The Papua New Guinea University of Technology

Department of Surveying and Land Studies.

SV 291: SURVEYING FOR ENGINEERS I

TOPIC: COMPUTATION OF COMPASS & TAPE SURVEY Lecture : 12

Like plotting as discussed early, computation is the compilation of the field data from the field book into
a format to enable one to establish:
I. The accuracy of the survey.
II. To adjust the errors of the survey.
III. To determine the area of the survey.
IV. To plot the survey plan.

FIELD NOTES
The distances measured usually are slope distances that need to be corrected to horizontal as always
required in all plans and maps.
Example:
A measured sloped distance in the field was 125.535meters and the slope of the line was read by a
clinometers as minus 2°30’. The sign of the slope indicates an incline or decline.
The equivalent horizontal distance is 125.535 x cos 2°30’= 125.416m. The HD is used in all
computations.
The mean of the Forward and back bearing are always adopted.

Example:
(1) Forward: 272°30’ and back bearing is 92°29’
The mean is (272°30’+ 92°29’+ 180) ÷ 2 = 272°29’30” to be used for computations.
(2) Forward: 145°30’ and back bearing is 325°00’
The mean is (145°30’+325°00’-180) ÷ 2 = 145°15’ to be used for computations.

CASE EXAMPLE
Close Traverse C

B Kurex Land D

A
Field data from field note. Reduced Data

Line A-B 340°00’ 75.10 slope + 1° AB 340°00’ 75.09m

Line B-C 50° 30’ 135.5m slope 1°00’ BC 50° 30’ 135.48m
Line C-D 133°00’ 83.6m slope - 2°00’ CD 133°00’ 83.55m
Line D-A 234°30’ 171.75m slope - 1°30' DA 234°30’ 171.69m
Departure & Latitude is another survey expression of a survey line but in a Northing and Easting Values.
Example:
Survey line BC = of 50° 30’ & 135.48m can be expressed in departure & Lattitude.

Latitude = cos bearing x distance

= sin 50° 30’ x 135.48
= 86.18
B
Departure = sine bearing x distance = sin 50° 30’ x 135.48
= 104.54
The departure & latitude of each survey is calculated in this way and presented in tabular manner to
enable relevant and vital survey data as you will see below.

Similarly you can compute reversely using the departure & latitude to arrive at the bearing & distance of
the line again.
Example : Bearing = arc tan (departure ÷ latitude)= arc tan (104.54 ÷ 86.18) = 50° 30’
Distance = √ (departure)2 + ( latitude)2 = (104.54)2 + ( 86.18)2 = 135.48m

Computation of the survey traverse Format in tabular manner

LINE BEARING DIST DEPARTURE LATITUDE

AB 340°00’ 75.09m - 25.68 70.56
BC 50° 30’ 135.48m 104.54 86.18
CD 133°00’ 83.55m 61.104 -56.98
DA 234°30’ 171.69m - 139.78 - 99.70
(465.81m) ∑(0.18) ∑(0.06)

Linear misclose (LM) = √ (0.18)2 + (0.06)2

= 0.19m this is the overall lineal or distance error in the survey
Perimeter = 465.81m the total length of the traverse.

Accuracy of the survey = (LM) ÷ perimeter of the traverse

= 0.19 ÷ 465.81m
= 0.0004 = or 1/x = 1: 2455

1: 2455 or 1: 2500 is a very high accuracy for a Compass and Tape traverse which have low accuracy.

After the determination of the accuracy of the survey:

I. If the accuracy is outside of the required standard the survey has to be done again.
II. In the accuracy is acceptable the chief surveyor may want the error adjusted out which can be
demonstrated below.
TO ADJUST OUT THE SURVEY ERROR

The theory is that the resultant error (LM) has to be distributed to each line proportionally by the
formula below. The resultant total error in departure and latitude is divided by the total perimeter and
times each distance respectively.∆

Eg Line A B Adjustment in departure = (∆departure ÷ perimeter) x AB dist

= (0.18 ÷ 465.81)x75.09
= 0.03
Adjustment in latitude = ∆ latitude ÷ perimeter x AB dist
= (0.06 ÷ 465.81)x75.09
= 0.01

Adjustment to each line is done in this same manner, and all to appear in the table.

