Traversing Computations: (Chapter 10) Closed traverses like closed level loops offer a opportunity

to check ones work and make adjustments because extra measurements have been make to form a
loop. Adjustment steps include:

1. Balance Interior Angles [Lecture 10]

2. Determine Azimuths (preliminary) [Lecture 10]
3. Calculate latitudes and departures and adjust misclosure
4. Compute rectangular coordinates (x,y)
5. Calculate new length and azimuths coordinates

Example Traverse
C Measured Distances and Prelim. Azimuths
B
Course Length Preliminary
080o58’30” (m) Azimuths
149o13’00”
BC 116.495 082o08’48”
CD 112.252 181o10’06”
A
101o24’00” 116o19’00”
DE 176.488 244o50’54”
D
EA 106.710 332o46’12”
092o04’30”
AB 122.402 051o22’00”
sum 634.347
E

Topic
ENGI 3703 Traverse Calculations Instructor: Prof. Ken Snelgrove

Surveying and Geomatics Lect 11 - Oct 10/07 Slide 1 of 10

Calculate Departures and Latitudes: (Section 10.4 and 10.5) We have dealt the angle component of
traverses and now we must consider the distances of each course within the traverse. We will
separate these distances into two rectangular components:
1. Latitudes - the N-S component or
Y with North (+) and South (-).
2. Departures - the E-W component or
X with East (+) and West (-).

To calculate components we make use of

our previously calculate azimuths () as:

departure = L sin

latitude = L cos

The signs of the departures and latitudes are
essentially looked after by use of the
azimuths. If bearings are used then sign
management is required after component
Y
and
X are calculated.

We can use the lats and deps to determine in

traverse adjustment since the sum of each
must equal zero if the survey is perfect.

Topic
ENGI 3703 Traverse Calculations Instructor: Prof. Ken Snelgrove

Surveying and Geomatics Lect 11 - Oct 10/07 Slide 2 of 10

Example Lats and Deps: (Section 10.5) To calculate the latitude (lats) and departures (deps) we
use the azimuths calculated from either the clockwise or counterclockwise approach. In the example
below we start at Point B and work around in a clockwise direction.

Lat BC (+)

Dep BC (+)
Dep AB (+) Lats and Deps, Clockwise Approach (Start at B)
C
B Course Length Preliminary Departure (m) Latitude (m)
Lat AB (+)

Lat CD (-)
(m) Azimuths
BC 116.495 082o08’48” 115.402 15.918
A D CD 112.252 181o10’06” -2.289 -112.229
De
Lat EA (+)

pC DE 176.488 244o50’54” -159.754 -75.010

D
Lat DE (-)

(-)
EA 106.710 332o46’12” -48.827 94.884
E AB 122.402 051o22’00” 95.615 76.420
Dep EA (-) Dep DE (-) sum 634.347
deps=0.147
lats=-0.017

Topic
ENGI 3703 Traverse Calculations Instructor: Prof. Ken Snelgrove

Surveying and Geomatics Lect 11 - Oct 10/07 Slide 3 of 10

 Linear Misclosure and Relative Precision: (Section 10.6) Once calculated we can must determine
the sum of the lats and deps to determine both the magnitude and direction of the misclosure.

2 2
linear misclosure = (departure misclosure) + (latitude misclosure)
2 2
Example
E= (
deps) + (
lats) 2 2
E= (0.147) + (0.017)
linear misclosure E E = 0.148
relative precision = =
traverse length P
E 0.148 1 1
relative precision = = =

tan(Bearing Angle) =

deps P 634.147 4285 4300

lats
C 0.147
tan(Bearing Angle) =
B’ 0.017
B B'B Error Bearing = 83.4033 = S83o24 11.7E
B'B Azimuth = 180  83o24 11.7 = 96 o 3548.3
A
B’
D
E=0.14
8
lats=-0.017

deps=0.147 B

E
Topic
ENGI 3703 Traverse Calculations Instructor: Prof. Ken Snelgrove

Surveying and Geomatics Lect 11 - Oct 10/07 Slide 4 of 10

Adjust Misclosure: (Section 10.7) Now that we know the bearing and magnitude of the closure error
we can determine how to deal with it. One method is via the Compass Adjustment Rule. Here we
simply pro-rate deps and lats errors onto the sides of the traverse based on their length relative to
the traverse perimeter. Short legs get little error, long legs get a lot as:

Corr deps AB AB Corr lats AB AB

= =

deps P
lats P

AB
deps AB
lats

Corr deps AB =  = AB k deps Corr lats AB =  = AB k lats
P P

where: AB - is the measured distance AB

Corr deps AB - is the departure correction to apply to AB
Corr lats AB - is the latitude correction to apply to AB
P - is the perimeter of the traverse

lats &
deps are the latitude and departure error
klats & kdeps are constants for each traverse =
lats/P and
deps/P, respectively

Note: the negative sign is used since these corrections are added

Topic
ENGI 3703 Traverse Calculations Instructor: Prof. Ken Snelgrove

Surveying and Geomatics Lect 11 - Oct 10/07 Slide 5 of 10

 Example: (cont)
k deps =

deps k lats =

lats
P P
0.147 0.017
= = 231.7 106 = = 26.80 106
634.347 634.347

Corr Dep BC = 231.7 106 (116.495) Corr Dep BC = 26.80 106 (116.495)
= 0.027 = 0.003

