The

Civil Engineering Students

Year (1)
Second semester Phase II

Traverse

Dr. Kamal M. Ahmed

Surveying Measurements
Surveyors, regardless of how complicated the
technology, measure two quantities: angle and
distances.
They do two things: map or set-out
Angles are measured in horizontal or vertical planes
only to produce horizontal angles and vertical angles.
Distances are measured in the horizontal, the vertical,
or sloped directions.
Our calculations are usually in a horizontal or a
vertical plane for simplicity, sloped values can be
calculated if needed.

 For example: maps are horizontal projections of

data, distances are horizontal on a map and so
are the angles.
Assume that you are given the horizontal
coordinates X (E), and Y (N) of two points A
and B: (20,20) and (30, 40). If you measure the
horizontal angle CBA and the horizontal
distance AC, found them to be: 110 and 15m,
then the coordinates of C can easily be
computed, here is how:
C
Calculate the azimuth of AB, then BC
Calculate (E, N) for BC
Calculate (E, N) for C

 But, if you were given a slope distance or a

slope angle, you wont be able to compute the
location (Coordinates) of C.
What we did was to map point C, we
found out its coordinates, now you plot it on a
piece of paper, a map is a large number of
points such as C, a building is four points, and
so on.
Now, if point C was a column and we
wanted to set it out , then we know the
coordinates of C from the map:

 Calculate the angle ABC and the length of BC

Setup the instrument ,such as a theodolite, on B,
aim at A
Rotate the instrument the angle ABC, measure a distance
BC, mark the point.

You set out a point, then you can set out a project.
In both cases, you need two known points such as A
and B to map or set out point C
We call precisely known points such as A and B
control points
In horizontal, we do a traverse to construct
new control points based on given points.
You need at least two points given in horizontal ( or
one and direction) and one in vertical to begin your
project

 Definition:

Traversing

A traverse is a series of consecutive lines whose

lengths and directions have been measured.

Why?
The purpose of establishing a traverse is to extend
the horizontal control. A survey usually begins with
one given vertical control and two ( or one and
direction) given in horizontal
You need more than two points to control the
project, have enough known points to map any
point, and set-out any object any where in a large
project.

Procedure
Assume that you wanted to
map calculate coordinates
of the building, trees, and
the fence in the
drawing, you are given
points A and B only, cannot
measure angle and
distance to corner F or the
trees!!

Grass

You need to construct new control points points of

known precise coordinates such as C, D, and E to
measure from.
You do that with a traverse

Procedure
1. Walk around and decide
which are the best locationsA
to have new control points
2. Construct the points, nails
on asphalt, concrete and
bolts, etc.
3. Measure all the angles and B
all the lengths of the
traverse
4. Check if the angles and
lengths are accepted
5. If rejected, re-do the work
6. If accepted, adjust the errors
and compute coordinates.

D
Grass

Coordinate Computations
Assume that we were given a site to map, and
the coordinates of one point (A), and the
azimuth of the line (AB), we need more known
(control stations)
We marked three more points around the site,
the four points make rectangle (or a square).
We then measured all the internal angles and
the length of all the sides (lines).
Using the given azimuth of AB and all angles,
we computed the azimuth of all the sides, we
get the following table:

Coordinate Computations
Point

Line

Azimuth
E =
N =
Length
() d sin( )
d cos( )

200.00 350.00
AB

100.10

0 00' 00''

0.00

100.10

200.00 450.10
BC

100.00 90 00' 00" 100.00

0.00

300.00 450.10
CD

100.00 18000'00" 0.00

-100.00

300.00 350.10
DA

99.70 27000'00

- 99.70

0.00

A
Sum

200.30 350.10
399.80

0.30

0.10

Questions
Note that the coordinates of A when computed at the bottom of the table,
are not the same as given coordinates.
Also note the relationship between that error and the sum of Northings
and Eastings.
How do you explain that?
Assume that the traverse was a perfect square of 100 m side length and
oriented towards the north, what you notice in our measurements, and
how can you relate that to the error in A?

The concept of Linear Closing Error

B

c
Closing error = 0.32m
Notice that if the
corrections are ignored,
the value of the errors
will
Appear when you recompute the coordinates
of the first point (A).

