TRAVERSE COMPUTATIONS

AND ADJUSTMENTS

Engr. Jeark A. Principe, MSc.

Department of Geodetic Engineering (DGE)
Training Center for Applied Geodesy and Photogrammetry (TCAGP)
At the end of the lecture, the student should be
able to:
 Define traverse and traverse stations
 Enumerate purposes of traverse
 Enumerate and differentiate general classes and
types of traverse
 Identify formulas for traverse adjustments and
apply them correctly
I. Traverse
A. Definition
B. Purposes
C. General Classes
D. Types
II. Traverse Computations
A. Latitude and Departure
B. Relative Error of Closure
III. Traverse Adjustments
A. Compass Rule
B. Transit Rule
 consists of a series of straight lines connecting
successive points whose lengths and directions
have been determined from field observations

 points defining the ends of traverse lines are

called traverse stations or traverse points
1. Property surveys to locate or establish boundaries.
2. Supplementary horizontal control for topographic
mapping surveys.
3. Location and construction layout surveys for
highways, railways and other private and public
works.
4. Ground control surveys for photogrammetric
surveys.
1. Open Traverse
- originates at a point of known position and
terminates at a point of unknown position
2. Closed Traverse
- originates at a point of known position and
terminates at a point of known position

Closed Loop Traverse

– a closed traverse that originates and
terminates at a single point
Closed Traverse

Closed Loop Traverse

1. Deflection-angle traverse
2. Interior-angle traverse
3. Traverse by angles to the right
4. Azimuth traverse
5. Compass traverse
In dealing with a closed traverse, we have computations in:
1) Determining latitudes and departures
2) Calculating total error of closure
3) Balancing the survey
4) Determining adjusted positions of traverse stations
5) Area computation
6) Area subdivision
 Projection of a line onto a reference
meridian or North-South line
 Lines with Northerly bearings (+) LAT
 Lines with Southerly bearings (-) LAT
 Equal to distance*cosine of bearing angle

Latitude = d*Cosb
 Projection of a line onto a reference parallel
or East-West line
 Lines with Easterly bearings (+) DEP
 Lines with Westerly bearings (-) DEP
 Equal to distance*sine of bearing angle

Departure = d*Sineb
  Is usually a short line of unknown length and direction
connecting the initial and final traverse stations

LEC  (Dep)  (Lat ) 2 2

  Dep 
Tan   
  Lat 
Note:
In computing for , use the absolute values for Dep and Lat. Determine
the quadrant where the line falls using corresponding signs of the 2 sums.
Ratio of the linear error of closure to the perimeter
or total length of the traverse

LEC
REC 
D
REC = Relative Error of Closure
LEC = Linear Error of Closure
D = Total Length or perimeter of the traverse
Methods of adjustment are usually classified as:
I. Rigorous
 Least Squares Method
II. Approximate
 Compass Rule (or Bowditch Rule)
 Transit Rule
 Crandall Method
Named after the distinguished American navigator
Nathaniel Bowditch (1773-1838)

Based on the assumption that:

1. All lengths are measured with equal care
2. All angles are taken with approximately the same precision
3. Errors are accidental
4. Total error in any side is directly proportional to the length
of the traverse
 d
 C L  
clat = correction to latitude
clat
D cdep= correction to departure
CL= total closure in lat = Lat

d CD= total closure in dep= Dep

c dep  C D   d = length of any course
D D = total length of the traverse
 No sound theoretical foundation since it is purely
empirical
 Not commonly used but best suited for surveys where
traverse sides are measured by stadia or subtensed bar
method

 Based on the assumption that:

1. Angular measurements are more precise than linear
measurements
2. Errors in traversing are accidental

 Not applicable in some instances (lines in E , W, N or S)

 | Lat | (C L )
clat 
 Lat
Where:
clat = correction to latitude
cdep= correction to departure
| Dep | (C D ) CL= total closure in lat = Lat
c dep 
 Dep CD= total closure in dep= Dep
 Azimuth Length Azimuth
Line Length(m) Line
(from South) (m) from (South)
AB 495.85 185o30’ DE 1020.87 347o35’
BC 850.62 226o02’ EF 1117.26 83o44’
CD 855.45 292o22’ FA 660.08 124o51’

Compute for: Note: Coordinates of A are

NA=20,000.000, EA=20,000.000
1. Latitude and Departure of each line
2. Bearing of the side error, LEC, REC
3. Adjust the traverse and compute for the adjusted coordinates
of traverse stations using Compass Rule
4. Adjust the traverse and compute for the adjusted coordinates
of traverse stations using using Transit Rule
5. Provide a sketch of the traverse
1. Latitude and Departure of each line

Distance Lat Dep

Line Bearing
(m) (N+, S-) (E+, W-)
AB 495.85
BC 850.62
CD 855.45
DE 1020.87
EF 1117.26
FA 660.08

=5000.13 Lat= Dep=

1. Latitude and Departure of each line

Distance Lat Dep

Line Bearing
(m) (N+, S-) (E+, W-)
AB 495.85 N 05o30' E +493.57 +47.53
BC 850.62 N 46o02' E +590.53 +612.23
CD 855.45 S 67o38' E -325.53 +791.09
DE 1020.87 S 12o25' E -996.99 +219.51
EF 1117.26 S 83o44' W -121.96 -1110.58
FA 660.08 N 55o09' W +377.19 -541.70

