TRANSACTIONS

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION

Volume 34

August 1953

Number 4

STRENGTH O F FIGURE FOR TRILATERATION

Chi-san Shu
AbstractAn investigation of five figures commonly used in shoran trilateration
resulted in n u m e r i c a l values e x p r e s s i n g the relative a c c u r a c i e s obtainable using these
figures. T r i a n g l e s and q u a d r i l a t e r a l s a r e examined for various shapes, while the s e m i hexagon, hexagon,-and square a r e examined fixed in shape but with different locations
for the fixed l i n e s .
IntroductionShoran, an e l e c t r o n i c method of measuring distances from 100 to 4 0 0 miles in
length developed during World W a r II m a y be used to extend horizontal control quickly over large
areas where conventional triangulation methods a r e impossible. In shoran survey n e t s , all the
sides a r e measured instead of the angles; t h e r e f o r e , the nets a r e called trilateration n e t s .
The t e r m " s t r e n g t h of figure" i s applied to a function used to determine the strongest route
through a chain of triangulation figures composed of quadrilaterals and central-point polygons. The
shape of the figures d e t e r m i n e s the manner in which angular e r r o r s affect the computed lengths and
positions.
The shape of the figures used in a t r i l a t e r a t i o n scheme also determines the manner in which
errors of the m e a s u r e d distances affect the positions of the new stations. In this paper the effect
of shape changes of t r i a n g l e s and equal-sided quadrilaterals on the positions of new stations is i n
vestigated, as is the effect of the location of the fixed line on the positions of new stations in s e m i hexagonal, hexagonal, and square n e t w o r k s . By the use of least squares and the theory of e r r o r s ,
the reciprocal weights of the m e a n - s q u a r e e r r o r of the positions of new stations can be found.
The e r r o r of the position of a new station i s directly proportional to the square root of the
reciprocal weight of that station. The r e l a t i v e strength, t h e r e f o r e , can be obtained by a simple
comparison of the n u m e r i c a l values of the square r o o t s of the various r e c i p r o c a l weights. The figure
having the smallest value will be s t r o n g e s t .
Conventional figures and their strengths(1) The
b a s i c figure of trilateration is a triangle with one side
fixed in length and direction, while the other two sides
of the triangle a r e m e a s u r e d . The triangle shown in F i g
u r e 1 has AC (=b) fixed in the X - d i r e c t i o n of the c o o r d i
nate s y s t e m . The third v e r t e x B can be determined by
measuring the distances A B (=c) and C B (=a) by shoran.
If we a s s u m e that the m e a s u r e d sides, AB and C B , have
the s a m e constant e r r o r i r r e s p e c t i v e of their lengths,
the e r r o r in position B will then depend upon the value of
angle A and upon the ratio c to b.
The 64 figures obtained by setting angle A equal to
30 , 4 5 , 60 , 7 5 , 90 , 105 , 120 , and 135 , and for e a c h
of these values choosing eight different r a t i o s of c to b
( 0 . 2 5 , 0 . 5 , 0 . 7 5 , 1.0, 1 . 2 5 , 1 . 5 , 1 . 7 5 , and 2 . 0 ) , a r e now
examined.

Fig. 1- -Single t r i a n g l e , AC fixed

c
The formula for the mean position e r r o r of station B is derived by the following s t e p s . In t r i
angle ABC of F i g u r e 1, the law of c o s i n e s gives
a

= b^ + c2 - 2bc c o s A

(1)

The variations of a , c , and A r e s u l t f r o m total differentiation of (1), with b constant. Thus

c sin A dA = (ada - c d c ) / b + c o s A dc
513

(2)

514

CHI-SAN SHU

[ T r a n s . AGU, V. 34 - 4]

The c o o r d i n a t e s , X g and Y g , of station B a r e given by the e x p r e s s i o n s

X

B ~ A

- Y

AB

= c sin a

(3)
B

( 4 )

Since X ^ is fixed, (3) b e c o m e s upon differentiation

d X
Now a

- - c B i n a

= 1 8 0 - A, d

= - dA, sin a

d a

+ cos

= sin A, c o s oc^

A B

dc

( 5 )

