Friday, November 5, 2021 9:58 AM

COMPASS SURVEY
According to the method employed, surveying is classified into Triangulation surveying and Traverse
surveying. A series of connected survey lines of known lengths and directions is called a traverse. When
triangulation is not possible, traversing method is used. In traversing, when compass is used for making
angular measurements, it is known as compass traversing or compass surveying.
In compass traversing the directions of survey lines are fixed by angular measurements and not by forming a
network of triangles. A compass survey is one in which the traverse work consists of series of lines the lengths
and directions of which are measured with a chain or a tape, and with an angular instrument respectively.
A traverse may be classified as:
 Closed traverse
 Open traverse
Closed traverse: A closed traverse is a traverse in which the sides of a traverse form a closed polygon.

Open traverse: An open traverse is a traverse in which the sides of traverse do not form a closed polygon.

Compass Traversing in the Field

Compass survey requires the following instruments:
1) Prismatic compass
2) Chain and arrows
3) Tape
4) Ranging rods and
5) Pegs.
The compass traversing of an area involves the following steps:
1) Reconnaissance of area
2) Determining the direction of lines
3) Measuring the traverse legs and offsets.
1. Reconnaissance of area: The area is divided into triangles and of polygons. Suitable stations are selected
on the rough sketch and designated as A, B, C etc.
2. Determining the directions of survey lines: The compass is set at each successive stations i.e., A, B, C, D, E
of the closed traverse ABCDEA and the fore bearings and back bearings of lines are observed.
3. Measurement of traverse legs and offsets : A compass is centered over a station A and after leveling the
compass the fore bearing AB and back bearing EA are taken by sighting the ranging rods at A and E. The line
AB is chained and the offsets to the detailed points are noted and entered in the field notes. The operation is
repeated at other stations B, C, D, and E
Forward and Backward Bearings
In compass surveying, two bearings are observed for each line, one from each end of the line. The bearing of a
line in the direction of the progress of survey is called the forward bearing or fore bearing while the bearing
measured in the opposite direction is called as the backward bearing or back bearing.

Example:
The following are the observed fore bearings of lines of a traverse. Find their back bearings:
a.) AB 420 45’ b.) BC 1280 15’
c.) CD 2320 15’ d.) DE 3010 30’

Magnetic Declination
The horizontal angle and direction by which the needle of a compass deflects from the true meridian at any
particular locality is called the magnetic declination. Deflection of the needle maybe eastward or westward of
the true meridian. An east declination occurs if the north end of the needle is east of true north. It is a west
declination if the north end of the needle is west of true north.
Example:
The magnetic declination in a locality is 2030’ E. Determine the true bearing of the following lines whose
magnetic bearings are given.
a.) AB, N 25040’ E
b.) AC, S 50012’ E
c.) AD, S 62018’ W

Adjustment of compass traverse

In a compass traverse there are likely to be discrepancies between the observed forward and back bearings of
lines. Theses may be due to errors of observations or local attraction.
I. Adjustment of an open compass traverse
When adjusting an open compass traverse there are two important steps to perform: the first is to determine
which among the traverse lines is free from local attraction, and the second step is to perform the adjustment
of successive lines by starting from either end of the selected line. The unaffected line is referred to as the
“best line” and it is assumed that there is no local attraction anywhere on this line.
Example: Given in the tabulation below are the observed forward and backward bearings of an open compass
traverse. Plot the traverse and adjust the forward and backward bearing of each course.

LINE OBSERVED BEARINGS

FORWARD BACKWARD
AB N 25045’ E S 25040’ W
BC S 20030’ E N 20025’ W
CD S 35030’ W N 35030’ E
DE S 75030’ E N 75025’ W
EF N 58050’ E S 58015’ W
FG N 22005’ E S 21055’ W

II. Adjustment of a closed compass traverse

The adjustment of a closed compass traverse is similar to the adjustment of an open closed traverse except
that in closed traverse the effect of observational errors are consider. The following are the three important
steps performed during the adjustment:
a.) Computing and adjusting the interior angles
b.) Selecting the best line or the line in the traverse which is unaffected by local attraction

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b.) Selecting the best line or the line in the traverse which is unaffected by local attraction
c.) Adjusting the observed bearings of successive lines.
It will be noted that the last two steps are similarly done in the adjustment of an open compass traverse.

Example: The following are observed bearing of a closed compass traverse. Compute the interior angles and
correct them for observational errors, assuming the observed bearing of line AB to be correct, adjust the
bearings of the remaining sides.

LINE OBSERVED BEARINGS

FORWARD BACKWARD
AB S 30040’ W N 30040’ E
BC S 83050’ E N 84030’ W
CD N 2000’ W S 2015’ E
DE S 89030’ W DUE EAST
EA S 28050’ E N 28000’ W

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