Trimble Business Center

Creating and Adjusting Traverses

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 About this tutorial

About this tutorial

In this tutorial, you will create and adjust three traverses that were surveyed in the field
as part of the same project:
 Traverse 1 - This is a closed-loop traverse that starts and ends on the same point.

 Traverse 2 - This traverse is mathematically closed, but it is geometrically open (not

a closed-loop). It starts and ends on separate stations that were included in the
larger closed-loop traverse.

 Traverse 3 - This traverse is also mathematically closed but geometrically open. It

starts and ends on unknown points that backsight and foresight stations included in
the larger closed-loop traverse.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 2

 Overview of traverse adjustments

Note: If you need additional help at any time you are using the software, press F1 to
display the online help.

Overview of traverse adjustments

Trimble Business Center allows you to import, edit, and adjust traverses in the office. A
traverse is a surveying method used to establish control networks that involves placing
survey stations along a line or path of travel, and then using the previously surveyed
points as a base for observing the next point.

Traverse station types

A traverse is defined by the following station types:
 Start and end stations - These station types fall into two categories:
 A station setup (such as a Station Setup or Station Setup Plus) has been
performed over a known point or a station setup (such as a standard/Helmert
resection) has been performed over an unknown point. In either case, the
position of the station is known without any help from other stations in the
traverse. The orientation of the station is also known independent of the
traverse. Such stations serve as fixed input into the traverse adjustment and are
not changed by the adjustment.
 A station setup (such as Station Setup or Station Setup Plus) has been
performed over a point for which the position was determined from the first or
last intermediate station. The station backsights or foresights a point with a
known position or azimuth. The station setup cannot be computed
independently from the traverse. This station will be adjusted by the traverse
adjustment.
Note that when both the start and end stations are of this type, backsight and
foresight points are the only known points, and every station in the traverse will
be adjusted. This is the weakest type of traverse because it has the least amount
of fixed input information.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 3

 Overview of traverse adjustments

 Intermediate stations - These are all of the stations located between the start
station and end station. In all configurations, the points these stations are set up on
will be adjusted. The first intermediate station is adjacent to the start station and
the last intermediate station is the adjacent to the end station. In some cases, the
end-point station will also be adjusted.
Following is an example of a typical closed-loop traverse in which the traverse starts and
ends on the same point. The start station (1) is on a known point with a backsight (2) to
a known coordinate or azimuth (3). The start station then foresights (4) the first
intermediate station (5). Each intermediate station, in turn, backsights the previous
station and foresights the next station. The last intermediate station (6) foresights the
end station (same as the start station; 1). The end station then backsights the last
intermediate station and foresights the known point (3) that was backsighted from the
start station.

Angular and distance misclosure can be computed from a traverse in which both the
start station and end station are on known points. Only distance misclosure can be
computed from a traverse in which either the start station or end station is not on a
known point.
Additional notes:
 A traverse can end on a known point that is not occupied (it is only observed
from the previous intermediate station) when any of the station setup types is
used as the start station. However, in this case, an angular misclosure cannot be
computed.
 A traverse can start on an unknown point with a backsight to a known point,
and end on an unknown point with a foresight to a known point (as
demonstrated when you create the second open traverse later in this tutorial).

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 4

 Step 1. Open the project

Traverse dependencies
When creating or editing a traverse, an intermediate station in one traverse can serve as
the first or last station in a second traverse (as demonstrated when you create the first
open traverse later in this tutorial). This makes the second traverse dependent on the
first one. This is because the adjustment of the first traverse puts traverse-adjusted
coordinates on all the intermediate station points, qualifying any of the them as a start
and end station for a second traverse.
When traverses are automatically adjusted, the software recognizes these
dependencies and adjusts the traverses in the proper sequence. If you are adjusting
traverses manually, you need to keep dependencies in mind and adjust traverses in the
proper sequence.

Step 1. Open the project

For this tutorial, you will use the project file Adjusting Traverses.vce. Data required for
the first two traverses you will create and adjust has already been imported into the
project. You will import data for the last traverse later in the tutorial.

Note: The downloaded AdjustingTraverses folder contains this PDF file, a Data folder,
and the Adjusting Traverses.vce project file. You will import data from the Data folder
later in this tutorial.

1. In TBC, select File > Open.

2. In the Open File dialog, browse to ..\AdjustingTraverses\Adjusting Traverses.vce and
click Open.
The project opens in the Trimble Business Center window.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 5

 Step 2. Select computation project settings

Note: The project used for this tutorial contains no vertical data. Therefore, vertical
values are represented by a "?" character on the Preview Results tab and in the
Traverse Adjustment Report. However, Trimble Business Center fully supports
"proportional to distance" and "equal proportions" type vertical traverse
adjustments when vertical data is available.