N=0.1

A
E=0.3

The concept of Angular Closing Error

Now let us assume the same perfect square of 90
angles and 100 m sides. When measured all lengths
were correct, while the angle at B was in error by 10
when measured, the surveyor reported 100. What
happens?
B

Here is the
perfect traverse
that we are
trying to
measure:

The concept of Closing Error

Error in angles OR error in distances will
result in a closing error: last point will not be
at the first point.
The problem is that we do not know where
the errors are and how much each error?
Measurements are never exact, we always
assume that we have errors in angles and
distances.
Before we learn how to compute the errors
and how to adjust for them, let us learn some
issues with traverse

Closed and Open Traverses

A closed traverse is the one that starts and
ends at known points and directions,
whether the shape is closed or not
A closed traverse can be a polygon
{closed shape} or Link {closed geometryopen shape

Closed (polygon or link)

traverses

Link
Polygon

Open TRAVERSE

XObserved

L3

L4

L5
B

MX

Open Traverses are not used in engineering

control applications, why?
The problem: there is no way to check the for
the errors; you will have to accept whatever
coordinates computed.

Y=YB-YA

L2

XY

L1

X=XB-XA

YObserved

Observed Location

MY

True Location

Traverse Notations
We will only cover the closed Traverse with interior
angles measured.

Traverse Stations
Successive stations should be inter visible.
Stations are chosen in safe, easy to access
places.
Lines should be as long as possible
To reduce the number of lines
Short lines will produce less accurate angles,
the traverse gets distorted as shown below.

T1

T3
T2

B
T4

Traverse Stations
Angles should be as equal as possible and better
be 30 to 150, why????
Lines should be and as equal as possible, Why?
Stations must be referenced to retrieve them if lost.
We produce a descriptive card for each point

Descriptive card for a

traverse point

.3

)110.25(

) (8.1

12.73

8.67

) (8.2 ) (
11.24

Traversing by Interior Angles

All internal angles and all horizontal distances are
measured
Each angle is measured in direct and reverse,
Each angle is observed at least three times.
A line of known direction should either be given or
assumed, what is a line with known direction?
If the line of known direction is not a member of the
traverse, the angle to a traverse member should be
measured. Why?

Closing Error In Traverses

We measure two values: angles and
distances
Because of errors in both measurements,
we get angle misclosure and linear
misclosure ( closing error).
Both types of errors result in error in
closure, we need a way to separate the
error of angles from the error in distances
to check and adjust them separately

The concept of Angle Misclosure

Here is how the measured traverse will look:
Line AB was
correct

Line BC was
correct, but
angle A was
wrong
The rest of the
lines and angles
are correct
A

Computations and Adjustments

of Angle Misclosure
The sum of internal angles of a polygon of (n) points =
(n - 2) * 180o
Angle misclosure = difference between the sum of the
measured angles and the geometrically correct total
for the polygon.
The misclosure is divided equally among the readings
keeping in mind the measuring accuracy, and should
be done at the beginning of the adjustment.

Judging The Angle Misclosure

Usually the standards give an equation of the form:
Max allowed angle misclosure c = k * n
where (n)
is the number of points and K is a constant defined
according to which standards used
If angles are accepted, correct by dividing the error
equally among the angles
For example: The Federal Geodetic Control
Subcommittee: 1.7, 3, 4.5, 10, and 12 for first-order,
second-order class I, second-order class II, third-order
class I, third-order class II

 If no standards were given, then assume that:

Allowed angle misclosure = 3n =
3 * theodolite accuracy * No. of angles
Example (1)
For 5 points traverse, the sum of internal angles is
538 40 and the accuracy of the measured angles is
10. Do you accept the observations?.

Answer
Ang. Clos. Err. = 538 40 180 x (5 2)
= 538 40 540 = - 1 20 = - 80
Allowable Angle Closing Error = 3 x 10 5 = 67
Reject the observations. You have to re-observe

Example (2)
If the angles were observed to the nearest 30 in 5
points traverse. If the angular closing error was 2,
correct the angles.
Answer
Allowable angular closing error = 3 x 30 5 = 201
As = 120 ( 201 ) , accepted.
Correction in each angle = - 120 / 5 = - 24
But the angles were observed to the nearest 30, the
corrections will be :
- 30, - 30, - 30 , - 30 & 0 .

