REVIEW ON THE SRI LANKA DATUM

1999 (SLD_99)

Group No :
03

GROUP MEMBERS

SAMM JAYAWARDENA
KMP MANURANGA
MMCS MELLAWA
APP SUBHASHINI

FG282
FG289
FG290
FG321

SUPERVISED BY
MR. PGV ABEYRATNE

INTRODUCTION

In Sri Lanka, systematic triangulation began in

1857.
It was recomputed with some additional
observations in 1890.
Using these observation results new fixing
values were introduced for geodetic network
(Jackson, 1933) and the datum was named as
KANDAWALA.
These new fixing values were later found to be
in serious error.
This result led to geodetic triangulation network
into a significance review.

INTRODUCTION(Cont)

In 1992 studied the triangulation network again.

The angular observations agreed with the
Jackson report. But the distances differed in
some places.
Therefore that the Kandawala datum still
contains horizontal positional error.
A new horizontal control network was established
with GPS in 1999 (datum called SLD_99) which
is compatible with the demanded accuracy of the
cadastral surveys.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH

Abeyratne et al., 2010 pointed out that the ISMD

origin point, GPS surveys and network
adjustments used to form SLD_99 are not
optimal and was questioned.

They also suggested that the GPS processing

and the network adjustment should be reexamined.

Some evidences are found to be supported the

above suggestions when examined the residuals
of the adjusted network from the report on Sri
Lanka Datum1999.

OBJECTIVES

Review on establishing and the

adjustment of the SLD_99 datum.

network

Perform and analyze the GPS observations and

the network adjustment of the base (ISMD) and
the secondary base stations of SLD_99 by
scaled down version the geometry of the above
layout.

To study the issues of geodetic network

adjustment (GeoLab).

GEODETIC INFORMATION

What is the Datum?

Datum gives the relationship between the center of

the earth and the center of an ellipsoid and consists
with some orientation about their axis.
It is typically defined by the size and shape of an
ellipsoid.

Reference Ellipsoid
A reference ellipsoid is a mathematically-defined
surface that approximates the geoid, the truer figure
of the Earth.

GEODETIC INFORMATION (Cont..)

Map projection

A map projection is any method of representing

the surface of a sphere or other three-dimensional
body on a plane.
Forming SLD_99 Transverse Mercator Projection
was used.

GEODETIC INFORMATION (Cont..)

Datum Transformation

Datum transformation parameters are mathematical

tools that are used to convert the coordinates of a
reference system to another system.
The transformation parameters can be determined using
a number of stations which have coordinates common to
both systems.
Two major transformations are

The Molodensky (five parameter)Method

The Bursa-Wolf (Seven Parameter Similarity) Method

GEODETIC INFORMATION (Cont..)

KANDAWALA Datum
Fixed coordinates at Kandawala.
Orientation was fixed from Kandawala to Halgastota.
Two base lines and the astronomical azimuth of each
base lines were used to form KANDAWALA Datum.
Two base lines were Kandawala Halgastota and
Vavunativu Tavelamunai.
The Everest ellipsoid was used for the adjustment.
Base line and interior angles were used to calculate
other distances between trig stations.

GEODETIC INFORMATION (Cont..)

Sri Lankan Datum 99

Used GPS technology

New control network consist of

One base station (ISMD)

10 secondary base stations
262 new control stations
32 old (common) network points

Reference Ellipsoid Everest1830 .

In 1998, GPS surveying of the whole network was
completed.

GEODETIC INFORMATION (Cont..)

Establishment of ISMD base station.

The position of ISMD was obtained by 7 day SPP and by

a single baseline observation from the GPS marker at
COLA (DORIS network) located at Colombo. The latter
was accepted

Single point positioning method

Observation is done by using a single receiver over a
relatively long time period in order to compensate
inherent errors in GPS observations.

Differential positioning method

Positioning is done with respect to a known point
differentially. GPS Marker (DORIS) point was used as
base and ISMD as rover.

GEODETIC INFORMATION (Cont..)

Data from Base station and Secondary base

stations were adjusted using GeoLab.
The results based on this adjustment was failed.
Reasons for that error was not identified. (not
described in the Report on Sri Lanka Datum
1999)
Again, the network adjusted by adding distances
as observations, which were calculated with GPS
coordinates.
It was reported that to reach the expected
precision as one into ten million. Anyway there
were 47 flag residuals in the finally adjusted
network.

GEODETIC INFORMATION (Cont..)

DORIS

Doppler
Orbitography
and
Radiopositioning
Integrated by Satellite.
High accuracy for heights than GPS.
COLA point is currently inactive since 1994.
COLA has since been identified as a poor antenna
stability stations.
TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason are the two altimetry
satellites used for DORIS observation.
Other DORIS satellites are the ERS, Envisat, SPOT
and Cryosat-2 satellites.