The project file is read-only. You can perform the tutorial steps without saving the
project file. However, if you are interrupted while performing the tutorial, you can save
it with a new name by selecting File > Save Project As. Then, you can re-open the
project to continue the tutorial at a later time.

Step 2. Select computation project settings

Before creating and adjusting the traverses in your project, you will verify that the
project settings related to traverse adjustment computations are correct.
1. In the Quick Access Toolbar (located at the top of the Trimble Business Center
window), select Project Settings.
2. In the navigation (left) pane in the Project Settings dialog, select Computations >
Traverse.

Using these settings, you can specify the following:

 The manual horizontal and vertical distance tolerances that, when exceeded,
indicate that manually adjusted traverses should be re-computed. This is done
by computing temporary coordinates as though the traverse were
automatically computed and comparing them to the current values.
 The maximum angular misclosure per station allowed for the traverse
adjustment before an out-of-tolerance flag is displayed. (The value shown here
is multiplied by the number of stations in the traverse.)
 The minimum horizontal and vertical precision for the traverse adjustment,
which is the ratio of the traverse length to the horizontal and vertical
misclosure.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 6

 Step 3. Create Traverse 1

 Whether or not to use a weighted mean in the traverse adjustment. If you select
Yes, an observation and its reciprocal observation are combined with a weighed
mean. The weighting is proportional to the number of individual observations. If
you select No, observations are combined with a simple mean.
For this project, you will not make any changes to the default settings.
3. Click Cancel to close the Project Settings dialog without saving any changes.

Step 3. Create Traverse 1

In this step, you will create a large closed-loop traverse that starts and ends on station 1.

1. In the ribbon, select Survey > Optical > Adjust Traverse.

The project is automatically computed and the Adjust Traverse pane displays.
2. In the Traverse name field, enter Traverse 1. Then click the Create button.
Each of the stations in your project is displayed in the Stations row drop-down list
for you to select as a start station. You can also select the start station in the Project
Explorer (select the station in the Imported Files folder) or in the Plan View (select
any observation for the point created from the station).

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 7

 Step 3. Create Traverse 1

3. Click the Add button to add station 1 as the start station for the traverse.
A new row drop-down list is displayed containing all of the possible "next"
intermediate stations in the traverse. In this case, stations 107 and 108 are both
options.

4. In the new row drop-down list, select station 108 and click the Add button .
Your choices for the next station in the traverse are stations 1 and 109.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 8

 Step 3. Create Traverse 1

5. In the new row drop-down list, select station 109 and click the Add button .
Any time there is only one possible "next" station, it is automatically selected. If the
automatically selected station itself has only one possible next station, it is
automatically selected as well, and so on as necessary until you need to intervene to
select between multiple station options. In this case, stations 110, 111, and 112
were automatically selected as they were the only next-station options. However,
the next station following station 112 could be station 113 or 118. So you will need
to indicate your choice.
The observation between each of the stations added to the traverse is colored red
in the Plan View to make the traverse easily identifiable.

Note: If the automatic selection process proceeds to a station beyond which you
want to end the traverse, simply select the Delete icon for the extra stations to
"back up" the traverse as necessary.

6. Add station 118.

7. Add station 119.
The next intermediate stations through 107 are automatically selected. In addition,
station 1 is automatically selected as the next viable station after station 107.
The traverse is now closed, starting and ending on station 1.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 9

 Step 3. Create Traverse 1

You are now ready to specify the orientation for the start and end stations in the
Start Station Orientation and End Station Orientation group boxes. Two options are
available:
 Select the Single backsight option and select a single backsight point to use to
compute the start station orientation. The Backsight drop-down list includes all
of the viable backsight points.
 Select the All available backsights option to specify that the orientation for the
start station be computed automatically based on all of the available backsight
points.

Note: The Start station: Azimuth field is editable only if an azimuth was entered in
the field and imported into the project. When creating a new traverse in the office,
the Azimuth field is not editable.)

Because station 1 is a station setup plus, which includes numerous observations, a

good option might be to use the station orientation for the start and end stations.
8. Select the All available backsights option for the Start Station Orientation and End
Station Orientation.

