CHAPTER 3:

TRAVERSE SURVEYING
 LECTURE CONTENT
• INTRODUCTION TO TRAVERSE SURVEYING
• TRAVERSING PROCEDURE
• BOOKING
• DATA PROCESSING
• PLOTTING
• ERRORS IN TRAVERSING
INTRODUCTION TO TRAVERSE SURVEYING
• Traversing is a method of control survey to establish control
points. A traverse must start with control station which is
known station (known coordinate). It is a method of
transferring coordinates.

• Definition Traverse – a series of points (stations), each one

intervisible with its adjacent points. The lines joining these
stations are the traverse lines, consists of the measurement of
angles (bearing) and length (distance) of each line.

A closed
traverse A traverse between
known points
INTRODUCTION TO TRAVERSE SURVEYING
Types of traverse:

1. Open traverse
– Begin with known point and end with unknown point
– Cannot checked and adjusted
– Useful when the survey is a long narrow strip

2. Close traverse
– Begins and ends on the same point or begin with known
point and ending to another known point.
– Can checked and adjusted
– Traverse which complete cycle is made.
INTRODUCTION TO TRAVERSE SURVEYING

Open Traverse

1
coordinates
X= 1000m 3
Y= 1000m n

Station 1 is known point (coordinate)

and station n is unknown point.
 INTRODUCTION TO TRAVERSE SURVEYING

Close Traverse
1 coordinates
B X= 1000m
N coordinates
1 Y= 1000m X= 1400m
Y= 900m
3
n
A
C
2
A coordinates
X= 1000m
Y= 1000m 4

D
Station 1 and n is known point (coordinate)
INTRODUCTION TO TRAVERSE SURVEYING
Purpose of traverse
• Surveying details
– A traverse network of survey line and ground marks
provides control points which can be accurately plotted in
a map or plan
• Setting out
– To position of road, building or other new construction.
– Pegs can then be set out on the ground from the traverse
to define the position of design points (road, building, etc.)
• Property survey to establish boundaries.
• Ground control surveys for mapping purposes.
 TRAVERSING PROCEDURE
Measurement in traverse:
i. Angle measurement (bearing)
ii. Linear measurement (distance)

Instrument used for traverse:

i. Total station
ii. Prism (reflector)
iii. Tripod
iv. Prism pole

Prism

Total Station Tripod Prism Pole

 TRAVERSING PROCEDURE

1. Reconnaissance Survey
2. Station Marking
3. Observation, Measurement & Booking
4. Data Processing & Observation Checking
5. Plotting
 TRAVERSING PROCEDURE
1. Reconnaissance Survey
Is a process to get general view (picture) of the site. Carried out to determine
and selection of suitable station points.
The criteria for selection of station points:-

– Use “whole to part “ principle.

– Aiming for good visibility between stations and bearing in mind any
subsequent setting out. The station must be available to observe all
the detail surrounding.
– The number of station must be minimize but cover all the survey site.
– The distance between station must be far (more than 30 m) and same
as other traverse line.
– Avoid the sight line to close with earth surface.
– Station must be at the stable surface.
– Try to avoid any disturbance such as tree, building etc.
 TRAVERSING PROCEDURE
“Whole to part” Principle

Pkt 1 Pkt
2

L1 L2 L3 Pk
Pkt
t3
6

Pk
Pkt t4
5
 TRAVERSING PROCEDURE

“Whole to part” Principle

• According to this principle, it is always desirable to carryout

survey work from whole to part. This means, when an area is
to be surveyed, first a system of control points is to be
established covering the whole area with very high precision.
Then minor details are located by less precise methods.
• The idea of working this way is to prevent the accumulation of
errors and to control and localize minor errors which,
otherwise, would expand to greater magnitudes if the reverse
process is followed, thus making the work uncontrolled at the
end.
 TRAVERSING PROCEDURE
2. Station Marking

The station can be mark when the station criteria had been
full fill. The common station marking are wood peg and nails.
The selection of the station marking depend on the site
condition.
• If the survey works on the road, the suitable marking is
nails.
• If the survey works in the forest or construction site, the
wood peg is the best used as station marking.
• For permanent marking, the station can be in concrete.
 TRAVERSING PROCEDURE
3. Observation, Measurement & Booking
There are two types of observation & measurement in traverse:-
 Bearing – measure angle from the north in clockwise direction
 Distance – measure distance of the traverse
The observation begin with back station to front station.
The observation must be done in face left and right.
The suitable observing sequence being:
(1) Set bearing back station, face left.
(2) Observe fore station, face left.
(3) Set bearing back station, face right.
(4) Observe fore station, face right.
 TRAVERSING PROCEDURE
a First, read back
station, a with face left
N

c
Second, turn theodolite to b and
read front station with face left

b
C= instrument setup

a Third, turn the instrument back to a,

read back station with face right
N
c Forth, turn teodolite to b and
read front station with face right

b
C= instrument setup
 TRAVERSING PROCEDURE
Booking
 TRAVERSING PROCEDURE

4. Data Processing
• Site calculation
– Mean bearing
– Correction using bearing comparison method
– Final bearing & final distance

