1) What do you understand by meridians?

Reference directions are meridians or a line joining with the North and South Pole. All lines
of longitude are meridians. The use of meridian of reference from which the direction of survey
lines regarding the facilities afforded for checking and plotting, that this system preference to the
other.

GN Geographical Meridian
MN Magnetic Meridian

Fig 0.4.1
a) Geographical Meridian
The line passing through the geographical North Pole and South Pole and any point on the
surface of the earth is called Geographical Meridian. i.e., the true or geographical meridian
passing through a point is the line in which the Earth’s surface is intersected by a plane
through the north and south astronomical poles and the given point. The determination of
its direction through a station involves astronomical observation.

b) Magnetic Meridian
The direction of the earth’s magnetic line of force is known as Magnetic meridian. The
magnetic needle is suspended freely and balanced properly, when the needle shows this
direction or the magnetic meridian of a place is the direction indicated there by freely
floating and properly balanced magnetic needle, uninfluenced by local disturbing forces.

c) Grid Meridian
When we trying to prepare a map, there is several lines parallel to the Geographical
meridian for particular zone by administrator of the state. In some countries the
government survey and official maps and plans are based on one or more geographical
meridians, each of which serves as an axis of a coordinate system covering a north-south
strip of country restricted in width so that the errors arising from representing the round
earth on a flat map are kept within acceptable limits. That is we call Grid Meridian.

d) Arbitrary Meridian
For small surveys, especially in unmapped country, any convenient direction may assumed
as a meridian. This artificial meridian is usually the direction from a survey station either to
some well-defined and permanent point or to an adjoining station. It is desirable that its
magnetic bearing should be known. An arbitrary meridian has the merit of being invariable,
and its direction can be recovered when required if the station or stations defining it are
permanently marked or fixed by ties from permanent objects.

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ICBT MOUNT CAMPUS | HND In QS and BE, Batch No: 18, In No: QS/18/14
2) What are the systems of bearings?

A bearing is the direction of a line as given by the angle between the line and a meridian. Bearings
are specified on either of two systems of notation. They are given below,

a) The Whole circle Bearing (WCB) or Azimuth method

b) The Quadrantal Bearing (QB)

a) Whole circle bearing (WCB) or Azimuth method

The direction of survey lines is generally expressed as an angle originates from a reference
meridian, especially north. Which is marked 0° or 360°, and measured clockwise from the
meridian, through E., 90°, S., 180°, and W., 270°.

Fig 0.4.2

b) Quantrantal Bearing (QB)

In the Quantrantal Bearing system, they are numbered in four quadrants, increasing from 0°
to 90° from N. to E., S. to E., S. to W., and N. to W. Thus, if O (Fig.0.4.3) is a survey station, and ON
the meridian through it, the bearing of the lines from 0 are

NαE

SβE

SγW

NδW

Fig 0.4.3

Quadrantal bearings are never reckoned from the E. and W. line, so that the letter which
precedes the figure must be either N. or S.

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ICBT MOUNT CAMPUS | HND In QS and BE, Batch No: 18, In No: QS/18/14
3) What is Local Attraction?

If the back-sight does not agree with the first or forward-sight this later must be taken over
again. If the same difference is again found, this shows that there is Local Attraction at one at one
of the stations; i.e. some influence such as a mass of iron ore and ferruginous rocks, under the
surface, which attracts the needle and makes it deviate from its usual direction.

If the different of the forward bearing and back bearings of the line is exactly 180° then
there is no local attraction. If the forward bearing and back bearing of a line do not differ by 180°
then the needle is said to be affected by local attraction. For example consider the case when,

Observed FB of AB = 276°
Observed BB of AB = 98°

Then
276°-98° = 178°

180°-178° = 2

2/2 = 1°

Therefore,
Corrected FB of AB = 276°+1°
= 277°

Corrected BB of AB = 98°-1°
= 97°

4) Describe the Bowditch’s mathematical solution and graphical solution?

Mathematical Solution in Bowditch Rule

Based on the assumption that angles (bearings) are observed to the same degree of
precision that distances can be measured

• Adjust the angular misclose

• calculate the misclose in position
• adjust according to the formula

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ICBT MOUNT CAMPUS | HND In QS and BE, Batch No: 18, In No: QS/18/14
 l
Corr Lat = ΔL Misclosure of E (¿ N)×
Length Side
∑l {Corr. to E (or N) = Perimeter
}
l
Corr Dep = ΔD
∑l

 l= Length of the current line

 ΔL = Latitude of the current line
 ΔD = Departure of the current line

 ∑l = Sum of the traverse line lengths

Graphical Solution

When the plat of a survey does not “close”, it

may be corrected as follows. Let ABCDE be
the boundary lines platted according to the
given bearings and distances and suppose
that the last course comes to E, instead of
ending at A, as it should. Suppose also that
there is no reason to suspect any single great
error and that no one of the very rough
ground or was especially uncertain in its
direction when observed.

The inaccuracy must then be distributed among all the lines in proportion to their length. Each
point in the figure, B, C, D, and E must be moved in direction of parallel to EA, by a certain distance
AB and divide by the sum of all the courses. The quotient will be the distance BB’. To get CC’,
multiply EA by AB+BC, and divide the product by the same sum of all the courses. To get DD’
multiply EA by AB+BC+CD and divide as before. So for any course, multiply by the sum of the
lengths of that course and of all those preceding it and divide as before. Join the points thus
obtained and closed polygon AB’C’D’A will thus be formed and will be the most probable plat of the
given survey.

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5 A.B. Ulfath Bary
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