diff --git a/Surface_mesh_simplification/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh_simplification/Policies/Edge_collapse/internal/GarlandHeckbert_functions.h b/Surface_mesh_simplification/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh_simplification/Policies/Edge_collapse/internal/GarlandHeckbert_functions.h
index e7ea0ef3a22..6d954dd8b65 100644
--- a/Surface_mesh_simplification/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh_simplification/Policies/Edge_collapse/internal/GarlandHeckbert_functions.h
+++ b/Surface_mesh_simplification/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh_simplification/Policies/Edge_collapse/internal/GarlandHeckbert_functions.h
@@ -130,7 +130,6 @@ construct_edge_normal(typename boost::graph_traits<TriangleMesh>::halfedge_descr
                       const VertexPointMap vpm,
                       const GeomTraits& gt)
 {
-  typedef typename boost::graph_traits<TriangleMesh>::vertex_descriptor        vertex_descriptor;
   typedef typename boost::property_traits<VertexPointMap>::reference           Point_ref;
 
   typedef typename GeomTraits::FT                                              FT;
@@ -313,7 +312,6 @@ construct_classic_plane_quadric_from_edge(typename boost::graph_traits<TriangleM
                                           const GeomTraits& gt)
 {
   typedef typename GeomTraits::Vector_3                                        Vector_3;
-  typedef typename boost::graph_traits<TriangleMesh>::vertex_descriptor        vertex_descriptor;
 
   const Vector_3 normal = construct_edge_normal(he, mesh, vpm, gt);
 
diff --git a/Surface_mesh_simplification/test/Surface_mesh_simplification/edge_collapse_garland_heckbert_variations.cpp b/Surface_mesh_simplification/test/Surface_mesh_simplification/edge_collapse_garland_heckbert_variations.cpp
index a300dc3e57b..bc6d72dc76d 100644
--- a/Surface_mesh_simplification/test/Surface_mesh_simplification/edge_collapse_garland_heckbert_variations.cpp
+++ b/Surface_mesh_simplification/test/Surface_mesh_simplification/edge_collapse_garland_heckbert_variations.cpp
@@ -121,28 +121,24 @@ Surface_mesh edge_collapse(Surface_mesh& mesh,
 // =================================================================================================
 // =================================================================================================
 
+// always decimate meshes in this vector to avoid timing the copying of the meshes
 template <typename Policy, typename TriangleMesh>
 void time_mesh(const TriangleMesh mesh,
                std::ostream& out)
 {
-  // always decimate meshes in this vector to avoid timing the copying of the meshes
-
   std::vector<TriangleMesh> meshes (n_burns + n_samples, mesh);
 
   for(int i=0; i<n_burns; ++i)
     edge_collapse<Policy>(meshes[i]);
 
-  unsigned long elapsed_ns = 0;
+  std::chrono::time_point<std::chrono::steady_clock> start_time = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
   for(int i=0; i<n_samples; ++i)
   {
     // measure time taken by the edge_collapse function over each mesh individually
-    std::chrono::time_point<std::chrono::steady_clock> start_time = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
     edge_collapse<Policy>(meshes[n_burns + i]);
-    std::chrono::time_point<std::chrono::steady_clock> end_time = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
-
-    // get elapsed time in milliseconds
-    elapsed_ns += std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::milliseconds>(end_time - start_time).count();
   }
+  std::chrono::time_point<std::chrono::steady_clock> end_time = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
+  auto elapsed_ns = std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::milliseconds>(end_time - start_time).count();
 
   out << "Policy: " << typeid(Policy).name() << "\n"
       << "Elapsed: " << elapsed_ns << " (ms)\n"