University of Duhok

College of Engineering
Surveying Department

Cadastral Surveying

Regular and Irregular Areas

©2017
Yousif Y. Zaia
Regular and Irregular areas The University of
Duhok
Surveying Engineering

1-1 Units of Area

There are two types of area units:
1. Units of length squared, for example (𝑘𝑚2 , 𝑚2 , 𝑐𝑚2 ).
2. Area units, for example [Hectare (ha), Donum (D), Olk (O)].

There are two types of units systems:

1. Metric units 2. English units
1 𝐾𝑚2 = 1 000 000 𝑚2 1 𝑠𝑞. 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒 = 640 𝐴𝑐𝑟𝑒 = 3 097 600 𝑠𝑞. 𝑦𝑎𝑟𝑑
1 𝐾𝑚2 = 100 Ha =27 878 400 sq. foot
1 𝐾𝑚2 = 400 𝐷 1 𝐴𝑐𝑟𝑒 = 4840 𝑠𝑞. 𝑦𝑎𝑟𝑑 = 43 560 𝑠𝑞. 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑡
1 𝐾𝑚2 = 10 000 𝑂
1 𝑠𝑞. 𝑦𝑎𝑟𝑑 = 9 𝑠𝑞. 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑡 = 1296 𝑠𝑞. 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑕
1 𝐷 = 2500 𝑚2
1 𝑕𝑎 = 10 000 𝑚2
 The University of
Duhok
Surveying Engineering

1-1 Units of Area

Useful conversion factor between the two systems:

1 𝑘𝑚2 = (0.6214)2 𝑠𝑞. 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒
1 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒 2 = (1.6093)2 𝑠𝑞. 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒
1 𝑚2 = 1.196 𝑠𝑞. 𝑦𝑎𝑟𝑑 = 10.7639 𝑠𝑞. 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑡 = 1550 𝑠𝑞. 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑕
 The University of
Duhok
1-2 Areas of Uniform Figures: Surveying Engineering
1- Triangle Area:
a
c
A. Three sides are known:
𝑎+𝑏+𝑐
S= (one half of the perimeter)
2 b
A= 𝑆(𝑆 − 𝑎)(𝑠 − 𝑏)(𝑆 − 𝑐)
𝑏 𝑎2 +𝑏2 −𝑐 2 2
Or , A= 𝑎2 − ( )
2 2𝑏
c
B a
B. Two sides, and the angle :
1
𝐴 = .a.c.sin(B)
2

C.One side and two angles are known:

𝑏 2 tan 𝐴 . tan(𝐶) C
𝐴= . A
2 tan 𝐴 + tan(𝐶)
b
 The University of
Duhok
1-2 Areas of Uniform Figures: Surveying Engineering

1- Triangle Area:
D. One side and three angles are known:
𝑏 2 sin 𝐴 . 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝐶) B
𝐴= . C
2 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝐵) A
Two sides, and the angle : b
1
𝐴 = .a. c. sin(B)
2

E. Base and height are known:

1
𝐴 = .b.h
2 h

b
 The University of
Duhok
1-2 Areas of Uniform Figures: Surveying Engineering

2- Square Area:
b
2 1 2 a
A= 𝑎 = 𝑏
2
a
3-Rectangular:
A=a.b
a c
4-Parallelogram:
b ∅
𝐴 = 𝑏. 𝑐 = 𝑏. 𝑎. sin(∅)

5-Rhombus:
𝐴 = 𝑏. 𝑐 = 𝑏 2 . sin(∅)
b c
= 0.5 × 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎 × 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙(2)
b ∅
 The University of
Duhok
1-2 Areas of Uniform Figures: Surveying Engineering
6- Trapezoidal: a
(𝑎+𝑏)
A= 𝑕.
2 h

7-circle b
𝐴 = 𝜋. 𝑟 2

8-Polygon: a
1 360
R
A= . 𝑛. 𝑅2 . sin
2 𝑛
a
Where n: no. of sides of polygon

9-Ellipse:
A=𝜋. 𝑎. 𝑏
10-Parabola: b a
2
A= .b.h
3
 The University of
1-3 Methods of area measurement and computation: Duhok
Surveying Engineering

1. Field Measurements:
In this method the required measurements are taken in the field, then the area is
computed using the proper equation.
A. Division into triangles,
B. Setting out offsets,
C. Using Coordinates,
D. Using double meridian distance method (D.M.D. method).

