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GEOVIA Surpac

Survey Network Adjustment

This function allows you to adjust survey networks using a least squares adjustment method. You have the choice of doing the adjustment in 3D (that is, adjusting the x, y and z coords of the unfixed stations), or 2D (that is, only adjusting the x and y coords of the unfixed stations).

To run this function: Choose Survey > Stations > Survey network adjustment, or...

  • In the Function Chooser, type SURVEY NETWORK ADJUSTMENT, and press ENTER.

For a 3D adjustment the function uses any combination of direction (ie bearing), distance (ie slope distance), horizontal angle, or vertical angle observations. For a 2D adjustment the function uses any combination of direction (ie bearing), distance (ie horizontal distance), or horizontal angle observations.

You can define stations to be unfixed or fixed in the adjustment. Unfixed stations will have their coords adjusted by the least squares system. Fixed stations are used as reference stations in the adjustment and do not have their coords changed.

This function can accept angles either entered in degrees (ie DDD.MMSS format) or in grads, depending on "Angle units" value in your default settings.

When you perform an adjustment you are given the option of whether or not to save the adjusted unfixed stations to the database. You are advised to first perform the adjustment without saving the station coords, then when you are happy with the new values, do the adjustment again this time saving the coords.

The function is particularly useful as a tool to calculate a homogeneous set of co-ordinates for a mapping, engineering or mining project. As the Control Network on a project is extended it is normal to encounter different techniques of measurement or different instruments. This function easily copes with such differences as it allows you to enter different error parameters for each observation, thereby allowing you to model the use of different instruments in the same network.

If you have a station errors table (see here for more information on this table) in your survey database, this function will use the rules in that table relating to 3D or 2D survey network adjustments to do QA checks on the newly adjusted unfixed stations.

Pre-requisites for an Adjustment:

  • You must have the coords of all fixed stations in the network already stored in the survey database.
  • You must have the coords of all the unfixed stations in the network already stored in the survey database. It is important that these initial estimates are as close as possible to the final values. Otherwise, the nature of the least squares equations used in the adjustment might prevent the adjustment from converging.
  • For a 3D adjustment the total number of observations must be more than three times the number of unfixed stations in the network. Also each unfixed station must appear as either a backsight, setup, or foresight in at least three different observations. These are basic requirements for the system to have a solution, since for a 3D system each unfixed station adds three variables to the system (namely the x, y, z coords of the station) and each observation adds one equation to the system.
  • For a 2D adjustment the total number of observations must be more than twice the number of unfixed stations in the network. Also each unfixed station must appear as either a backsight, setup, or foresight in at least two different observations. These are basic requirements for the system to have a solution, since for a 2D system each unfixed station adds two variables to the system (namely the x, y coords of the station) and each observation adds one equation to the system.
  • The rules for the minimum number of observations for 3D and 2D adjustments defined above are required because it is a basic algebraic requirement that a system has at least as many equations as variables for a solution to exist. Any observations in excess of this minimum number, are termed "redundant observations" and are very important. More redundant observations, will result in a stronger network and a greater precision of the final coords.

NOTE: For estimates of errors for measured angles, distances (including PPM values) and centring over station marks, check the manufacturers handbook for the instrument being used. Remember that if you are too optimistic about the precision of your observations, you will put a strain on the network, which may result in failure to produce a satisfactory result.

Choose Survey - Stations - Survey network adjustment to display the Use existing observations file? form:

Use existing observations file?

Tick the box to use an existing observations (.sna) file. Untick the box to enter a new set of observations.

Observations file

Enter the name of the existing observations file that you want to use.

Choose Apply on the Use existing observations file? form to display the Survey Network Observations form.

Survey Network Observations form

The various fields on this form are explained below. Firstly the fields in the Survey details and Options boxes:

Surveyor

Enter the name of the person who completed the survey. This will be inserted into the database with the new unfixed station coords and will appear in the reports produced by this function.

Survey date

Enter the date of the survey. The date must be entered in the form YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS, although the HH:MM:SS part is optional, eg 2003-10-23 10:20:33 and 2003-10-23 are both acceptable values. This will be inserted into the database with the new unfixed station coords and will appear in the reports produced by this function.

Checked by

Enter the name of the person who checked the survey. This will be inserted into the database with the new unfixed station coords and will appear in the reports produced by this function.

Field book

Enter the name of the field book where the survey observations are recorded. This will be inserted into the database with the new unfixed station coords and will appear in the reports produced by this function.

