SPHERICAL EXCESS
The correction for the curvature at the earth has to be considered when the control system
contains triangles of sufficiently large sizes. It will be expected that the sum of the horizontal
angles of each triangle would be larger than 180° since these angles are measured not in parallel
planes but in a plane perpendicular to the direction of gravity at the position of the station. The
amount by which the sum of the angles of a triangle exceeds 180° is called the spherical excess.
Since we are dealing with a wide extent area, we are considering the effect of the
curvature of the earth. Instead of having straight lines, we are now dealing with curved lines and
the triangle that it will create will now be a spherical triangle.
Sum of the interior angles of a spherical triangle
𝛼 + 𝛾 + 𝛽 = 180° + 𝑒"
Spherical Excess
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑒" =
𝑅2
sin 01"
Where:
e" = spherical excess in seconds of angle
Area = area of the triangle
R = mean radius of curvature of the earth
TRILATERATION
In the 1950s, accurate methods of measuring long distances (typically 30 to 50 km) were
developed. They used the known speed of light (299,792.458 km per second) and the timed
reflection of a microwave or light wave along the measured line. Known as Electromagnetic
Distance Measurement (EDM), the two initial types of instrument were the ‘Tellurometer’,
which used a microwave, and ‘Geodimeter’, which used a light wave.
The distances in a triangle could then be measured directly instead of calculating them
from the observed angles. If needed the angles could be calculated. The process of calculating
positions through the chain of triangles is then the same as for triangulation.
Sometimes both angles and distances were measured in some triangles to check on the
observations and improve the accuracy of the calculations.
The early EDM instruments could measure long distances with an accuracy of about 5
parts per million (i.e. 5 mm for every km or to 150 mm over a 30 km line), but later versions
were more accurate, able to measure with an accuracy of about 1 part per million (1 mm per
kilometre or 30 mm over a 30 km line)
These days there are also many types of accurate and compact EDM instruments
integrated with an electronic theodolite and known generically as a ‘Total Station’. These
instruments can also measure with an accuracy of about 1 part per million, but generally only for
shorter lines of about one kilometre.
Trilateration is another method used in extending horizontal control. It is based on the
trigonometric proposition that if the three sides of a triangle are known, the three angles can be
computed. From this data, the directions of the lines and positions of the points in the triangle
can then be determined. A trilateration network is also similar to a triangulation system since it
consists of a system of joined or overlapping triangles. The only difference is that lengths,
instead of angles, are measured. The acceptance of this method has been due to the significant
development and advances made in recent years with electronic distance measuring (EDM)
instruments.