Module 17: Area Calculations using DMD and DPD
Author/Contributor: George P. Palada, RCE
To the students:
Please read pages 472 – 478 of the book of La Putt for detailed explanation on
calculation of areas using Double Meridian Distance (DMD) and Double Parallel
Distance (DPD) method.
Area Calculations using DMD and DPD
Now that you already have gained the knowledge in balancing closed traverse surveys,
it is now high time for you to learn how to calculate the areas of closed traverse. There
are two ways in determining the area of a closed traverse based on adjusted latitudes
and departures: Double Meridian Distance (DMD) and Double Parallel Distance (DPD).
We are not to discuss anymore as to how DMD and DPD was derived, so in this module,
we will discuss how the two methods work.
Say you were given a tabulation of a closed traverse survey, and you were able to
calculate and balance the latitudes and the departures, and you want to calculate the
area of the closed traverse. There are only three rules to follow when using the DMD
method: (La Putt, 1985)
1. The DMD of the first course is the departure of the course.
2. The DMD of any other course is equal to the algebraic sum of the DMD of
the preceeding course, the departure of the preceeding course, and the
departure of the course itself.
3. The DMD of the last course is numerically equal to the departure of the last
course but with opposite sign.
You will know if you performed the DMD method correctly if you were able to satisfy rule
no. 3.
The DPD somehow follows the same rules:
1. The DPD of the first course is the latitude of the course.
CE 1: Fundamentals of Surveying George P. Palada, RCE
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AY 2020 - 2021
2. The DMD of any other course is equal to the algebraic sum of the DPD of the
preceeding course, the latitude of the preceeding course, and the latitude of
the course itself.
3. The DPD of the last course is numerically equal to the latitude of the last
course but with opposite sign.
And just like DMD, you will know if you performed the DPD method correctly if you were
able to satisfy rule no. 3.
Now that you were able to calculate the DMDs and the DPDs of each of the courses on
the close traverse, you will now have to get the DOUBLE AREAS of each of the courses.
The double area (DA) is given by the following formulas:
For the DMD:
𝑫𝑨 = 𝑫𝑴𝑫 × 𝑨𝒅𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅
𝑳𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆
For the DPD:
𝑫𝑨 = 𝑫𝑷𝑫 × 𝑨𝒅𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑫𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆
the following examples will guide you on how to calculate areas of closed traverse using
DMD and DPD.
Example
Below is a closed traverse survey tabulation already adjusted for lats and deps from the
previous module. Calculate the area of the closed traverse using DMD.
Solution
CE 1: Fundamentals of Surveying George P. Palada, RCE
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AY 2020 - 2021
For DMD we need the adjusted departures. For course AB, which is the first course,
follow the first rule: The DMD of the first course is the departure of the course.
For course BC to EF which is the second to fifth, follow the second rule: The DMD of
any other course is equal to the algebraic sum of the DMD of the preceding course,
the departure of the preceding course, and the departure of the course itself.
CE 1: Fundamentals of Surveying George P. Palada, RCE
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AY 2020 - 2021
For course FA, which is the last course, we still follow the last rule: The DMD of the last
course is numerically equal to the departure of the last course but with opposite sign.
CE 1: Fundamentals of Surveying George P. Palada, RCE
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AY 2020 - 2021
Notice that the second rule is still applicable for the final course, and that the DMD for
the final course is opposite the sign of the adjusted departure of the course (DMD is
137.67 and the latitude is 137.67, West)
Now that we have calculated all DMDs, it is now the time to compute for the double area
(DA). To get the double area:
𝑫𝑨 = 𝑫𝑴𝑫 × 𝑨𝒅𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆
Note that we have to still consider the signs of the latitudes. Negative DAs are -SDAs.
After multiplying the DMD to the adjusted lats, add the sums of NDA and SDA then
multiply the resulting sum by one-half (or divide it by two) to get the area of the closed
𝟏
traverse!