Pages

Enter the pages in the field book where the survey observations are recorded. This will be inserted into the database with the new unfixed station coords and will appear in the reports produced by this function.

Comment

Enter an optional comment. This will only appear in the reports produced by this function, and will not appear in the database.

3D Adjustment or 2D Adjustment

Do you wish to perform a 3D adjustment (that is, adjust the x, y and z coords of the unfixed stations), or a 2D adjustment (that is, only adjust the x and y coords of the unfixed stations).

Maximum number of iterations

Enter the maximum number of times the least squares iteration process is to be repeated to calculate the new unfixed station coords. An example value is 8.

Convergence tolerance

Enter the convergence tolerance for the least squares iterations. This value should be entered in the same units as the station x, y and z coords. The least squares system will be deemed to be converged when all the unfixed station coords vary by less than the convergence tolerance between successive iterations. An example value is 0.001.

Adjustment report file

Enter the name for the adjustment report file.

Station orders report file

This field will only be selectable if a station errors table exists in the survey database. Enter the name for the station orders report file.

Report file format

Choose the file format for the output report file(s).

Save stations to database?

Do you want to save the new station coords to the survey database? You are advised to first perform the adjustment without saving the station coords, then when you are happy with the new values, do the adjustment again this time saving the coords.

Save observations?

This option allows you to save the entered observations to a .sna text file. This is so that if you want to run the same adjustment again you can reuse this .sna file and not have to reenter all the observations manually.

Observations file

Enter the name for the observations file.

Next the fields on the Survey Network Observations form Stations tab, are explained:

Stations tab

Fixed stations

Enter the names of the stations whose coords are fixed and will not be changed. These stations must exist in the survey database.

Unfixed stations

Enter the stations that are to be adjusted. Provisional coords for these stations must exist in the survey database.

Next the fields on the Survey Network Observations form Directions tab, are explained:

Directions tab

Setup

Enter the name of the setup station.

Foresight

Enter the name of the foresight station.

Direction

Enter the direction. The direction is just the bearing of the foresight station relative to the setup station. If the "Angle units" value in your default settings is "degrees" then enter the angle in DDD.MMSS, if the "Angle units" value is "grads" then enter the angle in grads. An example value is 309.191600.

Inst Centr Err

Enter an estimate (as a distance) of the centring error of placing the instrument over (or under) the station mark. An example value is 0.0030.

Targ Centr Err

Enter an estimate (as a distance) of the centring error of placing the foresight target over (or under) the station mark. An example value is 0.0030.

Std Dev.

Enter an estimate of the standard deviation of the measured angle. If the "Angle units" value in your default settings is "degrees" then enter a value in seconds (eg 3.0, 30.0 120.0, 300.0 etc), if the "Angle units" value is "grads" then enter a value in grads. An example value is 3.

Next the fields on the Survey Network Observations form Distances tab, are explained:

Distances tab

Setup

Enter the name of the setup station.

Foresight

Enter the name of the foresight station.

Inst Ht

This field will only appear if you have chosen to do a 3D adjustment.
Enter the height of the instrument axis above the station. The convention used is that distances measured up to the axis are positive while distances measured from the station down to the axis are negative. Therefore if the station is in the back of the drive, the instrument height will be negative. An example value is 0.000.

Targ Ht

This field will only appear if you have chosen to do a 3D adjustment. Enter the height of the target above the station. The convention used is that distances measured up to the target are positive while distances measured from the station down to the target are negative. Therefore if the station is in the back of the drive, the target height will be negative. An example value is 0.000.

Distance

Enter the distance observed from the setup to the foresight target. If the adjustment is 3D this will be a slope distance, if the adjustment is 2D this will be a horizontal distance. An example value is 5.6780.

Inst Centr Err

Enter an estimate (as a distance) of the centring error of placing the instrument over (or under) the station mark. An example value is 0.0030.

Targ Centr Err

Enter an estimate (as a distance) of the centring error of placing the foresight target over (or under) the station mark. An example value is 0.0030.

Inst Ht SD

This field will only appear if you have chosen to do a 3D adjustment.
Enter an estimate (as a distance) of the error involved in measuring the instrument height. An example value is 0.0030.

Targ Ht SD

This field will only appear if you have chosen to do a 3D adjustment.
Enter an estimate (as a distance) of the error involved in measuring the target height. An example value is 0.0030.

Std Dev.

Enter (as a distance) the standard deviation of the slope distance measurement. An example value is 0.0050.

PPM

Enter the Parts Per Million error of the slope distance measurement. An example value is 2.

