TRAVERSING

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❑ A series of connected straight lines each joining two points on the ground, is called a
‘traverse’. End points are known as traverse stations & straight lines between two
consecutive stations, are called traverse legs.

❑ A traverse survey is one in which the framework consists of a series of connected

lines, the lengths and directions of which are measured with a chain or a tape, and with
an angular instrument respectively.

❑ Traverses may be either a closed traverse or an open traverse:

1. Closed Traverse: A traverse is said to be closed when a complete circuit is
made, i.e. when it returns to the starting point forming a closed polygon or when it
begins and ends at points whose positions on plan are known. The work may be
checked and “balanced”. It is particularly suitable for locating the boundaries of lakes,
woods, etc. and for the survey of moderately large areas.
2. Open Traverse: A traverse is said to be open or unclosed when it does not
form a closed polygon. It consists of a series of lines extending in the same general
direction and not returning to the starting point. Similarly, it does not start and end at the
points whose positions on plan are known. It is most suitable for the survey of a long
narrow strip of country e.g. the valley of a river, the coast line, a long meandering road,
or railway, etc.
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❑ Important Technical Terms:
1. Meridians and Bearings: The direction of survey lines may be defined in two ways:
a). Relatively to each other
b). Relatively to some reference direction
In the first case, directions are expressed in terms of the angles between two
consecutive lines. In second case, these are expressed in terms of bearings.

The fixed direction on the surface of the earth with reference to which, bearings
of survey lines are expressed is called a meridian. The meridians of reference
directions employed in surveying may be one of the following:
a). True Meridian b). Magnetic Meridian
c). Grid Meridian* d). Arbitrary Meridian
o The line of intersection of the earth surface by a plane containing north pole, south
pole and the given place is called true meridian or geographical meridian.
oThe geometrical longitudinal axis of a freely suspended & properly balanced magnetic
needle, unaffected by local attractive forces, defines the magnetic north-south line which
is called the magnetic meridian.
o The convenient direction assumed as meridian for measuring bearings of survey lines
is known as arbitrary meridian.

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The horizontal angle between the reference meridian and the survey line
measured in a clockwise direction is called bearing.
a). True Bearing b). Azimuth
c). Magnetic Bearing d). Grid Bearing

o The horizontal angle between the true meridian and a line measured in a clockwise
direction is called true bearing of the line.
o The smaller angle which a survey line makes with true meridian is called azimuth.
oThe horizontal angle which a line makes with the magnetic meridian is called magnetic
bearing.
o Bearings of survey lines referred to and reckoned from grid lines are called grid
bearings.

o The angle between the true meridian & the magnetic meridian at any place is known
as magnetic declination, whereas, the angle between the true meridian & the grid
meridian at any place is known as grid convergence.

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❑ Designation of Bearings:
1. The Whole Circle Bearing System (W.C.B)
2. The Quadrantal Bearing System (Q.B)

1. The W. C. B System: The W. C. B system is also sometimes known as Azimuthal

System. In this system, bearing of a line is measured from the true north or magnetic
north in clockwise direction. The value of a bearing may vary from 0° to 360°, utilizing
the whole circle of graduations. Prismatic Compass is graduated on whole circle bearing
system.

2. The Q. B System: In Q. B System, bearings of survey lines are measured eastward

or westward from North and South whichever is nearer. In this system, both north and
south directions are used as reference meridians & bearings are reckoned either
clockwise or anticlockwise, depending upon the position of the line. The quadrant in
which a line lies is mentioned to specify the location of the line. Surveyor’s compass is
graduated in quadrantal bearing system.
Bearings designated by Q.B. System are sometime called Reduced Bearings.

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Conversion Of W.C.B into Q.B

CASE W.C.B between Rule for Q.B Quadrant

I 0˚ and 90˚ W.C.B N.E.

II 90˚ and 180˚ 180˚ - W.C.B S.E.

III 180˚ and 270˚ W.C.B - 180˚ S.W.

