Course Description

This course will begin in recognizing the surveying terminologies and the survey instruments
starting from pre-historic times. The succeeding topics are: error and precision, pacing,
measurements or laying out distances or angles using tape, corrections in taping, leveling
which includes differential leveling, inverse leveling, angle conversion, magnetic
declination, traversing, computing the latitude and departure of a course, adjustments
of the traverse using Compass Rule and/or Transit Rule, area computation using the DPD
or the DMD, and area for a series of trapezoidal lots using Trapezoidal Rule or Simpson’s
One-Third Rule; general introduction to omitted measurements of a closed traverse,
subdivision of lots, principle of the stadia, contouring, hydrographic surveys with area
and volume computations, and astronomical observation.

Module 2: Chapter 1: Week 5

Objectives:
At the end of the chapter, the students would be able to:
• Discuss interior angles; deflection angles traverse
• Discuss angle to the right traverse, azimuth traverse
• Discuss the computation of latitude and departure; error of closure
 Module 2: Chapter 1
TRAVERSE COMPUTATIONS

Transverse Computation

For any closed traverse the first step taken by the surveyor should always be to check if
the observed angles fulfill the geometric conditions of the figure. Should there be an
angular error of closure it must be corrected to give series of preliminary adjusted
directions. All linear distances should then be corrected since errors in measured lengths
will alter the shape of traverse.

Latitude and Departure

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.

𝐿𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒 = 𝐷 cos 𝛼
𝐷𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 𝐷 sin 𝛼
Linear Error of Closure

There is no such thing as a mathematically perfect survey. Small errors in both distances
and angles will always be present in closed traverse observed using instruments and
methods of high precision. In all probability a surveyed closed traverse would not satisfy
the geometry requirements of a closed polygon. Until adjustments are made these
observed quantities it will always expected that the traverse will not mathematically
close.

𝐿𝐸𝐶 = √𝐶𝐿2 + 𝐶𝐷2

and

−𝐶𝐷
tan 𝜃 = ( )
−𝐶𝐿

Where:

LEC = linear error of closure

CL = closure in latitude or the algebraic sum of north and south latitudes

CD = closure in departure or the algebraic sum of the east and west departures

θ = bearing angle of the side of error

The relative precision is

𝐿𝐸𝐶
𝑅𝑃 =
𝑃

Where:

RP = relative precision

LEC = linear error of closure

P = total length or perimeter of the transverse

PROBLEM 1: From the accompanying table below, determine the latitude and departure
of the lines, the closure in latitude and departure, and the linear error of closure.

Line Distance Bearing

AB 189.53 S 06°15’ W
BC 175.18 S 29°38’ E
CD 197.78 N 81°18’ W
DE 142.39 N 12°24’ W
EA 234.58 N 42°59’ E

Traverse Adjustment

Compass (Bowditch) Rule

It may be stated as follows:

The correction to be applied to the latitude (or departure) of any course is equal to the
total closure in latitude (or departure) multiplied by the ratio of the length of the course
to the total length or the perimeter of the traverse. These corrections are given by the
following equations:

𝑑
𝐶𝑙 = 𝐶𝐿 ( )
𝑃

and

𝑑
𝐶𝑑 = 𝐶𝐷 ( )
𝑃

where:

𝐶𝑙 = correction to be applied to the latitude of any course.

𝐶𝑑 = correction to be applied to the departure of any course.

𝐶𝐿 = total closure in latitude or the algebraic sum of the north and south latitudes
(ΣNL+ΣSL)

𝐶𝐷 = total closure in departure or the algebraic sum of east and west departures
(ΣED+ΣWD)

𝑑 = length of any course.

𝑃 = total length or perimeter of the traverse

Adjusted Lengths and Directions

𝐿′ = √(𝑙𝑎𝑡 ′ )2 + (𝑑𝑒𝑝′ )2
𝑑𝑒𝑝′
tan 𝜙 =
𝑙𝑎𝑡 ′

Where:

L' = adjusted length of a course

lat' = adjusted latitude of a course

dep' = adjusted departure of a course

ϕ = adjusted horizontal angle between the reference meridian and a course

Application of the correction:

If the sum of the north latitudes exceeds the sum of the south latitudes, latitude
corrections are subtracted from north latitudes and added to corresponding south
latitudes. However, if the sum of the south latitudes exceeds the sum of the north latitudes,
the corrections are applied in the opposite manner. A similar procedure is used when
adjusting the departures.

PROBLEM 2: Adjust the closed traverse in Problem 1. Use Compass Rule.

Line Distance Bearing

AB 189.53 S 06°15’ W
BC 175.18 S 29°38’ E
CD 197.78 N 81°18’ W
DE 142.39 N 12°24’ W
EA 234.58 N 42°59’ E

Transit Rule

The transit rule can be stated as follows: The correction to be applied to the latitude (or
departure) of any course is equal to the latitude (or departure) of the course multiplied
by the ratio of the total closure in latitude (or departure) to the arithmetical sum of all the
latitude (or departures) of the traverse. These corrections are given by the following
equations:

𝐿𝑎𝑡(𝐶𝐿 )
𝐶𝑙 =
∑ 𝑁𝐿 − ∑ 𝑆𝐿
𝐷𝑒𝑝(𝐶𝐷 )
𝐶𝑑 =
∑ 𝐸𝐷 − ∑ 𝑊𝐷
where:

𝐶𝑙 = correction to be applied to the latitude of any course

𝐶𝑑 = correction to be applied to the departure of any course

𝐶𝐿 = total closure in latitude or the algebraic sum of the north and south latitudes
(ΣNL+ΣSL)

𝐶𝐷 = total closure in departure or the algebraic sum of the east and west departures
(ΣED+ΣWD)

ΣNL = summation of north latitudes

ΣSL = summation of south latitudes

ΣED = summation of east departures

ΣWD = summation of west departures

 HOLY CROSS COLLEGE
Sta. Lucia, Sta. Ana, Pampanga
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, COMPUTER AND LIBRARY STUDIES
Institute of Civil Engineering
7

PROBLEM 3: Adjust the closed traverse in Problem 1. Use Transit Rule.

Line Distance Bearing

AB 189.53 S 06°15’ W
BC 175.18 S 29°38’ E
CD 197.78 N 81°18’ W
DE 142.39 N 12°24’ W
EA 234.58 N 42°59’ E