PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY – URDANETA CAMPUS

Module in CE 211-ENGINEERING SURVEYS Module No. 13

TOPIC OUTLINE measured lengths will alter the

shape of the traverse.

There are various other

A. Traverse Computations
B. Latitudes and Departures
C. Error of Closure
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. To be able to compute the
latitude and departure of
a line and able to solve
for the Linear Error of
Closure.
computations and adjustments
required for a closed traverse.
Some of these include:
determining the latitudes and
departures and their respective
algebraic sums, calculating the
total error of closure,
balancing the survey,
determining the adjusted
position of each traverse
station, computing the area,
and in some instances dividing
a surveyed tract into smaller
parts.

OVERVIEW

The latitude of a line is its

projection on the north-south
meridian and is equal to the
length of the line times the
cosine of its bearing.
The departure of a line is its
projection on the east-west
meridian and is equal to the
length of the line times the
sine of its bearing (Dutka,
1990).

TRAVERSE COMPUTATIONS

For any closed traverse, the

first step taken by the survey-
or should always be to check if
the observed angles fulfil the
geometric conditions of the
figure. Should there be an
angular error of closure it
must be corrected to give a
series of preliminary adjusted
directions. All linear
distances should then be
corrected since errors in

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PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY – URDANETA CAMPUS
Module in CE 211-ENGINEERING SURVEYS
LATITUDES AND
DEPARTURES
The latitude of a line is its
projection onto the reference
meridian or a north-south line.
Latitudes are sometimes
referred to as northings or
southings. Latitudes of lines
with northerly bearings are
designated as being north (N)
or positive (+); those in a
southerly direction are
designated as south (S) or
negative (-). On the other
hand, the departure of a line
is its projection onto the
reference parallel or an east-
west line. Departures are east
(E) or positive (+) for lines
having easterly bearings and
west (W) or negative
(-) for lines having westerly
bearings.
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Module No. 13
The algebraic signs of
latitudes and departures are
thus assigned on the basis of
the direction of the bearing
angles. For example, the
latitude and the departure
would be positive for a line
with a northeast bearing, and
if the bearing were southwest
both latitude and departure
would be negative. It will be
noted that the latitude and
departure are simply the X and
Y components of a line in a
rectangular grid system, as
commonly used in mathematics.
The relationship between a line
and its latitude and departure
is shown in Fig. From the
geometry of the figures given,
it is easily seen that the
magnitude of the latitude is
the product of its length by
the cosine of its bearing
angle, and the corresponding
departure is numerically equal
to the length of the line
multiplied by the sine of its
bearing angle. Thus, if the
horizontal length of a line is
designated by d and its bearing
angle by ∝, the following
equations may be obtained for
lines AB, CD, GH, and EF:
Latab = dabcos∝ab Depab = dabsin∝ab
Latcd = dcdcos∝cd Depcd = dabsin∝cd
Latgh = dghcos∝gh Depgh = dghsin∝gh
Latef = defcos∝ef Depef = defsin∝ef
When the direction of a line is
given in terms of azimuth from
north, the proper signs of the
latitudes and departures are
automatically generated in the
calculator or electronic
digital computer. It is for
this reason that traverse
computations are more
convenient when directions are
given in terms of azimuths
reckoned from north.
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY – URDANETA CAMPUS
Module in CE 211-ENGINEERING SURVEYS Module No. 13

The linear error of closure

ERROR OF CLOSURE does not indicate the precision
of the measurements until it is
compared with the total length
There is no such thing as of the traverse. A convenient
mathematically perfect survey. and more useful measure of
Small errors in both distances precision is defined by the
and angles will always be ratio of the linear error of
present even in closed closure to the perimeter or
traverses observed using total length of the traverse.
instruments and methods of high This is usually expressed as a
precisions. In all probability fraction whose numerator is
a surveyed closed traverse unity and the denominator
would not satisfy the geometric rounded off to the nearest
requirements of a closed multiple of 100, as 1/5000.
polygon. Until adjustments are Such a fraction states that the
made to these observed error of the survey is one part
quantities it will always be in 5000 parts thus
expected that the traverse will
𝑳𝑬𝑪
not mathematically close. RP = 𝑫
Where:
LEC = (𝑪𝑳 )² + (𝑪𝑫 )²
LEC = Linear Error of Closure
and tan Ө =
𝑪𝑫 RP = Relative Precision
𝑪𝑳 D = Total length or perimeter
of the traverse.
Where: All terms in the above
equation, except RP, should be
LEC = Linear Error of Closure expressed in the same unit of
CL = Closure in latitude or the linear measure.
algebraic sum of north and
south latitudes
CD = Closure in departure or
the algebraic sum of east and LEARNING ACTIVITY
west departures.
Ө = bearing angle of the side
error Problem. Given in the
tabulation below are notes for
If the linear error of closure an open traverse. Determine the
is excessive, it indicates that latitude and departure of each
a mistake has been committed course and tabulate observed
during the field measurement or and computed values
in plotting and computing the accordingly.
traverse data. The first step
then would be to check all the COURSE DISTANCE BEARING
calculations to make sure that AB 550.30m N28°10’E
the mistake is not in the BC 395.48m S69°35’E
calculations themselves. The CD 462.70m S27°50’E
field work should either be DE 631.22 N50°00’E
checked or repeated if after a EF 340.05 S25°05’E
re-computation the error of FG 275.86 Due East
closure still does not come
within the expected limits.

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PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY – URDANETA CAMPUS
Module in CE 211-ENGINEERING SURVEYS Module No. 13

Problem. Given in the Prepared by:

accompanying tabulation are the
observed data for a closed
ENGR. ELMAR T. ANTOLIN
traverse obtained from a
Faculty, Civil Engineering
transit-tape survey. Determine
Department
the following quantities
College of Engineering and
latitude and departure of each
Architecture
course linear error of closure,
bearing of the side of error,
and the precision of the
measurements. Tabulate observed
and computed values according
to the usual format.

LINE LENGTH AZIMUTH

(d) from
North
AB 233.10 122°30’
BC 242.05 85°15’
CD 191.50 20°00’
DE 234.46 333°35’
EF 270.65 254°08’
FA 252.38 213°00’

SUMMARY

Almost all surveying requires

some calculations to reduce
measurements into a more useful
form for determining distance,
earthwork volumes, land areas,
etc.

A traverse is developed by
measuring the distance and
angles between points that
found the boundary of a site.

REFERENCES

Elementary Surveying
Alfeo La Putt