Robustness analysis of geodetic horizontal networks

Traditional reliability analysis has been augmented with geometrical streng th analysis using strain techniques, resulting in the conception of an exte nsion to reliability theory called robustness analysis. To reflect contempo rary statistical terminology, robustness is taken to mean insensitivity to gross errors or blunders in the data. Robustness analysis is a natural, mer ger of reliability and strain and is defined as the ability to resist defor mations induced by the smallest detectable blunders as determined from inte rnal reliability analysis. The geometrical strength analysis technique is u sed in order to provide a more complete and detailed description of the pot ential network deformation in terms of three independent measures represent ing robustness in scale, orientation, and configuration. These measures are also invariant with respect to "datum" shifts and orientation, and practic ally invariant to changes in scale. Initial experiences with robustness ana lysis have shown that it is a very powerful technique capable of providing a detailed point-by-point assessment of the strength of a network.