The concept of Linear Closing Error

B c

Closing error = 0.32m

Notice that if the
corrections are ignored,
the value of the errors
will
Appear when you re-
compute the coordinates
of the first point (A).

N=0.1
D
A

E=0.3
 The concept of Angular Closing Error
Now let us assume the same perfect square of 90
angles and 100 m sides. When measured all lengths
were correct, while the angle at B was in error by 10
when measured, the surveyor reported 100. What
happens?
B c

Here is the
perfect traverse
that we are
trying to
measure:

D
A
 The concept of Closing Error
Error in angles OR error in distances will
result in a closing error: last point will not be
at the first point.
The problem is that we do not know where
the errors are and how much each error?
Measurements are never exact, we always
assume that we have errors in angles and
distances.
Before we learn how to compute the errors
and how to adjust for them, let us learn some
issues with traverse
 Closed and Open Traverses
A closed traverse is the one that starts and
ends at known points and directions,
whether the shape is closed or not
A closed traverse can be a polygon
{closed shape} or Link {closed geometry-
open shape
Closed (polygon or link)
traverses

Link
Polygon
 Open TRAVERSE
True Location Observed Location
A X=XB-XA

Y=YB-YA
L1 L2
L3 L4
YObserved

L5
B
MX

MY

XY
XObserved

M
Open Traverses are not used in engineering
control applications, why?

The problem: there is no way to check the for

the errors; you will have to accept whatever
coordinates computed.
 Traverse Notations
We will only cover the closed Traverse with interior
angles measured.
 Traverse Stations
Successive stations should be inter visible.
Stations are chosen in safe, easy to access
places.
Lines should be as long as possible
To reduce the number of lines
Short lines will produce less accurate angles,
the traverse gets distorted as shown below.

T1 T3
B
T4
T2
A
 Traverse Stations
Angles should be as equal as possible and better
be 30 to 150, why????
Lines should be and as equal as possible, Why?
Stations must be referenced to retrieve them if lost.
We produce a descriptive card for each point

Descriptive card for a

traverse point


.3

)110.25(

) (8.1

12.73

8.67
) (8.2 ) (

11.24

 :




.
 Traversing by Interior Angles

All internal angles and all horizontal distances are

measured
Each angle is measured in direct and reverse,
Each angle is observed at least three times.
A line of known direction should either be given or
assumed, what is a line with known direction?
If the line of known direction is not a member of the
traverse, the angle to a traverse member should be
measured. Why?
 Closing Error In Traverses
We measure two values: angles and
distances
Because of errors in both measurements,
we get angle misclosure and linear
misclosure ( closing error).
Both types of errors result in error in
closure, we need a way to separate the
error of angles from the error in distances
to check and adjust them separately
 The concept of Angle Misclosure
Here is how the measured traverse will look:

Line AB was
B c
correct
Line BC was
correct, but
angle A was
wrong
The rest of the
lines and angles
are correct A D
A
 Computations and Adjustments
of Angle Misclosure

The sum of internal angles of a polygon of (n) points =

(n - 2) * 180o
Angle misclosure = difference between the sum of the
measured angles and the geometrically correct total
for the polygon.
The misclosure is divided equally among the readings
keeping in mind the measuring accuracy, and should
be done at the beginning of the adjustment.
 Judging The Angle Misclosure
Usually the standards give an equation of the form:
Max allowed angle misclosure c = k * n where (n)
is the number of points and K is a constant defined
according to which standards used
If angles are accepted, correct by dividing the error
equally among the angles
For example: The Federal Geodetic Control
Subcommittee: 1.7, 3, 4.5, 10, and 12 for first-order,
second-order class I, second-order class II, third-order
class I, third-order class II
 If no standards were given, then assume that:
Allowed angle misclosure = 3n =
3 * theodolite accuracy * No. of angles
Example (1)
For 5 points traverse, the sum of internal angles is
538 40 and the accuracy of the measured angles is
10. Do you accept the observations?.
Answer
Ang. Clos. Err. = 538 40 180 x (5 2)
= 538 40 540 = - 1 20 = - 80
Allowable Angle Closing Error = 3 x 10 5 = 67
Reject the observations. You have to re-observe
 Example (2)
If the angles were observed to the nearest 30 in 5
points traverse. If the angular closing error was 2,
correct the angles.

