In second-order, class II geodetic control, the maximum triangle closure should not exceed how many arcseconds?

In second-order, class II geodetic control, the maximum triangle closure should not exceed how many arcseconds?

• A. 3 arcseconds
• B. 5 arcseconds
• C. 10 arcseconds
• D. 1 arcsecond

Answer: (B)

Triangle closure is the residual angular misclosure you get when you complete the three lines of a geodetic triangle and compare the resulting angles. For second-order, class II geodetic control, the standard tolerance is five arcseconds. This limit keeps the local angular measurements tight enough to ensure the overall network remains reliable after adjustment, without making field work impractically strict. If a triangle shows more than five arcseconds of closure error, it points to problems such as measurement blunders or unstable observations that should be remeasured or downweighted. Values much smaller would be unnecessarily demanding for this order, while a much larger limit would sacrifice the network’s intended accuracy.

Triangle closure is the residual angular misclosure you get when you complete the three lines of a geodetic triangle and compare the resulting angles. For second-order, class II geodetic control, the standard tolerance is five arcseconds. This limit keeps the local angular measurements tight enough to ensure the overall network remains reliable after adjustment, without making field work impractically strict. If a triangle shows more than five arcseconds of closure error, it points to problems such as measurement blunders or unstable observations that should be remeasured or downweighted. Values much smaller would be unnecessarily demanding for this order, while a much larger limit would sacrifice the network’s intended accuracy.