CESURV2L - ENGRybirds BSCE221C - Fieldwork Documentation 4 - Midterm Activity

NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY
CESURV2L
Fundamentals of Surveying - Fieldwork
MEASURING HORIZONTAL ANGLE OVER LEVEL GROUND USING

CHORD BISECTION METHOD
Exercise 5
Submitted by: ENGRybirds

BSCE221C
Members:
Balitanor, Karisse R.
Fajardo, Josh Rafael
Llaet, Reggis Haven O.
Nasis, Jhester P.
Robles, Honey Jane A.
Romero, Blaise E.
Suating, Darvie Angelo D.P.
Date: September 30, 2023

Introduction
Measuring horizontal angles is a crucial part of the surveying and engineering fields,
as it provides data that can be used for construction, mapping, and other geological
applications. The chord bisection method commonly uses transit and theodolite to measure
the horizontal angles in a field and can also be utilized with a tape measure.
This method is significant for precision, efficiency, and effectiveness for surveyors or
field surveys with a long-distance measurement. This also enables fast data collection of
distances from points in order to calculate its horizontal angles. Accurate measurements can
be achieved by carefully lining up the instrument with the necessary points and bisecting the
chord created by the horizontal angles.
Furthermore, it is crucial to understand the concepts and methods underlying the chord
bisection to provide accurate results. This entails setting up the tools correctly, reading and
recording it correctly, and considering any potential faults, sources of uncertainty, or
obstructions in a field.
In this exercise, the chord bisection method is utilized, discussing its application and
formula for measuring horizontal angles over level ground and determining the standard
deviation obtained in the exercise.
Objectives
The objective of this exercise was to measure a horizontal angle over level ground
using the chord bisection method. The method involved establishing lines forming an acute
angle, creating perpendicular lines, and laying out various distances to measure the distance
between the two points to determine the angle. Furthermore, this activity aimed to calculate
the angle, mean angle, and standard deviation obtained during the utilization of the activity.
Materials/Equipment
The materials/equipment required for this exercise includes:

• Measuring Tape
• Range Pole
• Marking Tool
Procedure
The measurement of horizontal angles is a fundamental task in various fields, including

surveying, engineering, and construction. Accurate angle measurements are essential for
ensuring the proper alignment of structures and boundaries. One of the methods commonly
used for measuring horizontal angles over level ground is the chord bisection method. This
method provides a practical and precise way to determine horizontal angles without complex
equipment or extensive calculations. In this experiment, the following procedures are utilized
to execute this exercise:
In the initial part of the exercise, point A serves as the vertex of the angle to be
measured. A 20-meter line is laid out from point A, denoted as AB. From point A, another line
is established at an acute angle relative to AB, with point D marking its end. To create a
perpendicular line to AD, a tape length of more than 10 meters is stretched from point B as a
pivot. The intersection point with AD is designated as C, and the distance from BC is
measured. Next, distances of approximately 6 meters (designated as L) are marked along
both AB and AC, resulting in points B and C. A line connecting B and C is established, and
the distance of B'C' is measured. This process is repeated for three trials with L values of 6,
9, and 12 meters. To ensure accurate measurements, the mean angle is computed, and the
standard deviation is determined. The standard deviation should not exceed 1, indicating the
precision of the obtained angle measurements.
Photo Documentation
The following images/pictures were taken during the procedure or execution of the exercise.
Mark any point on the ground and designate this as point A. This point will be the
vertex of the angle.
From this vertex, a 20-meter distance was laid out, and the end was marked as point B .
From point A, another line was laid out, which has an approximately acute angle from line
AB and is longer than line AB. Designated as point D.
Point B was set as the pivot point and 10 meters were stretched from the pivot point to
locate the midpoint that would create a perpendicular to line AD. Designated as point C.
From point A, distances were laid out (designated as distance L) of about 6 meters along
lines AB and AC, and the end points were designated as points B’ and C’, respectively.
The line between points B’ and C’ was connected, and the distance of line B'C' was
measured.
𝑋⁄
2
The angle BAC was computed using the formula 𝜙 = 2𝑠𝑖𝑛 −1 [ ]
𝐿
Steps 5 to 7 were repeated using L = 9 meters as the second trial and L = 12 meters as the
third trial.
Compute the mean of angle Φ and determine the standard deviation of your obtained angle
Φ
∑(𝑥𝑖 − 𝜇)2
𝜎=√
𝑁
To obtain a good measurement and computed angle, the computed standard deviation
should not exceed 1.
Figure 1. Illustration
Data Interpretation
Line BC (m)
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
L (m) 6 9 12
Line X or B’ C’ (m) 2.860m 4.282m 5.734m
𝝓(°) 27.5764° 27.5240° 27.6452°
𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝝓(°) 27.5819°
𝝈 0.0608
Table 1. Tabulated Data
The data presented in table 1 shows the result of three trials conducted to determine
the angle in each trial. In trial 1, where the distance (L) was 6 meters, the measurement for
Line X or B’ C’ was found to be 2.860 meters, resulting in an angle of 27.5764 degrees. For
trial 2, with L set at 9 meters, Line X or B’ C’ measured 4.282 meters, yielding an angle of
27.5240 degrees. Lastly, in trial 3, where L was extended to 12 meters, Line X or B’ C’
measured 5.734 meters, resulting in an angle of 27.6452 degrees.
Moreover, the mean angle computed from the three (3) trials is 27.5819 degrees and
the standard deviation was found to be 0.0608, indicating a consistent value of measured
angle and suggesting a relatively high accuracy and precision of the chord bisection method
for measuring horizontal angles over level ground in this exercise.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the activity of measuring horizontal angles on the ground by bisecting

the chord proves to be a valuable exercise in understanding angle measurement. By following
the specified procedure and performing several experiments with different distances (L), we
can accurately calculate the angle Φ.
The results obtained demonstrated the consistency of the angle measurements across
the three tests, with the average angle Φ being approximately 27.58 degrees. While the small
standard deviation (σ) of 0.06078 " indicates the accuracy of our measurements, which is
within the acceptable limit of 1". This consistency and accuracy in angle measurement is
essential in various fields, such as surveying, engineering, and construction, where accurate
angle measurement is vital to ensure quality works and projects.
In summary, this exercise not only improves our practical angle measuring skills but
also emphasizes the importance of accuracy and consistency in obtaining reliable data for
various applications. It also emphasizes the importance of following a systematic procedure,
recording data accurately, and the role of mathematics and measurement techniques in real-
life situations.
References:
Wolf, P.R., Ghilani, C.D., Mikhail, E.M. (2012). Elementary Surveying: An Introduction to
Geomatics. Pearson. Retrieved from: https://cdn.prexams.com/10981/Solutions_-
_Elementary_Surveying_13th_ed-libre.pdf
Mastin, Tom B., Kavanagh, B. (2013). Surveying - Principles and Applications, 9th Ed.
pdfcoffee.com. Retrieved from: https://pdfcoffee.com/kavanagh-b-surveying-principles-and-
applications-9th-ed-20132-pdf-free.html

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NATIONAL

MEASURING HORIZONTAL ANGLE OVER LEVEL GROUND USING

Submitted by: ENGRybirds

Date: September 30, 2023

The materials/equipment required for this exercise includes:

The measurement of horizontal angles is a fundamental task in various fields, including

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

Line X or B’ C’ (m) 2.860m 4.282m 5.734m

𝝓(°) 27.5764° 27.5240° 27.6452°

𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝝓(°) 27.5819°

Table 1. Tabulated Data

In conclusion, the activity of measuring horizontal angles on the ground by bisecting

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