Chapter _5

Traversing
5.1. Introduction
The word traverse means ‘passing across’ in surveying it means’ determining the length
and direction of consecutive lines’ the linear measurements are made with tape and
relative directions of the lines are measured with the directions of the lines are measured
with the docile the integrated measurements of distance and direction provides the
essential two dimensional data for providing horizontal control i.e. the relative location of
point an horizontal plane.
The traverse in general consist Reconnaissance, distance measurement, angular
measurement, measurement of one reference direction, computation.

5.2 Types of traverse.

General a traverse can be divided in to two
1. Closed traverse
2. Open traverse.

1. Closed traverse: - A traverse is said to be closed if it either it ends on starting

point. Or if it ends on another known point due to this it can be divided into two.
1. Closed traverse
I. Closed loop (ring) traverse (fig 6.2.1a)
Station A is Known

II. Closed route (link) connection) traverse (fig 6.2.1b)

Station A and E are Known

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 2. Open traverse: - It is a kind of traverse that starts from known point and ends on
unknown point. (fig 6.2.2)

Station A is Known
5.3 Departure and latitude
In rectangular coordinate system the can be defined as follows

Departure:- The difference in x- coordinate between two points

Latitude:- The difference in y- coordinate between two points

i- By using coordinates

Departure of AB = ΔXAB= XB- XA

Latitude of AB = ΔYAB= YB-YA

Illustrative Example
If the coordinates of A= (600.72, 802.93) and
B= (700.00, 891.30)
Calculate departure and latitude of AB and BA

Solution
Departure AB = XB-XA

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 = 700.00-600.72
= 99.28
Latitude AB = YB-YA
= 891.30-802.93
= 88.37

Again for line BA

ΔXBA = XA-XB
= 600.72-700.00
= - 99.28

ΔYBA = YA-YB
= 802.93-891.30
= -88.37

ii- By using distance and azimuth

Departure: - It is the product of the horizontal distance b/n two points and the sine of the
azimuth of a line joining the two paints.

= distance * sin of Azimuth.

Latitude = it is the product of the horizontal distance between two points and the cosine
of the azimuth of a line joining the two points.

= distance* cost of Azimuth.

From triangle ACB

AC = departure of AB
CB = latitude of AB
 = Azimuth of AB

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 AB= Distance b/n A and B

Therefere sin = ∆XAB

dis .AB
ΔX AB = dis.AB* sin 

And cos  = ΔYAB

Dis. AB
ΔYAB = dis AB*cos 
Illustrative Example

If it is given that azimuth of a line= 600 11’23’’ and its length is 400.2m. Calculate its
departure and latitude.

Solution
Departure of a line = distance* sin of Azimuth
= 400.23 * sin 60011’23’’
= 347.244

Latitude of a line = distance* cos of Azimuth

= 400.2* cos 60011’23’’
= 198.951

5.4 Computation of Azimuths consecutive lines

If azimuth of one line and included angle at stations are given we can calculate azimuth
of the other lines

Illustrative Example

If it is given that Az AB= 42012’50’’ and included angles at stations B and C are given
calculate Azimuths of line BC and CD

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Solution

Back azimuth of AB= Az BA = azimuth of AB +1800 =222012’50’’

Therefore
Az BC= Az BA - <B
= 222012’50’’ – 113034'54"
= 108037’56”

Azimuth of CD = Azimuth of CB + <C

= 108037’56” + 1800 + 1500 32'23" – 3600
= 79010’19”
5.5 Computation of relative coordinates

If the coordinate of one point and departure and latitude of a line that joining this point to
the point we are going to determine its coordinate are known, we can calculate the
coordinate of unknown point.
i.e. X2 = X1 + dep 12
Y2 = Y1 + lat. 12
Illustrative Example 1
Suppose the coordinates of point A are (1000.2, 2341.32) and departure and latitude of
line AB are 300.32 and 543.2 respectively, determine the coordinates of point B.