Next the fields on the Survey Network Observations form Horizontal Angles tab, are explained:

Horizontal Angles tab

Backsight

Enter the name of the backsight station.

Setup

Enter the name of the setup station.

Foresight

Enter the name of the foresight station.

Angle

Enter the observed angle. If the "Angle units" value in your default settings is "degrees" then enter the angle in DDD.MMSS, if the "Angle units" value is "grads" then enter the angle in grads. An example value is 42.142500.

Back Centr Err

Enter an estimate (as a distance) of the centring error of placing the backsight target over (or under) the station mark. An example value is 0.0030.

Inst Centr Err

Enter an estimate (as a distance) of the centring error of placing the instrument over (or under) the station mark. An example value is 0.0030.

Targ Centr Err

Enter an estimate (as a distance) of the centring error of placing the foresight target over (or under) the station mark. An example value is 0.0030.

Std Dev.

Enter an estimate of the standard deviation of the measured angle. If the "Angle units" value in your default settings is "degrees" then enter a value in seconds (eg 3.0, 30.0 120.0, 300.0 etc), if the "Angle units" value is "grads" then enter a value in grads. An example value is 3.

Next the fields on the Survey Network Observations form Vertical Angles tab, are explained.

Vertical Angles

Note: the fields on this tab will only be selectable if you have chosen a 3D adjustment:

Setup

Enter the name of the setup station.

Foresight

Enter the name of the foresight station.

Inst Ht

Enter the height of the instrument axis above the station. The convention used is that distances measured up to the axis are positive while distances measured from the station down to the axis are negative. Therefore if the station is in the back of the drive, the instrument height will be negative. An example value is 0.0000.

Targ Ht

Enter the height of the target above the station. The convention used is that distances measured up to the target are positive while distances measured from the station down to the target are negative. Therefore if the station is in the back of the drive, the target height will be negative. An example value is 0.0000.

Angle

Enter the observed angle. If the "Angle units" value in your default settings is "degrees" then enter the angle in DDD.MMSS, if the "Angle units" value is "grads" then enter the angle in grads. An example value is 87.470800.

Inst Centr Err

Enter an estimate (as a distance) of the centring error of placing the instrument over (or under) the station mark. An example value is 0.0030.

Targ Centr Err

Enter an estimate (as a distance) of the centring error of placing the foresight target over (or under) the station mark. An example value is 0.0030.

Inst Ht SD

Enter an estimate (as a distance) of the error involved in measuring the instrument height. An example value is 0.0030.

Targ Ht SD

Enter an estimate (as a distance) of the error involved in measuring the target height. An example value is 0.0030.

Std Dev.

Enter an estimate of the standard deviation of the measured angle. If the "Angle units" value in your default settings is "degrees" then enter a value in seconds (eg 3.0, 30.0 120.0, 300.0 etc), if the "Angle units" value is "grads" then enter a value in grads. An example value is 3.

Complete the Survey Network Observations form and choose Apply to proceed.

Results

If the Save observations box was ticked on the Survey Network Observations form, the observation data is saved to the defined .sna text file.

The calculations on the network are performed and the results are written to the Adjustment Report File defined on the Survey Network Observations form. This file should be printed and perused carefully to examine the results and to ensure the validity of the entered observations.

The Adjustment Report File with either show that the adjustment has successfully converged, or that it has failed to converge. If it has failed to converge you should check the input observations for typing errors etc. If convergence has occurred and you requested that the new unfixed stations are saved to the database, then you are notified that the stations have been saved.

An example of an Adjustment Report File is shown below:

Aug 11, 2004
Survey Network Adjustment Report
Surveyor       : Robert Sisson
Survey Date  : 2001-01-01 12:00:01
Checked By  : Fred Jones
Field Book    : Book1
Pages           : 11-17
Comment      : Final survey network adjustment
A 3D adjustment has been performed
Fixed Stations
Station Y X Z
RES_STN1 1024.715 969.832 101.508
RES_STN2 1016.053 997.615 100.395
RES_STN3 1005.656 1000.498 100.027
RES_STN4 999.560 1009.640 99.958

Unfixed Stations

Station Y X Z
TEST1STATION 1000.100 999.900 100.100

Directions

Setup Foresight Direction (ddd.mmss) Inst Centr Err Targ Centr Err Std Dev. (seconds)
TEST1STATION RES_STN1 309.191600 0.0030 0.0030 3.000000
TEST1STATION RES_STN2 351.322700 0.0030 0.0030 3.000000