IV 270˚ and 360˚ 360˚ - W.C.B N.W.

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Conversion Of Q.B into W.C.B

CASE R.B Rule for W.C.B W.C.B between

I N α° E R.B 0˚ and 90˚

II S β° E 180˚ - R.B 90˚ and 180˚

III S γ° W 180˚+R.B 180˚ and 270˚

IV N δ° W 360˚ - R.B 270˚ and 360˚

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❑ Conversion of bearing from one system to the other:

1. Convert the following whole circle bearing to quadrantal bearing:

a. 680 32’
b. 1320 12’
c. 2360 37’
d. 3340 52’

2. Convert the following reduced bearing to whole circle bearings:

a. N 360 16’E
b. S 280 14’E
c. S 470 26’ W
d. N 580 24’ W

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❑ FORE and BACK Bearings:
Every line may be defined by two bearings, one observed at either
end of the line. Both the bearings expressed in W.C.B System differ each other by 180°.
The bearing of a line in the direction of the progress of survey, is called Fore or
Forward Bearing (F.B) while the bearing in the opposite direction of the progress of
survey is known as Reverse or Back Bearing (B.B).

❑Relationship Between Fore and Back Bearings:

a). W.C.B System:
Back bearing = Fore Bearing + 180˚
Positive sign is used when fore bearing is less than 180˚ and negative sign is used
when the fore bearing is greater than 180˚.

b). Q.B System:

To convert the fore bearing of a line into its back bearing in Q.B
system, replace N by S, S by N, E by W and W by E , without changing the numerical
value of the bearing.

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1. The following are the observed fore bearing of the lines:
a. AB, 380 14’ ; BC, 1420 18’ ; CD, 2080 37’ and DE, 3180 26’
b. Find their back bearings.

2. The fore bearings of the lines are as follows:

a. AB: N 320 12’ E; BC: S 430 18 E; CD: S 260 30’ W; DE: N 650 24’ W.
b. Find their back bearings

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❑NUST Institute of Civil Engineering/Engr. Ahmed Rasheed Mirza
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❑ Calculation of included angles from bearings:
knowing the bearings of two adjacent lines, their included angles may be easily
calculated as under:
a) Given W.C.B of lines:
let W.C.B of the line AB = α̊
W.C.B of the line AC = β̊

Therefore , the included angle BAC = <NAC - <NAB

= β–α
= Bearing of AC – bearing of AB
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b) Given Q.B of lines:
A diagram may be drawn and bearings of the lines plotted in their respective quadrants.
The included angle is calculated from one of the under mentioned formulae:

1) If the bearings have been measured to the same side of the common meridian, the
included angle α = θ2 – θ1 i.e. the difference of the bearings. This is true for all
quadrants.[fig 4.25 a]
2) If the bearings have been measured to the opposite side of the common meridian,
the included angle α = θ1 + θ2 i.e. the sum of the bearings. [fig 4.25 b]
3) If the bearings have been measured to the same side of the different meridians, the
included angle α = 180˚ - (θ1 + θ2) i.e. the difference of 180 and the sum of the
bearings. [fig 4.25 c]
4) If the bearings have been measured to the opposite side of the different meridians,
the included angle α = 180˚ - (θ1 - θ2) i.e. the difference of 180 and the difference of
the bearings. [fig 4.25 d]

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SURVEYING – I (CE- 128)

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❑ Calculation of bearings from included angles :

Knowing the bearing of the line and the included angles between the successive lines,
the bearing of the remaining lines, may be calculated as under:
Let the observed bearing of the line AB be θ1 (given)
α , β , γ , δ , φ ………etc, the included angles measured clockwise between adjacent
lines. θ2 ,θ3 ,θ4 ,θ5, etc , the bearing of successive lines.
The bearing of BC = θ2 = θ1 + α -180˚
The bearing of CD = θ3 = θ2 + β - 180˚
The bearing of DE = θ4 = θ3 + γ - 180˚
The bearing of EF = θ5 = θ4 + δ + 180˚
The bearing of FG = θ6 = θ5 + φ - 540˚
From fig.4.26, it is evident that each of (θ1 + α), (θ2 + β) and (θ3 + γ) is
more than 180˚;
(θ4 + δ) is less than 180˚ and (θ6 + φ ) is greater than 540˚.

