UNIT 3

THEODOLITE SURVEYING

Theodolite – Vernier and microptic – Description and uses – Temporary and

permanent adjustments of vernier transit – Horizontal angles – Vertical angles –
Trigonometrical Levelling- Heights and distances – Traversing – Closing error and
distribution – Gale’s tables – Omitted measurements

INTRODUCTION:

Theodolite is an instrument used to measure horizontal and vertical angles. It

consists of a telescope by means of which distant objects can be sighted. The telescope
has to distinct motions one in the horizontal plane and the other in the vertical plane, the
former being measured on a graduated horizontal circle by means of a set of verniers, and
the latter on a graduated vertical circle by two verniers.
It can also be used for various other purposes such as lying of horizontal angles, locating
points on a line, prolonging survey lines, establishing grades, determining differences in
elevation etc. Theodolites are mainly used for surveying applications, and have been
adapted for specialized purposes in fields like metrology and rocket launch technology.
When the telescope is pointed at a target object, the angle of each of these axes can be
measured with great precision, typically to seconds of arc.
Classification
Theodolite may be classified into two types are as follows: -
✓ Transit theodolite
✓ Non-transit theodolite
Theodolite is also classed as
✓ Vernier theodolite
✓ Micrometer theodolite
Transit theodolite
A theodolite is said to be a transit then its telescope can be revolved through 180° in a
vertical plane about its horizontal axis. The transit type is largely used, while the other
two types have now become obsolete.
Non-transit theodolite
A theodolite is said to be a non-transit when its telescope cannot be revolved through
180° in a vertical plane about its horizontal axis.
Size of theodolite
A theodolite is designated by diameter of the graduated circle on the lower plate. The
common sizes are 8cm to 12 cm while 14 cm to 25 cm instrument are used for
triangulation work.

Essential parts of a transit theodolite:

1. Trivet
It is a circular plate having a central threaded hole for fixing the theodolite on the
tripod stand by a wing nut. It is also called the base plate. Three foot screws are secured
to this plate by means of ball & socket arrangements.

2. Foot screws
These are used to level the instrument. The lower part of the foot screws are
secured in the trivet by means of ball &. socket arrangement, the upper threaded part
passes through the threaded hole in the tribrach plate

3. Tribrach
It is a triangular plate carrying three foot screws.

4. Levelling Head
The Trivet, foot screws and tribrach constitutes as Levelling Head Assembly.

5. Spindle
There are two spindles, the inner axis is solid and conical and outer is hollow.
Both are coaxial.

6. Lower plate
It is attached to the outer axis. It is also called as scale plate and graduated from 0°
to 360° in a clockwise direction. Each degree again subdivided into 3 divisions. The
value of one division is 20’.
The Lower plate is provided with a clamp screw and a tangent screw which
control its movements.
When the clamp screw is tightened, the plate is fixed with outer axis.
Fine tuning can be achieved by the corresponding tangent screw.
The size of the theodolite is designated by the diameter of the Lower plate.
7. Upper plate
The upper plate contains the vernier scales A and B. It is attached to the inner axis.
Its motion is controlled by the upper clamp screw and its upper tangent screw. When the
clamp screw is tightened the vernier scales are fixed with the inner axis and for fine
adjustments tangent screws are used.

8. Plate bubble
Two plate bubbles are mounted at right angle to each other on the upper surface of
the vernier plate. One bubble is kept parallel to the horizontal axis and the other
perpendicular to the horizontal axis or line of sight bubbles are meant for Levelling the
instrument.

9. Standard or A-frame
Two frames (shape of alphabet 'A') are provided on the upper plate to support the
telescope, the vertical circle vernier scales.

10. Telescope
Telescope is pivoted between the standards at right angles to the horizontal axis.
The telescope provided with a focusing, clamp and tangent screws. It can be rotated about
its horizontal axis in a vertical plane.

11. Vertical circle

Vertical circle is rigidly fixed with the telescope and moves with it. It is divided into four
quadrants from 0° to 90°. Zero marks on the horizontal diameter of the vertical circle.
The line joining the zero mark corresponds to the line of collimation. It is also provided
with clamp & tangent screw.

