SURVEYING: TRAVERSE

TRAVERSE – is developed by measuring the distance and angles between

points that found the boundary of a site.

The survey procedure known as traversing is fundamental to much survey

measurement. The procedure consists of using a variety of instrument
combinations to create polar vectors in space, that is “lines” with a magnitude
(distance) and direction (bearing). These vectors are generally contiguous and
create a polygon which conforms to various mathematical and geometrical
rules (which can be used to check the fieldwork and computations). The
equipment used generally consist of something to determine direction like a
compass or theodolite, and something to determine distance like a tape or
Electromagnetic Distance Meter (EDM).
BASIC KNOWLEDGE IN CALCULATING CLOSED TRAVERSE

BEARING AZIMUTH

The direction of a celestial object from the

If measured from A-B it is N θ E, but if it is observer, expressed as the angular distance
from B-A it is read as S θ W from the north or south point of the horizon
to the point at which a vertical circle passing
through the object intersects the horizon
 N
LATITUDE AND DEPARTURE OF A LINE
Departure, D

Latitude, L
S
Bearing, ce,
The latitude of a line is its projection on the north- a n
θ st
south meridian. Di
W E
The departure of a line is its projection on the east-
west line.

Latitude, L Departure, D
L = S x cos θ D = L x sin θ
(+) North Latitude (+) East Departures
(-) South Latitude (-) West Departures
S
Bearing, θ 2 2 2
Θ = () S =L + D
“If start at one corner of a closed traverse and walk its lines until you
return to your starting point, you will have walked as far north as you
walked south and as far east as you have walked west.”

Therefore for closed traverse,

θ2
∑Latitude = 0 1
2

∑Departure = 0 θ1 θ3
3

Legend:
5 θ4
(+) (-) 4

(+) (-) θ5
MISSING DATA
Example:
A closed traverse is given with missing data. Determine all unknowns.
Course Length (m) Bearing
1-2 38.40 S52°51’E
2-3 24.92 S7°53’E
3-4 43.55 S81°42’W
4-5 32.91 N32°50’W
5-1 ----- -----
Example:
A closed traverse is given with missing data. Determine all unknowns.
Course Length (m) Bearing
1-2 38.40 S52°51’E D 1
2-3 24.92 S7°53’E
3-4 43.55 S81°42’W 52°51’ 38.40m
4-5 32.91 N32°50’W L S

5-1 ----- ----- 2

θ
7°53’
5
24.92m

32.91m
3
32°50’ 81°42’

43.55m
4
Example:
A closed traverse is given with missing data.
Determine all unknowns. D 1
` Course Length (m) Bearing
L = S x cos θ
Latitude
D = S x sin θ
Departure
1-2 38.40 S52°51’E 52°51’ 38.40m
2-3 24.92 S7°53’E L S
3-4 43.55 S81°42’W 2
4-5 32.91 N32°50’W θ
5-1 ----- ----- 7°53’
5
24.92m
∑Latitude = 0
Θ = ()
∑Departure = 0
32.91m
3
(+) North Latitude 𝐒 =√ 𝐋 + 𝐃
𝟐 𝟐
32°50’ 81°42’
43.55m
(+) East Departures
(-) South Latitude 4
(-) West Departures
 Example: D 1
A closed traverse is given with missing data. 38
Determine all unknowns. . 40
52°51’ m
Course Length (m) Bearing Latitude Departure L S
1-2 38.40 S52°51’E -23.19 30.61 2
2-3 24.92 S7°53’E -24.68 3.42 θ
3-4 43.55 S81°42’W -6.29 -43.09 7°53’

4-5 32.91 N32°50’W 27.65 -17.84 5

5-1 ----- ----- L D 24.92m

0 0 32.91m

S=√ L +D
3
∑Latitude = 0
-23.19 + (-24.68) + (-6.29) + 27.65 + L = 0
2 2 32°50’ 81°42’
m
L = 26.51m 43. 5 5
Θ = () 4
∑Departure = 0
Θ = ()
30.61 + 3.42 + (-43.09) + (-17.84) + D = 0 Therefore, the length and bearing of
Θ = 45.42°
D = 26.90m
course 5-1 is 37.768m @ N45.42°E
A closed traverse has the following data:
Line Distance (m) Bearing
AB 24.22 S15°36’W
BC 15.92 S69°11’E
CD ----- N57°58’W
DA ----- S80°43’W
A closed traverse has the following data:
L = S x cos θ D = S x sin θ
Line Distance (m) Bearing Latitude Departure 𝐷 𝐷𝐴
D
AB 24.22 S15°36’W
BC 15.92 S69°11’E
𝐿𝐷𝐴 DA 80°43’

CD ----- N57°58’W
A
DA ----- S80°43’W
15°36’

∑Latitude = 0 24.22m 𝐿𝐶𝐷

∑Departure = 0 CD

(+) North Latitude

B 57°58’
15.92m
(+) East Departures C
69°11’
(-) South Latitude
𝐷 𝐶𝐷
(-) West Departures
A closed traverse has the following data:
L = S x cos θ D = S x sin θ
Line Distance (m) Bearing Latitude Departure 𝐷 𝐷𝐴
D
AB 24.22 S15°36’W -23.33 -6.51
BC 15.92 S69°11’E
𝐿𝐷𝐴 DA 80°43’
-5.66 14.88
CD ----- N57°58’W 0.5304CD 0.8477CD
A
DA ----- S80°43’W -0.1613DA -0.9869DA 15°36’

∑Latitude = 0 24.22m 𝐿𝐶𝐷

-23.33 + (-5.66) + 0.5304CD + (-0.1613DA) = 0 CD
0.5304CD – 0.1613DA = 28.99 Equation 1

