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Defining Angular Measurements
and Directions

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Surveying Course: Module 5

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------------------- Objectives -------------------

Define terms associated with angles, directions and their
measurement

Enumerate and differentiate different types of meridians

Differentiate various units and means of defining angles and

directions, as well as surveying instruments and accessories used
to measure such quantities

Describe magnetic declination

--------------------- Outline ---------------------

Terminology
Angles in Vertical Plane
Meridian
Units for Measuring Angles
Means of Defining Angles and Directions
Instruments for Angle and Direction Measurements
Magnetic Declination
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----- PLUMBLINES AND LEVEL SURFACE -----

LEVEL SURFACE
- a curved surface every element of
which is normal to a line that is
directed exactly toward the Earth's
center of gravity (plumb line).

PLUMBLINES

Source: J.P. La Putt (1987) 5

----------------- ZENITH AND NADIR ------------------

- direction away from the
center of the earth and
above the observer’s head

LEVEL SURFACE
PLUMBLINE

- direction towards the

center of the earth
Source: J.P. La Putt (1987) 6
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----- HORIZONTAL PLANE, LINE, ANGLE -----

- an angle formed by
the intersection of two
HORIZONTAL ANGLE
lines in a horizontal
plane

HORIZONTAL LINE (LINE OF SIGHT) LEVEL SURFACE

- a line tangent to a level
HORIZONTAL PLANE surface; in surveying, a
horizontal line of sight is
- plane tangent to a level considered straight
surface at a particular point

Source: J.P. La Putt (1987) 7

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------- VERTICAL PLANE, LINE, ANGLE --------

VERTICAL ANGLE - a line perpendicular to
- angle between the horizontal plane
two intersecting
VERTICAL LINES
lines in a vertical
plane

LEVEL SURFACE

VERTICAL PLANE

- a plane in which a vertical line is an element Source: J.P. La Putt (1987) 8

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COMPONENTS OF AN ANGLE

1. Reference line

2. Direction of the turn

3. Magnitude of the angle itself

------ ANGLES IN THE VERTICAL PLANE ------

Zenith Angle – angle measured from a line
directed towards the zenith (vertical
plane)

Vertical Angle – angle measured from the

horizontal

Nadir Angle – angle measured from a line

towards the nadir (vertical plane)

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--------------------- MERIDIAN ---------------------

• Fixed line of reference for determining direction of lines

• TYPES OF MERIDIAN
1. True Meridian
2. Magnetic Meridian
3. Grid Meridian
4. Assumed Meridian

Source: J.P. La Putt (1987) 11

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TYPES OF MERIDIAN: TRUE MERIDIAN

North-South line passing through the geographic poles of the earth

Thi s Photo by Unknown Author i s licensed under CC BY-SA This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

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TYPES OF MERIDIAN: MAGNETIC MERIDIAN

Lies parallel to the magnetic lines of force of the earth and is indicated
by the direction of the magnetized needle (compass)

Thi s Photo by Unknown Author i s licensed under CC BY-SA Thi s Photo by Unknown Author i s licensed under CC BY-SA

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TYPES OF MERIDIAN: GRID MERIDIAN

Line parallel to the central true meridian

Thi s Photo by Unknown Author i s licensed

Thi s Photo by Unknown Author i s licensed under CC BY-SA
under CC BY-SA

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TYPES OF MERIDIAN: ASSUMED MERIDIAN

Arbitrarily chosen for convenience

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------- UNITS FOR MEASURING ANGLES -------

Degree

Radians

Grad

Mils
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------- UNITS FOR MEASURING ANGLES -------

Degree • Sexagesimal system is used
wherein the circumference
of a circle is divided into
Radians 360 parts or degrees
• Basic unit is degree (°)
which is further subdivided
Grad into minutes (’) and
seconds (”) → DMS
• 1° = 60’ = 3600’’
Mils Thi s Photo by Unknown Author i s licensed under CC BY-SA

