ENGINEERING SURVEYING

(CE203)

TRAVERSING (THEODOLITE)
DEPARTMENT OF GEOINFORMATICS AND
SURVEYING

(2019)
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TRAVERSE

 Is a series of connected points by lines, whose distances and

directions have been measured.
 The method is very useful in densifying control networks.
 Normally used to fix control in 2 dimension i.e. x,y.

d1
∝1
d3
∝3
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EQUIPMENT

 Theodolite (for angular measurements)

Total station
 Tape (for linear measurements) or EDM

 Ranging rods/poles
 Staff bubbles

 Station pegs

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IMPORTANT FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN
TRAVERSING
1. Need control points (start and closing points)
2. Stations must be intervisible.
3. Stations must be permanent and easily accessible
4. Must avoid very short traverse legs (minimise bisection
errors).
5. All the traverse legs should be almost the same length.
6. Angular measurements must be made at each traverse
station.
7. If possible, distance (legs) must be measured in both
directions (i.e. forward and backward). And adopt the
mean for each leg.

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RECONNAISSANCE AND MONUMENTATION
 Reconnaissance is a method whereby one has to
familiarise with the site under survey and plan what has to
be done and decide on equipment to use.
 Several things need to be done
 Choice of stations – these include the control points to use
in the area
 Plan the total no. of new control points to be employed on
the site.

 Monumentation – this depends on the purpose of the

survey and nature of the ground e.g 12mm or 15mm pegs,
nails used on tarmac.
 National trig beacons – remove the metal vein to observe.
 Witness diagrams – sketch locations of witness marks and 5
plot them
 TYPES OF TRAVERSES
 According to the geometry of traverse figure (network)
I. Loop traverse: the traverse opens and closes at the same
point

II. Link traverse: traverse opens and closes at two different

points

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TYPES OF TRAVERSES (CONT…)
The two traverses can either be open or closed

 Open traverse: Starts at a known point and

closes on an unknown point. There is no check on
traverse accuracy

 Closed traverse: Starts and closes at known

points. Provides check on the accuracy of the
traversing.

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TYPES OF TRAVERSES (CONT…)
 In Surveying practice, it is recommended to use
Closed Link Traverse.

WHY?
 It controls scale and swing

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TRAVERSE CALCULATIONS
.
1 Reductions:
i. Distancemeasurement
ii. Angular measurements

2. Determine the angular misclosure for the traverse:

 For a loop traverse: ∑Ѳi = (n-2) 180
 Angular misclosure (𝓌)=∑ Ѳi - (n-2) 180

 Where n = number of sides

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 TRAVERSE CALCULATIONS (CONT…)
 For link traverse

➢ Obtain the misclosure by comparing the computed

join direction to external point with the calculated
forward bearings.
➢ Compare the calculated forward bearings with the
join bearing.
➢ Assess the angular misclosure
➢ If not acceptable, re-observe the traverse otherwise
distribute it.
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TRAVERSE CALCULATIONS (CONT…)
3. Distributing the angular misclosure
i. Loop traverse:
 Distribute the misclosure equally to all the angles i.e. the
correction to each angle 𝓌/n (n = no. of sides)
ii. Link traverse: Apply the corrections cumulatively (as for
leveling)

4. Work out the whole circle bearing for all the traverse.
5. Tabulate the data into a standard form (layout)
Line WCB Distance D Sin ∝ D Cos∝

T1-T2 WCB1 D1 ∆Y1 ∆X1

T2-T3 WCB2 D2 ∆Y2 ∆X2

T3-T4 WCB3 D3 ∆Y3 ∆X3

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TRAVERSE CALCULATIONS (CONT…)
6. Calculate partial coordinates for each traverse leg.
❑ ∆YAB = dAB Sin ∝AB
∆XAB = dAB Cos ∝AB

7. Obtain ∑∆Yi and ∑∆Xi

Ideally, for loop traverses ∑∆Yi = 0 and ∑∆Xi =0

For link traverse ∑∆Yi = Yn –Yi and ∑∆Xi = Xn –Xi
Indicate coordinate misclosure.
- Determine the misclosure
- 𝜹y =∑∆Yi and 𝜹x = ∑ ∆Xi (for loop traverse)
- 𝜹y =∑∆Yi - (Yn - Yi)and 𝜹x = ∑ ∆Xi -(Xn - Xi) (for link traverse)

 Assess the angular misclosure 12

 If not acceptable, reobserve the traverse
TRAVERSE CALCULATIONS (CONT…)

8. Determine the traverse accuracy.

Calculate the misclosure vector

Linear misclosure/ error vector, ds = √(∆y2 + ∆x2)

Accuracy = ds/∑Di

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TRAVERSE CALCULATIONS (CONT…)
9. Distribute the coordinate misclosure

METHODS OF DISTRIBUTION
a. Bowditch rule
b. Transit rule
c. Scale and swing
d. Unaltered bearing technique/method (Cyndall’s)
e. Least square adjustment
e.t.c

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BOWDITCH RULE
 The correction to traverse leg is proportional to the length
of that leg.

 CY1 = -(Di/∑Di) 𝜹y
 CX1 = -(Di/∑Di) 𝜹X

 Correction is in opposite direction.

 Apply these to respective partial coordinates

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TRAVERSE CALCULATIONS (CONT…)
10. Calculate the final coordinates for all the points:

Line WCB Distance ∆ Y ∆X Point Y X

T1 Ystart X start

T1-T2 WCB1 D1 ∆Y1 + C ∆X1+ C T2

T2-T3 WCB2 D2 ∆Y2+ C ∆X2 + C T3

T3-T4 WCB3 D3 ∆Y3+ C ∆X3+ C T4

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LOOP TRAVERSE EXAMPLE

 A common practice is to assume coordinate values for a point in the

traverse, usually the first station, and allocate an arbitrary bearing for
the first line from that point.
 For instance, point A has been allocated coordinates of E 1000.00, N
2000.00, and line AB a bearing of 0◦ 00 00.
WCB
LOOP TRAVERSE EXAMPLE
LINK TRAVERSE EXAMPLE

 A link traverse commences from known stations, A

and B, and connects to known stations C and D.
ANGULAR ADJUSTMENT
 1) Compute the WCB of CD through the traverse
from AB and compare it with the known bearing
of CD. The difference ( ) of the two bearings is
the angular misclosure.
 (2) As a check on the value of the following rule
may be applied. Computed WCB of CD = (sum of
observed angles + initial bearing (AB)) – n × 180◦
where n is the number of angles. If the result is
outside the range 0◦−360◦ add or subtract 360◦ as
appropriate.
 (3) The correction per angle would be /n, which
is distributed accumulatively over the WCBs as
shown in columns 5 and 6 of the following table.
LINK TRAVERSE EXAMPLE
ASSIGNMENT
 Measurements of the traverse ABCDE are given in table below:
Station Clockwise angle Length (m)
A 260° 31’ 18’’
B 123° 50’ 42’’ AB 129.352
C 233° 00’ 06’’ BC 81.700
D 158° 22’ 48’’ CD 101.112
E 283° 00’ 18’’ DE 94.273
 The measured angle XA is 123° 16’ 06’’ as shown in figure next slide.
 Bearing EY is 282° 03’ 00’’

Station Y (m) X(m)

A 782.820 460.901
E 740.270 84.679

 Keeping the bearings XA and EY and also the coordinates of A and E

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fixed, obtain the adjusted co-ordinates for B, C and D using Bowditch
adjustment.
SKETCH

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QUESTIONS????