LINE BEARING DIST DEPART Adj Adj LAT Adj Adj Lat
Depart
AB 340°00’ 75.09m - 25.68 -0.03 -25.71 70.56 -0.01 70.55
BC 50° 30’ 135.48m 104.54 -0.05 104.49 86.18 -0.02 86.16
CD 133°00’ 83.55m 61.10 -0.03 61.07 -56.98 -0.01 -56.99
DA 234°30’ 171.69m - 139.78 -0.07 -139.85 - 99.70 -0.02 -99.72
(465.81m) ∆ (0.18) -0.18 0.00 ∆ (0.06) -0.06 0.00
The total adjusted departure & latitude should add up to zero if the signs are opposite of the total error.
The above is a perfect adjusted traverse.

After the adjustment you can:

I. Re calculate the Final bearing & Distance of the Traverse
II. Calculate the area of the land surveyed by co ordinate method.
III. Plot the survey on Final bearing & distance.

FINAL Adjusted BEARING AND DISTANCE for CALCULATION

LINE Adj Adj Lat Final Final

Depart bearing Distance
AB -25.71 70.55 339°58’30’’ 75.088m
BC 104.49 86.16 50°29’30’’ 135.432m
CD 61.07 -56.99 313°01’15’’ 83.531m
DA -139.85 -99.72 54°30’33’’ 171.761m
0.00 0.00

Bearing of AB = arc tan departure ÷ latitude = arc tan -25.71÷70.55 = -20°01’22’’ + 360 = 339°58’30’’
Distance AD = √ (departure)2 + (latitude)2 = √ (-25.71)2 + (70.55)2 = 75.088m
Determine the bearings and distances of the remaining lines in the same manner. Make your excersie
and complete these calculations.

Coordinates system

70.55

A cords 500.00 East

-25.71 1000.00 North

Co ordinates of B
East = Easting of A + dep AB = 500.00 -25.71 = 477.288
Northing = Northing of A + lat AB = 1000.00 + 70.55 = 1070.548

AREA BY COORDIANTES

Give station A an Assumed coordinates, and using the final bearings and distances:
I. Calculate the coordinates of each point, ie, point B, C, D and Check back onto A.
II. Cross multiply the coordinates to get the AREA.

LINE Final Final Adj Dep Adj Lat

bearing Distance EASTING NORTHING
A 500.000 1000.000
AB 339°58’30’’ 75.088m -25.71 70.55
B 477.288 1070.548
BC 50°29’30’’ 135.432m 104.49 86.16
C 578.778 1156.709
CD 133°01’15’’ 83.531m 61.07 -56.99
D 639.848 1099.719
DA 234°30’33’’ 171.761m -139.85 -99.72
A 499.999 999.999

You will below learn the co ordinates method for determining land area but be mindful that there other
methods available.
CROSS MULTIPLYING

Negative Positive
EASTING NORTHING

A 500.000 1000.000
B 477.288 1070.548 535,274.00 477,288.00
C 578.778 1156.709 552,083.32 619,609.630
D 639.848 1099.719 636,493.16 740,117.94
A 500.000 1000.00 639,848.00 549,859.50
(2,363,698.48) (2386875.07)

Total Negatives – Total Positives

(2,363,698.48) -2386875.07=23176.59 = twice the area

AREA = 23176.59/2 = 11,588.3m2 = 1.1588 hectares

The traverse computations above are found in the survey where more accurate survey instrument like
theodilites and total stations are used. In our next cause of study next semester we will go in detail in
traversing and survey computation.

Close Traverse C

B Kurex Land D

Area = 1.1588m2