Introduction to Surveying

BASICS OF TRAVERSING

Dr Philip Collier
Department of Geomatics
The University of Melbourne
[email protected]
Room D316
Overview
• In this lecture we will cover :
 Rectangular and polar coordinates
 Definition of a traverse
 Applications of traversing
 Equipment and field procedures
 Reduction and adjustment of data
Rectangular coordinates
North

NB Point B
(EB,NB)

N=NB-NA

NA
Point A E=EB-EA
(EA,NA)

East
EA EB
Polar coordinates
North

Point B

d


Point A

 ~ whole-circle bearing
d ~ distance

East
Whole circle bearings
North Bearing are measured
0o clockwise from NORTH
and must lie in the range
0o    360o
4th quadrant 1st quadrant

West East
270o 90o
3rd quadrant 2nd quadrant

South
o
180
Coordinate conversions
Rectangular to polar Polar to rectangular
 E 
  tan 1   E  d sin 
 N 
d  E2  N2 N  d cos 

d N d N
 

E E
What is a traverse?
• A polygon of 2D (or 3D) vectors
• Sides are expressed as either polar coordinates (,d)
or as rectangular coordinate differences (E,N)
• A traverse must either close on itself
• Or be measured between points with known
rectangular coordinates

A closed
traverse A traverse between
known points
Applications of traversing
• Establishing coordinates for new points

(E,N)known

(E,N)known
( ,

, d )
d)

( 
(,d)
(E,N)new
(E,N)new
Applications of traversing
• These new points can then be used as a
framework for mapping existing features

(E,N)known
(E,N)new
(E,N)new (E,N)new (E,N)known
(,d

(
)

) ) (,
(,d

d)

,d)
,d) (,d
(

(E,N)new
(E,N)new
Applications of traversing
• They can also be used as a basis for setting
out new work

(E,N)known

(E,N)known

(E,N)new
(E,N)new
Equipment
• Traversing requires :
 An instrument to measure angles (theodolite) or
bearings (magnetic compass)
 An instrument to measure distances (EDM or
tape)
Measurement sequence
C o
2
23

168
o
60.63
9.92
9
o

B 56

3 52
205 o

o
o D
2
23
19
77.

6
9.7
1 2
21 o

A
32
11

.2
8

0
o

o
30

48
3
o

E
Computation sequence
1. Calculate angular misclose
2. Adjust angular misclose
3. Calculate adjusted bearings
4. Reduce distances for slope etc…
5. Compute (E, N) for each traverse line
6. Calculate linear misclose
7. Calculate accuracy
8. Adjust linear misclose
Calculate internal angles
Foresight Backsight Internal Adjusted
Point
Bearing Bearing Angle Angle
A 21o 118o 97o

B 56o 205o 149o

C 168o 232 o
64
At each point :
o

D 232o • oMeasure foresight

352 120o bearing
• Meaure backsight bearing
E 303o • o Calculate 105
48 internal
o
angle (back-fore)

 =(n-2)*180 For example, at B :

• Bearing to C = 56o
Misclose • Bearing to A = 205o
• Angle at B = 205o - 56o = 149o
Adjustment
Calculate angular misclose
Foresight Backsight Internal Adjusted
Point
Bearing Bearing Angle Angle
A 21o 118o 97o

B 56o 205o 149o

C 168o 232o 64o

D 232o 352o 120o

E 303o 48o 105o

 =(n-2)*180 535o

Misclose -5o

Adjustment -1o
Calculate adjusted angles
Foresight Backsight Internal Adjusted
Point
Bearing Bearing Angle Angle
A 21o 118o 97o 98o

B 56o 205o 149o 150o

C 168o 232o 64o 65o

D 232o 352o 120o 121o

E 303o 48o 105o 106o

 =(n-2)*180 535o 540o

Misclose -5o

Adjustment -1o
Compute adjusted bearings
• Adopt a starting bearing
• Then, working clockwise around the traverse :
 Calculate reverse bearing to backsight (forward bearing 180o)
 Subtract (clockwise) internal adjusted angle
 Gives bearing of foresight

• For example (bearing of line BC)

 Adopt bearing of AB 23o
 Reverse bearing BA (=23o+180o) 203o
 Internal adjusted angle at B 150o
 Forward bearing BC (=203o-150o) 53o
Compute adjusted bearings
C
Forward Reverse Internal
Line
o Bearing Bearing Angle
53
AB 23o 203o 150o
B
BC 53o
150
o
D
203 o

