Course Notes/Materials in CE 201

Fundamentals of Surveying

Lesson Title: Traverse Computations

Introduction
For any closed traverse the first step taken by the surveyor should always be to
check if the observed angles fulfill the geometric conditions of the figure. Should there
be an angular error of closure it must be corrected to give a series of prewliminary
adjusted directions. All linear distances should then be corrected since errors in
measured lengths will alter the shape of the traverse.

Latitudes and Departures

The latitude of a line is its projection onto the reference meridian or the 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 a southerly
direction are designated as south (S) or negative (-).

The departure of a line is its projection onto the reference parallel or east-west line.
Departures are east (E) or (+)for lines having easterly bearings and west (W) or (-) for
lines with westerly bearings.
 𝛼

Error of Closure
Small errors in both distances and angles will always be present even in closed
traverse observed using instruments and methods of high precision. For a closed
traverse, this simply means that the algebraic sum of the north and south latitudes
should be zero and the algebraic sum of the east and west departures should also be
zero.
The closure in latitudes is the difference in the north and south latitudes, 𝐶
The closure in departures is the difference in the north and south latitudes, 𝐶
The value of 𝐶 and 𝐶 assume the sign which is the algebraic sum of all latitudes and all
departures, respectively.
 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. This quantity reflects
the algebraic sum of all the accumulated errors of measurement in both angles and
distances in running a traverse.

𝐿𝐸𝐶 𝐶 𝐶 𝑎𝑛𝑑 tan 𝜃

Where: 𝐶 ∑ 𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆𝑜𝑢𝑡ℎ 𝐿𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒𝑠 ; 𝐶 ∑ 𝐸𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝐷𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑠

𝜃 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟

Relative Precision, RP
This is defined as the ratio of the ratio of the error of closure (LEC) to the perimeter
or the total length (D) of the traverse. This is usually expressed as a fraction whose
numerator is unity and the denominator rounded off to nearest multiple of 100.
Example: 1/500.
𝑅𝑃

Reference:

Elementary Surveying by Juny Pilapil La Putt