= - c o s A , so (5) becomes

d X g = c sin A dA - c o s A dc

Substituting (2) into ( 6 ) , we have

d X g = (ada - c d c ) / b

S i m i l a r l y , (4) after differentiation and substitution f r o m (2) b e c o m e s

d Y

= (ada - cdc) c o t A / b + e s c A dc

(gj

Consequently substituting (7) into ( 8 ) ,

d Y g = (cos A d X g + d c ) / s i n A

(9)

The values of c o s A and sin A can be obtained f r o m (1)

2

cos A = (b + c

=Vtft> + c )

sin A

- a ) / ( 2 be)

(10)
2

- a ] [- (b - c ) + a ] / ( 2 be)

(11)

Substituting ( 7 ) , ( 1 0 ) , and (11) into ( 9 ) , we obtain

2

d Y g = [a ( b + c

- a ) da + c ( b - c

+ a ) d c ] / b V[(b + c )
2

- a ] [- (b - c ) + a ] . . (12)

L e t us a s s u m e that the m e a n - s q u a r e e r r o r s of the lengths a and c a r e e a c h equal to M; then

M x , the m e a n - s q u a r e e r r o r of station B in t h e . d i r e c t i o n of the X - a x i s , can be derived from (7) by
the law of e r r o r propagation
M

2
x

= [(a + c )/b ] m

= (1/P ) m

(13)

where 1 / P designates the r e c i p r o c a l weight a t station B in the direction of the X - a x i s .

X

Similarly, M , the m e a n - s q u a r e e r r o r of station B along the Y - a x i s , c a n be derived from

( 1 2 ) . We have
Y

2
Y

=m

[a

(b + c

= (l/P )m

- a )

+c

(b - c

+ a ) ]/{b

[(b + c )

- a ] [- (b - c ) + a ] }

()

w h e r e 1 / P y designates the r e c i p r o c a l weight at station B in the d i r e c t i o n of the Y a x i s .

Mx

2
Then M, the m e a n position e r r o r for station B , can be derived f r o m (13) and ( 1 4 ) , since M *
+ M y ^. After s o m e reductions we a r r i v e at
M

= m (8 a c )/[4 b c

- (a

- b

- c )2] = m [ ( l / P ) + (1/P )]
x

15

( )

by which M is given a s a function of the lengths a , b , and c . T r i a n g l e s of different shapes give differ
ent n u m e r i c a l values for M , even though the e r r o r s of line m e a s u r e m e n t r e m a i n the s a m e . We take
M / m to be the strength of f i g u r e . The s m a l l e r the n u m e r i c a l value of this r a t i o , the greater is the
s t r e n g t h , since we will then have a s m a l l e r position e r r o r , M, for station B . The strengths for
station B obtained with c e r t a i n v a l u e s of angle A and for a number of r a t i o s of sides c to b are given
in Table 1.

STRENGTH O F FIGURE F O R TRILATERATION

[Geodesy]

515

Table 1 - - R e l a t i v e strength of figure in the shoran triangle

Angle A
o
30
45
60
75
90
105
120
135

2.00

1.75

3.51
2.95
2.83
2.92
3.16
3.60
4.32
5.60

2.87
2.52
2.48
2.60
2.85
3.26
3.94
5.11

Ratio of sides c to b
| 1.50 | 1.25 | 1.00
0.75 | 0.50
1.78
1.78
1.87
2.03
2.26
2.62
3.19
4.16

2.28
2.12
2.16
2.30
2.55
2.94
3.56
4.64

1.45
1.42
1.47
1.59
1.77
2.04
2.48
3.24

1.46
1.53
1.63
1.78
2,00
2.32
2.83
3.70

0.25

1.75
1.47
1.41
1.46
1.58
1.80
2.16
2.80

2.24
1.68
1.47
1.41
1.46
1.60
1.87
2.38

(2) The quadrilateral i s the figure in g e n e r a l u s e in the United States for triangulation. In
this paper only the equal-sided q u a d r i l a t e r a l o r rhombus will be considered. In F i g u r e 2 , the a n g l e s ,
A B, C, and D and the lengths of the diagonals will be v a r i e d to change the shape of the quadri
lateral. Two of the four stations a r e fixed; the positions of the two new stations a r e determined by
shoran. The strength for a given shape i s determined by a comparison of the square r o o t s of the
reciprocal weights f o r the new s t a t i o n s .
B e c a u s e the new stations a r e not determined by a
simple two-line intersection, the problem may best
be solved by least s q u a r e s . The r e c i p r o c a l weights
of the positions of different stations a r e then a b y
product of the adjustment of the net. Assume that the
length of line B C is S B C , the coordinates of B and G
a r e X g , Y g , and X , Y Q , respectively, and the azimuth
of BC i s a<B C ' Then

*<
a

BC

s c

= (X
=

- Xg) + (Y

- Yg) . .