∑Departure = 0 B 57°58’
-6.51 + 14.88 + 0.8477CD + (-0.9869DA) = 0 15.92m
0.8477CD – 0.9869DA = -8.37 Equation 2 69°11’ C
𝐷 𝐶𝐷
From Equation1 Substitute to Equation 2
CD = 0.8477() – 0.9869DA = -8.37 CD =
DA = 75.03m CD = 77.47m
A closed traverse has the following data:
L = S x cos θ D = S x sin θ
Line Distance (m) Bearing Latitude Departure 𝐷 𝐷𝐴
D
AB 24.22 S15°36’W -23.33 -6.51
BC 15.92 S69°11’E
𝐿𝐷𝐴 DA 80°43’
-5.66 14.88
CD CD = 77.47m N57°58’W 0.5304CD 0.8477CD
A
DA DA = 75.03m S80°43’W -0.1613DA -0.9869DA 15°36’

= 0.5304 CD = 0.8477 CD 24.22m

= 0.5304 (77.47m) = 0.8477 (77.47m) CD 𝐿𝐶𝐷
= 41.09m = 65.67m

= -0.1613 DA = -0.9869 DA
= -0.1613 (75.03m) = -0.9869 (75.03m)
B 57°58’
15.92m
= -12.10m = -74.05m
69°11’ C
𝐷 𝐶𝐷
Line Distance (m) Bearing Latitude Departure
AB 24.22 S15°36’W -23.33 -6.51
BC 15.92 S69°11’E -5.66 14.88
CD CD = 77.47m N57°58’W 41.09 65.67
DA DA = 75.03m S80°43’W -12.10 -74.05
AREA OF A CLOSED TRAVERSE
 CALCULATE THE AREA OF THE CLOSED TRAVERSE

L = S x cos θ D = S x sin θ
Course Length (m) Bearing Latitude Departure DMD Double Area
1-2 38.40 S52°51’E -23.19 30.61
2-3 24.92 S7°53’E -24.68 3.42
3-4 43.55 S81°42’W
-6.29 -43.09
4-5 32.91 N32°50’W
27.65 -17.84
5-1 37.77 N45°25’E
26.51 26.90
 CALCULATE THE AREA OF THE CLOSED TRAVERSE

L = S x cos θ D = S x sin θ
Course Length (m) Bearing Latitude Departure DMD Double Area
1-2 38.40 S52°51’E -23.19 30.61 30.61 -709.8459
2-3 24.92 S7°53’E -24.68 3.42 64.64 -1595.3152
3-4 43.55 S81°42’W
-6.29 -43.09 24.97 -157.0613 SUM UP!
4-5 32.91 N32°50’W
27.65 -17.84 -35.96 -994.294
5-1 37.77 N45°25’E
26.51 26.90 -26.90 -713.119

-4169.6354 = ∑Double Area

= | ∑Double Area |
= | -4169.6354|
=
 CALCULATE THE AREA OF THE CLOSED TRAVERSE (DOUBLE PARALLEL DISTANCE)
L = S x cos θ D = S x sin θ
Course Length (m) Bearing Latitude Departure
1-2 38.40 S52°51’E -23.19 30.61 1
2-3 24.92 S7°53’E -24.68 3.42
3-4 43.55 S81°42’W
-6.29 -43.09 52°51’ 38.40m
4-5 32.91 N32°50’W m
27.65 -17.84 77
5-1 37.77 N45°25’E 37.
26.51 26.90 2
45°25’

= 38.40cos52°51’ = -23.19 (south) 7°53’

= 38.40sin 52°51’ = 30.61 (east) 5
= 24.92cos7°53’ = -24.68 (south) 24.92m
= 24.92sin7°53’ = 3.42 (east)
= 43.55cos81°42’ = -6.29 (south) 32.91m
= 43.55sin81°42’ = -43.09 (west) 3
32°50’ 81°42’
= 32.91cos32°50’ = 27.65 (north)
` 43.55m
= 32.91sin32°50’ = -17.84 (west)
= 37.77cos45°25’ = 26.51 (north) 4
= 37.77sin45°25’ = 26.90 (east)
 CALCULATE THE AREA OF THE CLOSED TRAVERSE (DOUBLE PARALLEL DISTANCE)

L = S x cos θ D = S x sin θ DPD x Departure

Course Length (m) Bearing Latitude Departure DPD Double Area
1-2 38.40 S52°51’E -23.19 30.61 -23.19 -709.8459
2-3 24.92 S7°53’E -24.68 3.42 -71.06 -243.0252
3-4 43.55 S81°42’W
-6.29 -43.09 -102.03 4396.4727 SUM UP!
4-5 32.91 N32°50’W
27.65 -17.84 -80.67 1439.1528
5-1 37.77 N45°25’E
26.51 26.90 -26.51 -713.119
∑Double Area = 4169.6354

= | ∑Double Area |
= |4169.6354|
=
 L = S x cos θ D = S x sin θ
Course Length (m) Bearing Latitude Departure
` 1-2 38.40 S52°51’E -23.19 30.61
2-3 24.92 S7°53’E
-24.68 3.42 1
3-4 43.55 S81°42’W
-6.29 -43.09
4-5 32.91 N32°50’W 52°51’ 38.40m
7m
5-1 37.77 N45°25’E 27.65 -17.84 3 7.7
26.51 26.90 2
45°25’
DPD Double Area
7°53’
-23.19 -709.8459
5 =
-71.06 -243.0252
24.92m
-102.03 4396.4727 = | ∑Double Area |
= |4169.6354|
-80.67 1439.1528 = 32.91m
3
-26.51 -719.119 32°50’ 81°42’

∑Double Area = 4169.6354 43.55m