GEODETIC INFORMATION (Cont..)

PECULARITIES OF SLD_99

Unstable GPS observation from COLA GPS

marker to ISMD which processed with Leica SKI
PRO.
Adding observation equations for distances
based on calculations was contradiction with the
fundamental of Least Squares principle.
Adjustment was done in two steps. First the base
(ISMD) and secondary bases (10) and
subsequently other 262 points. Hence the
adjustment was done under highly constraints.
This would result to be deformed the whole
network.
As a result of that we can see the residuals with
no trend.

ERRORS IN LATITUDES
Secondary base
stations

Standard deviation

ERRORS IN LONGITUDE
Secondary base stations

Standard deviation

TOTAL ERROR IN ALL STATIONS

PECULARITIES OF SLD_99 (Cont..)

The coordinates have been used incorrectly for

the Single point positioning GPS survey to
position ISMD.
Computed coordinates of the COLA was
matched with Abeyratne et al, 2010.
Coordinate

IDS values

SGO values

Difference

Longitude

79 52' 26.314640" E

79 52' 26.3102" E

0.004440" (0.137 m)

Latitude

06 53' 30.861133" N

06 53' 30.8699" N

0.008767" (0.270 m)

PECULARITIES OF SLD_99 (Cont..)

Geodetic Survey Unit people proved

different accuracies for the same
network.
Less number of control points in Northern
and Eastern areas.

PROCESS

Base and secondary base station network was

scaled down to check whether there is a relationship
for the geometry.
Because angles are not change when scaling down.
Then GPS observation was done on those stations
and processed data to perform a network
adjustment.
This network adjustment was done by the GeoLab
software.
The results of the data obtained (GeoLab
programme) was failed. The reason could not
identified.

PROCESS (Cont..)

GeoLab software used for network adjustment

GeoLab V2001.9.20.0
Program written for adjustment was very complex.
For the network adjustment it required IOB file.
(*.iob)
IOB file used to input GPS data and it has standard
format.

PROCESS (Cont..)

Sample IOB file used in GeoLab

PADJ NO NONONO YES
CONF YES YESYESYES CON
* Control Stations:
PLH 111 Control 1
409.407 m

n 6 41 28.1315200 e 80 44 40.128520

* Network Stations:
PLH
Point 1
n 6 41 27.6709200 e 80 44 39.439510
341.764 m
PLH
Point 2
n 6 41 27.6683500 e 80 44 38.621720
287.376 m
PLH
Point 3
n 6 41 28.0898900 e 80 44 38.417950
192.876 m
PLH
Point 4
n 6 41 27.8511300 e 80 44 37.425290
186.875 m

PROCESS (Cont..)
* GPS Measurements
3DD
DXYZ Control 1 Point 8
9.100
-3.524
17.559 m
CORR CT UPPR
0.5407
ELEM
0.0000004
0.0000006
0.0000001
ELEM
0.0000029
0.0000006
ELEM
0.0000003
ELEM
0.0004
0.0009
0.0003

PROCESS (Cont..)

VIEWS / REMARKS (Cont..)

There were some similarities between results of

experiment and the results of Geodetic Survey
Unit (GSU).
Both adjustment computations were failed.
Sometimes this can happen due to bad scale
matrix.
This square matrix should be

Condition number = 1 (value one)

Inverse matrix = original matrix

VIEWS / REMARKS (Cont..)

STATISTICS

SUMMARY

Experiment results

SLD_99 results

Residual Critical Value

3.6568

1.7248

Number of Flagged
Residuals

Estimated Variance
Factor

37.9098

1343.6393

Number of Degrees of
Freedom

111

2.9624e+01 <
1.0000 <
5.0254e+01

4.3119e+02<
1.0000<
1.8679e+04

Chi-Square Test on
the Variance Factor

******** THE TEST FAILS ********

RECOMMENDATIONS

Network should be adjusted using calculated

distances to find any kind of similarities.
Do a GPS observation on original points of
SLD_99 and network adjustment.
Original GPS data of SLD_99 can re process by
different methods such as MATLAB, GPS
Processing software.
Stations which have considerable error should re
observe using GPS.
Joining SLD_99 network to the ITRF.
Do a free adjustment with a minimal constraint.

REFERENCE

P.G.V. Abeyratne, W.E. Featherstone and D.A.

Tantrigoda, 2010 , On the Geodetic Datums in Sri Lanka
http://idsdoris.org/network/sitelogs/station.html?code=COLA,
29/03/2012 ,7.30pm
Jackson, J.E. 1933. Re-computation of the principal
triangulation, Surveyor Generals Office, Colombo
Geodetic Survey Unit (2000) Report on Sri Lankan
Datum 1999, Survey Department, Colombo