Solution
XB = XA + dep AB
= 1000.2 + 300.32
= 1300.52

YB = YA + lat. AB
= 2341.32 + 543.2
= 2884.52

Therefore B (1300.52, 2884.52)

Illustrative example 2
Referring fig below, determine the coordinate of station C if coordinates of station B is
(453.23, 876.90)

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Solution
Azimuth of BA = back azimuth of AB
= 42012’50” + 1800
= 2220 12’50”
Azimuth of BC = AZ BA - <B
= 2220 12’50” – 113034’54”
= 108037’56”

Departure BC = dis * sin azimuth

= 543 * sin 108037’56”
= 514.541

Latitude BC = dis* cos Azimuth

= 543 * cos 108037’56
= - 173.484

XC = XB + dep. BC
= 453.23 + 514.541
= 967.771

YC = YB + lat. BC
= 876.90 + - 173.484
= 703.416
Therefore coordinates of C are (976.771, 703.416)

5.6 Balancing the traverse

Balancing the traverse means making adjustment to remove any apparent error. For
balancing the traverse the underlying objective is to adjust the traverse in such away that
the sum the latitude and departure should each equal to zero in closed loop traverse. The
closing error, however it is distributed throughout the traverse such that the above
mentioned objective is achieved this operation is called Balancing the traverse.

There are different methods of balancing the traverse, however two of them are
recommended at this stage.
1. Bowditch rule
2. Transit rule.
According to the Bowditch rule error is proportional to the length of the side

\ Correction lat. /dep. = Closure error in lat/dep * length of the side

Perimeter of the traverse

According to Transit rule

Correction for
Procedures lat./dep. = closed
adjusting Closureloop
errortraverse
in lat/dep * lat/dep
can be of the side
summarized in the following
five (5) steps Total sum of lat/dep

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 1. Sum up all observed angle and check the sum with the (n-2) 1800
Where (n-2)*1800 = Nominal sum or theoretical sum
n = Number of station
Sum (observed) = Actual (practical)

Then Error = Nominal – Actual

Correction = Error
n
2. By using the given azimuth of the first line find the azimuth of all lines.
If it is right hand traverse
Az of (i+1) = Az of i + 1800 -ß
If it is left hand traverse
Az of (i+1) = Az of i + ß - 1800
Where ß is adjusted angle
3. Find the latitude and departure of all lines and sum up to get closure error of
departure &latitude.
4. Adjust the latitudes and departures by Bowditch rule.
5. Find the coordinates of all points.

Illustrative example 1
The following data is observed for a closed loop traverse ABCDEF. Using given data
calculate the coordinates of stations B, C, D, E, F.
Included clockwise angle Line Distance (m)
<FAB = 115011’20” AB = 429.37
<ABC = 95000’20” BC = 656.54
<BCD = 129049’20” CD = 301.83
<CDE = 130036’20” DE = 287.40
<DEF = 110030’00” EF = 526.72
<EFA = 138054’40” FA = 372.47

Coordinates Azimuth
XA = 500.00 AB = 191011’00”
YA = 1000.00

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Solution
1. ∑ß practical = ßA + ßB + ßC+ ßD + ßE + ßF
= 7200 02’00”
∑ß Nominal = (n-2) * 1800
= (6-2)*1800
= 7200 00’00”
Error = ∑ ß Nominal - ∑ ß practical
= -2’00”

Correction
Error/ n
= -20”
Allowable error = 1’ (n) 1/2
= 2’27” since error is less than allowable error the measurement is ok!

Therefore the adjusted angles are

<FAB = 115011’20 -20” = 115011’00”
<ABC = 95000’20” -20” = 95000’00”
<BCD = 129049’20” - 20“ = 129049’00”
<CDE = 130036’20 - 20“ = 130036’00
<DEF = 110030’00” - 20“ = 110029’40”
<EFA = 138054’40 - 20“ = 138054’20“
∑ 7200 00’00”
Computation of azimuths
Az AB = 191011’00“
Az BC = Az AB + ßB - 1800
= 106011’00“
Az CD = Az BC + ßC-1800
= 56000’00“
Az DE = AzCD + ßD - 1800
= 6036’00“
Az EF = AzDE + ßE - 1800
= 297005’40“
Az FA = AzEF + ßF -1800

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 = 256000’00“
3. Computation of latitude and departure.

