---
title: "Significance of traversing, accuracy parameters"
subject: "Surveying II"
chapter: 1
key: "semester_4/surveying_ii:traversing-significance-accuracy-parameters"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_4/surveying_ii/traversing-significance-accuracy-parameters
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Significance of traversing, accuracy parameters

Surveying II · Chapter 1: Traversing

- Asked in: 2075 Baisakh, 4 marks
- Video: [Calculating Linear Accuracy in Traverse Computation || #traversing #surveying](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyWHpQyQnNM) — Eazy Geospatialz🌍
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_4/surveying_ii/traversing-significance-accuracy-parameters
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_4/surveying_ii/chapter-1

## Question

Explain significance of traversing and describe about the accuracy parameters of horizontal and vertical control of traverse.

## Short answer

Traversing provides horizontal control for narrow, wooded or built-up areas; only adjacent stations need intervisibility, fieldwork is quick. Angular misclosure ≤ k√n; linear relative error e/ΣL = 1/N (1:10,000 major, 1:3000–5000 minor). Vertical control by levelling: misclosure ≤ C√K mm (C=12 third-order, 25 ordinary).

## Answer

#### Significance of traversing
Traversing is a method of control survey in which a series of connected lines are measured in length and direction. It is used because:
- It gives horizontal control for topographic, engineering and cadastral surveys when the area is long and narrow, wooded or built-up, where triangulation is difficult.
- Only adjacent stations need to be intervisible, so the field work is quick and cheap.
- Coordinates of the stations are obtained, and the work can be checked (angle sum, closing error) and balanced.
- It is the basis for plotting details and for setting out works such as roads, canals and buildings.

#### Accuracy parameters
**Horizontal control**
- Angular misclosure, limited to $k\sqrt{n}$, where $n$ is the number of angles and $k$ is a constant related to the least count of the instrument (about $10''$ to $1'$, depending on the order of the survey).
- Linear misclosure, given as the relative closing error $e/\Sigma L=1/N$, for example 1 in 10,000 for a major traverse and 1 in 3000 to 1 in 5000 for minor traverses.

**Vertical control**
- Heights of stations are fixed by levelling (or trigonometric levelling) along the traverse, with the misclosure limited to $C\sqrt{K}$ mm, where $K$ is the length in km and $C$ is about 12 for third-order and 25 for fourth-order or ordinary work, as per the specification adopted.
- Double-run levelling and closure back to the starting benchmark are used as checks.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. When is traversing preferred over triangulation?
   A. In wide open flat areas only
   B. In long, narrow, wooded or built-up areas where triangulation is difficult
   C. Only for mountain summits
   D. When no angle measurement is possible
   Answer: B. Traversing needs only a few intervisible stations along a route. (Key point: Use of traversing)

2. How is angular misclosure limited in horizontal control?
   A. To k x sqrt(n), n being the number of angles
   B. To k x n
   C. To k / sqrt(n)
   D. To k x n^2
   Answer: A. Random angle errors accumulate as sqrt(n). (Key point: Angular accuracy limit)

3. Which expresses linear accuracy for horizontal control?
   A. Angular misclosure in seconds
   B. Level misclosure in mm
   C. Relative closing error e/SigmaL = 1/N, e.g. 1 in 10,000 for major traverses
   D. Number of stations
   Answer: C. Linear misclosure is expressed relative to the perimeter. (Key point: Linear accuracy)

4. How is vertical control accuracy specified?
   A. Limited to k x sqrt(n) seconds
   B. Limited to 1 in N of the perimeter
   C. Limited to a fixed 10 mm regardless of length
   D. Levelling misclosure limited to C x sqrt(K) mm with K in km, checked by double-run levelling
   Answer: D. Height closure grows with the square root of the distance, C being about 12 for third order. (Key point: Vertical control)

## Related in Surveying II

- [Horizontal control specification for major traverse](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Fsurveying_ii%3Atraverse-horizontal-control-specification) — Surveying II, chapter 1
- [Vertical/horizontal control, stream velocity](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Fsurveying_ii%3Avertical-horizontal-control-stream-velocity) — Surveying II, chapter 1
- [Field measurements in traversing, closed/open traverse](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Fsurveying_ii%3Atraverse-field-measurements-closed-open) — Surveying II, chapter 1
- [Angular vs linear precision in traversing](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Fsurveying_ii%3Atraverse-angular-linear-precision-relation) — Surveying II, chapter 1, asked 2×
- [Field measurements in traversing, Bowditch rule](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Fsurveying_ii%3Atraverse-field-measurements-bowditch-rule) — Surveying II, chapter 1
- [Need for traversing, types, Bowditch rule](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Fsurveying_ii%3Atraversing-necessity-types-bowditch) — Surveying II, chapter 1

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- [Short note: Vertical and horizontal scalability](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fbig_data_technologies%3Ashort-note-vertical-horizontal-scalability) — Big Data Technologies, chapter 1