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------- UNITS FOR MEASURING ANGLES -------

• 1 radian is defined as the
Degree angle subtended at the
center of a circle by an arc
length exactly equal to the
Radians radius of the circle
• Referred as the natural
angle because there is no
Grad arbitrary number in its
definition
• 1 radian = 180°/pi
Mils
Thi s Photo by Unknown Author i s licensed under CC BY-SA

≈ 57.2958°
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------- UNITS FOR MEASURING ANGLES -------

• Centesimal system is used
Degree wherein the circumference
of a circle is divided into
400 parts or grads
Radians • Basic unit is grad (g)
subdivided into centesimal
minutes (c) and centesimal
Grad seconds (cc)
• 1g = 100c and 1c = 100cc Thi s Photo by Unknown Author i s licensed under CC BY-SA

• Example: 235.2618g =
Mils 235g26c18cc 200g = 180o
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------- UNITS FOR MEASURING ANGLES -------

• Circumference of circle is divided into 6400 parts
Degree called mils
• Commonly used in military operations to set the
fire direction of artillery units
Radians • 1600 mils = 90o

Grad

Mils
Thi s Photo by Unknown Author i s licensed under CC BY-SA 20

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EXAMPLE
Angular Unit Conversion

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EXAMPLE
What is the equivalent angular unit of 128 015’05” in:
(a) Grad (b) radians (c) mils

1 rev = 360° = 2π rads = 400 grads = 6400 mils

a DMS to grad:
400 grads
128°15’05”
360°
b DMS to radian:
2π rads
128°15’05”
360°
c DMS to mil:
6400 mils
128°15’05”
360°

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------- MEANS OF DEFINING -------

------- ANGLES AND DIRECTIONS -------

Bearing Azimuth Interior Deflection Angle to

Angle Angle the Right

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- indicated by the
quadrant in which the line
falls (NE, NW, SE, SW) and
the acute angle that the b 12 = N 75015’ E
line makes with the 2
meridian in that quadrant N
Bearing
75015’

a. True bearing
- direction of any b. Magnetic bearing
W E
line with respect to c. Grid bearing 1
a given meridian d. Assumed bearing
(N or S)
S
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- on any given survey, the direction

of zero azimuth is either always
South or always North Az(N)12 = 75015’
a. True azimuth Az(S)12 = 225015’
b. Magnetic azimuth 2
c. Grid azimuth N
Azimuth d. Assumed azimuth
255015’

- direction as given by
W E
the angle between the 1
meridian (N or S) and
the line measured in a
clockwise direction S
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- angle between
adjacent lines
C
inside a polygon

Interior 800

Angle
450
A
550

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- angle between the line and the

prolongation of the preceding line
(either to the left or to the right) C

1000
Deflection 1350

Angle A

B
1250

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- measured clockwise from

the preceding to the 2800
following line
C

Angle A
to the 3150

Right B
3050

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EXAMPLE
Converting between Bearings and Azimuths

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EXAMPLE 1
Compute for the bearing and azimuth from North and South of lines 12 and 13.
N

2
75°15’
W 1 E
40°
50°

10° 3

4 S
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EXAMPLE 2
Compute for the bearing and azimuth from North and South of lines 12 and 13.
N

2
220°05’
W 1 25°15’ E

3
S
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------- INSTRUMENTS FOR ANGLE -------

--- AND DIRECTION MEASUREMENTS ---

Tape Magnetic Transit Theodolite Total

Compass Station

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--------- MAGNETIC DECLINATION ---------

TN
▪ The angle between the true E (+)
meridian and the magnetic W (-)
f f

meridian
▪ Add or subtract f to convert
between magnetic and true
directions
▪ Published maps contain the
value of magnetic declination
for the year the map was
TS
produced
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--------- MAGNETIC DECLINATION ---------

Thi s Photo by Unknown Author i s licensed under CC BY-SA-NC 34

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END OF LECTURE
QUESTIONS?

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