• Office calculation
– Latitude & departure
– Linear misclosure
– Adjusted latitude & adjusted departure
– Final coordinates.
 DATA PROCESSING
Observation Checking
There are three types of checking bearing and angle:-

1. Total internal and external angle

Σ (Internal Angle) = [2n-4] 90º
Σ (external Angle) = [2n+4] 90º n = total number of stations.

2. Bearing comparison
The last bearing is compare with the establish or known bearing value.

Example:
Line AB read as 29º 29’ 21”
Suppose read as 29º 29’ 29”
Angle misclosure – 8” in 4 station a, b, c and d.
Adjustment +2” per station.

3. Cross-bearing
The checking was done by observation to the other reference station
and compare the difference
 DATA PROCESSING
SPECIFICATION AND ACCURACY
Linear Misclosure that recommended by Department Survey and Mapping
Malaysia (JUPEM)
TYPE ACCURACY PURPOSE ANGLE DISTANCE
MEASUREMENT MEASUREMENT

Geodetic 1 : 50000 1. Main horizontal control for Theodolite 0.1” 1. EDM

above large area mapping.
2. Accuracy reference for
engineering survey.
General 1 : 5000 1. Engineering survey such as Theodolite 0.1” 1. EDM
to setting out and site traverse. or 20” 2. Steel Tape
1:50000 2. Secondary control for large area 3. Substance
survey. method
Low 1: 500 1. Detail survey in small scale. Theodolite 20” 1. Synthetic tape
Accuracy to 2. Detail survey in large scale. or 1’ 2. Chainage
1 : 5000 3.Preliminary survey 3. Stadia
tachometry
 TRAVERSE PROCEDURE
5. Plotting
• Plotting is a process to produce output product of traversing;
map or plan.
• By using final coordinates data or final bearing and final
distance.
• plans are drawn or printed on paper, but they can take the
form of a digital file.
PLOTTING

Traverse plan
 PLOTTING
Criteria and element of traverse plan

• Criteria
– Scale
– Accuracy

• Elements of a detail Plan

– Border
– Title Block
– Location Plan
– Scale
– Control Grid
– North Arrow
– Key (legend)
– Names
– Amendment
 PLOTTING
• Field sketch
Tree House
H1
T1

H2
H3

R5 R4 R3

R2 R1

Observation
Station
4

Reference station
 PLOTTING

Border Line Grid Line Title Block No Pelan: UiTM/Arau/2007/SUG111/01

Pelan Ukur Kejuruteraan untuk

Kawasan Meletak Kereta di
perkarangan Bangunan
Hal Ehwal Akademik (HEA)

Nota:

Semua aras laras adalah berdasarkan

kepada nilai SBM yang bernilai 34.978m.

Kontur aras adalah bersela 0.5m

Key/legend
Petunjuk:

Disemak oleh: Tarikh :

Diluluskan oleh: Tarikh :

Diukur oleh: Tarikh :

 ERRORS IN TRAVERSE SURVEYING

• Instrumental error
• Personal error
• Natural error
 ERRORS IN TRAVERSE SURVEYING

Instrument error
• No Permanent Adjustment
• Minimized
– Do Permanent Adjustment
– Multiple observations ( Face left /face right)
– Repetition
 ERRORS IN TRAVERSE SURVEYING

Personal Error

• Error of Manipulation
– Inaccurate centering
– Inaccurate levelling
– Non – elimination of parallax
– Slip
• Error of Observation
– Inaccurate bisecting signal
– Non vertical signal
– Displacement of pegs / signal
– Wrong Reading & Booking
 ERRORS IN TRAVERSE SURVEYING

Natural Error

• Wind
• High temperature
• Haze
 ERRORS IN TRAVERSE SURVEYING

The source of errors during observation are:

 Total station is not perpendicular to the station

 Total station is not level during observation
 Wrong handling theodolite and tripod
 Parallax
 Effect from curvature and refraction
 Error in reading or booking