North
which a line makes with the true
meridian
azimuth
If True bearing > 180º
Azimuth = 360- True bearing
True bearing
If True bearing < 180º
O
Azimuth = True bearing

If True Bearing = 275º

Azimuth = 360- 275= 85º 19
 Magnetic Declination
True Meridian (True north)
Magnetic Meridian
Mag north True bearing =?
θ
B

magnetic bearing = ? A

Magnetic Declination
The horizontal angle between the magnetic meridian
and true meridian is known as magnetic declination
Magnetic declination = True bearing- magnetic bearing
20
Magnetic declination = True bearing- magnetic bearing
MN N
Magnetic declination = -ve
θ
When north end of the
W E
magnetic needle is pointed
towards west side of True
meridian-
Declination west (θ W)
N
Magnetic declination = +ve MN
θ
When north end of the
W E
magnetic needle is pointed
towards east side of True
meridian-
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21
  Calculate the true bearing of line if its magnetic
bearing is S 50º 45’W and Declination is 3º 45’E
N MN
Magnetic declination = +ve
θ
θ = 3º 45’
W E

Magnetic Bearing = S 50º 45’W

So True Bearing = Magnetic Bearing +

Magnetic declination
= S 50º 45’W + 3º 45’ = S 54º 30’W
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 Magnetic Declination

 Magnetic declination varies both from place to place,

and with the passage of time.
 It is not constt.
 Complex fluid motion in the outer core of the Earth
(the molten metallic region that lies from 2800 to
5000 km below the Earth's surface) causes the
magnetic field to change slowly with time. This
change is known as secular variation.
 Because of secular variation, declination values
shown on old topographic, marine and aeronautical
charts need to be updated if they are to be used
without large errors.
23
 Secular Variation
 Annual Variation
 Diurnal Variation
 Irregular variation

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 Secular Variation: The magnetic meridian behaves
like a pendulum wrt true meridian. After every 100
years or so it swings from one direction to opposite
direction and hence declination varies (2º-2.5º)
 Annual Variation: the magnetic declination varies due
to rotation of the earth with its axis inclined , in an
elliptical path around the sun during a year- (1-2
min)
 Diurnal variation: varies due to rotation of the earth
on its axis in 24 hrs (3-12 min)
 Irregular Variation : the magnetic declination is found
to vary suddenly due to some natural causes such as
earth quake, volcanic irruptions etc.
 May vary at any time, at nay place and can not be
predicted (1º-2º) For circulation in JUIT Only, (Strictly prohibited for
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 How can we calculate declination at any
given place?
 One way would be to use declination maps.
 Unfortunately because of secular variation,
declination values are constantly changing. When
printed maps were the only way of getting this
information, the declination values were
somewhat out of date by the time the maps got to
the general public.

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 Another way would be to perform a prediction.
 This should be based on a world-wide
empirical model of the deep flows.
 web page operated by the National
Geophysical Data Center (NDGC) offers a
pretty good value for declination.
 The model reflects a highly predictable rate of
change, and will usually be more accurate than
a map.
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 Local attraction
 A magnetic needle indicates the north dir when
freely suspended
 If it comes near some magnetic field, iron ore, steel
str, electric cable etc- it deflects from its true dir
 This disturbing influence of magnetic substance is
known as local attraction
 If difference between Back bearing and Fore bearing
of a line is 180º ---- No local attraction

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 To compensate the effect of local attraction, the
amount of error is found out and equally
distributed between fore and back bearing of the
line

Observed FB of AB = 60º 30’ Difference = >180

BB of AB= 240º
Calculated BB of AB = 60º 30’+180= 240º 30’
240 º+ 240º 30’ = 240º 15’
Corrected BB of AB =
2

Hence FB of AB = 240º 15’ – 180 º = 60 º 15’

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 True or Geographical Meridian
Magnetic Meridian

Arbitrary Meridian

 Some times for the survey of small area, a

convenient direction is assumed as a
meridian
 Angle between the arbitrary meridian and
a line is known as arbitrary bearing of line

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 Grid Meridian
 Some times , for preparing a map, state
agencies assume several lines parallel to
the true meridian for a zone. These lines
are termed as grid lines and central line
the grid meridian.
 The bearing of a line wrt the grid meridian
is known as grid bearing of the line.