Slope Distances

Setup Foresight Inst Ht Targ Ht Distance Inst Centr Err Targ Centr Err Inst Ht Sd Targ Ht Sd Std Dev. Ppm
TEST1STATION RES_STN1 0.0000 0.0000 39.0280 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 0.0050 2.0000
TEST1STATION RES_STN2 0.0000 0.0000 16.2340 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 0.0050 2.0000
TEST1STATION RES_STN3 0.0000 0.0000 5.6780 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 0.0050 2.0000
TEST1STATION RES_STN4 0.0000 0.0000 9.6500 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 0.0050 2.0000

Horizontal Angles

Backsight Setup Foresight Angle (ddd.mmss) Back Centr Err Inst Centr Err Targ Centr Err Std Dev. (seconds)
RES_STN1 TEST1STATION RES_STN2 42.142500 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 3.000000
RES_STN1 TEST1STATION RES_STN3 55.430500 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 3.000000
RES_STN1 TEST1STATION RES_STN4 143.181000 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 3.000000

Vertical Angles

Setup Foresight Inst Ht Targ Ht Angle (ddd.mmss) Inst Centr Err Targ Centr Err Inst Ht Sd Targ Ht Sd Std Dev. (seconds)
TEST1STATION RES_STN1 0.0000 0.0000 87.470800 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 3.000000
TEST1STATION RES_STN2 0.0000 0.0000 88.361500 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 3.000000
TEST1STATION RES_STN3 0.0000 0.0000 89.423000 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 3.000000
TEST1STATION RES_STN4 0.0000 0.0000 90.150800 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 0.0030 3.000000

** The least squares solution successfully converged **

Number of iterations   : 2

Max iterations allowed : 8

Convergence tolerance : 0.001

Results for Iteration: 1

Unfixed Station Coordinates

Station Y X Z
TEST1STATION 1000.100 999.900 100.100

Direction Residuals

Setup Foresight Direction (ddd.mmss) Residual (ddd.mmss)
TEST1STATION RES_STN1 309.191600 0.005700
TEST1STATION RES_STN2 351.322700 -0.182900

Slope Distance Residuals

Setup Foresight Distance Residual
TEST1STATION RES_STN1 39.0280 0.1440
TEST1STATION RES_STN2 16.2340 0.1155
TEST1STATION RES_STN3 5.6780 0.0894
TEST1STATION RES_STN4 9.6500 -0.1060

Horizontal Angle Residuals

Backsight Setup Foresight Angle (ddd.mmss) Residual (ddd.mmss)
RES_STN1 TEST1STATION RES_STN2 42.142500 -0.181200
RES_STN1 TEST1STATION RES_STN3 55.430500 1.071100
RES_STN1 TEST1STATION RES_STN4 143.181000 0.335500

Vertical Angle Residuals

Setup Foresight Angle (ddd.mmss) Residual (ddd.mmss)
TEST1STATION RES_STN1 87.470800 -0.082100
TEST1STATION RES_STN2 88.361500 -0.205000
TEST1STATION RES_STN3 89.423000 -1.022400
TEST1STATION RES_STN4 90.150800 -0.345400

Final Results:

Unfixed Station Coordinates

Station Y X Z
TEST1STATION 1000.002 999.999 100.000

Differences between final and initial unfixed station coordinates

Station Delta Y Delta X Delta Z
TEST1STATION -0.098 0.099 -0.100

Result Standard Deviations

Station Y X Z
TEST1STATION 0.0010 0.0009 0.0009

Direction Residuals

Setup Foresight Direction (ddd.mmss) Residual (ddd.mmss)
TEST1STATION RES_STN1 309.191600 -0.001400
TEST1STATION RES_STN2 351.322700 -0.004500

Slope Distance Residuals

Setup Foresight Distance Residual
TEST1STATION RES_STN1 39.0280 0.0020
TEST1STATION RES_STN2 16.2340 0.0021
TEST1STATION RES_STN3 5.6780 0.0019
TEST1STATION RES_STN4 9.6500 -0.0016

Horizontal Angle Residuals

Backsight Setup Foresight Angle (ddd.mmss) Residual (ddd.mmss)
RES_STN1 TEST1STATION RES_STN2 42.142500 0.004300
RES_STN1 TEST1STATION RES_STN3 55.430500 0.001700
RES_STN1 TEST1STATION RES_STN4 143.181000 -0.001200

Vertical Angle Residuals

Setup Foresight Angle (ddd.mmss) Residual (ddd.mmss)
TEST1STATION RES_STN1 87.470800 0.000100
TEST1STATION RES_STN2 88.361500 -0.000400
TEST1STATION RES_STN3 89.423000 -0.010600
TEST1STATION RES_STN4 90.150800 0.001200

QA checks done by the station errors table

If you have a station errors table (see here for more information on this table) in your survey database, this function will use the rules in that table relating to 3D or 2D survey network adjustments to do QA checks on the newly adjusted unfixed stations.