12. Index Bar or T-frame

Index bar is provided on the standard in front of the vertical circle. It carries two verniers
C and D at the two ends of horizontal arms. The vertical leg of the index bar is provided
with a clip screw at the lower end by means of which the altitude bubble can be brought
to the centre.

13. Altitude Bubble

A long sensitive bubble tube is provided on the top of index bar. The bubble IS brought
to the centre by the clip screw at the time of observing vertical angle
Important Terms
Transiting
Transiting is also known as plunging or reversing. It is the process of turning the
telescope about its horizontal axis through 1800 in the vertical plane thus bringing it
upside down and making it point, exactly in opposite direction.

Swinging the telescope

It means turning the telescope about its vertical axis in the horizontal plane. A swing is
called right or left according as the telescope is rotated clockwise or counter clockwise.
Face Left
If the vertical circle of the instrument is on the left side of the observer while taking a
reading, the position is called the face left and the observation taken on the horizontal or
vertical circle in this position, is known as the face left observation
Face Right
If the vertical circle of the instrument is on the right side of the observer while taking a
reading, the position is called the face right and the observation taken on the horizontal or
vertical circle in this position, is known as the face right observation.
Line of Collimation
It is also known as the line of sight .It is an imaginary line joining the intersection of the
cross- hairs of the diaphragm to the optical centre of the object- glass and its
continuation.
Axis of the Telescope
It is also known an imaginary line joining the optical centre of the object- glass to the
centre of eye piece.
Vertical Axis and Horizontal Axis
It is the axis about which the telescope can be rotated in the horizontal plane. It is the axis
about which the telescope can be rotated in the vertical plane. It is also called the trunion
axis.
Changing Face
It is the operation of bringing the vertical circle to the right of the observer, if originally
it is to the left and vice-versa. It is done in two steps: firstly revolve the telescope through
180° in a vertical plane and then rotate it through 180° in the horizontal plane i.e. first
transit the telescope and then swing it through 180°.
Axis of the Level Tube
It is also called the bubble line. It is a straight line tangential to the longitudinal curve of
the level tube at the centre of the tube. It is horizontal when the bubble is central.
THE METHODS OF MEASUREMENT HORIZONTAL ANGLES IN
THEODOLITE
MEASUREMENT OF VERTICAL ANGLE USING THEODOLITE:

Measurement of vertical angles

Angle of Elevation Angle of Depression

THE TEMPORARY ADJUSTMENTS OF THEODOLITE:

Temporary adjustments of theodolite:

(i) Setting up the instrument
PERMANENT ADJUSTMENTS OF THEODOLITE
THE VARIOUS ERRORS IN THEODOLITE SURVEYING:
TRIGNOMETRIC LEVELLING

“ Trigonometric levelling is the process of determining the differences of elevations of

stations from observed vertical angles and known distances. ”
✓ The vertical angles are measured by means of theodolite. The horizontal distances
by linear measurements.
✓ If the distance between instrument station and object is small, correction for
earth's curvature and refraction is not required.
✓ The Combined correction for curvature and refraction in linear measure is given
by C = 0.06728 D2 metres , Where D is in Km.
✓ C is +ve in case of Elevation & -ve in case of Depression.
✓
CASE 1 - BASE OF THE OBJECT ACCESSIBLE

Here,
h = D tan α
R.L of Q = R.L of P + h1 + h
Where h1 is the height of the instrument

CASE 2 - BASE OF THE OBJECT INACCESSIBLE, INSTRUMENT STATIONS

IN THE VERTICAL PLANE AS THE ELEVATED OBJECT A) INSTRUMENT
AXES AT THE SAME LEVEL
If BM is Known and Bs is the staff reading then,
R.L of Q = R.L of BM + Bs + h

b) Instrument axes at the different level:

TRAVERSING

Traversing means determining the lengths and directions of consecutive lines.

