College of Engineering Architecture and industrial Design

Civil Engineering Department

Bohol Island State University - Main Campus

Fieldwork No. 7
AREA OF A TRACT OF LAND BY DMD / DPD METHOD

Name: Section:
Weather: Date Performed:
Location: Time Performed:

Date Submitted:

Professor's Signature:

OBJECTIVES:
a) To adjust the latitude and departure of the closed traverse by the compass rule and determine the
area by the double meridian distance method.

b) To check the corrections of the area computation by the double parallel distance method.

EQUIPMENT:
Electronic Calculator, Drawing Instruments, and Graphing or Tracing Paper.

PROCEDURE:
1. This problem is an indoor lab exercise and the require traverse data are given for the students to
work on. There is no need to go to the field to observe and record traverse data since this is an
exercise designed to develop within the student dexterity and familiarity in traverse computations.
The lab instructor has the option to use the prepared data, revise it, or give a new set of data.

2. For the traverse data tabulated below, determine the following:

a) Latitude and departure of each course.
b) Adjusted latitudes and departures of each course (applying the compass rule).
c) Area of the tract of land defined by the traverse (employing double meridian distances).
d) Area of the same tract (employing double parallel distances).
e) Linear error of closure and bearing of he side of error.
f) Relative error of closure.

LINE LENGTH (m) AZIMUTH FROM SOUTH

AB 639.35 170° 30'
BC 507.30 123° 05'
CD 678.70 56° 13'
DE 570.55 357° 58'
EA 1082.75 270° 29'

NOTE: It is advisable to plot the given traverse approximately to scale to better visualize the length
and direction of each line, and general shape of the given tract of land.
 3. Tabulate given and computed values accordingly. Refer to the accompanying sample format for
the tabulation of data.
LINE LENGTH AZIMUTH CALCULATED LATITUDE DEPARTURE
(m) FROM SOUTH BEARING +N -S +E -W
AB
BC
CD
DE
EA

LINE CORR ADJUSTED ADJUSTED DMD DOUBLE DPD DOUBLE

LATITUDE DEPARTURE AREA AREA
+N -s +E -W
AB
BC
CD
DE
EA

COMPUTATION:(Provide on separate sheet)

1. Calculations required to determine the bearing of each line from the given azimuth will be
obvious if a carefully prepared sketch of the given traverse is made.
2. The magnitude of the latitude of a line a the product of the length of the line by the cosine
of its bearing angle. It is a positive value if the line bears towards the north and negative if
towards the south.
3. The magnitude of the departure of a line is the product of the ength of the line by the sina
of its bearing angle. It is a positive value if the line bears towards the east and negative if
toward the west.
4. The total correction or error of closure in latitude (CL) is the algebraic sum of all north and
south latitudes. Similarly, the total correction or error of closure in departure (CD) is the
algebraic sum, of all east and west departures.
5. 5. The latitudes and departures are adjusted as follows:
a) The corrections to e applied to the latitude of any line is to the total correction in latitude
as the length of the line is to the length of the traverse or

Where:
C1 = correction to be applied to the latitude of any line
CL = total correction in latitude
d = length of the line
D = total length of the traverse

b) If the sumof the north latitudes exceeds the sum of the south latitude&, a computed
correction for a line is subtracted from the corresponding latitude if tne line bears north
 and added if it bears south. Similarly, if the sum of south latitudes exceeds the sum of
north latitudes, a computed correction for a line is added to the corresponding latitude if
the line bears north and subtracted if bears south.

c) The correction to be applied to the departure of any line is to the total correction in
departure as the length of the line 19 to the length of the traverse or

Where:
Cd = correction to be applied to the departure of any line
Co = total correction in departure
d = length of the line
D = total length of the traverse

d) If the sum of the east departures exceed the sum of the west departures, a computed
correction for a line is subtracted from the corresponding departure if the line bears east
and added if it bears west. Similarly, if the sum of the west departures exceeds the sum
of easl departures, a computed correction for a line is added to the corresponding
departure if the line bears east and subtracted if it bears west.

6. The following are the rules in computing double meridian distances (DMDs).

a) The DMD of the first line is equal to the departure of the line.
b) The DMD of any other line is equal to the DMD of the preceding line, plus the departure
of the preceding line, plus the departure of the line itself.
c) The DMD of the last line is numerically equal to the departure of the line but with
opposite sign. This rule is used only as a check.

7. The following are the rules in computing double parallel distances (DPDs).

a) The DPD of the first line is equal to the latitude of the line.
b) The DPD of any other line is equal to the DPD of the preceding line, plus the latitude of
the preceding line, plus the latitude of the line itself.
c) The DPD of the last line is numerically equal to the latitude of the line but with opposite
sign. This rule is used only as a check.

8. Double areas are determined by multiplying the DMD of the line by the adjusted latitude of
the line. Double areas may either be positive or negative values. Similarly, double areas are
also determined by multiplying the DPD of the line by the adjusted departure of the line.
9. The total area of the traverse is determined by dividing the algebraic sum of the double
areas by two. The sign of the computed area is not significant. It may be a positive or a
negative value. If the sign is negative, it Is disregarded.
10. The linear error of closure is determined by computing the hypothenuse of the right-angle
triangle whose sides are the error of closure in latitude (CL) and the error of closure in
departure (Co) or
 And similarly, the bearing of the side of error is computed by the following formula:

-Cv
tan/J =- -C L

For both equations, Co and CL are the same values determined in C(4).

11. The relative error of closure is determined by dividing the linear error of closure (LEC) by
the sum of the individual lengths of the different lines of traverse or its perimeter. Express
the numerator as one or unity and round off the resulting value in the denominator to the
nearest hundred.

REMARKS, HINTS & PRECAUTION

1. Before the DMD or DPD method can be a pplied properly, the latitudes and departures of
the traverse should first be adjusted such that the figure becomes a closed polygon. This
means that the algebraic sum of the north and south latitudes is zero, and the algebraic sum
of the east and west departures is also zero.
2. The compass rule is suitable for surveys where the angles and distances are measured with
equal precision. It is most commonly used in actual practice. When the rule is applied, it is
assumed that all lines were measured with equal care, and all angles taken with the same
precision themselves.
3. The transit rule ia also used for adjusting traverse. It is theoretically better for surveys where
the angles are measured with greater accuracy than the distances such as in stadia surveys.
4. The correctneas of the area computation by the DMO method can be readily checked by
applying the double parallel distance (DPD) method. The DPD method is essentially the
same as the DMD method and the
5. only difference Is that the lines areprojected upon the reference parallel instead of upon the
reference meridian.

CONCLUSION: