TRAVERSE CALCULATIONS

PROCEDURE FOR TRAVERSE CALCULATIONS

Adjust angles or directions

Determine bearings or azimuths
Calculate and adjust latitudes and departures
Calculate rectangular coordinates

BALANCING ANGLES OF CLOSED TRAVERSES

An example of a calculation involving interior angles is available.

ADJUSTING ANGLES
Adjustments applied to angles are independent of the size of the angle
Methods of adjustment:
Make larger corrections where mistakes were most likely
Apply an average correction to each angle
Or a combination
Never make an adjustment that is smaller than the measured accuracy

DETERMINING BEARINGS OR AZIMUTHS

Requires the direction of at least one line within the traverse to be known or assumed
For many purposes, an assumed direction is sufficient
A magnetic bearing of one of the lines may be measured and used as the reference for
determining the other directions
For boundary surveys, true directions are needed

LATITUDES AND DEPARTURES

The latitude of a line is its projection on the north-south meridian and is equal to the length of
the line times the cosine of its bearing
The departure of a line is its projection on the east-west meridian and is equal to the length of
the line times the sine of its bearing
The latitude is the y component of the line and the departure is the x component of the line

LATITUDES AND DEPARTURES

CLOSURE OF LATITUDES AND DEPARTURES

The algebraic sum of all latitudes must equal zero or the difference in latitude between the
initial and final control points
The algebraic sum of all departures must equal zero or the difference in departure between
the initial and final control points

CALCULATION OF LATITUDES AND DEPARTURES

Using bearings
Station
A

Bearing

Length

Latitude

Departure

N 26 10'E

285.10

+255.88

+125.72

S 75 25'E

610.45

-153.70

+590.78

S 15 30'W

720.48

-694.28

-192.54

N 1 42'W

203.00

+202.91

-6.02

B
C
D

E
N 53 06'W

647.02

+388.48

-517.41

-0.71

+0.53

A
MISCLOSURE

CALCULATION OF LATITUDES AND DEPARTURES

Using azimuths
Station
A

Azimuth

Length

Latitude

Departure

26 10'

285.10

+255.88

+125.72

104 35'

610.45

-153.70

+590.78

195 30'

720.48

-694.28

-192.54

358 18'

203.00

+202.91

-6.02

306 54'

647.02

+388.48

-517.41

-0.71

+0.53

B
C
D
E
A
MISCLOSURE

ADJUSTMENT OF LATITUDES AND DEPARTURES

Compass (Bowditch)

Rule

ADJUSTMENT OF LATITUDES AND DEPARTURES

Station
A

Azimuth

Length

Latitude
+0.08

Departure
-0.06

26 10'

285.10

647.02

+255.88
+0.18
-153.70
+0.21
-694.28
+0.06
+202.91
+0.18
+388.48

+125.72
-0.13
+590.78
-0.15
-192.54
-0.05
-6.02
-0.14
-517.41

104 35'

610.45

195 30'

720.48

358 18'

203.00

306 54'

2466.05

-0.71

+0.53

B
C
D
E
A
TOTALS

ADJUSTMENT OF LATITUDES AND DEPARTURES

Station
A
B
C
D
E
A
TOTALS

Latitude
+0.08
+255.88
+0.18
-153.70
+0.21
-694.28
+0.06
+202.91
+0.18
+388.48

Departure
-0.06
+125.72
-0.13
+590.78
-0.15
-192.54
-0.05
-6.02
-0.14
-517.41

-0.71

+0.53

Balanced
Latitude

Balanced
Departure

+255.96

+125.66

-153.52

+590.65

-694.07

-192.69

+202.97

-6.07

+388.66

-517.55

0.00

0.00

RECTANGULAR COORDINATES
Rectangular X and Y coordinates of any point give its position with respect to a reference
coordinate system
Useful for determining length and direction of lines, calculating areas, and locating points
You need one starting point on a traverse (which may be arbitrarily defined) to calculate the
coordinates of all other points
A large initial coordinate is often chosen to avoid negative values, making calculations easier.

CALCULATING X AND Y COORDINATES

Given the X and Y coordinates of any starting point A, the X and Y coordinates of the next point
B are determined by:

COORDINATES
Station
A

Balanced
Latitude

Departure

+255.96

-694.07

-192.69

+202.97

-6.07

D
E
A
TOTALS

LINEAR MISCLOSURE

0.00

10255.96

10125.66

10102.44

10716.31

9408.37

10523.62

9611.34

10517.55

10000.00

10000.00

+590.65

+388.66

X-coord
10000.00

+125.66

B
-153.52

Balanced
Y-coord
10000.00

-517.55
0.00

The hypotenuse of a right triangle whose sides are the misclosure in latitude and the misclosure
in departure.

TRAVERSE PRECISION
The precision of a traverse is expressed as the ratio of linear misclosure divided by the
traverse perimeter length.
expressed in reciprocal form
Example
0.89 / 2466.05 = 0.00036090
1 / 0.00036090 = 2770.8
Precision = 1/2771