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Hence, in order to calculate the bearing of the next line, the following statements may be
made:
“Add the included angle measured clockwise to the bearing of the previous line.
If the sum is:
more than 180˚,deduct 180˚
more than 540˚,deduct 540˚
less than 180˚,add 180˚,to get the bearing of the next line.”

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❑ TRAVERSE EXAMPLE:

Horizontal Control

o Horizontal control is required for initial survey work (detail surveys) and for setting out.

o The simplest form is a TRAVERSE - used to find out the co-ordinates of

CONTROL or TRAVERSE STATIONS.

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N (mag)

A
E

B D
Grass

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Horizontal Control

•Horizontal control is required for initial survey work (detail surveys) and for setting out.

•The simplest form is a TRAVERSE - used to find out the co-ordinates of

CONTROL or TRAVERSE STATIONS.

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•There are two types : -

a) POLYGON or LOOP TRAVERSE

b) LINK TRAVERSE

A
F B

A C

B E
D
E
F G
C
D
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A X
F B

A C
E
B
D
E F G
C
Y
D
a) is obviously closed
b) must start and finish at points whose co-ordinates are known,
and must also start and finish with angle observations to other known points.
• Working in the direction A to B to C etc is the FORWARD DIRECTION

• This gives two possible angles at each station.

LEFT HAND ANGLES RIGHT HAND ANGLES 21
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A
F
Consider the POLYGON traverse

The [Link] are also the

B INTERNAL ANGLES

E
Using a theodolite we can measure all the
C internal angles.
D
Σ (Internal Angles) = ( 2 N - 4 ) * 900

The difference between

Σ Measured Angles and Σ Internal Angles
is the Angular Misclosure
(or 3)
Maximum Angular Misclosure = 2 * Accuracy of
Theodolite *  (No. of Angles)
(Rule of thumb) 22
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Standing at A looking towards F - looking BACK
ΘAF Hence ΘAF is known as a BACK BEARING
A
F
ΘBA
ΘAB Angle FAB
B (LH angle)
ΘBC

C Standing at A looking towards B - looking FORWARD

LH angle ABC Hence ΘAB is known as a FORWARD BEARING

BACK BEARING (ΘAF ) + [Link] (<FAB)

= NEXT FORWARD BEARING (ΘAB)
Reminder: every line has two bearings
BACK BEARING ( ΘBA ) = FORWARD BEARING ( ΘAB )  1800
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Traverse Example 12” / 4 = 3”

Observations, using a Zeiss O15B, 6” Theodolite, were taken in the field for an
anti - clockwise polygon traverse, A, B, C, D.
C N Traverse Station Observed Clockwise
Horizontal Angle
B 0 ‘ “
A 132 15 30 - 3”
A B 126 12 54 - 3”
C 69 41 18 - 3”
D D 31 50 30 - 3”
Σ (Internal Angles) = 360 00 12
Line Horizontal
Σ (Internal Angles) should be
Distance (2N-4)*90 = 360 00 00
Allowable = 3 * 6” * N= 36”
AB 638.57 OK - Therefore distribute error
BC 1576.20 The bearing of line AB is to be
CD 3824.10 assumed to be 00 and the
co-ordinates of station A are 24
DA 3133.72 (3000.00 mE ; 4000.00 mN)
 SURVEYING – I (CE- 128)

DEBC
C

DNBC =+931.227m
B
DNAB =+638.570m
DNCD
=-3677.764m A

DNDA =+2107.313m

DECD

DEDA 25
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C
e =  (eE2 + eN2 )
e is the LINEAR
MISCLOSURE B

eE
A
eN e
A’

D
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