COMPASS

There are two forms of compass in common use,

PRISMATIC COMPASS

SURVEYORS COMPASS

PRISMATIC COMPASS

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CENTERING:

Centering is the process of keeping the prismatic compass over

the station point.
By moving the legs of the tripod suitably, centering will be done.
Centering is checked by dropping a stone so that it falls on the
top of the peg.

LEVELLING:

Leveling is the process of making the compass exactly

horizontal.
Level the compass by means of ball and socket arrangements.
When the compass is leveled, the aluminum ring swings freely.

FOCUSSING:

To adjust the height of the prism so that the observations can be

read clearly.

PRISMATIC vs SURVEYORS
COMPASS
The following are the essential points of difference
between the prismatic compass and the surveyor's
compass :
In the prismatic compass the reflecting prism carries a sighting
slit, and, therefore, the sighting of the object and reading of the
graduated ring are done simultaneously; while in the surveyor's
compass the observer has to sight the object first and then go
round to read the graduation on the card pointed to by the
north end of the needle with the naked eye.
In the prismatic compass the needle and the graduated ring are
attached together and remain in constant position when the box
is rotated; whereas in the surveyor's compass the graduated
card is fixed to the box and moves with the sights when the box
is turned, while the needle remains stationary constantly
pointing to the magnetic north.

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In the prismatic compass the graduations are numbered
clockwise from zero at the south end of the needle so that 90
are marked at the west, 180 at the north, and 270 at the east
as shown in fig.1. The figures are written inverted. Where as in
the surveyor's compass the card is divided into four quadrants
and the graduations are numbered from 0 to 90 in each
quadrant. The zero points are marked with the letters N and S,
and 90 points with the letters E and W as in fig.2.

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Fig. 1

Fig. 2

The prismatic compass may be held in the hand, while the

surveyor's compass must be supported on a single pointed rod
1-8 m long, called a Jacob staff, or on a light tripod.

BEARING OF LINES
The bearing of a line is the horizontal angle which the line
makes with some reference direction or meridian.
The reference direction employed in surveying may be,
A True Meridian,
A Magnetic Meridian,
An Arbitrary or Assumed Meridian.
The true meridian is usually employed in geodetic surveys,
while the magnetic meridian is used in plane surveys.

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TRUE MERIDIAN

The true or geographical meridian passing through a

point on the earths surface is the line in which the
plane passing through the given point, and the north
and south poles intersects the surface of the earth.

MAGNETIC MERIDIAN

The direction indicated by a freely suspended and

properly balanced magnetic needle, unaffected by
local attractive forces is called the magnetic meridian
or the magnetic north and south line.

ARBITRARY MERIDIAN

It is usually the direction from a survey station to

some well-defined permanent object, or the first line
of a survey.

AZIMUTHS & BEARINGS

AZIMUTHS

Azimuths are horizontal angles observed clockwise from any reference

meridian.
Also known to be Whole Circle Bearing.
Such system of designation is known as Whole Circle System.

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BEARINGS
The bearing of a line is defined as the acute horizontal angle between a
reference meridian and the line.
Also sometime referred as Reduced Bearing.
Such system of designation is known as Quadrantal System.

AZIMUTHS vs BEARINGS
AZIMUTHS

BEARINGS

Vary from 0 to 360

Vary from 0 to 90

Require only a numerical value

Require two letters and a numerical

value

Are measured clockwise only

Are measured clockwise and

Anticlockwise

Are measured either from north only,

or from south only on a particular
survey

Are measured from north and south

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FORE & BACK BEARINGS

Every line has two bearings one observed at each end of the line.
The bearing of a line in the direction of the progress of survey is
called fore or forward bearing (F.B.).
While its bearing in the opposite direction is known as the back or
reverse bearing(B.B.).
Back Bearing = Fore Bearing 180o

Use +ive if the given F.B. <180oand -ive if the given F.B. > 180o.

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In the quadrantal system the fore and back bearings are numerically equal
but with opposite letters.
The back bearing of a line may, therefore, be obtained by simply
substituting N. for S. or S. for N., and E. for W. or W. for E.
Thus, if the fore bearing of a line CD is N., 4025' E, the back, bearing of CD
is S.4025' W.

EXAMPLES BEARINGS

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