Side Azimuth Distance(m) Departure Latitude

AB 191011’00“ 429.37 -83.276 -421.217
BC 106011’00“ 656.54 630.524 -182.985
CD 56000’00“ 301.83 250.228 168.781
DE 6036’00“ 287.40 33.033 285.495
EF 297005’40“ 526.72 -468.916 239.899
FA 256000’00“ 372.47 -361.406 -90.109
∑ 2574.33 +0.187 -0.136

Closure error of a traverse = [cldep 2 + cllat2]1/2

= 0.231

Relative accuracy of a traverse = [Cl traverse / perimeter]

= 0.231/2574.33
= 1: 11,144
4. Adjustment of latitude and departure by using Bowdich rule.

Let A = [closure error of latitude]

Total length of a traverse

And B =
[closure error of departure]
Total length of a traverse
Since the summation of latitude is negative, the correction should be positive.
And the summation of departure is positive, the correction should be negative.
Therefore
Line Adjusted departure Adjusted latitude
AB -83.276– [B*429.37] = -83.307 -421.217 – [A*427.37] = -421.194
BC 630.524 –[B*656.54] = 630.476 -182.985 –[A*656.54] = -182.950
CD 250.228 – [B* 301.83] = 250.206 168.781 – [A* 301.83] = 168.797
DE 33.033 – [B*287.40] = 33.012 285.495 –[A*287.40] = 285.510
EF -468.916 – [B*526.72] = -468.954 239.899 – [A*526.72] = 239.927
FA -361.406– [B* 372.47] = -361.433 -90.109 – [A* 372.47] = -90.090
5. Computation of relative coordinates
XB = XA + dep AB
= 500 + -83.307
= 416.693
XC = XB+ dep BC
= 416.693 + 630.476
= 1047. 169
XD = XC + dep CD
= 1047.169 + 250.206
= 1297.375
XE = XD + dep DE

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 = 1297.375 + 33.012
= 1330. 387
XF = XE + dep EF
= 1330.387 + - 468.954
= 861.433
YB = YA + lat AB
= 1000 + - 421.194
= 578. 806
YC = YB + lat BC
= 578.806 + - 182.950
= 395.856
YD = YC + lat CD
= 395.856 + 168 .797
= 564.653
YE = YD + lat DE
= 564.653 + 285.510
= 650. 165
YF = YE + lat EF
= 650.165 + 239.927
= 1090.09

All the above computations and values are summarized in the following traverse table.

5.7 Area calculation by Coordinate method

In this method independent coordinates of the points are used in the computation f
areas.

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 To avoid negative sign, the origin O is chosen at most southerly and westerly point.
Total area of the traverse ABCD can be calculated as follows.

Two sums of products should be taken

1. product of all adjacent terms taken down to the right
i.e. XAYB , XBYC , XCYD , XDYA
2. Product of all adjacent terms taken up to the right
i.e. YAXB , YBXC , YCXD , YDXA

The traverse area is equal to half the absolute value of the difference between these two
sums. In applying the procedures, it is to be observed that the first coordinate listed must
be repeated at the end of the list.

Illustrative Example
Calculate the area enclosed by a traverse given example 6.1

Solution

Point X Y
A. 500.00 1000.000
B. 416.693 578.866
C. 1047.169 395.856
D. 1297.375 564.653
E. 1330.387 650.165
F. 861.433 1090.090
A. 500.00 1000.000

XAYB = 500.00 * 578.866 = 289433

XBYC = 416.693 * 395.856 = 164950.4242
XCYD = 1047.169 * 564.653 = 591287.1174
XDYE = 1297.375 * 650.165 = 843507.8169
XEYF = 1330.387 * 1090.090 = 1450241.565
XFYA = 861.433 * 1000.000 = 861433.0

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 ∑ 1 = 4200852.923m2

YAXB = 1000.000 * 416.693 = 416693

YBXC = 578.866 * 1047.169 = 606170.5304
YCXD = 395.856 * 1297.375 = 513573.678
YDXE = 564.653 * 1330.387 = 751207.0107
YEXF = 650.165 * 861.433 = 560073.5864
YFXA = 1090.090 *500.00 = 545045.0
∑2 = 3392762.806

Area = ∑1- ∑2
2

= 808090.1175
2

= 404045.059sq.m

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