Corrected Latitudes and Departures

Course Length Preliminary Departure Latitude Corr Deps Corr Lats Corrected Corrected
(m) Azimuths (m) (m) Departures Latitudes

BC 116.495 082o08’48” 115.402 15.918 -0.027 0.003 115.375 15.921

CD 112.252 181o10’06” -2.289 -112.229 -0.026 0.003 -2.315 -112.226
DE 176.488 244o50’54” -159.754 -75.010 -0.041 0.005 -159.795 -75.005
EA 106.710 332o46’12” -48.827 94.884 -0.025 0.003 -48.852 94.887

AB 122.402 051o22’00” 95.615 76.420 -0.028 0.003 95.587 76.423

sum 634.347
deps
lats -0.147 0.017 0.000 0.000
=0.147 =-0.017

Note: the sum of both corrected departures and latitudes must equal zero when complete.
Topic
ENGI 3703 Traverse Calculations Instructor: Prof. Ken Snelgrove

Surveying and Geomatics Lect 11 - Oct 10/07 Slide 6 of 10

Calculate Rectangular Coordinates: (Section 10.7) Prior to determining the revised azimuths and
distances of each traverse segment it is convenient first compute X, Y coodinates. By convention
we often make these positive quantities by assuming a large starting value. These are referred to as
Eastings and Northings. Coordinates are calculated as:

XB = XA + departure AB
YB = YA + latitude AB
Example (cont)
Course Station Corrected Corrected Easting Northing
Departures Latitudes

B 1000.000 (assumed) 1000.000 (assumed)

BC 115.375 15.921
C 1115.375 1015.921
CD -2.315 -112.226
D 1113.060 903.695
DE -159.795 -75.005
E 953.265 828.690
EA -48.852 94.887

A 904.413 923.577
AB 95.587 76.423
B 1000.000 (check) 1000.000 (check)
Topic
ENGI 3703 Traverse Calculations Instructor: Prof. Ken Snelgrove

Surveying and Geomatics Lect 11 - Oct 10/07 Slide 7 of 10

Adjusted Coordinates:

1000 m

C
B
1015.921N 

1000.0N   
1115.375E 
 
1000.0E 

903.695N 

  
A 923.557N  1113.060E 
1000 m

 904.413E  D

828.690N 
 
953.265E 
E

X

0.0N 
 
0.0E 
Y
Topic
ENGI 3703 Traverse Calculations Instructor: Prof. Ken Snelgrove

Surveying and Geomatics Lect 11 - Oct 10/07 Slide 8 of 10

Adjusted Distances and Azimuths: (Section 10.10) [skip 10.9] We must often layout an adjusted
traverse in the field. To do this we might use eastings and northings as input for a total station or
distances and azimuths of each course. Departures and coordinates can be used to calculate these:

From Latitudes and Departures From Coordinates

dep AB
X X B  X A
tan(
bearing AB) = tan(bearing AB) = =
lat AB Since dep AB =
X
Y YB  YA
and lat AB =
Y

2 2 2 2
length AB = (dep AB) + (lat AB) length AB = (
X ) + (
Y )
2 2
= (XB  XA ) + (YB  YA )

Note: because tan-1 only produce angles 0 -> 90 (and -90 -> 0) we must
determine their quadrant from the signs of the dep and lat to make a final
azimuth conversion
NW NE
dep(-) dep(+)
lat(+) lat(+)

SW SE
dep(-) dep(+)
lat(-) lat(-)

Topic
ENGI 3703 Traverse Calculations Instructor: Prof. Ken Snelgrove

Surveying and Geomatics Lect 11 - Oct 10/07 Slide 9 of 10

Example: (cont)
X X A  X E 904.413  953.265 48.852
EA from Coordinates tan(bearing EA) = = = = = 0.514844

Y YA  YE 923.577  828.690 94.887
bearing EA = tan1 (0.514844 ) = N27.2414W
Az EA = 360  bearing EA = 360 - 27.2414 = 332 o 4531.0

2 2
length EA = (XA  XE ) + (YA  YE )
2 2
= (904.413  953.265) + (923.577  828.690) = 106.724

Course Station Corrected Corrected Easting Northing Course Bearing Azimuth

Departure Latitudes Length

B 1000.000 1000.000
BC 115.375 15.921 116.468 N82.1432E 82°08’35.5”
C 1115.375 1015.921
CD -2.315 -112.226 112.250 S1.1817W 181°10’54.1”
D 1113.060 903.695
DE -159.795 -75.005 176.522 S64.8555W 244°51’19.8”
E 953.265 828.690

EA -48.852 94.887 106.724 N27.2414W 332°45’31.0”

A 904.413 923.577
AB 95.587 76.423 122.382 N51.3572E 51°21’25.9”
B 1000.000 1000.000

Topic
ENGI 3703 Traverse Calculations Instructor: Prof. Ken Snelgrove

Surveying and Geomatics Lect 11 - Oct 10/07 Slide 10 of 10