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 The following bearing were observed with
a compass . Calculate the interior angles

Line Fore
Bearing
AB 60 º 30’ D
B
BC 122 º A
C
CD 46 º
DE 205 º 30’ E

EA 300º

Included angle = Bearing of previous line- Bearing of next32line

< A = Bearing of line AE
- Bearing of line AB D
= (300-180) - 60º 30’ B
= 59º 30’ A
C
< E = Bearing of line ED
- Bearing of line EA
E
= (205º 30’-180) - 300º
= (25º 30’) - 300º = -274º 30’
= 360 -274º 30’ = 85º 30’

< D = Bearing of line DC - Bearing of line DE

= (46º+180) - 205º 30’ = 20º 30’
< C = Bearing of line CB < B = Bearing of line BA
- Bearing of line CD - Bearing of line BC
= (122º+180) - 46º = 256º = (60º30’+180) -122º = 118º 30’
33
The following bearing were observed with a
compass, an area where local attraction was
suspected . Calculate the correct bearing
Line FB BB
On observing bearing, it
is found that Difference of
AB 59 º 00’ 239 º 00’ FB and BB for line AB is
180 º
BC 139 º 30’ 317 º 00’
So Point A and B are free
CD 215 º 15 36 º 30’ form Local attraction
DE 208 º 00’ 29 º 00’

EA 318º 30’ 138º 45’ For circulation in JUIT Only,

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Line FB BB So (FB) of line BC is also correct
= 139 º 30’
So B B of line BC will be
AB 59 º 00’ 239 º 00’
= 139 º 30’ + 180 º = 319 º 30’
BC 139 º 30’ 317 º 00’ But observed is 317 º 00’
CD 215 º 15 36 º 30’ so a correction on point C =
DE 208 º 00’ 29 º 00’ correct bearing – observed bearing

319 º 30’ - 317 º = +2 º 30’

EA 318º 30’ 138º 45’

Now correct FB of Line CD = 215 º 15 +2 º 30’ = 217 º 45’

So B B of line CD will be = 217 º 45’- 180 = 37 º 45’
But observed is 36 º 30’ so a correction on point D = +1º 15’
35
Line FB BB so a correction on point D =
+1º 15’

AB 59 º 00’ 239 º 00’ So correct FB of Line DE =

BC 139 º 30’ 317 º 00’ 208 º 00’ +1º 15’ = 209º 15

CD 215 º 15 36 º 30’ So B B of line DE should be

DE 208 º 00’ 29 º 00’ = 209º 15’ -180º = 29º 15’

EA 318º 30’ 138º 45’ so a correction on point E =

correct bearing – observed bearing
29º 15’ – 29 = + 15 ‘
So correct FB of Line EA = 318º 30’ + 15’ = 318º 45’

So B B of line EA should be = 318º 45’ -180º = 138º 45’

36
Line FB BB correction Correct Correct
FB BB
AB 59 º 239 º 0 º at A 59 º 00’ 239 º 00’
00’ 00’
BC 139 º 317 º 0 º at B 139 º 30’ 319º 30’
30’ 00’
CD 215 º 36 º +2 º30’ at 217 º 45 37º 45’
15 30’ C
DE 208 º 29 º +1 º15’ at 209 º 15’ 29 º 15’
00’ 00’ D
EA 318º 138º +0º15’ at 318º 45’ 138º 45’
30’ 45’ E
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 Home assignment 2
 Difference
between Prismatic Compass
and Surveyor Compass ?

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