Answer
Allowable angular closing error = 3 x 30 5 = 201
As = 120 ( 201 ) , accepted.

Correction in each angle = - 120 / 5 = - 24

But the angles were observed to the nearest 30, the
corrections will be :
- 30, - 30, - 30 , - 30 & 0 .
The concept of Linear Closing Error
B c

Assume that the

traverse in reallity
was a perfect
square.
Assume that
there was an
error in
A
measuring the
N length AB only, all
D
A other lengths and
E - A will close at A, angles were
- AA is the linear closing correct
error
 EDA ECD
N
- ve - ve
D

E
If the traverse is EAB EBC
closed, then + ve + ve

E = 0 and
N = 0
 EDA ECD
N
- ve - ve
D

C
E

A
If the traverse is
closed, then A

E = 0 and B

E
N = 0 EAB EBC

+ ve + ve
If the traverse is not closed,
Then E = Ec and N = Nc
 Computations of Linear Closing
Error
If he closing error is (W) then
Ew = E and
Nw = N,
W = length of closing error = Ew2 + Nw2
Fractional Closing error = traverse precision =
W/L
Direction of the error = Azimuth =
tan-1 (Ew / Nw) = tan-1 (E / N)
 Adjustment of Linear Misclosure
Compute and adjust the angle misclosure
Compute the linear misclosure:
Compute the azimuth of a traverse side
Compute the azimuth of all the sides
Compute the departure and latitude of all the sides
Compute the Misclosure in (E) direction =
sum of the departures.
Compute the Misclosure in (N) direction =
sum of the latitudes.
Compute the linear misclosure
If accepted, use the Compass (Bowditch) rule to
adjust:
 Compass (Bowditch) Rule
Correction in departure for AB = - ( E
L
) (L )
AB

Correction in latitude for AB = - ( N

L
) (L )
AB

Where:
L is the length of a line, and ( L) is the perimeter
 Computations of Coordinates
Add the corrections to the departure or the
latitude of each line to get the adjusted
departure or latitude
Compute the adjusted point coordinates
using the corrected departure or latitude:
Ei = E i-1 + E
Ni = N i-1 + N
Check that the misclosure is zero.
 Example of Standards
Horizontal Control Accuracy Standards For Traverse
(By The Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee (FGCS))

1st 2 nd 3 rd
Order
Class I II I II
Angular 1.7n 3.0n 4.5n 10.0n 12.0n
Closure
Linear 0.04L 0.08L 0.20L 0.40L 0.80L
Closure or, or, or, or, or,
(after 1/100,00 1/50,000 1/20,000 1/10,000 1/5,000
angul. 0
adj.)
 Acceptable Relative precision
1 in 5000 & 30 n for most engineering surveys
1 in 10000 & 10 n for control, for large projects
1 in 20000 & 2 n for major works and monitoring for
structural deformation etc.
Ex.: The angles were observed to the nearest 30 in 5
points traverse. If the angular closing error was 2,
correct the angles.
Answer
Allowable angular closing error = 3 x 30 5 = 201
As = 120 ( 201 ) , accepted.
Correction in each angle = - 120 / 5 = - 24
But the angles were observed to the nearest 30, the
corrections will be :
- 30, - 30, - 30 , - 30 & 0 .
point Length L Azimuth Departure Latitude Correction Balanced E N
AZ L sin (Az) L cos (Az)
Departure Latitude Departure Latitude
(WN/L)* L (WE/ L)* L E N

285.10 26 10.0 125.72 255.88

610.45 104 590.77 -153.74

35.2

720.48 195 -192.56 -694.27

30.1

203.00 358 -5.99 202.91

18.5

747.02 306 -517.40 388.5

54.1

Sum P=2466.05 WE =+0.54 WN =-0.72

Other Methods
There are several methods that are used to adjust or
balance traverses;
1. Arbitrary method
2. Transit rule
3. Least-Squares method
 Traverse Area
C
D

B
E

A
Traverse area = 1 { Ei (Ni+1 - Ni-1)}
2
Multiply the X coordinate of each point by the difference
in Y between the following and the preceding points, half the sum
is the area
The formula will work for traverses lettered in a clockwise
direction, but it will give a correct area with a negative sign.
The formula should work if you switch the N and the E.