(16)

Differentiating and inserting sin a . g and c o s < * g

dS

B C

= cos a

+ sin

oc B

dX
C

*BC ^ B

d Y

-sina

dY

(17)

Since every line on the quadrilateral h a s an equation

of the f o r m ( 1 7 ) , we can apply (17) to any line after a
suitable change in subscfipt. We assume that dSsc is
a correction to be added to ( S B C ) o
obtain the true length, o r b e t t e r , the most probable length.
(Sbc)O *
computed length based upon the approximate values of the coordinates f o r points B and
C. On the other hand, the m e a s u r e d shoran length between points B and C is S g ^ , which in c o m p a r i
son with the true o r the most probable length ( S B C ) o
B C has a discrepancy YBC*
Thus
Fig. 2 - - Q u a d r i l a t e r a l , A B fixed
t

s a

Substitute (17) into (18) and s e t (Sgc)o " g

B C = ( Bc)o'
S

BC

= cos a

d X - cos a
c

dX

d s

(18)

B C ~ BC
L

= "" BC

+ sin

1 8

) becomes

d Y - sin a
c

dYg - L g

. . . . (19)

Equation (19) i s the e r r o r equation for a line between points B and C . The five e r r o r equations
for the five m e a s u r e d lines of the q u a d r i l a t e r a l constitute the family of e r r o r equations, in which
< K , d Y , d X g , and d Y g a r e each z e r o , since A B i s fixe*d. After setting c o s a
=a
and sin
BC &BC> j we have
A

BC
VBD
VCD
VGA
VAX)

d Y

= ^BC^k:
BC C
=
CBD^XD + B D
= " a dXc "b D Yc + C C D ^ D + CD
= - acAdXc - b c A ^ Y c
=
C A D ^ D + AD
+

C D

d Y

d Y

d Y

B C

D - ^BD
D " C D
" ^CA
D "LAD
L

(20)

516

CHI-SAN SHU

[ T r a n s . AGU, V. 3 4 . 4]

The n o r m a l equations a r e then

( a a ) d X + ( a b ) d Y + ( a c ) d X + ( a d ) d Y - (aL) = 0
c

( a b ) d X + (bb)dY + ( b c ) d X + ( b d ) d Y - (bL) = 0
c

(ac)dX

+ (bc)dY + (cc)dX

(21)

+ ( c d ) d Y - (cL) = 0

( a d ) d X + ( b d ) d Y + ( c d ) d X + ( d d ) d Y - (dL) = 0
c

The r e c i p r o c a l weights for X , Y , X , and Y , n a m e l y , Q\ i,

tively, a r e obtained from the solution of the n o r m a l equations.
c

Q2.2> ^ 3 . 3 * and Q

respec

According to the theory of the e r r o r ellipse, the mean position e r r o r s , MQ and Mrj,for
stations C and D can be obtained as
'
2

* * C = Mlsx + lin =

M 2 =(Q
Y

l a +

2 - 2

) 2
m

(22)
M

= (Q3.3+Q4.4)ni

Here, M
and M
a r e position e r r o r s along the m a j o r and minor a x e s of the error el
lipse, w h e r e a s M x and M y a r e the position e r r o r s in the d i r e c t i o n s of the coordinate axes. As
b e f o r e , m is the m e a n - s q u a r e e r r o r of the m e a s u r e d length of unit weight. The mean position error
at a station, although a s a t i s f a c t o r y indicator f o r our p u r p o s e s , is not an e x a c t measure of the error
b e c a u s e the r e a l position e r r o r v a r i e s with d i r e c t i o n . The t r a c e of the e r r o r s around a station is
a l m o s t elliptical; s t r i c t l y speaking, it i s a kidney-shaped c u r v e with only the maximum and minimum
e r r o r s in coincidence with the m a j o r and minor a x e s of the e l l i p s e .
m

