EXPERIMENT : 5
Date:
MEASUREMENT OF HORIZONTAL ANGLE BY THEODOLITE
Aim: To determine a horizontal angle by the method of repetition.
Equipment: Transit Theodolite, Tripod, Plumb Bob, Ranging Rods and Pegs.
Principle:
In the method of repetition, the angle is measured and added to itself several times and divided
by the number of times it is added. It is then possible to obtain the value of angle to a greater
degree of accuracy than the least count of the vernier. The error due to imperfect graduations is
also minimized.
Procedure:
The method of repetition is used to measure a horizontal angle to a finer degree of accuracy than
that obtainable with the least count of the vernier. By this method an angle is measured two (or)
more times by allowing the vernier to remain clamped each time at the end of each measurement
instead of setting it back at zero when sighting at the previous station. Thus an angle reading is
mechanically added several times depending upon the number of repetitions. The average
horizontal angle is then obtained by dividing the final reading by number of repetitions.
Generally six repetitions are done three with the telescope normal and three with the telescope
inverted. To measure the horizontal angle, say angle PQR (Fig.1) the following procedure is
followed.
1. Setup the instrument at ‘Q’ and level it.
2. Loosen the upper clamp and turn the upper plate until the index of vernier ‘A’ nearly
coincide with the horizontal circle. Now tight the upper clamp.
3. Turn the upper tangent screw so as to make the two zeros exactly coincide. So that
‘A’ vernier reads 00 and ‘B’ vernier reads 1800.
4. Sight station ‘P’, tighten the lower clamp and bisect station ‘P’ exactly by using the
lower tangent screw.
5. Unclamp the upper clamp and swing the telescope, bisect station ‘R’ by using the
upper clamp and upper tangent screw.
6. Read both the verniers take average to get PQR.
7. Unclamp the lower clamp and swing the telescope and bisect station ‘P’ accurately
by using the lower clamp and lower tangent screw.
8. Read both the verniers check the vernier reading it should be the same (unchanged)
as that obtained in step 6.
9. Release the upper plate by using upper clamp and bisect station ‘R’ accurately by
using upper tangent screw. The vernier will read twice the PQR
10. Repeat the procedures for required number of times say three times and find out the
value of PQR.
11. Change face and make three more repetitions as described above. Find the average
angle with face right by dividing the final reading by three or whatever the number of
repetitions.
12. The average Horizontal angle is then obtained by taking the average of the two
angles obtained with face left and face right.
Fig.1 Measurement of Horizontal Angle (Repetition Method)
Observations and Calculations:
Observations are entered in the field book and the angles are calculated.
Face: Right - Swing: Right Face: Left - Swing: Right Mean
Inst. Sight Included
At to Included Included angle
A B Mean A B Mean
angle angle
0 ‘ “ 0 ‘ “ 0 ‘ “ 0 ‘ “ 0 ‘ “ 0 ‘ “ 0 ‘ “ 0 ‘ “ 0 ‘ “
The average included angle =
Result:
The angle is measured by the method of repetition and the obtained Horizontal angle is PQR =
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