➢ Traversing consists of reconnaissance (selecting, marking and referencing

stations), picking up details and booking the fields notes.
➢ Theodolite traverses are classified under the following two headings.
✓ Open traverse – survey the detail from one station to another station
✓ Closed traverse – the survey finishes at the same station

Traversing With a Theodolite

In theodolite traversing, the field-work consisting of

1. Reconnaissance

2. Selection of stations

3. Marking and locating stations

4. Running of survey lines

5. Booking of field-notes
Horizontal Control:

Horizontal control is required for initial survey work (detail surveys) and for setting out.
The simplest form is a TRAVERSE - used to find out the co-ordinates of TRAVERSE
STATIONS.

a) Polygon or loop traverse

b) Link traverse
GALES TRAVERSE TABLE-DEFINITION, PROCEDURE AND TABLE

Traverse computations are usually done in a tabular form, a more common form being
gales traverse table is shown below figure. For complete traverse computations, the
following steps are usually necessary.

The procedure used for making gales traverse table

1. Adjust the interior angles to satisfy the geometrical conditions, that is sum of interior
angles to be equal to (2N-4) right angles and exterior angles (2N+4) right angles.
In the case of a compass traverse, the bearings are adjusted for a local attraction
2. Starting with observed bearings of one line, calculate the bearings of all other lines.
Reduce all bearings to the quadrantal system.
3. Calculate the consecutive co-ordinates ( that is latitudes and departures)
4. Calculate the ∑L and ∑D.
5. Apply necessary corrections to the latitudes and departures of the lines so that ∑L=0
and ∑D=0. The corrections may be applied either by transit rule or by compass rule
depending upon the type of traverse.
6. Using the corrected consecutive coordinates, calculate the independent coordinates to
the points so that they are all positive, the whole of the traverse thus lying in the northeast
quadrant.
Hope you understand the procedure and steps used in gales traverse table.
ADJUSTMENT TRAVERSE THEODOLITE

Latitude and Departure

➢ Latitude of the line = l cos θ

➢ Departure of the line = l sin θ
➢ Where l = length of the line

Linear Misclosure The procedures involve are as follow:

(i) Find latitude and departure for each line.

(ii) Arithmetical sum of latitude (northing) and (southing), departure (easting)
and (westing).
(iii) Find the differences between arithmetical sum of positive and negative for
latitude and departure. Latitude differences (dL) and departure differences
(dD).
(iv) Find closing error = dL2 + dD2
(v) Linear misclosure = clossing error / Perimeter of traverse

CORRECTION FOR LATITUDE AND DEPARTURE TWO METHODS:

1. Bowditch‟s Rule

2. Transit Rule

1. Bowditch‟s Rule

➢ Correction latitude = Length of that side / perimeter of traverse x Total

error in latitude
➢ Correction departure = Length of that side / perimeter of traverse x Total
error in departure

2. Transit Rule

➢ Correction latitude = Latitude of that side / sum of all latitude x Total error
in latitude
➢ Correction departure = Departure of that side / sum of all departure x Total
error in departure
COMPUTATION OF AREA OF A CLOSED TRAVERSE

The area of a traverse may be computed by the following method

1. Double meridian distance

2. Coordinates

1. Double meridian distance

1) A= ½ (DMD departure X Corrected latitude)

2) A = ½ (DMD latitude X Corrected departure)

2. Coordinates

➢ A= 1/2 {[(X1 x Y2)+(X2 x Y3)+(X3 x Y4)+(X4 x Y1)] - [(YI x X2)+(Y2 x

X3)+(Y3 x X4)+(Y4 x X1)]}
A theodolite was setup at a distance of 180m from a light house and the angle of
elevation to its top and depression to its base were observed as 22045’ and 1012’
respectively. The reading an a staff held on B.M of R.L. 175.590 m was 1.85with line
of collimation horizontal. Calculate

(i) The height of light house

(ii) The R.L of top.(A/M -2015)

Θ1 = 220 45’, Θ2 = 10 12’

h 1 = 180 x tan Θ1= 75.480 m , h 2 =180 x tan Θ2 = 3.77 m

Θ1 h1

Θ2
1.850m
h2
BM 175.590 180 m

(i) Ht of light house h= h1 + h2 = 79.25 m

(ii) RL of top = B.M + 1.850 + h 1 = 252.920 m