CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY

College of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering

MEASUREMENT
OF DIRECTION & ANGLE
Topic 5 of CE 31
1st Semester, SY 2021-2022
MERIDIAN
A line on the mean surface of
the earth joining the north and
south poles
TRUE MERIDIAN
This line passes through the geographic north and south poles of the
Earth and the observer's position. Since all true meridians converge at
the poles, they are not parallel to each other.
MAGNETIC MERIDIAN
This fixed reference line lies parallel with the magnetic lines of force of
the Earth. Its direction is defined by a freely suspended magnetic needle
of a compass held at the observer's position.
GRID MERIDIAN
This fixed line of reference is parallel to the central meridian of a
system of plane rectangular coordinates. The use of grid meridians is
applicable only to plane surveys of limited extent.
ASSUMED MERIDIAN
This arbitrarily chosen fixed line of reference is taken for convenience.
This is usually the direction from a survey station to an adjoining station
or some well-defined and permanent point.
 UNITS OF ANGULAR
MEASUREMENT
The magnitude of an angle can be expressed in different units, all of which
are basically derived from the division of the circumference of a circle.

The Degree The Grad The Mil The Radian

NORTH
POINTS
Map users are primarily concerned with
the north point for the determination
of directions and the following are the
commonly used reference points.
TRUE NORTH
This is the north point of the true meridian. In maps and sketches, it is
portrayed in the direction of the actual location of the Earth's north
geographic pole and is always shown along a vertical line.
MAGNETIC NORTH
This is the north point that is established by means of a magnetized
compass needle when there are no local attractions affecting it and is
indicated by the direction of the magnetic lines of force. at that point.
GRID NORTH
This is a north point which is established by lines on a map which are
parallel to a selected central meridian. It may coincide with lines
directed toward true north.
ASSUMED NORTH
This is used to portray the location of any arbitrarily chosen north point.
SAMPLE
CONVERSIONS
 DIRECTION OF LINES
The direction of a line is defined as the horizontal angle
the line makes with an established line of reference.

INTERIOR ANGLE DEFLECTION ANGLE ANGLE TO THE RIGHT

The angle between adjacent lines The angle between a line and the Measured clockwise from the
in a closed polygon prolongation of a preceding line preceding line to the succeeding line
CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering

BEARING &
AZIMUTH
Topic 6 of CE 31
1st Semester, SY 2021-2022
BEARING
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.

HOW TO DETERMINE THE BEARING OF A LINE?

A quadrantal system is used to specify bearings such that
a line may fall under one of the following: NE, SE, NW, SW.
Either N or S precedes the bearing angle and then E or W
follows the indicated value of the angle (e.g. N 31.5deg E)
If the line lies parallel to any of the four cardinal
directions, then they can be said as 'due north', 'due east',
'due west', or 'due south'.
FORE & BACK
BEARINGS
AZIMUTH
Another method used in designating the direction of a line is
by the use of azimuths. The azimuth of a line is its direction
as given by the angle between the meridian and the line.

HOW TO DETERMINE THE AZIMUTH OF A LINE?

The azimuth is measured clockwise from either north or
south and the value ranges from 0 to 360.
Letters are not used to identify quadrants.
Since both the north and south branches of the meridian
are used, it is important to always specify and record
which branch is used whenever azimuths are recorded.
FORE & BACK
AZIMUTHS
ILLUSTRATIVE
PROBLEMS
CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering

MAGNETIC
DECLINATION
Topic 7 of CE 31
1st Semester, SY 2021-2022
 Components of a Compass
COMPASS Compass Box
Line of Sight
Magnetic Needle
Types of Compasses
Brunton Compass
Lensatic Compass
Surveyor's Compass
Plain Pocket Compass
Prismatic Compass
Forester's Compass
Transit Compass
 THE COMPASS
A handheld instrument for determining the horizontal
direction of a line with reference to the magnetic meridian
 MAGNETIC DECLINATION
The horizontal angle and direction by which the magnetic needle of
a compass deflects from the true meridian at any particular locality.
 The magnetic declination in a certain locality is 2deg30'E. Determine the true
bearing and true azimuths reckoned from north and south of the following lines:
a) Line AB, N 25deg40' E
b) Line AC, S 50deg12' E
c) Line AD, S 62deg18' W

Illustrative
Problems
 A field is in the form of a regular pentagon. If the true bearing of side AB is N
30deg30' E, determine the true azimuth from south of the following sides of
the field: AB and CD. Assume that the corners of the field are labeled in a
clockwise direction.

SEAT
WORK
끝.