The problem w a s to find the distribution of r e l a t i v e strength among the new stations in a
shoran survey network. F o r the quadrilateral, the answer is given by the s q u a r e roots of the
quantities in the p a r e n t h e s e s on the right sides of ( 2 2 ) .
Computations w e r e made for q u a d r i l a t e r a l s in which line A B was fixed and angle CBA was
given the s u c c e s s i v e values 135, 1 2 0 , 1 0 5 , 90 , 75 , 6 0 , and 4 5 . The strengths for new stations
C and D corresponding to the assigned shapes a r e given in Table 2 . The s m a l l e r the numerical
value in Table 2, the g r e a t e r is the strength of the position.
Table 2 - - S t r e n g t h s at stations C and D
in a q u a d r i l a t e r a l
Case

Streng t h for
Station C | Station D

Angle B

2.45
2.00
1.75
1.60
1.51
1.45
1.41

135
120
105
90
75
60
45

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

1.41
1.45
1.51
1.60
1.75
2.00
2.45

6\

1 /

(3) F o r m o r e complicated networks, con

sideration i s r e s t r i c t e d to variations in rela
tive strength for new stations according to the
location of the fixed line within the network.
The semi-hexagon is a network composed
of a q u a d r i l a t e r a l and a triangle as shown in
F i g u r e 3 . It m a y also be thought of as a fivestation figure composed of two equal-sided
overlapped q u a d r i l a t e r a l s .
With the shape of the semi-hexagon fixed,
the fixed line is taken to be A B , BC, BE, AC,
and AE in t u r n , each c h o i c e yielding a set of
values for the strengths of the new stations.
By s y m m e t r y these five choices will suffice
for all of the nine possible locations.
Since t h e r e a r e eight measured lines, we
will have eight e r r o r equations similar to (19).
T h e s e will involve only s i x differential coordi
nates b e c a u s e the four differential coordinates
for the two ends of the fixed line will vanish.

F i g . 3 - - S e m i - h e x a g o n , shape fixed
P r o c e e d i n g as for the quadrilateral the
r e c i p r o c a l weights a r e obtained from a l e a s t - s q u a r e s solution of the eight observation equations.
The strengths for the new stations in each of the five c a s e s a r e given in Table 3 , in which, as

STRENGTH O F FIGURE F O R TRILATERATION

[Geodesy]

Table 3 - S t r e n g t h s of new stations in a

semi-hexagon

Case
1
2
3
4
5

Fixed
line
AB
BC
AC
BE
AE

Table 4Strengths of new stations In a

strengthened semi-hexagon

Station

Case

. . .
1.91
. . .
1.57

. . .

1.75
. . .
. . .
1.38
1.94

2.74
1.91
1.88
2.00
2.56

1.41
1.33
1.33
. . .

1.25
1.41

517

1
2
3
4
5

Fixed
line
AB
BC
AC
BE
AE

Station
C
1.60

1.79
. . .
1.43

1.19
1.41

1.37
1.94

2.06
1.79
1.43
1.84
2.41

1.28
1.33
1.23

t>efore, smaller values r e p r e s e n t g r e a t e r s t r e n g t h s .

Note that the network can be strengthened by including an additional line measured directly
from A to D. The n u m e r i c a l values f o r this strengthened semi-hexagon a r e computed for the s a m e
five locations of the fixed line. The r e s u l t s a r e given in Table 4 .
A comparison of the strengths in T a b l e s 3 and 4 shows that in almost every c a s e the strength
gained by measuring the additional line AD is s m a l l . Only in c a s e 1, where the fixed line is A B ,
and then only for the one station D , is the i n c r e a s e in strength significant. T h e r e f o r e , it is con
cluded that the m e a s u r e m e n t of such an additional line is not normally justified.
The hexagonal shoran survey control net (see P i g .
4) consists of seven stations A , B , C , D , E , F , and G with
G a s c e n t e r . Sides A B , B C , CD, D E , E F , F A , AG, B G ,
CG, DG, E G , and FG a r e all equal. The lines A C , A E ,
C E , B F , B D , and DF a r e also equal in length but longer
than lines of the f i r s t g r o u p .
The e r r o r equations for all the lines in the network
can be established in the s a m e manner a s for the quadri
l a t e r a l and the semi-hexagon. Four c a s e s w e r e investi
gated for the various positions of the fixed line in the
network: (a) side, (b) diagonal, (c) radius with diameter
not m e a s u r e d , and (d) side with diameter m e a s u r e d . The
resulting strengths at the new stations for the four c a s e s
a r e given in Table 5 .
Table 5 - - S t r e n g t h s of new stations for a hexagon

Case
1
2
3
4

Fixed
line

Station
B

1.52
1.91
AB
1.26
1.06
AC
1.54
1.72
1.24
AG
1.59
1.33
AB
With diameter measured.

