Unit 6

Traverse
Definition of Traversing:
 A traverse consists of a series of straight lines connecting
successive points.
 The points defining the ends of the traverse lines are called
traverse stations or traverse points.
Traversing is the method of using
 Distances and
 Directions of lines between points
To determine positions of the points.

1
Traverses are used for two general purposes

1.For surveying details:-

2. For setting out: - positions of roads, buildings,
property lines, and other new constructions can be
established by referencing to a network of traverse lines.
• The main Purpose of traverse is a convenient, rapid
method for establishing horizontal control
particularly when the lines of sights are short due
to heavily built up areas .

2
Types of Traverse

There are two general classes of traverse: the open

traverse and the closed traverse
Open traverse:- It starts at a point of known position
and terminates at a point of unknown
position.

3
 It is not possible to check the consistence of angles
and distance measurement.
 To minimize errors, distances can be measured twice,
angles turned by repetition.

4
 Closed traverse:- It originates on a point of known
position and closes on the same point (closed loop
traverse) or
 on another point of known position (closed link
traverse) computational checks can be applied to
a closed traverse to check the quality of the survey.

5
• Traverses based on the method used in laying out the
traverse lines can be categorized as .
 interior angle traverse,
 deflection angle traverse,
 angle to the right traverse, azimuth traverse ,
 compass traverse, etc.

6
 Interior angle traverse:- Interior angle traverse is
the one that is employed for closed loop traverse.

Azimuth of a line =back azimuth of preceding line + Clockwise interior angle.

7
 Deflection angle traverses:- It is mostly common in
location of routes, canals, roads, highways, pipe lines,
etc.
Azimuth of line =Azimuth of preceding line + R

Azimuth of line =Azimuth of preceding line -  L

4
X
B D

2
A Y

1 3

8
Computation of closed loop traverse
Steps Of Traverse Computation :
 Determine directions of traverse side
 Fill in the traverse computation table
 Compute the angular error & adjust the angles
 Compute azimuth
 Compute departure and latitude
 Compute the error of closure
 Compute correction for departure and latitude
 Adjust departure and latitude
 Compute coordinates of X and Y
 Determine area enclosed

9
1.Determine directions of traverse side:-
 A  B? (left sided traverse)
 A  E? (right sided traverse)

Example:-Closed loop traverse

E
D

92°20’
145°37’
A 141° 45’
86°26’
108°24’
107°8’ C

B 10
2.Fill in the traverse computation table:

Measured Adjusted Azimuths Horizonta Unadjusted Correction Adjusted Coordinates

Station
H. angle H. angle distance dep. lat. dep. lat. dep. lat. x y

86°26’
A
E
D
B
107°8’
92°20’
145°37’
A
C 108°24’ 86°26’
108°24’
D 92°20’ 107°8’ C

E 145°37’
B
A
86°26’
∑< 539°55’ 11
3.Compute the angular error & adjust the angles:

Total = (n-2)(180) <A=86°26’+1’= 86°27’

n = 5, Total = 540°
<B=107°8’+1’= 107°9’
Error = T. value-M. value
<C=108°24’+1’=108°25’
<D=92°20’+1’= 92°21’
Error=540°-539°55’
=5’ <E=145°37’+1’= 145°38’
Error = +5’
Corr. = +5’/5
= +1’
12
4.Compute the angular error & adjust the angles:
error = measured value – true value
Error = -5’
Total = (n-2)(180) Corr. = -(-5’) /5
n = 5, Total = 540° = +1’
Measured Adjusted Azimuths Horizonta Unadjusted Correction Adjusted Coordinates
Station
H. angle H. angle distance dep. lat. dep. lat. dep. lat. x y

86°26’ 86°27’
A
E
D
B 107°8’ 107°9’
92°21’
145°38’
C 108°24’ 108°25’ A
86°27’
108°24’
D 92°20’ 92°21’ 107°8’ C

E 145°37’ 145°38’
B
A
∑< 539°55’ 540° 13
5.Compute azimuth:

 If it is left sided traverse (A  B)

 Azimuth of a line =back azimuth of preceding line + Interior angle.

 If it is right sided traverse(A  E)

 Azimuth of a line =back azimuth of preceding line - Interior angle.

