Chapter: 9

Theodolite
9.1 Basic definition
 A surveying instrument for measuring horizontal and
vertical angles, consisting of a small tripod-mounted
telescope that is free to move in both the horizontal and
vertical planes.
 A theodolite is a precision instrument for measuring

angles in the horizontal and vertical planes. 

 Theodolites are used mainly for surveying applications,

and have been adapted for specialized purposes in

fields like metrology and rocket launch technology.
Cont..
 It is important to know about theodolite parts and
their functions before using it to minimize errors
during theodolite surveying. 
 Theodolite is an instrument used in surveying to

measure horizontal and vertical angles.

 It is also used for leveling, indirect measure of

distances and prolonging a line etc.

Uses:

The Theodolite is a most accurate surveying instrument

mainly used for :
 Measuring horizontal and vertical angles.
 Locating points on a line.
 Prolonging survey lines.
 Finding difference of level.
 Setting out grades
 Ranging curves
 Tacheometric Survey
TERMS USED IN TRANSIT VERNIER THEODOLITE

 Centering: Centering means setting the theodolite exactly over an

instrument station so that its vertical axis lies immediately above the
station mark.
 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.
 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.
Cont…
 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.
 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.
 Axis of the Level Tube / Bubble Line: It is a straight line tangential
to the longitudinal curve of the level tube at the center of the tube. It
is horizontal when the bubble is in the center.
 Vertical Axis: It is the axis about which the telescope can be rotated
in the horizontal plane.
 Horizontal Axis / Turnnion Axis: It is the axis about which the
telescope can be rotated in the vertical plane.
9.2 Construction principle and parts of theodolite
Cont….
The vertical cross hair should lie in a plane perpendicular to
the horizontal axis .
The axis of each plate level should lie in a plane perpendicular
to the vertical axis
The horizontal axis should be perpendicular to the vertical
axis .
The axis of the telescope level should be parallel to the line of
sight
The line of sight should be perpendicular to the horizontal axis
at its intersection with the vertical axis . Also, the optical axis ,
the axis of the objective slide , and the line of sight should
coincide.
Cont…
9.3 Temporary adjustment of theodolite

 Temporary adjustments are set of operations which are

performed on a theodolite to make it ready for taking
observations. These include its initial setting up on a
tripod or other stand, centering, levelling up and
focusing of eyepiece.
 Initial setting
 Centering
 Levelling
 Focusing
Initial setting:
 The initial setting operation includes fixing the theodolite on a tripod,
along with approximate levelling and centering over the station mark.
 For setting up the instrument, the tripod is placed over the station
with its legs widely spread so that the centre of the tripod head lies
above the station point and its head approximately level (by eye
estimation).
 The instrument is then fixed with the tripod by screwing through the
trivet.
 The height of the instrument should be such that observer can see
through telescope conveniently.
 After this, a plumb bob is suspended from the bottom of the
instrument and it should approximately align with the station mark.
Centering:

 Centering means bringing the vertical axis of the theodolite exactly over

the station mark.
 Exact centering is done by using the shifting head of the instrument.
 During this, first the screw-clamping ring of the sliding head is

loosened and the upper plate of the shifting head is slid over the lower
one until the plumb bob is exactly over the station mark.
 After the exact centering, the screw clamping ring is tightened.
 This can be done by means of a forced centering plate or tribrach.
 An optical or laser plummet is normally used for the most accurate

setting.
 The centering and levelling of the instrument is interactive and iterative;

a re-levelling may change the centering, so error each is eliminated in

successively until negligible.
Levelling:
 Leveling of an instrument is done to make it vertical axis with respect
to the apparent force of gravity at the station.
 For two spirit vials at right angles;

1. Bring one of the level tubes parallel to any two of the foot screws, by
rotating the upper part of the instrument.
2. The bubble is brought to the centre of the level tube by rotating both
the foot screws either inward or outward. The bubble moves in the same
direction as the left thumb.
3. The bubble of the other level tube is then brought to the centre of the
level tube by rotating the third foot screw either inward or outward. [In
step 1 itself, the other plate level will be parallel to the line joining the
third foot screw and the centre of the line joining the previous two foot
screws.
Cont….
5. Repeat Step 2 and step 3 in the same quadrant till both
the bubble remain central.
6. By rotating the upper part of the instrument through
180°, the level tube is brought parallel to first two-foot
screws in reverse order. The bubble will remain in the
centre if the instrument is in permanent adjustment.
Otherwise, repeat the whole process starting from step 1 to step 5.