Firstly the station_order values of all the fixed stations used in the adjustment are checked. All the fixed stations must have a station_order value that has been defined in the station errors table.

When the adjustment has successfully converged several values indicating the quality of the estimation of each of the unfixed stations are determined. These relate to the station coordinate standard deviations and the number of observations used to obtain the estimate for each station. Low coordinate standard deviation values and a large number of observations used to estimate a particular station, indicate that the station estimation is likely to be more accurate.

For a 3D adjustment the following values are used for each unfixed station:

  • The x, y and z standard deviations of the station coords.
  • The number of observations that involved that station as a backsight, setup or foresight.
For a 2D adjustment the following values are used for each unfixed station:
  • The x and y standard deviations of the station coords.
  • The number of observations that involved that station as a backsight, setup or foresight.
These values are then used in conjuction with the rules defined in the station errors table to create a Station Orders Report File showing the orders that are assigned to each of the unfixed stations.

An example of a Station Orders Report File for a 3D adjustment is shown below:

Aug 12, 2004
Survey Network Adjustment Station Orders Report
Surveyor       : Robert Sisson
Survey Date  : 2001-01-01 12:00:01
Checked By  : Fred Jones
Field Book    : Book1
Pages           : 11-17
Comment      : Final survey network adjustment
Orders of Fixed Stations
StationOrder
RES_STN12nd
RES_STN21st
RES_STN31st
RES_STN41st
Lowest Fixed Station Order:  2nd
Station Order for Unfixed Station: TEST1STATION
Orders from station errors table
ParameterNum MeasValueOrder
3D SURVEY NETWORK ADJUSTMENT X STANDARD DEVIATION130.00091st
3D SURVEY NETWORK ADJUSTMENT Y STANDARD DEVIATION130.00101st
3D SURVEY NETWORK ADJUSTMENT Z STANDARD DEVIATION130.00091st
Preliminary new station order from station errors table:  1st
Final new station order:  2nd
Corresponding action from station errors table:  WARNING

Interpretation of the Station Orders Report File

The Station Orders Report File assigns a new order value to each unfixed station in the adjustment. The various parts of the report are explained below:

  • Orders of Fixed Stations. This table displays the station_order values of each of the fixed stations used in the adjustment.
  • Lowest Fixed Station Order. This is the lowest ranking order of all the orders of the fixed stations. Any adjusted station network can only be as strong as the least accurate fixed station in the network. Therefore none of the new unfixed stations can be assigned a station_order value that is more accurate than this value.
  • Orders from station errors table. For the particular unfixed station being considered this table shows the x, y and z coord standard deviation values (or just x and y coord standard deviation values for a 2D adjustment), the number of observations that involved that station as a backsight, setup or foresight, and the corresponding order for those values from the station errors table.
  • Preliminary new station order from station errors table. This value represents the lowest ranking of the three orders (or 2 orders for a 2D adjustment) displayed in the Orders from station errors table.
  • Final new station order. This value is the lower ranking of the Preliminary new station order from station errors table and the Lowest Fixed Station Order. This final comparison is done because none of the new unfixed stations can be assigned a station_order value that is more accurate than this value the Lowest Fixed Station Order.
  • Corresponding action from the station errors table. This is the action from the station errors table that correspond to the Final new station order value.
If you ticked the Save stations to database? box on the Survey Network Observations form then all the new orders of the unfixed stations are analysed before inserting them into the database:
  • If any of the orders have a corresponding action from the station errors table of ERROR, then none of the new stations are inserted into the database.
  • If none of the orders have corresponding actions of ERROR or WARNING then all of the new stations are inserted into the database.
  • If none of the orders have corresponding actions of ERROR but some of the orders have corresponding actions of WARNING, then the Save Stations With Warning Action? form is displayed:

    Follow the information given on the Save Stations With Warning Action? form and either select Apply on the form to save the selected stations together with stations that had orders with corresponding actions of CONTINUE or INFORMATIONAL, or select Cancel to not save any of the stations.