Introduction to Surveying

BASICS OF TRAVERSING

Dr Philip Collier
Department of Geomatics
The University of Melbourne
p.collier@unimelb.edu.au
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

N Point B
(EB,NB)
B

N=NB-NA

NA
Point A E=EB-EA
(EA,NA)

East
EA E
Polar coordinates
North

Point B

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
180o
Coordinate conversions
Rectangular to polar Polar to rectangular
E
tan1 E dsin
N
d E2 N2 N dcos

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
. 92
o
99
B 56

352
205 o

o
2
o D
23
9
1
77.

. 76
9
12
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
Foresigh Backsig
Internal Adjusted
Point t ht
Angle Angle
Bearing Bearing
A 21o 118o 97o
B 56o 205o 149o
C 168o At oeach point
232 64:o
Measure foresight bearing
D 232o 352o 120o
Meaure backsight bearing
E 303o o Calculate
48 internal
105 o
angle (back-
=(n-
fore)
2)*180 For example, at B :
Misclose Bearing to C = 56o
Bearing to A = 205o
Adjustment Angle at B = 205o - 56o = 149o
Calculate angular misclose
Foresigh Backsig
Internal Adjusted
Point t ht
Angle Angle
Bearing Bearing
A 21o 118o 97o
B 56o 205o 149o
C 168o 232o 64o
D 232o 352o 120o
E 303o 48o 105o
=(n-
535o
2)*180
Misclose -5o
Adjustment -1o
Calculate adjusted angles
Foresigh Backsig
Internal Adjusted
Point t ht
Angle Angle
Bearing Bearing
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-
535o 540o
2)*180
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
Lin Forward Reverse Internal
o e Bearing Bearing Angle
53
AB 23o 203o 150o
B
o
BC 53o
150 D
203 o

CD

DE

A EA

AB
E
 Compute adjusted
bearings
C
Lin Forward Reverse Internal
o e Bearing Bearing Angle
3
23 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
Lin Forward Reverse Internal
o e 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
Lin Forward Reverse Internal
o e 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
Lin Forward Reverse Internal
o e 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 Distanc E N
e
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

1E
tan Beware of quadrant when
N
calculating using tan-1
2 2
d E N

Accuracy is given by
1 : (traverselength/ linearmisclose
)
Quadrants and tan
function N
++

negative positive
add 360o okay
+
+ E

positive negative
add 180o add 180o
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)

Sid
E N dE dN Eadj Nadj
e

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

Mis
(0.07) (-0.05)
c
The adjustment
components
Sid
E N dE dN Eadj Nadj
e

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

Mis
(0.07) (-0.05) (0.070) (-0.050)
c
Adjusted vector
components
Sid
E N dE dN Eadj Nadj
e

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

Mis
(0.07) (-0.05) 0.070 -0.050 (0.000)
c (0.000)
Introduction to Surveying

BASICS OF TRAVERSING

Dr Philip Collier
Department of Geomatics
The University of Melbourne
p.collier@unimelb.edu.au
Room D316