The concept of Linear Closing Error

B

Assume that the

traverse in reallity
was a perfect
square.

A
N
A

D
E

- A will close at A,
- AA is the linear closing
error

Assume that
there was an
error in
measuring the
length AB only, all
other lengths and
angles were
correct

EDA

ECD

- ve

- ve

A
B

If the traverse is
closed, then
E = 0
N = 0

and

EAB

EBC

+ ve

+ ve

EDA

ECD

- ve

- ve

N
C
E

If the traverse is
closed, then
E = 0

A
A

and

N = 0
If the traverse is not closed,
Then E = Ec

EAB

EBC

+ ve

+ ve

and N = Nc

Computations of Linear Closing

Error
If he closing error is (W) then
Ew = E and
Nw = N,
W = length of closing error = Ew2 + Nw2
Fractional Closing error = traverse precision =
W/L
Direction of the error = Azimuth =
tan-1 (Ew / Nw) = tan-1 (E / N)

Adjustment of Linear Misclosure

Compute and adjust the angle misclosure
Compute the linear misclosure:
Compute the azimuth of a traverse side
Compute the azimuth of all the sides
Compute the departure and latitude of all the sides
Compute the Misclosure in (E) direction =
sum of the departures.
Compute the Misclosure in (N) direction =
sum of the latitudes.
Compute the linear misclosure
If accepted, use the Compass (Bowditch) rule to
adjust:

Compass (Bowditch) Rule

E
L

) (L )

N
L

) (L )

Correction in departure for AB = Correction in latitude for AB = -

AB

AB

Where:
L is the length of a line, and ( L) is the perimeter

Computations of Coordinates
Add the corrections to the departure or the
latitude of each line to get the adjusted
departure or latitude
Compute the adjusted point coordinates
using the corrected departure or latitude:
Ei = E i-1 + E
Ni = N i-1 + N
Check that the misclosure is zero.

Example of Standards
Horizontal Control Accuracy Standards For Traverse
(By The Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee (FGCS))
1st

2 nd

3 rd

Order
Class
Angular
Closure

1.7n

II

II

3.0n

4.5n

10.0n

12.0n

Linear 0.04L 0.08L 0.20L 0.40L 0.80L

or,
or,
or,
or,
or,
Closure
1/100,00 1/50,000 1/20,000 1/10,000 1/5,000
(after
angul.
0
adj.)

Acceptable Relative precision

1 in 5000 & 30 n for most engineering surveys
1 in 10000 & 10 n for control, for large projects
1 in 20000 & 2 n for major works and monitoring for
structural deformation etc.

Ex.: The angles were observed to the nearest 30 in 5

points traverse. If the angular closing error was 2,
correct the angles.
Answer
Allowable angular closing error = 3 x 30 5 = 201
As = 120 ( 201 ) , accepted.
Correction in each angle = - 120 / 5 = - 24
But the angles were observed to the nearest 30, the
corrections will be :
- 30, - 30, - 30 , - 30 & 0 .

point

Length L

Azimuth
AZ

Departure
L sin (Az)

Latitude
L cos (Az)

Correction
Departure
(WN/L)* L

A
285.10

26 10.0

125.72

255.88

610.45

104
35.2

590.77

- 153.74

720.48

195
30.1

- 192.56

- 694.27

203.00

358
18.5

- 5.99

202.91

747.02

306
54.1

- 517.40

388.5

WE =+0.54

WN =
- 0.72

A
Sum

P=2466.05

Latitude
(WE/ L)* L

Balanced
Departure
E

Latitude
N

Other Methods
There are several methods that are used to adjust or
balance traverses;
1.

Arbitrary method

2.

Transit rule

3.

Least-Squares method

Traverse Area
D

A
Traverse area = 1 { Ei (Ni+1 - Ni-1)}
2
Multiply the X coordinate of each point by the difference
in Y between the following and the preceding points, half the sum
is the area
The formula will work for traverses lettered in a clockwise
direction, but it will give a correct area with a negative sign.
The formula should work if you switch the N and the E.