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Commonly Used Terms in

Traversing
TRAVERSING Traverse
a series of lines connecting successive points whose
lengths and directions have been determined from field
measurements.
Traversing
•the act of marking the lines process of measuring the lengths and directions of the
lines of a traverse for the purpose of locating the position
•means of determining the relative of certain points.
Traverse Station
locations of points
any temporary or permanent point of reference over which
the instrument is set up.
Traverse Lines
are lines connecting traverse stations and whose lengths
and directions are determined.

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KINDS OF TRAVERSE: Closed Traverse:

CLOSED TRAVERSE
the lines return to the starting point, thus
forming a closed figure
Provides checks on the observed angles
and distances

Used extensively in control, construction,

property and topographic surveys

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KINDS OF TRAVERSE: Open Traverse:

OPEN TRAVERSE
consists of a series of lines that are connected
but do not return to the starting point or close
upon a point of equal or greater order accuracy

should be avoided because they offer no means

of checking for observational errors and
mistakes

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SOURCES OF ERROR IN TRAVERSING

MISTAKES IN TRAVERSING
Poor selection of stations, resulting in bad sighting
conditions caused by § Occupying or sighting on the wrong station
§ alternate sun and shadow
§ Incorrect orientation
§ visibility of only the rod’s top
§ line of sight passing too close to the ground § Confusing angles to the right and left
§ Lines that are too short
§ Mistakes in note taking
§ Sighting into the sun
§ Misidentification of the sighted station
Errors in observations of angles and distances

Failure to observe angles an equal number of times

direct and reversed

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Latitude of a line
LATITUDES AND DEPARTURES ● is its projection onto the reference meridian or a
north – south line
● Latitudes are sometimes referred to as
northings or southings
● Latitudes of lines with northerly bearings are
designated as being north (N) or positive (+)
● those in southerly direction are designated as
south (S) or negative (-).

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Departure and Latitude of a Line

Departure of the line

● is its projection onto the reference parallel or

an east – west line

● departures are east (E) or positive (+) for lines

having easterly bearings and west (W) or
negative (-) for lines having westerly bearings

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Given: dist, bearing Given: lat, dep

Required: lat, dep Required: dist, bearing

Latitude, Lat
Distance, L
𝒍𝒂𝒕 = (𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕)(𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜶)
𝑳= 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝟐 + 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝟐
𝒍𝒂𝒕 = (𝑳)(𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈)
𝒅𝒆𝒑 𝒅𝒆𝒑

𝒍𝒂𝒕
𝒍𝒂𝒕
𝑳 𝑳
𝜶 𝜶
Distance, L
𝒅𝒆𝒑
𝜶 = 𝒕𝒂𝒏9𝟏
Departure, dep 𝒍𝒂𝒕
𝒅𝒆𝒑 = (𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕)(𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜶)
𝒅𝒆𝒑 = (𝑳)(𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈)

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LATITUDE AND DEPARTURE LATITUDE AND DEPARTURE

Determine the latitude and departure of each course(line).
Determine the latitude and departure of each course(line).
LINE
DIST
BEARING LAT (m) DEP(m)
1. LATITUDES:
(m)
𝒍𝒂𝒕𝑨𝑩 = 𝟐𝟖𝟓. 𝟏𝟎 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝟐𝟔° 𝟏𝟎D =+255.88 m
LINE DIST(m) BEARING LAT DEP AB 285.10 N 26° 10’ E 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝑩𝑪 = 𝟔𝟏𝟎. 𝟒𝟓 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝟕𝟓° 𝟐𝟓D = 𝟏𝟓𝟑. 𝟕𝟎 m
𝒍𝒂𝒕𝑪𝑫 = 𝟕𝟐𝟎. 𝟒𝟖 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝟏𝟓° 𝟑𝟎D = −𝟔𝟗𝟒. 𝟐𝟖m
𝐀𝐁 285.10 N 26° 10’ E BC 610.45 S 75° 25’ E
𝒍𝒂𝒕𝑫𝑬 = 𝟐𝟎𝟑. 𝟎𝟎 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝟏° 𝟒𝟐D = +𝟐𝟎𝟐. 𝟗𝟏m
CD 720.48 S 15° 30’ W 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝑬𝑨 = 𝟔𝟒𝟕. 𝟎𝟐 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝟓𝟑° 𝟎𝟔D = +𝟑𝟖𝟖. 𝟒𝟖m
BC 610.45 S 75° 25’ E
Lat is (-) if Southerly, ex. S 75 ° 25 ’ E, and (+) if Northerly
DE 203.00 N 01° 42’ W Dep is (-) if Westerly, ex. N 01 ° 42 ’ W, and (+) if Easterly
CD 720.48 S 15° 30’ W
EA 647.02 N 53° 06’ W 2. DEPARTURES:
DE 203.00 N 01° 42’ W 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝑨𝑩 = 𝟐𝟖𝟓. 𝟏𝟎 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟐𝟔° 𝟏𝟎D = +𝟏𝟐𝟓. 𝟕𝟐𝐦
Σ
𝒅𝒆𝒑𝑩𝑪 = 𝟔𝟏𝟎. 𝟒𝟓 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟕𝟓° 𝟐𝟓D = +𝟓𝟗𝟎. 𝟕𝟖m
EA 647.02 N 53° 06’ W
𝒍𝒂𝒕 = (𝑳)(𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈) 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝑪𝑫 = 𝟕𝟐𝟎. 𝟒𝟖 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟏𝟓° 𝟑𝟎D = −𝟏𝟗𝟐. 𝟓𝟒m
𝒅𝒆𝒑𝑫𝑬 = 𝟐𝟎𝟑. 𝟎𝟎 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟏° 𝟒𝟐D = −𝟔. 𝟎𝟐 𝐦
Σ 𝒅𝒆𝒑 = (𝑳)(𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈)
𝒅𝒆𝒑𝑬𝑨 = 𝟔𝟒𝟕. 𝟎𝟐 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟓𝟑° 𝟎𝟔D = −𝟓𝟏𝟕. 𝟒𝟏𝐦

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LATITUDE AND DEPARTURE LATITUDE AND DEPARTURE

Determine the latitude and departure of each course(line). Determine the latitude and departure of each course(line).