14
5.Compute azimuth:
AzBC = Back AzAB + B (left sided traverse)
NB: Use Adjusted Angles E
AzBC = 141° 45’ + 180°+ 107°9’ = 68°54’
D
AzCD=AzCB+<C 92°21’
145°37’
141° 45’
A
86°27’
AzCD = 68° 45’ + 180°+ 108°25’ = 357°19’ 108°25
AzDE=AzDC+<D 107°9’ C
’
AzDE = 357°19’ - 180°+ 92°21’ = 269°40’
AzEA=AzED+<E B

AzEA = 269°40’ - 180°+ 145°37’’ = 235°18’

AzAB = 235°18’ - 180°+ 86°27’= 141° 45
15
5.Compute azimuth: continued

Measured Adjusted Azimuths Horizonta Unadjusted Correction Adjusted Coordinates

Station
H. angle H. angle Distance dep. lat. dep. lat. dep. lat. x y

A 86°26’ 86°27’
141°45’
315.62
B 107°8’ 107°9’
68°54’ 502.43 D
C 108°24’ 108°25’ E
357°19’ 176.95
92°21’ 92°21’ 92°21’
D 145°38’
269°40’ A 141° 45’
502.06
E 145°37’ 145°38’ 86°27’ 108°25’
235°18’ 187.05
107°9’
A C
539°55’ 540° B 16
6.Compute departure and latitude

• The latitude is always measured parallel to the reference meridian

and the departure perpendicular to the reference meridian.
• Departure and latitude of a forward point with respect to
the preceding point is known as the consecutive coordinates.

17
The departure and latitude of point B with respect to the preceding
point A, are(from the figure below)

18
 Departure = AB = l sin θ
 Latitude = AB = l cos θ.
 θ is the azimuth of the line
 Gives the signs of departure and Latitude.

19
Latitude = Length*Cos(Az)
Departure = Length*Sin(Az)
E 269°40’
’ D
LatAB = LengthAB*Cos(AzAB) 5 ° 18 502.06
23 5

357°19’
176.95
7 . 0
DepAB = LengthAB*Sin(AzAB) 18
A
LatAB = 315.65 Cos(141°45’) = -247.86

14
1°
4’

31
DepAB = 315.65 Sin(141°45’) = 195.40 ° 5 C

45
68

5.

’
.4 3

62
5 0 2
LatBC = LengthBC*Cos(AzBC)
B
DepBC = LengthBC*Sin(AzBC)

LatBC = 502.43 Cos(68°54’) = 180.87

DepBC = 502.43 Sin(68°54’) = 468.74
20
LatCD = lengthCD*cos(azCD)
Dep CD= lengthCD*sin(azCD)

E 269°40’
’ D
° 1 8
LatCD = 176.95 Cos(357°19’) = 176.7 5 502.06
23
.0 5

357°19’
176.95
7
DepCD = 176.95 Sin( 357°19’) = -8.28
A 18

LatDE = 502.06 Cos(269°40’) = -2.92

14
1°
4’

31
° 5 C

45
DepDE = 502.06 Sin(269°40’) = -502.05 68

5.

’
43

62
2 .
50
LatEA = 187.05 Cos(235°18’) = -106.48 B
DepEA = 187.05 Sin(235°18’) = -153.78

21
Compute dep & lat: Continued

Measured Adjusted Azimuths Horzontal Unadjusted Correction Adjusted Coordinates

Station
H. angle H. angle distance dep. lat. dep. lat. dep. lat. x y

A 86°26’ 86°27’
195.40 -247.86 E 269°40’
141°45’ 315.62 ’ D
5 ° 18 502.06
B 107°8’ 107°9’ 23 0 5

357°19’
.

176.95
468.74 180.87 7
68°54’ 502.43 18
A
C 108°24’ 108°25’
-8.28 176.76

14
357°19’ 176.95
4’

1°
5 C

31
92°20’ 92°21’ °
68

45
D

5.
43

’
-502.05 -2.92
.
62
269°40’ 502.06
50 2
E 145°37’ 145°38’
-153.78 -106.48
B
235°18’ 187.05
A
22
1684.11 0.03 0.37
∑ 539°55’
7.Compute the error of closure:
 You should end up where you started
o Sum of Lat’s = 0
o Sum of Dep’s = 0
 Linear Misclosure (error)
o A line connects starting and ending point
o Linear error = length of line

eDep = 0.03
eLin  eLat
2
 eDep
2

eLat = 0.37
 0.36 2  0.032  0.37

Balancing the traverse (dep and lat)

(i) By Bowditch’s method – more common

(ii) Transit rule
23
(i) bowditch’s method
 Correction to (departure/latitude) of a line

24
Transit rule
The total error in latitude and departure is distributed in
proportion to the latitude and departure of the traverse
line.
Correction to latitude (or departure) of any traverse line

25
Compute correction for dep & lat:
Proportion Lat, Dep error to length of side and total distance
Correction is the term more popularly being used to de-
fine the magnitude of error but opposite in sign
  eLat 
CLat  Length      eDep 
 Lengths  CDep  Length   
 Lengths 
  0.36 
CLat AB  315.62     0.07
 1684.11 

  0.03 
CDepAB  315.62     0.006  0.01
 1684.11 

26
E 269°40’
’ D
5 ° 18 502.06
  0.36  23 0 5

357°19’
.