 The same principle applies for a bulls-eye level:

1.Bring the level parallel to any two of the foot screws, by rotating
the upper part of the instrument.
2. The bubble is brought to the centre of the level tube by rotating
both the foot screws either inward or outward.
3. Rotate the upper part of the instrument through 180°, so the
level is over the remaining foot screw. The bubble will remain in
the centre if the instrument is in permanent adjustment. If not
adjust this screw to halve the error. Then rotate back through
180 degrees and check the error. Adjust those screws to halve
the residual error. Continue until the bubble is always central on
the ring.
Focusing:

To obtain an accurate clear sighting, the cross hairs

should be in focus; adjust the eyepiece to do this.

 Focusing of eyepiece lens.

 Focusing of objective lens.

Focusing of eyepiece lens.

 For focusing of the eye piece, point the telescope to

the sky or hold a piece of white paper in front of
telescope.
 Move the eye-piece in and out until a distinct sharp

black image of the cross-hairs is seen.

 This confirms proper focusing. 
 To clearly view the object being sighted Focus the

objective lens.
Focusing of objective lens.

 It is done for each independent observation to bring the

image of the object in the plane of cross hairs.
 It includes following steps of operation: First, direct the 
telescope towards the object for observation.
 Next, turn the focusing screw until the image of the object
appears clear and sharp as the observer looks through
properly focused eye-piece.
 If focusing has been done properly, there will be no
parallax i.e., there will be no apparent movement of the
image relative to the cross hairs if the observer moves his
eye from one side to the other or from top to bottom.
9.4 Measurement of horizontal angle, vertical angle and zenith angle

MEASUREMENT OF HORIZONTALANGLES:
There are three methods of measuring horizontal angles:
 Ordinary Method.
 Repetition Method.
 Reiteration Method
Ordinary Method.
 To measure horizontal angle AOB:
 Set up the theodolite at station point O and
 level it accurately.
 Set the vernier A to the zero or 360 0 of the horizontal circle.
 Tighten the upper clamp.
 Loosen the lower clamp.
 Turn the instrument and direct the telescope towards A to bisect
it accurately with the use of tangent screw.
 After bisecting accurately check the reading which must still
read zero. Read the vernier B and record both the readings.
 Loosen the upper clamp and turn the telescope clockwise until
line of sight bisects point B on the right hand side.
Cont…
 Then tighten the upper clamp and bisect it accurately by turning
its tangent screw.
 Read both verniers. The reading of the vernier a which was

initially set at zero gives the value of the angle AOB directly and
that of the other vernier B by deducting 1800 .The mean of the
two vernier readings gives the value of the required angle AOB.
 Change the face of the instrument and repeat the whole process.

The mean of the two vernier readings gives the second value of
the angle AOB which should be approximately or exactly equal to
the previous value.
 The mean of the two values of the angle AOB ,one with face left

and the other with face right ,gives the required angle free from
all instrumental errors.
Observation Table:
Repetition Method.

 This method is used for very accurate work. In this

method, the same angle is added several times
mechanically and the correct value of the angle is
obtained by dividing the accumulated reading by the
number of repetitions.
 The number of repetitions made usually in this method is
six, three with the face left and three with the face right.
 In this way, angles can be measured to a finer degree of
accuracy than that obtainable with the least count of the
vernier.
Observation Table
 To measure horizontal angle by repetitions:-
 Set up the theodolite at starting point O and level it accurately.

 Measure The horizontal angle AOB.

