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TBT 0112 –Practical

The practical exercises will entail

2. Link traverse observation and computations.

 Field reconnaissance
 Observe bearings
 Compute and adjust the traverse
 Compute new traverse point’s coordinates.
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1.0 Introduction

Traversing technique involves the by measuring the horizontal angle at each point, between the
adjacent stations, and the horizontal distance between consecutive pairs of stations. It is one of
the simplest and most popular methods of establishing control networks in engineering
surveying. In underground mining it is the only method of control applicable. Good to establish
controls when a few intervisible points in a site are needed.

Advantages of Traversing:

1. Little reconnaissance is required compared with that needed for an interconnected

network of points.
2. Observations only involve three stations at a time so planning the task is simple.
3. Traversing may permit the control to follow the route of a highway, pipeline or tunnel,
etc., with the minimum number of stations.

Traverse have a weakness of undetected error, making it essential that there should be some
external check on its accuracy.

Traverse may commence from and end into known points of greater accuracy than the traverse.
In this way the error vector of misclosure can be quantified and distribute throughout the
network, to minimize the errors. Also by forming a loop (Starting and end points of the traverse
being identical).

2.0 Types of Traverses

1. Closed Traverse

Traverse may commence from and connect into known points of greater accuracy than the
traverse, these area known as link traverses. More also the traverse that commence from a
known point of greater accuracy than the traverse points and complete the traverse on the
same starting point. Forming a loop or polygon. Figure 1.1 and 1.2 shows types of closed
traverses.
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Figure 1.1: Link Traverse

Link traverses have an advantage over others since the systematic error in distance measurement
and orientation are clearly revealed by the error vector.

Figure 1.2: Loop/Polygon Traverse

Loop traverses can be oriented or independent.
2. Open/ Free Traverses
Traverse that do not close or end at known points and give no indication of the magnitude of
misclosure. Not recommended. However, it is frequently utilized in mining and tunneling work
because of the physical restriction on closure. Figure 2.1 shows an open traverse
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Figure 2.1: Open Traverse

3.0 Equipment
Total Station
Tripods
Tribrach

Reflector Targets
Target Poles / Rods
Figure 3.1 show a total station, tribrach and a reflector.

Figure 3.1 TS, Tribrach and reflector target

4.0 Procedure:
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i. Reconnaissance
To determine intervisibilty and make marking- pegs of the identified points.
ii. Setting up the Total Station:
a. Set up the instrument on a firm ground, secure tripod base.
- Extend the legs fully and mount the tripod firmly generally centered iver
the starting point
- Ensure the tripod head is flat/ level and to the chest level size before
mounting the TS
-Centering the TS over the point using the optical plummet. Once centred
recheck
b. Centralize the circular bubble
- Start with rough centralizing of the spirit bubble using one leg (while the
other 2 are fixed) till is roughly centred
- Use the footscrews for sensitive bubble centring, move the footscrews in
the same direction (inwards or outwards). Start with the instrument
(vertical circle) centred between 2 foot screws and use the 2 screws
simultaneously moving them in the same direction to center the bubble
and to move the bubble forward or backward use the 3rd screw (the one
coincident with the vertical circle). When the bubble is centred rotate the
TS 90° and ensure the bubble is still centred.
- Rotate the TS 360° clockwise and check whether the bubble still centred.
c. Recheck using the optical plummet whether the TS is still centered over the
point. If not carefully move unscrew the tribrach from the tripod as you
recenter the instrument.
d. Enter the coordinates of the known point into the TS, with the target –
reflector on a ranging rod properly centered at the first and eccentric to
the vertically axis (Held with bubble centered).
e. Set the bearing to the first point to be 00° 00° 00° and proceed observing
the angles and distances till the end of the traverse.
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iii. Computation

link traverse as shown 4.1 in figure commences from known stations, A and B, and
connects to known stations C and D. Stations A, B, C and D are usually fixed to a
higher order of accuracy. Their values remain unaltered.

Figure 4.1: Link Traverse

The computational steps, in the order in which they are carried out, are:
a. Angular adjustment
i. 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.
ii. 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.
iii. The correction per angle would be ∆/n, which is distributed accumulatively
over the WCBs.
b. Coordinate adjustment
i. Compute the initial coordinates of C through the traverse from B as origin.
Comparison with the known coordinates of C gives the coordinate
misclosure ∆’E, and ∆’N.
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ii. As the computed coordinates are full, not partial, coordinates, distribute
the misclosure accumulatively over stations E1 to C

Figure 4.2: Computation of the traverse in figure 4.1

 Balancing a traverse does not in any way improve it; it simply makes the figure
geometrically correct.
 Bowditch Rule
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The correction for each length is now computed in order.

For the first line AB:

The sums of δE and δN for all the lines serves as checks. Should algebraically add to ∆E and ∆N.

WCB computation Example as shown in figure 4.3.

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