SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS
1. Alidade - (archaic forms include alhidade, alhidad, alidad) - is a device that allows one
to sight a distant object and use the line of sight to perform a task - to draw a line on a
plane table in the direction of the object or to measure the angle to the object from some
reference point. The alidade's primary use is for creating maps in the horizontal plane.
2. A circumferentor, or surveyor's compass, is an instrument used in surveying to measure
horizontal angles, now superseded by the theodolite.
3. Theodolite - a precision instrument for measuring angles in the horizontal and vertical
planes. Theodolites are mainly used for surveying applications, and have been adapted
for specialized purposes in fields like metrology and rocket launch technology.
4. Transit refers to a specialized type of theodolite developed in the early 19th century. It
featured a telescope that could "flip over" ("transit the scope") to allow easy back-
sighting
5. A total station is an electronic/optical instrument used in modern surveying. The total
station is an electronic theodolite (transit) integrated with an electronic distance meter
(EDM) to read slope distances from the instrument to a particular point.
6. Chain - An old survey equipment introduced in 1620
7. A laser line level is a tool combining a spirit level and/or plumb bob with a laser to
display an accurately horizontal or vertical illuminated line on a surface the laser line
level is laid against. Laser line levels are used wherever accurate verticals and horizontals
are required, typically in the construction and cabinetry industries.
8. A surveyor's wheel, also called a clickwheel, hodometer, waywiser, trundle wheel,
measuring wheel, or perambulator is a device for measuring distance.
9. The graphometer or semicircle is a surveying instrument used for angle measurements.
It consists of a semicircular limb divided into 180 degrees and sometimes subdivided into
minutes.
10. An inclinometer or clinometer is an instrument for measuring angles of slope (or tilt),
elevation or depression of an object with respect to gravity. It is also known as a tilt
meter, tilt indicator, slope alert, slope gauge, gradient meter, gradiometer, level gauge,
level meter, declinometer, and pitch & roll indicator. They measure both inclines
(positive slopes, as seen by an observer looking upwards) and declines (negative slopes,
as seen by an observer looking downward).
SURVEY INSTRUMENTS
1(b) Modern Telescopic Alidade
1(a) Alidade
2. Circumferentor 3/4. Theodolite 5. Total Station
7(b)Level
6. Surveyor’s Chain 7(a). Laser line level
9. Graphometer 10(b) Simple
8. Surveyor’s wheel 10(a) Inclinometer
inclinometer
with compass
10(c) Military inclinometer
PACING INSTRUCTIONS
TAPES