 Loosen the lower clamp and turn the telescope clock – wise until the

object (A) is sighted again. Bisect B accurately by using the upper

tangent screw. The vernier will now read the twice the value of the
angle now.
 Repeat the process until the angle is repeated the required number of

times (usually 3). Read again both vernier . The final reading after n
repetitions should be approximately n X (angle). Divide the sum by the
number of repetitions and the result thus obtained gives the correct
value of the angle AOB.
 Change the face of the instrument. Repeat exactly in the same manner

and find another value of the angle AOB. The average of two readings
gives the required precise value of the angle AOB.
Reiteration Method

 This method is another precise and comparatively less

tedious method of measuring the horizontal angles.
 It is generally preferred when several angles are to be
measured at a particular station.
 This method consists in measuring several angles
successively and finally closing the horizon at the starting
point.
 The final reading of the vernier A should be same as its
initial reading.
 If not, the discrepancy is equally distributed among all the
measured angles.
Procedure:
 Suppose it is required to measure the angles AOB, BOC and COD. Then to
measure these angles by repetition method.
 Set up the instrument over station point O and level it accurately.
 Direct the telescope towards point A which is known as referring object. Bisect it

accurately and check the reading of vernier as 0. Loosen the lower clamp and turn
the telescope clockwise to sight point B exactly. Read the vernier again and the
mean reading will give the value of angle AOB.
 Similarly bisect C & D successively.
 Finally, close the horizon by sighting the object A again. The vernier A should now

read zero degree. If it does not, note down the reading and find the total error in
closing the horizon and distribute it equally among all the angles respectively.
 Now change the face and repeat the whole procedure to obtain the individual angle

in anticlockwise direction.
 Determine the final value of each angle by taking average of the value obtained by

face left and face right.

Observation Table
Station Target Face HCR Average Horizontal
Angle angle
A FL
FR
B FL
FR
O C FL
FR
D FL
FR
Total 3600
MEASUREMENT OF VERTICAL ANGLES:

A vertical angle is an angle between the inclined line

of sight and the horizontal line.
It may be an angle of elevation or depression according
as the object is above or below the horizontal plane.
To Measure the Vertical Angle of an object
A at a station O:
 Set up the theodolite at station point O and level it accurately with
reference to the altitude bubble.
 Set the zero of vertical vernier exactly to the zero of the vertical circle
clamp and tangent screw.
 Bring the bubble of the altitude level in the central position by using
clip screw. The line of sight is thus made horizontal and vernier still
reads zero.
 Loosen the vertical circle clamp screw and direct the telescope towards
the object A and sight it exactly by using the vertical circle tangent
screw.
 Read both vernier on the vertical circle. The mean of the two vernier
readings gives the value of the required angle.
 Change the face of the instrument and repeat the
process. The mean of the two vernier readings gives the
second value of the required angle.
 The average of the two values of the angles thus

obtained, is the required value of the angle free from

instrumental errors.
Note

 Circle reading in case of vertical angle

 During Face left vertical angle will be computed in the

following manner,
 Vetical angle = 90° - VCR reading.
 During Face right vertical angle will be computed in

the following manner,

 Vertical angle = VCR reading– 2700
 If ‘ +ve’ = Anghe of elevation
 ‘ –ve’ = Anghe of depression
Observation Table:
Station Target Face VCR Vertical Average
angle vertical
angle
FL (90°-VCR)
O T FR (VCR-270°)
Error in theodolite

Instrumental Error:
 Imperfect level of plate level.
 LOC not perpendicular to horizontal axis, Horizontal

axis not perpendicular to vertical axis.

 LOC & axis of telescope not parallel.
 Eccentricity of inner& outer axis.
 Imperfect graduation, Eccentricity of vernier.
Personal Errors in Manipulation:
 Inaccurate centering,
 Inaccurate leveling,
 Slip, Wrong tangent screw.
 Errors in Sighting & Reading Inaccurate sighting,
 Ranging rod is not vertical,
 Parallax.
Natural Error :
 Unequal expansion due to temperature change.
 Atmospheric refraction due to high temperature.
 Strong winds
 Unequal settlement.
Thank you…