CD

DE

A EA

AB
E
Compute adjusted bearings
C
Forward Reverse Internal
Line
o Bearing Bearing Angle
2 33 65o

168
AB 23o 203o 150o
B o
BC 53o 233o 65o
D
CD 168o
23 o

DE

A EA

AB
E
Compute adjusted bearings
C
Forward Reverse Internal
Line
o Bearing Bearing Angle
53
348
AB 23o 203o 150o
B o
121o BC 53o 233o 65o
D
CD 168o 348o 121o
23 o

o
7 DE 227o
22
A EA

AB
E
Compute adjusted bearings
C
Forward Reverse Internal
Line
o Bearing Bearing Angle
53
168
AB 23o 203o 150o
B o
BC 53o 233o 65o
D
CD 168o 348o 121o
23 o

o DE 227o 47o 106o

47
-59o
A 106o EA
301o
30

AB
1
o

E
Compute adjusted bearings
C
Forward Reverse Internal
Line
o Bearing Bearing Angle
53
168
AB 23o 203o 150o
B o
BC 53o 233o 65o
D
CD 168o 348o 121o
23 o

o
7 DE 227o 47o 106o
22
98o EA 301o 121o 98o
A
12

AB 23o (check)
1
o

E
(E,N) for each line
• The rectangular components for each line are
computed from the polar coordinates (,d)

E  d sin 
N  d cos 

• Note that these formulae apply regardless of

the quadrant so long as whole circle bearings
are used
Vector components
Line Bearing Distance E N
AB 23o 77.19 30.16 71.05
BC 53o 99.92 79.80 60.13
CD 168o 60.63 12.61 -59.31
DE 227o 129.76 -94.90 -88.50
EA 301o 32.20 -27.60 16.58
 (399.70) (0.07) (-0.05)
Linear misclose & accuracy
• Convert the rectangular misclose components
to polar coordinates

1  E 
  tan   Beware of quadrant when
 N 
calculating  using tan-1
2 2
d  E  N

• Accuracy is given by
1 : (traverse length / linear misclose )
Quadrants and tan function
N
+ +

 negative  positive
add 360
o
okay
 +
 + E

 positive  negative
o o
add 180   add 180
For the example…
• Misclose (E, N)
 (0.07, -0.05)

• Convert to polar (,d)

  = -54.46o (2nd quadrant) = 125.53o
 d = 0.09 m

• Accuracy
 1:(399.70 / 0.09) = 1:4441
Bowditch adjustment
• The adjustment to the easting component of
any traverse side is given by :
Eadj = Emisc * side length/total perimeter

• The adjustment to the northing component of

any traverse side is given by :
Nadj = Nmisc * side length/total perimeter
The example…
• East misclose 0.07 m
• North misclose –0.05 m
• Side AB 77.19 m
• Side BC 99.92 m
• Side CD 60.63 m
• Side DE 129.76 m
• Side EA 32.20 m
• Total perimeter 399.70 m
Vector components (pre-adjustment)

Side E N dE dN Eadj Nadj

1A 30.16 71.05

AB 79.80 60.13

BC 12.61 -59.31

CD -94.90 -88.50

D1 -27.60 16.58

Misc (0.07) (-0.05)

The adjustment components
Side E N dE dN Eadj Nadj

1A 30.16 71.05 0.014 -0.010

AB 79.80 60.13 0.016 -0.012

BC 12.61 -59.31 0.011 -0.008

CD -94.90 -88.50 0.023 -0.016

D1 -27.60 16.58 0.006 -0.004

Misc (0.07) (-0.05) (0.070) (-0.050)

Adjusted vector components
Side E N dE dN Eadj Nadj

1A 30.16 71.05 0.014 -0.010 30.146 71.060

AB 79.80 60.13 0.016 -0.012 79.784 60.142

BC 12.61 -59.31 0.011 -0.008 12.599 -59.302

CD -94.90 -88.50 0.023 -0.016 -94.923 -88.484

D1 -27.60 16.58 0.006 -0.004 -27.606 16.584

Misc (0.07) (-0.05) 0.070 -0.050 (0.000) (0.000)

Introduction to Surveying

BASICS OF TRAVERSING

Dr Philip Collier
Department of Geomatics
The University of Melbourne
[email protected]
Room D316