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
AE=E
B
-E
A
E
A
N
A
(E
A
,N
A
)
E
B
N
B
(E
B
,N
B
)
Point A
Point B
North
East
AN=N
B
-N
A
Polar coordinates
|
North
East
Point A
Point B
| ~ whole-circle bearing
d ~ distance
Whole circle bearings
Bearing are measured
clockwise from NORTH
and must lie in the range
0
o
s | s 360
o
North
0
o
East
90
o
South
180
o
West
270
o
1
st
quadrant
2
nd
quadrant
3
rd
quadrant
4
th
quadrant
Coordinate conversions
2 2
1
N E d
N
E
tan
A + A =
|
.
|

\
|
A
A
= |

| = A
| = A
cos d N
sin d E
Rectangular to polar Polar to rectangular
d
|
AE
AN
d
|
AE
AN
What is a traverse?
A polygon of 2D (or 3D) vectors
Sides are expressed as either polar coordinates (|,d)
or as rectangular coordinate differences (AE,AN)
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)
new
(E,N)
new
(E,N)
known
(E,N)
known
Applications of traversing
These new points can then be used as a
framework for mapping existing features
(E,N)
new
(E,N)
new
(E,N)
new
(E,N)
new
(E,N)
new
(E,N)
known
(E,N)
known
Applications of traversing
They can also be used as a basis for setting
out new work
(E,N)
new
(E,N)
new
(E,N)
known
(E,N)
known
Equipment
Traversing requires :
An instrument to measure angles (theodolite) or
bearings (magnetic compass)
An instrument to measure distances (EDM or tape)

Measurement sequence
A
B
C
D
E
Computation sequence
1. Calculate angular misclose
2. Adjust angular misclose
3. Calculate adjusted bearings
4. Reduce distances for slope etc
5. Compute (AE, AN) for each traverse line
6. Calculate linear misclose
7. Calculate accuracy
8. Adjust linear misclose
Calculate internal angles
Point
Foresight
Bearing
Backsight
Bearing
Internal
Angle
Adjusted
Angle
A 21
o
118
o
97
o
B 56
o
205
o
149
o
C 168
o
232
o
64
o
D 232
o
352
o
120
o
E 303
o
48
o
105
o
E =(n-2)*180
Misclose
Adjustment
At each point :
Measure foresight bearing
Meaure backsight bearing
Calculate internal angle (back-fore)
For example, at B :
Bearing to C = 56
o

Bearing to A = 205
o

Angle at B = 205
o
- 56
o
= 149
o
Calculate angular misclose
Point
Foresight
Bearing
Backsight
Bearing
Internal
Angle
Adjusted
Angle
A 21
o
118
o
97
o
B 56
o
205
o
149
o
C 168
o
232
o
64
o
D 232
o
352
o
120
o
E 303
o
48
o
105
o
E =(n-2)*180 535
o
Misclose -5
o
Adjustment -1
o
Calculate adjusted angles
Point
Foresight
Bearing
Backsight
Bearing
Internal
Angle
Adjusted
Angle
A 21
o
118
o
97
o
98
o
B 56
o
205
o
149
o
150
o
C 168
o
232
o
64
o
65
o
D 232
o
352
o
120
o
121
o
E 303
o
48
o
105
o
106
o
E =(n-2)*180 535
o
540
o
Misclose -5
o
Adjustment -1
o
Compute adjusted bearings
Adopt a starting bearing
Then, working clockwise around the traverse :
Calculate reverse bearing to backsight (forward bearing 180
o
)
Subtract (clockwise) internal adjusted angle
Gives bearing of foresight
For example (bearing of line BC)
Adopt bearing of AB 23
o

Reverse bearing BA (=23
o
+180
o
) 203
o

Internal adjusted angle at B 150
o

Forward bearing BC (=203
o
-150
o
) 53
o


Compute adjusted bearings
Line
Forward
Bearing
Reverse
Bearing
Internal
Angle
AB 23
o
203
o
150
o

BC 53
o

CD
DE
EA
AB
A
B
C
D
E
150
o
Compute adjusted bearings
Line
Forward
Bearing
Reverse
Bearing
Internal
Angle
AB 23
o
203
o
150
o

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

BC 53
o
233
o
65
o
CD 168
o
348
o
121
o
DE 227
o
EA
AB
A
B
C
D
E
121
o
Compute adjusted bearings
Line
Forward
Bearing
Reverse
Bearing
Internal
Angle
AB 23
o
203
o
150
o

BC 53
o
233
o
65
o
CD 168
o
348
o
121
o
DE 227
o
47
o
106
o
EA
-59
o

301
o
AB
A
B
C
D
E
106
o
Compute adjusted bearings
Line
Forward
Bearing
Reverse
Bearing
Internal
Angle
AB 23
o
203
o
150
o

BC 53
o
233
o
65
o
CD 168
o
348
o
121
o
DE 227
o
47
o
106
o
EA 301
o
121
o
98
o
AB 23
o
(check)
A
B
C
D
E
98
o
(AE,AN) for each line
The rectangular components for each line are
computed from the polar coordinates (|,d)



Note that these formulae apply regardless of
the quadrant so long as whole circle bearings
are used
| = A
| = A
cos d N
sin d E
Vector components
Line Bearing Distance AE AN
AB 23
o
77.19 30.16 71.05
BC 53
o
99.92 79.80 60.13
CD 168
o
60.63 12.61 -59.31
DE 227
o
129.76 -94.90 -88.50
EA 301
o
32.20 -27.60 16.58
E (399.70) (0.07) (-0.05)
Linear misclose & accuracy
Convert the rectangular misclose components
to polar coordinates




Accuracy is given by

2 2
1
N E d
N
E
tan
A + A =
|
.
|

\
|
A
A
= |

) misclose linear / length traverse ( : 1
Beware of quadrant when
calculating | using tan
-1

AN
AE


| positive
add 180
o
Quadrants and tan function

+
| negative
add 180
o
+

| negative
add 360
o
+
+
| positive
okay
For the example
Misclose (AE, AN)
(0.07, -0.05)
Convert to polar (|,d)
| = -54.46
o
(2
nd
quadrant) = 125.53
o

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 :
AE
adj
= AE
misc
* side length/total perimeter
The adjustment to the northing component of
any traverse side is given by :
AN
adj
= AN
misc
* 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 AE AN dAE dAN AE
adj
AN
adj
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 AE AN dAE dAN AE
adj
AN
adj
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 AE AN dAE dAN AE
adj
AN
adj
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
p.collier@unimelb.edu.au
Room D316