Angular Measurement
• Horizontal and vertical angles are fundamental
measurements in surveying
• Theodolite is the instrument used to perform
accurate angular measurements in surveying
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The geometrical relationships of a
properly adjusted instrument
(1) the vertical axis should be ⊥ to
the plate bubble axis
(2) the horizontal axis should be ⊥
to the vertical axis
(3) Line of collimation should be ⊥
to the horizontal axis
(4) vertical axis reads 90° or 270 °
when the telescope is placed at
level position
(5) The optical plummet coincides
with the line of gravity and
passes through the vertical axis
(6) The crosshairs are in focus so
that no parallax exists
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Angular Measurement
• Vertical angle is the angle of
elevation or depression
between the line of collimation • Horizontal angle is the
and the horizontal plane which difference between 2
passes through the horizontal intersecting lines when they are
axis of the theodolite projected onto the datum plane
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Station Adjustment or Temporary
Adjustment
• A theodolite muste be accurately adjusted to
the correct position and is levelled in every
set-up.
• The above procedure entails:
– Setting over the station (centering);
– Levelling up; and
– Focusing and Elimination of Parallax.
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 (1) Setting up Setting Up – rough centering
(1) Establish the (2) Examine and memorise
tripod roughly over (4) Using the footscrews to incline the line of
the position of the (3) Attach the
the survey point sight through the optical plummet, centre
instrument in the box theodolite to the the plummet exactly on the survey point
tripod

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Vertical tangent screw

Levelling Total Station Instrument
Vertical Clamp screw

• slide the legs in or out until the

circular bubble is exactly centre. Focusing ring
• although the tripod movement may
be excessive, the plummet will still 0° Horizontal tangent screw
be on the survey point. 90
• instrument is approx. centred and
levelled

Eyepiece
•precisely level the instrument using the plate
bubble
•Unclamp and move the whole instrument
over the tripod until the plummet crosshair is
exactly over the survey point Display Panel Horizontal clamp screw
•repeat these 2 steps until the instrument is ON/OFF switch
exactly centred and levelled Distance Measurement button
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 Eyepiece
Focusing ring
Face of theodolite and compensated
measurement
Display Panel • Position of the vertical circle relative to the
Horizontal clamp screw
observer
Distance • Face Left (F.L.) – normal observing position
Measurement where the vertical circle is on the left of the
Horizontal face left
tangent screw button observer
• Face Right (F. R.) – vertical circle is to the right
side of the observer
ON/OFF switch • To change from F.L. to F.R., the telescope is
transited and then followed by 180° turn in the
horizontal plane
• The telescope will than be pointing at the target
and with the vertical circle to the right of the face right
observer
Optical plummet • All angles should be measured once with F.L.
footscrew
and once with F.R. and the results be averaged to
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Errors in Angular measurement Errors in Angular measurement

• Instrumental errors; Human errors; Natural errors
Instrumental Errors
• systematic errors and can be corrected through permanent adjustment of the
theodolite
• 5 types: Vertical axis error; Horizontal axis error; Horizontal collimation error;
Vertical collimation error; Optical plummet error
Natural Errors
• Smaller in magnitude and in a random pattern
• They are:
1. Unequal atmospheric refraction (choose cool days or night time);
2. Differential expansion in certain of the theodolite (insulation);
3. Vibration of the theodolite due to strong wind
4. Improper settlement of the tripod (pushing tripod legs firmly into the grounds)
5. Limitations of the theodolite reading systems and human eyesight
6. Heat shimmer
(Note: minimize time spent on the observations and movements around the
theodolite)
Human Errors
• Mistakes caused by poor observational techniques or carelessness.
• They are serious and significant as it is impossible to correct or make
adjustments
• They can be avoided if proper field procedure is adopted such as
observing more than one round of observations
• The errors are:
1. Set up the theodolite on a wrong station
2. Sights a wrong target
3. Fails to recognize the settlement of the tripod
4. Transcribes errors and interchanges digit in booking
5. Reads the wrong circle in the reading system
6. Ignores the movement of the plate bubble during observation
7. Fails to adjust the eyepiece to eliminate parallax completely

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Veritcal Angle or Zenith Angle

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