PROPAGATION

IN ANGLE
AND DISTANCE
OBSERVATIONS
Learning outcomes
At the end of this topic, students shall be able to:
 Determine the sources of error propagation in angle and
distance observations
 Identify the different types of error
 Learn how to minimize/correct these errors
Sources of error in reading
angles
Instrument placement and leveling
 target placement
 circle reading
 target pointing

 All these, produces random errors!

How to minimize them?

The effects of
The effects of
reading,
instrument
pointing and and
leveling target
errors setup
can errors
be can be
reduced reduced
How big can the error be?
Reading error
 Angles Observed by the
Repetition Method
 Angles Observed by the
Directional Method
Error in angles by repetition
method
0 r
2 2
σαr - error in
 r  average due
n
to reading
σ0 - estimated error
r 2 in setting zero
 r  σr - estimated error
n in final reading
 Error in angles by
directional method
 r 
2
 2 2
 
( r1b   r1 f )   r 2b   r 2 f  ...   rnb   rnf
2 2 2

n

σαr - error
r 2 σr1b - estimated error in
 r 
n backsight reading
σr1f - estimated error in
foresight reading
Pointing Errors
 optical qualities of the instrument
 target size
 the observer’s personal ability to place the
crosswires on a target
 and the weather conditions at the time of
observation
Pointing Errors

2 p1  2 p 2  ...  2 pn
2 2 2

 p 
n
σαp - error due to pointing
 p 2 σp1 , σp2 , σpn estimated
 p  error in first, second,
n
and so on
Sample Problem
 Suppose that an angle is turned six times. For an observer
having a personal reading error of ±1.5", what is the error in
the final angle due to circle reading?
 By repetition method
 Find the error estimated in the average angle due to reading
when the directional method is used.
Sample Problem
 An angle is observed six times by an observer whose ability to
point on a well-defined target is estimated to be ±1.8”. What is
the estimated error in the average angle due to the pointing
error?
 Estimated pointing and reading errors
with
total stations
DIN 18723 - standards for TS that provide values for estimating
errors in the mean of two directions (R & D)

TRIVIA!!!
 DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung)
 German Institute for Standards
Estimated pointing and reading errors
with
total stations

σαpr - error in an
2 DIN angle
 pr  measured n
n times and
averaged due
to pointing and
reading
Sample Problem
 An angle is observed six times by an operator with a total
station instrument having a published DIN 18723 value for the
pointing and reading error of ±5”. What is the estimated error
in the angle due to the pointing and reading error?
Questions?
TARGET CENTERING
ERRORS
DUE TO:
 environmental conditions
 optical plummet errors
 quality of the optics
 plumb bob centering error
 personal abilities
 …..
TARGET CENTERING
ERRORS
TARGET CENTERING
ERRORS
EXAMPLE
 An observer’s estimated ability at centering targets over a
station is ±0.003 ft. For a particular angle observation, the
backsight and foresight distances from the instrument station
to the targets are approximately 250 ft and 450 ft,
respectively. What is the angular error due to the error in
target centering?
INSTRUMENT CENTERING
ERRORS
 quality of the instrument
 state of adjustment of its optical plummet
 quality of the tripod
 skill of surveyor
INSTRUMENT CENTERING
ERRORS
INSTRUMENT CENTERING
ERRORS
INSTRUMENT CENTERING
ERRORS
EXAMPLE
 An observer centers the instrument to within ±0.005 ft of a
station for an angle with backsight and foresight distances of
250 ft and 450 ft, respectively. The angle observed is 50. What
is the error in the angle due to the instrument centering error?