9. In the Settings group box, make adjustment changes as shown here.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 10

 Step 3. Create Traverse 1

Following are the possible options:

 Adjust angles
 Proportional to distance - More correction is applied to angles with longer
traverse lines than angles with shorter traverse lines. (Select this one.)
 Equal proportions - Equal correction is applied to angles regardless of the
length of the traverse lines.
 None -No angle adjustment is performed.
 Adjust vertical
 Proportional to distance - More correction is applied to elevations with
shorter traverse lines than elevations with longer traverse lines. (Select this
one.)
 Equal proportions - Equal correction is applied to elevations regardless of
the length of the traverse lines.
 None - No elevation adjustment is performed.
 Adjust horizontal
 Compass/Bowditch - In this adjustment method, is is assumed that
distances and directions are measured with consistent precision. (Select this
one.)
 Transit - In this adjustment method, it is assumed that directions are
measured with higher precision than distances.
 None - No horizontal adjustment is performed.
 Mode
 Adjust manually- In this mode, whenever the project is computed, the
traverse adjustment is also computed but no changes to the current
traverse-adjusted coordinates are made. However, if a re-computed
coordinate is out of tolerance with the current coordinate based on settings
in Project Settings > Computations > Traverse, a flag is placed on the
station alerting you that you need to manually recompute the traverse using
the Adjust Traverse command pane. (Select this one.)

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 11

 Step 3. Create Traverse 1

 Adjust automatically - In this mode, whenever the project is computed, the

traverse adjustment is also computed and any changed traverse-adjusted
coordinates are saved. In this manner, the coordinates dynamically respond
to changes in the input data.

Note: When a project includes multiple traverses that are set to be automatically
adjusted, the software recognizes any dependencies that might exist and adjusts the
traverses in the proper sequence. If you are adjusting traverses manually, you need
to keep dependencies in mind and adjust traverses in the proper sequence.

 Status - The options are Enabled and Disabled. Disabling a traverse retains the
settings and station list in the project, but for all other considerations it behaves
as though it had been deleted. This allows you, for example, to define two
traverses that could not otherwise coexist (you can define two traverses that
share the same intermediate station) for planning and testing purposes. (Select
Enabled.)
10. Select the Preview Results tab to see the results of a traverse adjustment based on
the information you entered on the Settings tab.
Data displayed on the Preview Results tab does not affect the project until you click
the Apply button.
Based on the results in the Preview Results tab, you could optionally make
additional changes on the Settings tab and again view the results on the Preview
Results tab before clicking the Apply button.

Note: The project used for this tutorial contains no vertical data. Therefore, vertical
values are represented by a "?" character on the Preview Results tab and in the
Traverse Adjustment Report. However, Trimble Business Center fully supports
"proportional to distance" and "equal proportions" type vertical traverse
adjustments when vertical data is available.

11. Click the Apply button to save the newly created and adjusted traverse in the
project.
The new traverse displays in the Plan View and Project Explorer (in the ribbon,
select View > Panes > Project Explorer). You can right -click it and select Properties
to view read-only traverse properties in the Properties pane.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 12

 Step 3. Create Traverse 1

In addition, each point that was adjusted as part of the traverse includes a Traverse
Adjusted coordinate record in the Project Explorer.

You are now ready to review the Traverse Adjustment Report, which can help you
further determine the success of the adjustment.
12. In the Adjust Traverse command pane, click the Settings tab and then click the
Traverse Adjustment Report icon located on the toolbar to display the Traverse
Adjustment Report.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 13

 Step 3. Create Traverse 1

For each adjusted traverse, the following information is displayed:

 Summary - Displays the traverse name and the various settings for the traverse
as specified in the Adjust Traverse command pane.
 End-Point Orientations - Displays the start and end points for the traverse. For
the start and end points, it displays the orientation method and, if applicable,
the backsight/foresight points and azimuth or bearing to those points.
 Before Adjustment - Displays the various misclosure and precision values, along
with the length of the traverse, prior to an adjustment.
 After Angular Adjustment - Displays the various misclosures and precision
values, along with the length of the traverse, after an angular adjustment (if
performed).
 After Distance Adjustment - Displays the various distance misclosure values
after a distance adjustment (if performed).
 Fixed Points - Displays any fixed points in the traverse.
 Station Adjustments - Displays any fixed points in the traverse.
 Diagram showing the traverse in a plan view.

Next, you will create Traverse 2.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 14

 Step 4. Create Traverse 2

Step 4. Create Traverse 2

In this step, you will create a traverse that is mathematically closed but is geometrically
open (not a loop). It starts on station 112 and ends on station 118, both of which were
adjusted as part of Traverse 1.

