Ramesh karki

Surveying II
CH-1 Traversing
Introduction
• The methods of establishing control points in surveying are:
triangulation, trilateration, intersection, satellite position fixing and
traversing.
• Common method: Traversing
• A traverse is a series of connected survey lines of known lengths and
directions or it can be defined as series of lines connecting control
points on ground.
Function
To provide reference frame work for measurement of whole site.
To provide horizontal and vertical control for all measurements.
Use of traverse control points
In engineering surveying traverse points are used as
control for
• Surveying topographic detail.
• cadastral Survey to lay out property boundaries.
• Setting out engineering Works.
• Aerial survey (Photogrammetric survey).
• Alignment survey
• In traversing the positions of points are fixed by measuring horizontal angles,
at each station, subtended by the adjacent stations and the horizontal
distance between consecutive pairs of stations.
• The angles define the shape of the network, the lengths establish the scale.
Precision of traversing

For Horizontal control : HZ angle and HZ distance measurement

For vertical control : Rl transfer by levelling

Where distance of closed loop

K in KM
M in Mile
Principle of Traversing

Each leg of traverse can be resolved in to two

components.
• Latitude
The northing component of leg.
θ Lat = L cosθ
• Departure
The easting component of leg.
Depart = Lsinθ

L = length of leg
θ = Bearing of leg
Calculation of coordinate :

Northing of B = Northing of A + latitude of AB

Easting of B = Easting of B + Departure of AB
Type of Traverse:

1) Depending on priority
a) major travers : provide control for whole site
c) Minor traverse: provide control for any part with respect to
Major traverse.
2) Depending on Nature
a) closed traverse
b) open traverse
c) Link traverse
 Closed traverse
• Start from a point and end at same point.
E
A

D
B

C
Anti clockwise traverse: Clockwise traverse: measure external angle
Measure internal angle
Characteristics Advantage:
• Sum of measured angle = (2n± 4) 90 Error can be calculated, checked and
• ∑L=0 corrected.
∑D=0 Use:
• ∑ BS - ∑ FS = 0 In topographic survey as Major traverse.

Open traverse
Start from a point and end at another unknown point.

Disadvantage: error can not be calculated

Use: for alignment survey of road and canal.

Link traverse
• Start from a known point and end at another known point, geometrically
closed but mathematically closed.
• Characteristics:
 Sum of angle = FB of last known line - FB of Initial known line - n x 180
∑L = Northing of last point – Northing of first point
∑D = Departure of last point – Departure of first point
 ∑ BS -∑FS = Rl of last point – Rl of first point
• Advantage:
Error can be calculated, checked and distributed.
Field procedure of Traversing
1) Reconnaissance ( reccy)
walking throughout site to observe complexity of site and to decide tentative position
and number of control points for whole site.
2) Selection of station
Criteria:
• Two adjacent station should be accessible from each station.
• Leg ration should be maintained .
Longest leg/ shortest leg ≤ 3 for minor traverse
≤ 2 for close traverse
• All details of site can be measured.
• Minimum station
• Deflection angle ≤ 20 degree
• Workable place for station
3) Referencing:
Each station should be measured from three permanent points in site such
that it can be relocated if marking is missed.
4) Field measurement
for Horizontal control:
Included angle : two set for major and single set for minor traverse.
HZ distance: leg measurement.
For vertical control :
RL transfer on each station.
5) Calculation and check of angular and linear miss closure.
Angular miss closure and correction :
• For close traverse
angular error (δ ) = sum of measured angle – geometric sum
precision =± C
corrected angle = measured angle ± δ/ N
• For minor traverse
angular error (δ ) = calculated WCB of last line – measured WCB of last line
precision =± C
corrected WCB = WCB of line ± (δ/ N) x n
N = total number of station
n = 1 (for first), 2, 3 ………..N(for last)
Linear miss closure( closing error) and correction

Cumulative Error due to error in linear measurement of all

leg. AA’ in figure.

Error(e) =
ΔN = error in latitude ( for close traverse = ∑ latitude)
ΔD = error in departure ( for close traverse = ∑Departure)

Precision = e / P
p = perimeter of traverse
Precision should be with in precision of linear measurement
used.
Bearing calculation:

Sum = WCB of AB + θ
A
WCB of BC= sum + 180 if sum < 180
WCB of BC = sum – 180 if sum > 180
θ WCB of BC = sum – 540 if sum > 540

B
C
Correction of closing error: balancing or traverse
adjustment
It is process of adjusting the latitudes and departures by applying
corrections to them in such a way that the algebraic sum of the latitudes,
and that of the departures should each equal to zero, i.e. the sum of the
northings should be exactly equal to the sum of the southings, and the sum
of the easting should be exactly equal to the sum of the westing.
The methods
1) Bowditch’s method
2) Transit rule
3) Graphical Method
(1) Bowditch’s Rule:

It is also known as the compass rule and is most commonly used in traverse adjustment.
It is used when the angular and linear measurements are equally precise.
By this rule, the total error in latitude and that in departure is distributed in proportion to the lengths of the sides.

Correction to latitude or departure of any side

(2) Transit Rule:

This rule is used to balance the traverse when the angular measurement are more precise
than the linear measurements,

(i) Correction to departure of any side

(ii) Correction to departure of any side

 Gale’s table for Traverse computation
Consecutive coordinate correction corrected Independent coordinate Adjusted value
included angular corrected latitude = departure=
station line angle correction angle WCB Length l cosθ l sinθ latitude departure latitude departure Northing Easting WCB Length

sum δ= P= ΔN= ΔE=

angular error = closing error (e)=

precision = precision = e/p
Example:1} The measured length of leg and internal angle are given in figure. If independent coordinate of A
is ( 1250 m N, 1050 m E) and WCB of AB is 120 degree then compute coordinate of all with all check and
adjusted value in gale’s table.
Example:2} The measured length of leg and internal angle are given in figure. If
independent coordinate of D is ( 1250 m N, 1050 m E) and WCB of DC is 220 degree
then compute coordinate of all with all check and adjusted value in gale’s table.
Calculate coordinate of Point R and S of
given link traverse. Apply usual check.
Line Direction Length Lat Dep

QR S 56°23'38"E 398.75' -220.700' +332.104'

RS S 75°17'42"W 422.89' -107.347' -409.038

ST N 43°05'47"E 604.49' +441.402' +413.004'

sums: 1426.13' +113.355' +336.070

Point North (ft) East (ft)

Q 2600.480 1391.670

LatQR -220.700 DepQR +332.104

R 2379.780 1723.774

LatRS -107.347 DepRS -409.038

S 2272.433 1314.736

LatST +441.402 DepST +413.004

T 2713.835 1727.740

Lat err = 2713.835' - 2713.780' = +0.555'

Dep err = 1727.740'-1727.810' = -0.070'
Point N' (ft) ΔN (ft) N (ft) E' (ft) ΔE (ft) E (ft)

R 2379.780 -0.015 2379.765 1723.774 +0.020 1723.794

S 2272.433 -0.031 2272.402 1314.736 +0.041 1314.777

T 2713.835 -0.054 2713.781 1727.740 +0.071 1727.811

check check