...

1.91
1.24
1.54
1.59

1.52
1.26
1.24
1.33

1.19
1.01
1.07

The square net shown in F i g u r e 5 was tested in four ways, holding fixed, in turn, A B , AC, AI,
and BI. The r e s u l t s a r e given in Table 6 .
ConclusionThe following conclusions a r e drawn.
(1) F o r simple t r i a n g l e s , the optimum shape, considering both the strength and the r a t e of
expansion of the figure, will fall in the range for which angle A is between 45 and 75 and the
ratio c/b is between 1 and 1 . 5 .
(2) F o r a q u a d r i l a t e r a l , the s t r o n g e s t shape is the square, for which both new stations have
the same strength, with their combined strength g r e a t e r than that of any other quadrilateral. A s
the shape deviates f r o m that of a s q u a r e , one of the new stations may gain strength slightly but the
other new station rapidly weakens.
(3) F o r the c a s e s investigated, the m a x i m u m mean-position e r r o r seldom exceeded three t i m e s
the mean-square e r r o r of the m e a s u r e d length of unit weight. An exception o c c u r s in the simple
triangle; only then does the mean-position e r r o r become l a r g e when undesirable shapes a r e employed.

CHI-SAN SHU

518

[ T r a n s . AGU, V. 34 .

Table 6 - - S t r e n g t h at different stations for a square net

Case
1
2
3
4

Fixed
line
AB
AC
AI
BI

Station
A

.1.20
..

F i g . 5 - - S q u a r e , shape fixed

B
1.27
1.51

1.57

2.80
1.81
2.07
1.89

2.68
1.80
1.65
1.58

1.38
1.20

F
3.22
2.04
2.07
2.16

G
2.38
1.81
1.38
1.58

H
2.16
1.81
1.51
1.89

I
1.52
1.14

The position e r r o r for a t r i a n g l e is l a r g e because the new

station is located by the i n t e r s e c t i o n of only two lines. Strength
i s always i n c r e a s e d when a new station i s located by the inter
section of m o r e than two l i n e s .
(4) Assuming a constant m e a n - s q u a r e e r r o r of unit weight
for the q u a d r i l a t e r a l , s e m i - h e x a g o n , and hexagon, the meanposition e r r o r for a s i m i l a r l y situated station will be smallest
for the hexagon and l a r g e s t for the q u a d r i l a t e r a l . Therefore
the hexagon gives better strength than either of the other two'
figures, and the q u a d r i l a t e r a l i s the weakest.
(5) Square nets a r e also s a t i s f a c t o r y for shoran control.
As shown in Table 6 , the mean position e r r o r for all the new
stations will not e x c e e d 2.1 t i m e s the mean-square error of
unit weight e x c e p t in the one c a s e where an outside line (AB,
F i g . 5) is used a s a base for extension of the network. In this
c a s e the mean position e r r o r is at w o r s t 3.22 times the meansquare e r r o r of the unit weight.

(6) Although this investigation is confined to figures of a r e g u l a r shape, in practice, the choice
of figures will be influenced by the topographical conditions encountered. Shoran, however, is far
l e s s subject to these r e s t r i c t i o n s than is conventional triangulation, so that figures closely resem
bling those considered here can be chosen.
Acknowledgment- -This paper was condensed f r o m the t h e s i s presented to the graduate school
of Cornell University for the d e g r e e of Doctor of Philosophy.
340 South Goodman S t . ,
R o c h e s t e r , New Y o r k
(Communicated manuscript r e c e i v e d August 1 8 , 1 9 5 2 , and, a s r e v i s e d ,
F e b r u a r y 2 4 , 1 9 5 3 ; open for f o r m a l discussion until January 1 , 1954.)