2. Measurements on Map:
In this method the required measurements are taken from the map, then the area
is computed using the proper equation and scale.
A. Division onto triangles,
B. Using assumed coordinates,
C. Using coordinate squares (or graph paper),
D. Division into strips,
E. Using Planimeter
1-3 Methods of area measurement and computation: The University of
(Numerical Applications) Duhok
Surveying Engineering
Field Measurements:
A-Division onto Triangles:
Example (1):The area of a parcel was measured by dividing it into two triangles, in which
three sides of one triangle and two sides with the angle confined between them were also
measured, compute the total area of the that parcel.
Solution:
20 m
84𝑜 2

40 m
35 m
1
30 m
1-3 Methods of area measurement and computation: The University of
(Numerical Applications) Duhok
Surveying Engineering

Field Measurements:
B-Setting out offsets:
1. Average offsets formula:
𝑕1 + 𝑕2 + 𝑕3 … … … … + 𝑕𝑛 𝑕
𝐴= .𝐿 = 𝑛 −1 .𝑑
𝑛 𝑛
Where: h1, h2, h3….., hn: length of Ordinates.
n= number of Ordinates,
d= equal distance between the Ordinates,
L= total length of the line divided= (n-1).d
2. Trapezoidal Rule:
𝑕1 + 𝑕𝑛
𝐴 = 𝑑. [ + 𝑕2 + 𝑕3 + ⋯ + 𝑕 𝑛 − 1 ]
2
1-3 Methods of area measurement and computation: The University of
(Numerical Applications) Duhok
Surveying Engineering
Field Measurements:
B-Setting out offsets:
Example(2): For the figure shown, calculate the area using Average offset method, and
Trapezoidal rule:
1-3 Methods of area measurement and computation: The University of
(Numerical Applications) Duhok
Surveying Engineering
Field Measurements:
B-Setting out offsets:
3- Simpson’s Rule (Simpson’s one-third rule):
𝑑
A= 𝑕1 + 𝑕𝑛 + 4 𝑕2 + 𝑕4 + ⋯ + 𝑕𝑛−1 + 2 𝑕3 + 𝑕5 + ⋯ + 𝑕𝑛−2 used when n is ODD.
3
Example(3): for the figure shown, calculate the area using Simpson's rule.
1-3 Methods of area measurement and computation: The University of
(Numerical Applications) Duhok
Surveying Engineering
Field Measurements:
B-Setting out offsets:
3- Setting out Offsets at Irregular Intervals:
Example(4): Calculate the area for the parcel shown in the figure:
Solution:
 The University of
Field Measurements: Duhok
C-Using Coordinates: Surveying Engineering

For an irregular closed parcel, if the coordinates of the all corners are know, then its area
can be simply be determined using coordinate formula for area measurement, and as
follows:

2A=E1.(N5-N2)+E2.(N1-N3)+E3.(N2-N4)+E4.(N3-N5)+E5.(N4-N1)
=E1.N5-E1.N2+E2.N-E2.N3+E3.N2-E3.N4+E4.N3-E4.N5+E5.N4-E5N1
Referring to the above formula, on can simplify this method using the
Following strategy for any closed area of known coordinates:
𝑁5 𝑁1 𝑁2 𝑁3 𝑁4 𝑁5 𝑁1
. . . . . OR
𝐸1 𝐸2 𝐸3 𝐸4 𝐸5

±~
A= 𝑚2
2
 The University of
Duhok
1. Field Measurements: Surveying Engineering
C-Using Coordinates:
Example(5): For the close area shown in figure, compute the area using coordinates method:
Solution:
 The University of
Field Measurements:
Duhok
Surveying Engineering
D-Using double meridian distance method (D.M.D. method).
Meridian distance – Is the distance of the midpoint of a line to the reference meridian.
This method is an adaptation of the coordinates method and is convenient to use when the
latitudes and departures of the traverse are known.
The double meridian distance of any line is twice its meridian distance.

𝐴𝐵 = 2 × 𝐺𝐺 − = 𝐺𝐺 − + 𝐾𝐿 𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝐵
𝐵𝐶 = 2 × 𝐹𝐹 − = 2 × 𝐺𝐺 − + 2 × 𝐾𝐿 + 2 × 𝐿𝐹 −
𝐴𝐵 = 𝐷𝑀𝐷 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝐵 + 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡. 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝐵 + 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡. 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝐶
𝐶𝐷 = 2 × 𝐻𝐻 − = 2 × 𝐻𝑀 + 2 × 𝑀𝑁 − 2 × 𝑁𝐻 −
 The University of
Duhok
Surveying Engineering
Field Measurements:
D-Using double meridian distance method (D.M.D. method).
Rules in Computing DMD
1. The DMD of the first line is equal to the departure of that line.
2. The DMD of any other line is equal to the DMD of the preceding line, plus the
departure of the preceding line, plus the departure of the line itself.
3. The DMD of the last line is numerically equal to the departure of the line but
with opposite sign.
 The University of
Duhok
Field Measurements: Surveying Engineering
D-Using Coordinates:
Example(6): the coordinates for a closed parcel were computed as shown in
figure, its required to compute the area of this parcel using DMD method.
Solution: