MEASUREMENT OF ANGLES AND DIRECTIONS

DIRECTIONS OF LINES
The direction of a line is defined as the horizontal angle the line makes with an established
line of reference. There are various kinds of angles which can be used to describe the direction of
lines. In surveying practice, directions may be defined by means of: interior angles, deflection
angles, angles to the right, bearings, and azimuths.
INTERIOR ANGLES
The angles between adjacent lines in a closed polygon are called interior angles.
∑ Interior. angles = (n-2)180°
Where:
n = Number of Sides
EXTERIOR ANGLES
Exterior angles are located outside a closed polygon and are referred to as explements of
interior angles. An explement is the difference between 360 degrees and any one angle.
∑ Exterior. angles = (n+2)180°
Where:
n = Number of Sides
DEFLECTION ANGLES
The angle between a line and the prolongation of the preceding line is called a deflection
angle.
ANGLES TO THE RIGHT
Angles to the right are measured clockwise from the preceding line to succeeding line.
BEARINGS
The direction of a line may be described by giving its bearing. The bearing of a line is the
acute horizontal angle between the reference meridian and the line.
N BEARING = N 30° E
B
W
A Meridian

S
 Bearing may also be designated in a different manner when the direction of a line lies in
the same direction as the reference meridian or reference parallel.
FORWARD AND BACK BEARINGS
Using the quadrantal system, any line on the surface of the earth may be defined by two
directions which differ from each other by exactly 180 degrees.
AZIMUTHS
The azimuth of a line is its direction as given by the angle between the meridian and the
line measured in a clockwise direction from either the north or south branch of the meridian.
TWO TYPES OF AZIMUTH
1. Engineering Azimuth – It is an angle formed between the meridian and the line
starting from south taken clockwise.
2. Military Azimuth – Started from north
Azimuths may be called true, magnetic, assumed, or grid, depending on the reference
meridian form which they have been measured
FORWARD AND BACK AZIMUTHS
Any line established on the earth’s surface has two azimuths – a forward azimuth and a
back azimuth.
RULES
Rule 1: If the forward azimuth of the line is greater than 180 deg., subtract 180 deg. to
obtain the back azimuth.
Example:
Forward Azimuth = 340°
Backward Azimuth = 349° - 180° = 160°
Rule 2: When the forward azimuth of the line is less than 180 deg., add 180 deg. to
determine the back azimuth.
Example:
Forward Azimuth = 80°
Backward Azimuth = 80° + 180‫ = ۦ‬260°
ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEMS
1. DETERMINING ANGLES FROM AZIMUTHS. Compute the anglesAPB, CPD, and
EPF from the following set of lines whose azimuths are given.
a. AZIMn of Line PA = 39°48’ ; AZIMn of Line PB = 115°29’
b. AZIMs of Line PC = 320°22’ ; AZIMs of Line PD = 62°16’
c. AZIMn of Line PE = 219°02’ ; AZIMs of Line PF = 154°16’
Solution:
1.
N A
39°48’

115°29’

P 115°29’ - 39°48’ = 75°41’

2. A1 = Azimuth from south of line PC or 320°22’

A2 = Azimuth from south of line PD or 62°16’
ϴ = Angle CPD

ϴ = A2 + (360° - A1)
ϴ = 62°16’ + (360° - 320°22’)
ϴ = 101°54’

3. A1 = Azimuth from north of line PE or 219°02’

A2 = Azimuth from south of line PF or 154°16’
ϴ = Angle EPF

ϴ = A2 - (A1 – 180°)
ϴ = 154°16’ - (219°02’– 180°)
ϴ = 115°14’
 MEASUREMENT OF ANGLES AND DIRECTIONS
THE COMPASS
The compass is a hand-held instrument for determining the horizontal direction of a line
with reference to the magnetic meridian.
1. Compass Box
2. Line of Sight
3. Magnetic Needle
TYPES OF COMPASS
1. Brunton Compass – The Brunton Compass is one of the most versatile and widely
used. Itcombines the main features of a prismatic compass, sighting compass, hand
level, and clinometer.
2. Lensatic Compassb – The Lensatic Compass consists of an aluminium case containing
a magnetic dial balanced on a pivot, a hinged cover with a sighting wire, a hinged
eyepiece containing a magnifying lens for reading the dial graduations, and a sighting
slot for viewing the distant object.
3. Surveyor’s Compass – Surveyor’s Compass which was popularly used earlier for
running limited plane surveys of reasonable accuracy.
4. Plain Pocket Compass – This type of compass is similar to the surveyor’s compass,
except that it has nno sight vanes.
5. Prismatic Compass – In a Prismatic Compass the graduations are found on a rotating
card instead of being on the compass box.
6. Forester’s Compass – The Forester’s Compass is another type of a pocket compass
which is usually made of aluminium or some type of metal which does not affect the
free movement and positioning of the magnetic needle.
7. Transit Compass – The engineer’s transit has a compass box which is similar in
construction to the surveyor’s compass.
MAGNETIC DECLINATION
The magnetic poles are not points but oval areas located about 2,000 km away from the
actual location of the geographic poles of the earth. These areas are not fixed and may move to a
different location everyday, perhaps as far as 50 km.
ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEMS
1. MAGNETIC DECLINATION. The magnetic declination in a locality is 2°30’E.
Determine the true bearing and true azimuths reckoned from north and south of the
following lines whose magnetic bearings are given.
a. AB, N 25°40’ E
b. AC, S 50°12’ E
c. AD, S 62°18’ W
Solution:
a. Determining True bearing and true Azimuth of Line AB
True Bearing AB = 2°30’ + 25°40’
True Bearing AB = N 28°10’ E

π = ρ = 28°10’
= 180° + π = 180° + 28°10’
π = 208°10’
b. Determining True Bearing and True Azimuth of Line AC
ρ = α − d = 50°12’ – 2°30’
ρ = 47°42′

π = 180° − ρ = 180° - 47°42’

π = 132°18’

A = 180° + π = 180° + 132°18’

A = 312°18’
c. Determining True Bearing and True Azimuth og Line AD
True Bearing = 2°30’ + 62°18’
True Bearing = S 64°48’ W

π = 180° + ρ = 180° + 64°48’

π = 244°48’

A = ρ = 64°48’
2. MAGNETIC DECLINATION. A field is in the form of a regular pentagon. If the true
bearing of side AB is N 30°30’ E, determine the true azimuth from south of the following
sides of the field. AB, BC, and CD. Assume that the corners of the field are labelled in a
clockwise direction.
Solution:
a. Determining the Interior Angles
Sum = (n – 2)180° = (5 – 2)180°
Sum = 540°

ϴ = Sum/n = 540/5
ϴ = 108°
b. Determining True Bearing and true Azimuth of Side AB
True Bearing = 30°30’

A = 180° + α = 180° + 30°30’

A = 210°30’
c. Determining True Bearing and True Azimuth of Side BC
ρ = θb − α = 108° - 30°30’
ρ = 5°30’

A = 360° - α = 360° - 5°30’

A = 354°30’
3. MAGNETIC DECLINATION. In a compass survey made fifty years ago theobserved
magnetic bearing of a reference line XY was S 50°18’ E when the magnetic declination
was 8°15’ east. Lately in 1986, a new survey was ade and the declination in the same survey
site changed to 12°10’ West. Determine the following descriptions of line XY:
a. Its true bearing
b. The true azimuth form south
c. Its new magnetic bearing
d. The magnetic azimuth from south in 1986
Given:
d1 = 8°15’ east
d2 = 12°10’ west
α = S 50°18’ E
Required:
a. True Bearing
b. True Azimuths from South
c. New magnetic Bearing
d. New Magnetic Azimuth from South
Solution:
a. True Bearing XY = 50°18’ – 8°15’
True Bearing XY = S 42°03’ E
b. True Azimuth from South = 360° -(50°18’ – 8°15’)
True Azimuth from South = 360° - 50°18’ + 8°15’
True Azimuth from South = 317°57’
c. ρ = A − d2 = 42°03’ – 12°10’
ρ = S 29°53’ E
d. ∅ = 360° - ρ = 360° - 29°53’
∅ = 330°07’