UNIVERSITY OF MAURITIUS

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
BEARINGS
A bearing is the angle, measre! "l#"$%ise, that a line ma$es %ith a &i'e!
(er# line) The (er# line is al%a*s N#rth) The +r+#se #& a bearing is t# gi,e
an a""rate in!i"ati#n #& the !ire"ti#n #& #ne +#int &r#m an#ther)
Definition of North-
In +lane sr,e*ing it is s&&i"ient t# "#nsi!er the &#ll#%ing three !ire"ti#ns-
.) True North) This is the h#ri(#ntal !ire"ti#n l*ing in the +lane "#ntaining the
+#int an! the earth/s a'is #& r#tati#n, an! %hi"h +#ints in the !ire"ti#n #& the
N#rth 0#le) It is the !ire"ti#n #& the meri!ian !etermine! b* astr#n#mi"al
meth#!s) Bearings re&erre! t# tre n#rth are "alle! azimuths.
1) Magnetic North) This is the !ire"ti#n #& the h#ri(#ntal "#m+#nent #& &#r"e
#& the earth/s magneti" &iel! an! !#es n#t, in general, "#in"i!e %ith the tre
n#rth) It is the !ire"ti#n in!i"ate! b* the nee!le #& a magneti" "#m+ass,
assming that it is entirel* &ree #& instrmental err#rs an! n#t a&&e"te! b*
local attraction. The !i&&eren"e bet%een magneti" n#rth an! tre n#rth is
$n#%n as magnetic declination #r magnetic variation. T#+#gra+hi" ma+s
sall* in!i"ate the magneti" !e"linati#n &#r the area "#n"erne!) Sin"e
magneti" !e"linati#n is n#t "#nstant, bt "hanges sl#%l* &r#m *ear t# *ear, it
is in"#m+lete nless the !ate an! annal "hange are gi,en as %ell) F#r
e'am+le, &#r Maritis, the magneti" ,ariati#n as at 2anar* .345 %as .6 16/
7est #& tre n#rth, an! the annal "hange is 8/ East)
9) Grid North) In alm#st all sr,e*s, the +#siti#ns #& +#ints are e'+resse! in
terms #& "#:#r!inates in a +lane re"tanglar "#:#r!inate s*stem, #r grid . Gri!
n#rth is the !ire"ti#n +arallel t# the n#rth%ar! +#inting "#:#r!inate a'is #&
s"h a s*stem) ;ire"ti#ns re&erre! t# gri! n#rth are "alle! grid bearings
Conversion of bearings-
C#m+ass bearings ta$en #n the gr#n! are best "#n,erte! t# gri! #r tre
bearings &#r +l#tting #n a ma+) C#n,ersel*, gri! #r tre bearings ta$en &r#m a
ma+ %ill ha,e t# be "#n,erte! t# magneti" bearings be&#re the* "an be se!
%ith a "#m+ass #n the gr#n!)
Example 1- A magneti" bearing #& .8< has t# be "#n,erte! t# a gri! bearing)
The !ate is O"t#ber 1<<4) Marginal in&#rmati#n &r#m the ma+- Magneti"
!e"linati#n is 3 9</ 7est in 2anar* .34=) Annal "hange is ../ East) Gri!
N#rth is . 8</ East #& tre N#rth)
Example - A gri! bearing #& 6 has t# be "#n,erte! t# a magneti" bearing)
Magneti" ,ariati#n, a!>ste! &#r the +resent !ate is 15/ East) Gri! N#rth is .
5</ 7est #& Tre N#rth)