Traversing: Theodolite Traverse

Mr. Vedprakash Maralapalle, Asst. Professor

Department: B.E. Civil Engineering
Subject: Surveying- I
Semester: III
eCourseware@AIKTC

INTRODUCTION
The system of surveying in which the angles are measured with
the help of a theodolite, is called Theodolite surveying.
Theodolite is used to measure the horizontal and vertical
angles.
Theodolite is more precise than magnetic compass.
Magnetic compass measures the angle up to as accuracy of 30.
However a vernier theodolite measures the angles up to and
accuracy of 10, 20.
There are variety of theodolite vernier, optic, electronic etc.

USES OF THEODOLITE
Measuring horizontal and vertical angles
Locating points on a line
Prolonging survey lines
Finding difference of level
Setting out grades
Ranging curves
Tachometric Survey
Magnetic bearing (W.C.B.) measurement

DEFINITION
Centring: The process of setting about the theodolite exactly
over the station mark is known as centring.
Transiting: The process of turning the telescope about its
horizontal axis in a vertical plane through 180 is termed as
transiting.
Face left: If the vertical circle of the instrument is on the left
side of the observer while taking a reading ,the position is called
the face left.
Face right: If the vertical circle of the instrument is on the right
side of the observer while taking a reading ,the position is called
the face right

Changing face: It is an operation of bringing the face of the telescope form

left to right and vice versa.

Swinging the telescope: It is the process of turning the telescope in horizontal

plane.
Line of collimation: It is an imaginary line passing through the intersection of
the cross hairs at the diaphragm and the optical centre of the object glass and
its continuation.

PARTS OF THEODOLITE

TEMPORARY ADJUSTMENT OF THEODOLITE

Such adjustments involve the following steps

1) Setting up
2) Centring
3) Levelling up
4) Focusing the eye-piece
5) Focussing the object glass
6) Elimination of parallax

MEASURING HORIZONTAL ANGLE

Set up the theodolite at station point O and level it accurately.

Set the vernier A to the zero of the horizontal circle. Tighten the upper clamp.
Loosen the lower clamp. Turn the instrument and direct the telescope towards
A to bisect it accurately with the use of tangent screw. After bisecting
accurately check the reading which must still read zero. Read the vernier B and
record both the readings.
Loosen the upper clamp and turn the telescope clockwise until line of sight
bisects point B on the right hand side. Then tighten the upper clamp and bisect
it accurately by turning its tangent screw.

Read

both vernier. The reading of the vernier A which was

initially set at zero gives the value of the angle AOB directly
and that of the other vernier B by deducting 1800 .The mean of
the two vernier readings gives the value of the required angle
AOB.
Change the face of the instrument and repeat the whole
process.
The mean of the two values of the angle AOB ,one with face
left and the other with face right ,gives the required angle free
from all instrumental errors.

1)

There are two methods of measuring horizontal angles.

1) Repetition method
2) Reiteration method
Repetition method
)This method is used for very accurate work. In this method
,the same angle is added several times mechanically and the
correct value of the angle is obtained by dividing the
accumulated reading by the no. of repetitions.
)The No. of repetitions made usually in this method is six,
three with the face left and three with the face right .In this
way ,angles can be measured to a finer degree of accuracy
than that obtainable with the least count of the vernier.

Set up the theodolite at starting point O and level it accurately.

Vernier A is set to 0 and vernier B to 180
The upper clamp is fix and lower one loosen . By turning the telescope
ranging rod at A is bisected. With the help of lower clamp screw and
lower tangent screw. Here initial reading on vernier A is 0
The upper clamp is loosen and telescope is turn clockwise to ranging rod at B.
the upper clamped is clamped. Suppose the reading on vernier A is 30.
The lower clamped is loosen and the telescope turned anticlockwise to exactly
bisect the ranging rod at A. here the initial reading is 30 for second
observation.

