TRAVERSE

1. INTRODUCTION:
A traverse is a survey where the boundaries of something is established or set up. In
survey explanation, traverse is defined as the field operation of measuring the lengths and
directions of a series of straight lines connecting a series of points on the earth. Each of these
straight lines is called a traverse leg, and each point is called a traverse station or control
point.

Traverse can be divided into two types, open traverse and closed traverse. Open
traverse do not close or end at a point of known coordinates which should be avoided in
conducting traversing. Closed traverses are consecutive lines that begin and end in points of
known coordinates. When the starting and ending points are the same, we may refer it as loop
traverse.

The accuracy of traverses is dependable to the instruments or equipment and

measuring techniques. For first class traverse, the maximum misclosure or allowable
misclosure is 1’15” and the fractional error is 1:8000. However, for second class traverse, the
maximum misclosure is 2’30” and the fractional linear error is 1:4000. The control traverse
we conducting should be a first class traverse.

2. OBJECTIVE:
To make a traverse survey, reduce the field data and plot the results graphically.
 3. APPARATUS:

a) Total station

A total station (TS) or total station theodolite (TST) is an electronic/optical instrument

used for surveying and building construction. It is an electronic transit theodolite
integrated with electronic distance measurement (EDM) to measure both vertical and
horizontal angles and the slope distance from the instrument to a particular point, and
an on-board computer to collect data and perform triangulation calculations

b) Tripods
A surveyor's tripod is a device used to support any one of a number of surveying
instruments, such as theodolites, total stations, levels or transits .
 c) Tribrach Target
A tribrach is an attachment plate used to attach a surveying instrument, for example a
theodolite, total station, GNSS antenna or target to a tripod

d) Plum Bob
A plumb bob, or plummet, is a weight, usually with a pointed tip on the bottom,
suspended from a string and used as a vertical reference line, or plumb-line. It is a precursor
to the spirit level and used to establish a vertical or horizontal datum.
e) Nails & Hammer

4. PROCEDURE:
1. The total station is plumbed and accurately leveled over the point F. The prisms are
set up at point E and peg station A.
2. Point A is sighted on face left of the theodolite set to the required horizontal angle.
The reading is filled in the field book.
3. The theodolite is turned anti-clockwise to peg station A and peg station E is sighted to
get the horizontal angle.
4. The instrument is then set face right by transiting the telescope and is sighted again.
5. Peg station E is sighted and the reading is taken.
6. Distance is measured by using the digital theodolite with centre collimated and the
reading is tabulated in the field book.
7. The total station is then moved to peg station A and a new peg station a is made. The
prisms are putted at peg station B and peg station F .
8. Point station B is sighted on face left with theodolite and reading is taken.
9. Procedures 3 to 7 are repeated using the same pattern until the total station is plumbed
at point F .
 5 .CALCULATIONS

PROCEDURE FOR TRAVERSE CALCULATIONS

Adjust angles or directions
Determine bearings or azimuths
Calculate and adjust latitudes and departures
Calculate rectangular coordinates

BALANCING ANGLES OF CLOSED TRAVERSES

 ADJUSTING ANGLES

 Adjustments applied to angles are independent of the size of the angle

 Methods of adjustment:
Make larger corrections where mistakes were most likely
Apply an average correction to each angle
Or a combination
 Never make an adjustment that is smaller than the measured accuracy
  DETERMINING BEARINGS

 Requires the direction of at least one line within the traverse to be known or assumed
 For many purposes, an assumed direction is sufficient
 A magnetic bearing of one of the lines may be measured and used as the reference for
determining the other directions
 For boundary surveys, true directions are needed.

 LATITUDES AND DEPARTURES

 The latitude of a line is its projection on the north-south meridian and is equal to the length
of the line times the cosine of its bearing
 The departure of a line is its projection on the east-west meridian and is equal to the length
of the line times the sine of its bearing
 The latitude is the y component of the line and the departure is the x component of the line
  LOCAL ATTRACTION ELIMINATION

LINE BEARING DIFFERENCE LOCAL LAST

ATTRACTION BEARING
CORRECTION
F A
A F
A B
B A
B C
C B
C D
D C
D E
F D
F E
E F
 6 DISCUSSION:
1. The survey plan for the control traverse is printed on A3 size paper.
2. The sources of errors that may arise when measuring traverse angles is discussed.

There are three types of errors that may arise when we measuring the control traverse
errors.
First and foremost, instrument error could be the one which affect the reading taken.
Instrument error such as plate bubble out of adjustment, vertical axis not horizontal to
horizontal axis, and vertical circle index errors will causes inaccuracy and imprecision of
angles measured. Usually this error occurred when the instrument have been used for many
times or some technical problems in making the instrument.
Secondly is the natural error which is inevitable. One example of natural error is the
wind. The blowing of wind due to rotation of earth will cause vibration to the instruments
which causes inconsistency in reading of the instruments. Besides wind, temperature also will
affect the traverse angle measured. Under a hot sun, unequal expansion may occur at many
parts of the instruments such as the lenses, prisms and so on. Moreover, different density of
atmosphere may cause diffraction where the observer tends to have sight readings different
from the actual readings.
Lastly is the personal error or human error caused by careless of human when
conducting the control traverse. For example, the instrument is not set up exactly on the point
or the datum. This may affect the horizontal readings. Next, the bubble of the total station is
not centered. Sometimes the observer tends to neglect the position of eyes when centering the
bubble. The eyes must perpendicular to the bubble so that parallax error can be avoided.
Besides, the poor focusing of the observer also will affect the readings. Some observers who
wear spectacles tend to have some problems in focusing at the prism or looking at the
telescope. Thus, gross error may occur. Moreover, careless in plumbing and placement of
tripod or rod by human where only the top can be seen by instrument operator due to the
obstacle in the way.
 7 CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, this is our first project. In this field work, required to carry out a
closed loop traverse at car park. We need to take a reading every station. There
are 6 station. We also measure every station. For example, we measure from
station A to B using measuring tape. A special characteristic of a closed loop
traverse is it start and end at the same point. We do this fieldwork together. One
of them record the reading and the others conduct the survey at car park. Our
main problem is the weather. We could not done the same day. So, we
continued the next day. After all have done, we have to calculate the reading
using a formula.

8 REFERENCES:
1. 1991, Jack C. Mccormac, Surveying Fundamentals, Second Edition
2. 2010, John Uren and Bill Price,Surveying for Engineers, Fifth Edition