Resection and Intersection

Using these techniques, one can establish the coordinates of a point P, by

observations to or from known points. These techniques are useful for obtaining
the position of single points, to provide control for setting out or detail survey in
better positions than the existing control may be.

(1) Intersection
a) Intersection – Angle Measurements
Known:
1-Coordinates of the points A, B - (base line)
2- The value of the angle θ & β
Required:
Coordinates of point C
Solution:
LBA = ((xA-xB)2 +(yA-yB)2)0.5
γ = 180o – ( θ + β )
LBC = LBA (sin β / sin γ)
LAC = LBA (sin θ / sin γ)
tan αBA = ((xA-xB) / (yA-yB))
αAC = αAB + β ……………………………..bearing
αBC = αBA – θ
xC = xB + LBC sin αBC
yC = yB + LBC cos αBC
For check…………………
xC = xA+ LAC sin αAC
yC = yA + LAC cos αAC

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 b) Intersection - Bearing Measurements
Known:
1-Coordinates of the points A, B - (base line)
2- the bearing of BC & AC
Required:
Coordinates of point C
Solution:
tan BC = ((xC-xB) / (yC-yB))
yC-yB = (xC-xB ) cot BC
yC = yB + (xC-xB ) cot BC
………………(1)
tan AC = ((xC-xA) / (yC-yA))

yC-yA = (xC-xA ) cot AC

yC = yA + (xC-xA ) cot AC ………………(2)

From (1)& (2):

yB + (xC-xB ) cot BC = yA + (xC-xA ) cot AC

xC = ((yB - yA) - xB cot BC + xA cot AC) / (cot AC - cot BC )

yC = yB + (xC-xB ) cot BC

For check…………………

yC = yA + (xC-xA ) cot AC

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(2) Resection

This involves the angular measurement from P out

to the known points A, B, C . It is an extremely
useful technique for quickly fixing position where it
is best required for setting-out purposes. Where only
three known points are used a variety of analytical
methods is available for the solution of P.

Method 1

Let BAP = θ,
Then;
PCB = (360◦ − α − β − φ) − θ = S − θ
Where;
φ is computed from the coordinates of stations A, B and C
Thus, S is known.
From ∆PAB; ……………………….. PB = BA sin θ/sin α
From ∆PBC; ……………………….PB = BC sin(S − θ)/sin β
sin (S − θ) / sin θ = BA sin β / BC sin α = Q (known)
Then;
( sin S cos θ − cos S sin θ) / sin θ = Q
sin S cot θ − cos S = Q
∴ cot θ = (Q + cos S) / sin S

Thus, knowing θ and (S – θ), the triangles can be solved for lengths and bearings
AP, BP and CP, and three values for the coordinates of P obtained if necessary.
The method fails, as do all three-point resections, if P lies on the circumference of
a circle passing through A, B and C because it has an infinite number of possible
positions which are all on the same circle.

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Method 2

A, B and C are fixed points whose coordinates are known, and the coordinates of
the circle centers O1 and O2 are:
E1 = 0.5*[EA + EB + (NA − NB) cot α]
N1 =0.5*[NA + NB − (EA − EB) cot α]
E2 = 0.5*[EB + EC + (NB − NC) cot β]
N2 = 0.5*[NB + NC − (EB − EC) cot β]
Thus, the bearing δ of O1 → O2 is obtained in the
usual way, i.e.
δ = tan−1[(E2 − E1) / (N2 − N1)]
Then;
EP = EB + 2[(EB − E1) sin δ − (NB − N1) cos δ] sin δ
NP = NB + 2[(EB − E1) sin δ − (NB − N1) cos δ] cos δ

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Method 3 ‘Tienstra’s method’

In the three-point resection, angles are observed at the unknown station between
each of three known stations. Angles at each of the known stations, between the
other two known stations, are calculated from coordinates. Three intermediate
terms, K1, K2 and K3 are also computed. These are then used in conjunction with
the coordinates of the known stations to compute the coordinates of the unknown
station, as in the formulae below.
The coordinates of stations A, B and
C are known . The angles x and y
are measured. Angle z is calculated
from the sum of angles in a circle.
The angles a, b and c are computed
from coordinates of stations A, B
and C. The process is then to
compute:
K1 = 1/(cot a − cot x) = sin a sin x/sin (x − a)
K2 = 1/(cot b − cot y)= sin b sin y/sin (y − b)
K3 = 1/(cot c − cot z)= sin c sin z/sin (z − c)
and then compute the coordinates of F from
EF = (K1EA + K2EB + K3EC) / (K1 + K2 + K3)
NF = (K1NA + K2NB + K3NC) / (K1 + K2 + K3)

The notation in the diagram is all important in that the observed angles x, y and z,
the computed angles a, b and c, and the stations A, B and C must all go in the same
direction around the figure, clockwise or anti-clockwise. x must be the angle
between the known stations A and B, measured from A to B, clockwise if lettering
is clockwise, anti-clockwise if lettering is anti-clockwise. The point F need not lie
within the triangle described by the known stations A, B and C but may lie outside,
in which case the same rules for the order of the angles apply.