The lower clamp is tightened the upper one is loosened and the
telescope is turned clockwise to exactly bisect the ranging rod
at B let the reading on vernier A is 60
The initial reading for third observation is set to 60
<AOB is again measured . Let the final reading on the
vernier A is 90 which is the accumulated angle
90/3 = 30
The face of the instrument is changed and previous
procedure is followed.
The mean of the two observation gives the actual angle
<AOB

2)

Reiteration method
)This method is comparatively less tedious method of
measuring the horizontal angles.
)It is generally preferred when several angles are to be
measured at one particular station.
)This method consists in measuring several angles
successively and finally closing the horizon at the starting
point. The final reading of the vernier A should be same as
its initial reading.

Theodolite is perfectly centered over O and levelled properly in

the usual manner .
Vernier A is set to 0 and vernier B to 180 the upper
clamped is fixed and lower is loosened. The ranging rod
at A is perfectly bisected. Now the lower clamp is
tighten.
The upper clamped is loosened and the ranging rod or
object at B is bisected properly by turning the
telescope clockwise. The reading on the both vernier
are taken. < AOB is noted. Similarly the object C is
bisected properly and the reading on the vernier are
noted <BOC is recorded.

Now the horizon is closed i.e. the last angle < COA is
measured. The position of the leading vernier is noted.
The leading vernier should show the initial reading on
which it was set. If does not the amount of discrepancy
is noted .
If it is small The error is distributed among the angles.
If the discrepancy large, the observation should be
taken again.

MEASURING VERTICAL ANGLE

Set

up the theodolite at station point O and level it

accurately.
Set the zero of vertical vernier exactly to the zero of the
vertical circle. At this position the line of collimation is
exactly horizontal.
To measure angle of elevation the telescope is raised slowly
to bisect the point A accurately . The reading on the both
vernier are noted and the angle of elevation recorded.

 The

face of the instrument is changed and point A is again

bisected. The reading on the vernier are noted. The mean of
the angels of the observed is assume to be the correct angle
of elevation.
To measure the angle of depression the telescope is lowered
slowly and the point B is bisected. The reading on the
vernier is noted for the two observations . The mean angle of
observation is taken to be correct angle of depression.

CLOSING ERROR
In closed traverse the algebraic sum of latitude &
Departure must be equal to zero.
But due to the error in field measurement of
angles and length , sometimes the finishing point
may not coincide with the starting point of a
closed traverse. The distance by which a traverse
fails to close is knows as closing error.

BALANCING OF TRAVERSE
In case of traverse the algebraic sum of latitude
& departure must be equal to zero. In other
words the sum of northing must be equal to zero
in ideal condition.
But the actual practice some closing error is
always found to exist while computing the
latitude and departure of the traverse stations.
Total error in latitude and departure are
determined. These error are then distributed
among the traverse station.

Bowditch rule: Correction to latitude of any side = length of that side /

perimeter of traverse X total error in latitude.
Correction to departure of any side = length of that side /
perimeter of traverse X total error in departure.

Transit rule:
Correction of latitude of any side = latitude of that side /
arithmetical sum of all latitudes X total error in latitude.
Correction to departure of any side = Departure of that
side / arithmetical sum of all Departure X total error in
departure

Sources of errors in theodolite

Instrumental errors
Non

adjustment of plate bubble

Line of collimation not being perpendicular to
horizontal axis
Horizontal axis not being perpendicular to vertical
axis
Line of collimation not being parallel to axis of
telescope
Eccentricity of inner and outer axes
Graduation not being uniform
Verniers being eccentric

REFERENCES
Surveying and Levelling: Vol-I and II: Kanetkar and
Kulkarni, Pune Vidyarthi Griha, Pune.
Surveying and Levelling: N N Basak, Tata McGraw Hill,
New Delhi.
Surveying: R. Agor, Khanna Publishers.
Surveying: Vol-I: Dr K.R. Arora, Standard Book House.
http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/courses-contents/IIT Kanpur and IIT
Madras.
http://www.slideshare.net

www.scribd.com

Google images.

Thank you