1. In the Traverse name drop-down list (on the Settings tab in the Adjust Traverse
command pane), select <Create New Traverse>. Then enter Traverse 2.
2. Click the Create button.
3. In the Stations row drop-down list, add station 112 as the start station.
4. Add station 113.
5. Add station 114.
The next intermediate stations through 117 are automatically selected. In addition,
your desired end station, 118, is automatically selected.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 15

 Step 4. Create Traverse 2

You are now ready to specify adjustment settings.

6. In the Start Station Orientation group box, ensure the Single backsight option is
selected and station 111 is selected for the backsight.
7. In the End Station Orientation group box, ensure the Single foresight option is
selected and station 119 is selected for the foresight.
8. Keep the other settings the same as they were for Traverse 1.
9. Preview the adjustment results on the the Preview Results tab.
Note that a message is displayed stating that the angle misclosure exceeds the limits
specified in Project Settings > Computations > Traverse.

10. Click the Apply button to save the newly created and adjusted traverse in the
project.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 16

 Step 5. Create Traverse 3

The new Traverse 2 displays in the Project Explorer.

Note that the traverse is displayed in red text, indicating the angle misclosure error
in the traverse.
11. In the ribbon, select Home > View > Flags Pane to display the Flags Pane beneath
the Plan View.
The traverse message (the last message in the list) corresponds to the message
displayed in the Preview Pane indicating that the angle misclosure exceeds the
limits specified in Project Settings > Computations > Traverse. Depending on the
requirements of the survey, this angle misclosure may be acceptable. If so, you
could change the project settings so the message no longer displays.

12. View the Traverse Adjustment Report to verify the results.

The report now includes Traverse 1 and Traverse 2 adjustment results.
You are now ready to create Traverse 3.

Step 5. Create Traverse 3

In this step, you will import a new job file from the same survey that includes traverse
stations that start and end on unknown coordinates. You will use traverse adjusted
points already in the project for the start station backsight and end station foresight.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 17

 Step 5. Create Traverse 3

Traverse 3 starts on station 141, which backsights to 205, and ends on station 149,
which foresights to 136.

1. Import the new job file as follows:

a. On the ribbon, select Home > Data Exchange > Import.

b. In the Import command pane, click the Browse button .

c. In the Browse for Folder dialog, browse to ..\AdjustingTraverses\Data and click
OK.

d. In the Select File(s) list, select RuralSurveyTM for tu connecting trav.jxl and click
the Import button.
The imported job file includes two points that already exist in the project: 136
and 205. These points are to be used for the start station backsight and end
station foresight for the new open traverse. Because the points already in the
project were adjusted as part of the Traverse 1 adjustment, their coordinates
are different than the points you are importing. The Merge Points dialog
displays asking if you want to merge the points.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 18

 Step 5. Create Traverse 3

e. Select both check boxes to ensure both points are merged in the project. Then
click Import.

f. Select No in the Import Errors dialog

Next you will disable coordinates for the newly imported stations 141 and 142 as
these coordinates were assumed in the field and do not relate to points in the
project.
2. To disable the coordinates for stations 141 and 142, do the following:
a. In the Project Explorer, select Imported Files > RuralSurveyTM for tu connecting
trav.jxl > 141 > Single backsight.

b. Use Shift + click to select the coordinate 141 and 205 nodes.
c. Right-click and select Properties.
d. In the Properties pane, change the Status to Disabled.

This also disables coordinate 141 for station 142.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 19

 Step 5. Create Traverse 3

e. In the Properties pane, click Close.

3. On the Settings tab in the Adjust Traverse command pane, select <Create New
Traverse> in the Traverse name drop-down list. Then enter Traverse 3.
4. Click the Create button.
5. In the Stations row drop-down list, add station 141 as the start station.
6. Add stations 142 and 143.
7. The next stations through 149, the end station for the traverse, are automatically
selected.

8. In the Start Station Orientation group box, ensure the Single backsight option is
selected and station 205 is selected for the backsight
9. In the End Station Orientation group box, ensure the Single foresight option is
selected and station 136 is selected for the foresight.
Both station 205 and 136 are on known positions that were adjusted as part of the
closed traverse you created earlier. Note that the azimuths are unknown and will be
computed as part of the traverse adjustment.

10. Keep the same settings that were used for the first two traverses.
11. Preview the adjustment results on the Preview Results tab.
12. Click the Apply button to save the newly created and adjusted traverse in the
project.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 20

 Step 5. Create Traverse 3

The new Traverse 3 displays in the Project Explorer.

13. View the Traverse Adjustment Report to verify the results.

You are done performing traverse adjustments. This completes the tutorial.

Creating and Adjusting Traverses 21