LINE DIST(m) BEARING LAT DEP LINE DIST(m) BEARING LAT DEP

AB 285.10 N 26° 10’ E +255.88 +125.72 AB 189.53 S 06° 15’ W

BC 610.45 S 75° 25’ E -153.70 +590.78 BC 175.18 S 29° 38’ E

CD 720.48 S 15° 30’ W -694.28 -192.54 CD 197.78 N 81° 18’ W

DE 203.00 N 01° 42’ W 202.91 -6.02 DE 142.39 N12° 24’ W

EA 647.02 N 53° 06’ W 388.48 -517.41 EA 234.58 N 42° 59’ E

Σ -0.71 +0.53 Σ

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LATITUDE AND DEPARTURE LATITUDE AND DEPARTURE

Determine the latitude and departure of each course(line). Determine the latitude and departure of each course(line).

LINE
DIST(m
BEARING LAT DEP
1. LATITUDES: LINE DIST(m) BEARING LAT DEP
) 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝑨𝑩 = 𝟏𝟖𝟗. 𝟓𝟑 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝟔° 𝟏𝟓D = −𝟏𝟖𝟖. 𝟒𝟎𝒎
AB 189.53 S 06° 15’ W 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝑩𝑪 = 𝟏𝟕𝟓. 𝟏𝟖 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝟐𝟗° 𝟑𝟖D = −𝟏𝟓𝟐. 𝟐𝟕m 1-2 128.00 S 30° 00’ E
𝒍𝒂𝒕𝑪𝑫 =
BC 175.18 S 29° 38’ E
𝒍𝒂𝒕𝑫𝑬 = 2-3 62.00 S 20° 00’ W
CD 197.78 N 81° 18’ W 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝑬𝑨 =
3-4 53.00 S 14° 00’ W
Lat is (-) if Southerly, ex. S 75 ° 25 ’ E, and (+) if Northerly
DE 142.39 N12° 24’ W Dep is (-) if Westerly, ex. N 01 ° 42 ’ W, and (+) if Easterly
4-5 121.00 S 64° 00’ W
EA 234.58 N 42° 59’ E 2. DEPARTURES:
Σ 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝑨𝑩 = 𝟏𝟖𝟗. 𝟓𝟑 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟔° 𝟏𝟓D = −𝟐𝟎. 𝟔𝟑 5-6 189.00 N 13° 30’ W
° D
𝒅𝒆𝒑𝑩𝑪 = 𝟏𝟕𝟓. 𝟏𝟖 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟐𝟗 𝟑𝟖 = +𝟖𝟔. 𝟔𝟐 m
𝒅𝒆𝒑𝑪𝑫 = 6-1 144.00 N 52° 00’ E
𝒍𝒂𝒕 = (𝑳)(𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈)
𝒅𝒆𝒑𝑫𝑬 =
𝒅𝒆𝒑 = (𝑳)(𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈) Σ
𝒅𝒆𝒑𝑬𝑨 =

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The linear error of closure (LEC) is usually a short line

of unknown length and direction connecting the initial
and final stations of the traverse.
ERROR OF CLOSURE
𝑪𝑫
➢ There is no such thing as a mathematically 𝑳𝑬𝑪 = 𝑪𝑳𝟐 + 𝑪𝑫𝟐 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝒕𝒂𝒏 ∅ =
𝑪𝑳
perfect survey. Small errors in both
distances and angles will always be where:
present even in closed traverses observed
LEC = linear error of closure
using instruments and methods of high
precision. CL = closure in latitude or the algebraic sum of north
and south latitudes

CD = closure in departure or the algebraic sum of the

east and west departures

Ǿ = bearing angle of the side of error

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SAMPLE COMPUTATION:
RELATIVE PRECISION : Given: , 𝟒𝟑 𝒎
𝑪𝑳 = −𝟏. 𝟏𝟒 𝒎 𝑪𝑫 = −𝟗. 𝑷 = 𝟔𝟗𝟕𝒎 ,
- ratio of the linear error of closure to the
perimeter or total length of the traverse
𝑳𝑬𝑪 = 𝑪𝑳𝟐 + 𝑪𝑫𝟐
𝑳𝑬𝑪
𝑹𝑷 =
𝑷 𝑳𝑬𝑪 = (−𝟏. 𝟏𝟒)𝟐 +(−𝟗. 𝟒𝟑)𝟐
Where:
𝑳𝑬𝑪 = 𝟗. 𝟒𝟗𝟗 𝒎
RP = relative precision
LEC = linear error of closure
𝑳𝑬𝑪
P = total length or perimeter of the 𝑹𝑷 =
𝑷
traverse
𝟗. 𝟒𝟗𝟗 𝟏
𝑹𝑷 = =
𝟔𝟗𝟕 𝟕𝟎

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