INTRODUCTION TO COMPASS SURVEYy

INTRODUCTION TO COMPASS
SURVEY
COMPASS SURVEY
 Compass survey is a surveying technique that makes the use of a

compass to determine the direction of lines.
 It is a very simple technique used in the early stage of surveying
before more sophisticated techniques are employed.
Compass types used for Surveying

 The Prismatic compass
 Surveyer’s compass
 Level compass
Prismatic Compass
 Is a portable magnetic compass that may be used as a hand-

held device or mounted on a tripod .
 It has a prism that is used to accurately measure readings .
 The best feature of this compass is that it can be used for
both sighting and reading without moving positions .
SURVEY COMPASS
 It is made out of a circular brass box carrying a magnetic
needle that savings freely over a 360 degrees brass circle .
Surveyor’s compass
Level Compass
 The level Compass is a simple , needle style compass with a spirit level and its centre
fixed to require no adjustment for accuracy.
 It used for surveying horizontal angles such as angles in a building and related
measurements and is accurate only when the card’s plane of rotation remains
perpendicular to the horizontal plane .
INSTRUMENTS USED IN SURVEY

 Prismatic Compass
 Tape
 Tripod
 Chain Rod
 Plumb bob
 Arrows
 Ranging Rods
Tape
 This is a type of measuring tool that consists of two tapes , one
that flows with the wind and another that remaining fixed.
TRIPOD
 Is a device made of two poles that are linked together in the
centre by three legs , each leg has a round section on its
bottom .
 The round section rests on the ground and the legs are adjusted
so that their top is at the same level .
 A sighting Compass is mounted on top of a tripod .
Chain Rods
 A device that can be used to measure the distance

between 2 points
 A set of two consecutive parallel rod is clipped together
with a spring clip .
 The Rod that has not been released from the clip is then
used to measure the distance between the first and
second points .
Temporary Adjustments
 Adjust the compass while the instruments is being carried .

 The adjustments consists of moving a pin and the needle or card moves with it .
 Adjustments can be made in either direction.
 Temporary adjustments comprises of

 Centering is the process of precisely positioning the compass over the station
where the bearing is to be determined .
 Leveling if the instruments is used in hand or mounted on a tripod it must be
leveled .
 When held in hand the graduated disc should swing freely and appear to be
completely level in relation to the top edge of the case .
Compass Surveying Uses
 Useful for checking plans and subdivision maps

 It is helpful to establish a point of reference to make the total station or GPS
system more accurate .
 Temporary survey as well as permanent work such as land survey ,
topographical maps , aerial survey and layout projects.
Advantages of Compass Surveying
 Can measure any distance when there is no over-head power supply or

lighting conditions are not suitable for using a laser rangefinder .
 Compass survey techniques require very little physical exertion , making it
comfortable for everyone involved .
 Compass surveying is not affected by magnetic fields and can therefore be
utilized in any location of the world .
 There are no requirements for a license , permit or experience .
 There is no need for any formal education or training since it is self –
explanatory to anyone who is interested .
 The compass reading can be corrected by comparing it with the base map
which was pre-established .
Compass Surveying Disadvantages
 The compass is an old method of surveying , which involves a lot of manual calculations
making the process complicated and the data not very precise .
 The compass is not very accurate , nor can it be easily relocated after it has been set or
moved .
 Calculations can be time – consuming , depending on the distance between the points to
be surveyed .
 Some places require a permit to conduct compass surveying .
 It takes longer to survey a large area since calculations have to be done electronically .
 Compass surveying can be difficult to measure distances during night time , requiring the
use of a light source .
 Compass is not considered reliable for very long distances – a few hundred metres or
kilometres .

INTRODUCTION TO COMPASS SURVEYy

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

INTRODUCTION TO COMPASS SURVEYy

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

INTRODUCTION TO COMPASS SURVEYy

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

INTRODUCTION TO COMPASS

 Compass survey is a surveying technique that makes the use of a

Compass types used for Surveying

 Is a portable magnetic compass that may be used as a hand-

INSTRUMENTS USED IN SURVEY

 A device that can be used to measure the distance

 Adjust the compass while the instruments is being carried .

 Temporary adjustments comprises of

 Useful for checking plans and subdivision maps

 Can measure any distance when there is no over-head power supply or

You might also like