176.95
CLat BC  502.43     0.11 A 18
7
 1684.11 

14
  0.03  4’

1°
5 C

31
 502.43   °
CDepBC   0.01 68

45
5.
.4 3

’
 1684.11 

62
5 0 2
B
  0.36 
CLatCD  176.95     0.04
 1684.11 

  0.03 
CDepCD  176.95     0.00
 1684.11 
27
E 269°40’ D
8’
  0.36  23
5°1 502.06
CLat DE  502.06     0.11 7.05

357°19’
176.95
18
 1684.11  A

14 5.62
  0.03 

1°
31
 502  06   0.01 54’ C

45
CDepDE 68°

’
 1684.11  .43
502
B
  0.36 
CLat EA  187.05     0.04
 1684.11 

  0.03 
CDepEA  187  05   0.00
 1684.11 
28
8. . . correction for dep & lat:

Measured Adjusted Azimuths Horizonta Unadjusted Correction Adjusted Coordinates

Station
H. angle H. angle distance dep. lat. dep. lat. dep. lat. x y

A 86°26’ 86°27’
195.40 -247.86
141°45’ 315.62 -.01 -.07

B 107°8’ 107°9’
468.74 180.87
68°54’ 502.43 -.01 -.11

C 108°24’ 108°25’
-8.28 176.76
357°19’ 176.95 0 -.04

D 92°20’ 92°21’
-502.05 -2.92 -.01
269°40’ -.11
502.06
E 145°37’ 145°38’
-153.78 -106.48
235°18’ 0 -.04
187.05
A
1684.11 0.03 0.37 -.03 -.37 29
539°55’ 540°
10.Adjust departure and latitude:

 LatAB=-247.86-0.07=-247.93

 Dep AB= 195.38-0.01=195.37

 Lat BC= 180.87-0.11=180.76

 DepBC= 468.74-0.01 etc

10.Adjust departure and latitude:
Measured Adjusted Azimuths Horizontal Unadjusted Correction Adjusted Coordinates
Station
H. angle H. angle distance dep. lat. dep. lat. dep. lat. x y

A 86°26’ 86°27’
195.40 -247.86
141°45’ 315.62 -.01 -.07 195.39 -247.93

B 107°8’ 107°9’
468.74 180.87
68°54’ 502.43 -.01 -.11 468.73 180.76

C 108°24’ 108°25’
-8.28 176.76
357°19’ 176.95 0 -.04 -8.28 176.72

D 92°20’ 92°21’
-502.05 -2.92 -.01
269°40’ -.11 -502.06 -3.03
502.06
E 145°37’ 145°38’
-153.78 -106.48
235°18’ 0 -.04 -153.78 -106.52
187.05
A
1684.11 0.03 0.37 -.3 0 0
539°55’ 540° -.03
7

31
11.Compute coordinates of X and Y:
 B(X,Y) XB = XA + Dep AB , YB = YA + Lat AB
XB = 100+ 195.39=295.39 , YB = 300-247.93 = 52.07

C(X,Y) XC = XB+ Dep BC YC = YB + Lat BC

XC = 295.39+ 468.73=764.12, YC = 52.07+ 180.76=232.83

XD = XC+ Dep CD YB = YB + Lat CD

D(X,Y)
XD = 764.12-8.28=755.84, YD = 232.83 + 176.72=409.55

E(X,Y) XE = XD + Dep DE YB = YB + Lat DE

XE = 755.84 -502.06=253.78 , YE = 409.55-3.03=406.52

A(X,Y) XA = XE+ Dep EA YA = YE + Lat EA

XA = 253.78 -153.78=100 , YA = 406.52+ -106.52=300
32
11.Compute coordinates of X and Y:
Measured Adjusted Azimuths Horizonta Unadjusted Correction Adjusted Coordinates
Station
H. angle H. angle distance dep. lat. dep lat. dep. lat. x y
.
A 86°26’ 86°27’ 100 300
195.40 -247.86
141°45’ 315.62 -.01 -.07
195.39
-247.93

B 107°8’ 107°9’ 295.39 52.07

468.74 180.87
68°54’ 502.43 -.01 -.11 468.73 180.76

C 108°24’ 108°25’ 764.12 232.83

-8.28 176.76
357°19’ 176.95 0 -.04 -8.28 176.72

92°20’ 92°21’ 755.84

D 409.55

-502.05 -2.92 -.01

269°40’ -.11 -502.06 -3.03
502.06
E 145°37’ 145°38’ 253.78 406.52
-153.78 -106.48
235°18’ 0 -.04 -153.78 -106.52
187.05
100 30
A
33
1684.11 0.03 0.37 -.0 0 0 0
539°55’ 540° -.37