CE 1: Fundamentals of Surveying George P. Palada, RCE
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𝑨 = |(𝜮𝑵𝑫𝑨 +𝜮𝑺𝑫𝑨)|
𝟐
𝟑𝟕𝟏, 𝟒𝟑𝟏. 𝟖𝟎 + (−𝟗𝟑, 𝟐𝟒𝟒. 𝟓𝟏)
Hence,
𝑨=| |
𝟐
𝑨 = 𝟏𝟑𝟗, 𝟎𝟗𝟑. 𝟔𝟓 𝐬𝐪. 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐬
Example
Resolve Example No. 1, but this time calculate the area using DPD.
Solution
For DPD we need the adjusted latitudes. For course AB, which is the first course, follow
the first rule: The DPD of the first course is the latitude of the course.
CE 1: Fundamentals of Surveying George P. Palada, RCE
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AY 2020 - 2021
For courses BC to EF, which is the second to fifth course, follow the second rule: The
DPD of any other course is equal to the algebraic sum of the DPD of the preceding
course, the latitude of the preceding course, and the latitude of the course itself.
CE 1: Fundamentals of Surveying George P. Palada, RCE
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AY 2020 - 2021
For course FA, which is the last course, we will follow the third rule: The DPD of the last
course is numerically equal to the latitude of the last course but with opposite sign.
CE 1: Fundamentals of Surveying George P. Palada, RCE
Course Guide
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AY 2020 - 2021
Notice that the second rule is still applicable for the final course, and that the DPD for
the final course is opposite the sign of the adjusted latitude of the course (DPD is
+211.50 and the latitude is 211.50, South)
Now that we have calculated all DPDs, it is now the time to compute for the double area
(DA). To get the double area:
𝑫𝑨 = 𝑫𝑷𝑫 ×𝑨𝒅𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑫𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆
Note that we have to still consider the signs of the latitudes. Negative DAs are -WDAs.
After multiplying the DMD to the adjusted lats, add the sums of NDA and SDA then
multiply the resulting sum by one-half (or divide it by two) to get the area of the closed
𝟏
traverse!
𝑨 = |(𝜮𝑬𝑫𝑨+ 𝜮𝑾𝑫𝑨)|
𝟐
From the previous slide, ΣEDA = 0 and ΣWDA = –278187.30
CE 1: Fundamentals of Surveying George P. Palada, RCE
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AY 2020 - 2021
Hence,
𝐴=| |
𝑨 = 𝟏𝟑𝟗, 𝟎𝟗𝟑. 𝟔𝟓 𝐬𝐪 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐬
Note that we were able to get the same value of area from both DMD method and DPD
method.
Self-Assessment Questions
1. DMD stands for ________________.
2. DPD stands for ________________.
3. You need the balanced _____________ for DMD.
4. You need the balanced _____________ for DPD.
Activity
Fill out the table below. Show your solutions. Round off all numerical values to three
decimal places. Angles should be expressed in sexagesimal system (degrees, minutes,
seconds).
As always, show your solution on a clean sheet of bond paper and scan it with either
CamScanner, Microsoft Office Lens or Adobe Scan. Upload the resulting pdf file.
References
La Putt, J. (2007). Elementary surveying, (3rd ed.). Mandaluyong City: National
Bookstore. (Original work published 1987)
CE 1: Fundamentals of Surveying George P. Palada, RCE
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Author
AY 2020 - 2021
Besavilla, V. (1984). Surveying for civil & geodetic licensure exam. Cebu City: VIB
Publisher
Nathanson, J., Lanzafama, M., & Kissam, P. (2011). Surveying fundamentals and
practices, (6th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson.
Kavanagh, B. & Mastin, T. (2014). Surveying: principles and applications, (9th ed.). New
Jersey: Pearson.
Ghilani, C. & Wolf, P. (2012). Elementary surveying: an introduction to geomatics, (13th
ed.). New Jersey: Pearson.
CE 1: Fundamentals of Surveying George P. Palada, RCE
Course Guide
Author
AY 2020 - 2021