=5000.13 Lat=+16.81 Dep=+18.08

2. Bearing of the side error, LEC, REC

Bearing of the side error:


tan b  18.08
16.81

 1.075550268
b  47 0 05'

 Bearing of the side error is S 47o05’ W

2. Bearing of the side error, LEC, REC
Linear Error of Closure (LEC):

 (16.81) 2  (18.08) 2 LEC = 24.69 m

 24.687

Relative Error of Closure (REC):

24.69

5000.13
1 1
 say REC = 1/200
202.52 200
3. Traverse Adjustment by Compass Rule

Correction
Distance
Line Latitude Departure (by Compass Rule) Lat_adj Dep_lat
(m)
dLat dDep
AB 495.85
BC 850.62
CD 855.45

DE 1020.87

EF 1117.26

FA 660.08
Sum: 5000.13
3. Traverse Adjustment by Compass Rule

Correction
Distance
Line Latitude Departure (by Compass Rule) Lat_adj Dep_lat
(m)
dLat dDep
AB 495.85 493.57 47.53 -1.667 -1.793 491.903 45.737
BC 850.62 590.53 612.23 -2.860 -3.076 587.670 609.154
CD 855.45 -325.53 791.09 -2.876 -3.093 -328.406 787.997

DE 1020.87 -996.99 219.51 -3.432 -3.691 -1000.422 215.819

EF 1117.26 -121.96 -1110.58 -3.756 -4.040 -125.716 -1114.620

FA 660.08 377.19 -541.7 -2.219 -2.387 374.971 -544.087

Sum: 5000.13 16.81 18.08 -16.810 -18.080 0.000 0.000
3. Traverse Adjustment by Compass Rule

Adjusted Values (By Compass Rule)

Line Distance Azimuth
Latitude Departure Bearing
(m) (from South)
AB 491.903 45.737

BC 587.670 609.154

CD -328.406 787.997

DE -1000.422 215.819

EF -125.716 -1114.620

FA 374.971 -544.087
3. Traverse Adjustment by Compass Rule

Adjusted Values (By Compass Rule)

Line Distance Azimuth
Latitude Departure Bearing
(m) (from South)
AB 491.903 45.737 494.025 N 5o19' E 185o19'

BC 587.670 609.154 846.419 N 46o02' E 226o02'

CD -328.406 787.997 853.692 S 67o23' E 292o37'

DE -1000.422 215.819 1023.436 S 12o10' E 347o50'

EF -125.716 -1114.620 1121.687 S 83o34' W 83o34'

FA 374.971 -544.087 660.783 N 55o26' W 124o34'

3. Traverse Adjustment by Compass Rule
Adjusted Values (By Compass Rule)
Latitude Departure Northing Easting
A 20000.000 20000.000
491.903 45.737
B 20491.903 20045.737
587.67 609.154
C 21079.573 20654.891
-328.406 787.997
D 20751.167 21442.888
-1000.422 215.819
E 19750.745 21658.707
-125.716 -1114.62
F 19625.029 20544.087
374.971 -544.087
A 20000.000 20000.000
4. Traverse Adjustment by Transit Rule

Correction by
Adjusted Lat/Dep
Line Lat Dep |Lat| |Dep| Transit Rule
dLat dDep Lat_adj Dep_adj
AB 493.57 47.53 493.57 47.53 -2.855 -0.259 490.715 47.271
BC 590.53 612.23 590.53 612.23 -3.416 -3.331 587.114 608.899
CD -325.53 791.09 325.53 791.09 -1.883 -4.305 -327.413 786.785

DE -996.99 219.51 996.99 219.51 -5.768 -1.194 -1002.758 218.316

EF -121.96 -1110.58 121.96 1110.58 -0.706 -6.043 -122.666 -1116.623

FA 377.19 -541.7 377.19 541.70 -2.182 -2.948 375.008 -544.648

Sum: 16.81 18.08 2905.77 3322.64 -16.810 -18.080 0.000 0.000
4. Traverse Adjustment by Transit Rule

Adjusted Values (By Transit Rule)

Line Latitude Departure Distance Bearing Azimuth
(m) (from South)

AB 490.715 47.271 492.987 N 5o30' E 185o30'

BC 587.114 608.899 845.849 N 46o03' E 226o03'
CD -327.413 786.785 852.191 S 67o24' E 292o36'
DE -1002.758 218.316 1026.248 S 12o17' E 347o43'
EF -122.666 -1116.623 1123.340 S 83o44' W 83o44'
FA 375.008 -544.648 661.266 N 55o27' W 124o33'
4. Traverse Adjustment by Transit Rule
Adjusted Values (By Transit Rule)
Latitude Departure Northing Easting
A 20000.000 20000.000
490.715 47.271
B 20490.715 20047.271
587.114 608.899
C 21077.829 20656.170
-327.413 786.785
D 20750.416 21442.955
-1002.758 218.316
E 19747.658 21661.271
-122.666 -1116.623
F 19624.992 20544.648
375.008 -544.648
A 20000.000 20000.000
5. Sketch of the traverse
C

D N
100 m

F
Davis, R.E., et. al (1981). Surveying: Theory and
Practice. USA: McGraw-Hill, Inc.

La Putt, J.P. (2007). Elementary Surveying. Philippines:

National Book Store.