Volumes
•From cross sections area
•By prismoidal relation
•By spot height
•By contouring (contours)
References
•Surveying Volume I ;Dr B.C PUNMIA
•Engineering Surveying ;by JAIN UREN
•Surveying principles and Method; YAN & YANG
Introduction
Measurement of volumes for all types of projects for their
designing and estimation of earth work, is commonly
required during construction works such as highways,
railways, canals, etc.
Similarly, capacities of reservoirs are required to be
estimated for proper designs of dams, water supplies,
hydro-electric and irrigation schemes.
Calculation of the earth work can be made by providing a
sufficient number of spot levels by spirit levelling.
Accuracy of calculation of the earth work, depends upon
the layout of the level network and the density of the level
points.
Methods of computation
Measurement of volumes may be made by one of the
following methods:
1. From cross-sections
2. From spot levels
3. From contours.
The first two methods are generally used for calculation
of earth work either in cuttings or in fillings. .
The third method is used for calculation of reservoir
capacities.
The basic unit of the volume of earth work is cubic
metre.
MEASUREMENT FROM CROSS SECTIONS
In this method, the total volume is divided into a series of
solids bounded by the plane cross-sections. The spacing
of the sections depends upon the general characteristics
of the ground and the desired accuracy of the earth work.
Additional sections may also be taken at the points of
change of slope along the centre line.
The various cross-sections likely to occur on the ground
surface may be classified in five groups i.e.
1. Level sections
2. Two level sections
3. Three-level sections
4. Side-hill two level sections
5. Multi-level sections.
FORMULAE FOR CALCULATION OF AREAS OF CROSS SECTIONS (Fig. 9.1)
The notations used in deriving various formulae for volume will
be as under :
b = formation or sub-grade width (width at formation level)
h = center cut or fill, cut being denoted by a plus (+) sign and fill
by a minus (−) sign
S to 1 = side slope i.e. S horizontals to 1 vertical
n to 1 = lateral or transverse slope of the natural ground i.e. n
horizontals to 1 vertical.
d1 and d2 = side widths of half breadths i.e. the horizontal distance from the
center line to the intersections of the side slopes with the natural ground
surface.
h1 and h2 = depths of cuttings or heights of the banks at the edge points of
cuttings or banks.
A = Area of the cross section.
1. Level Section. (Fig. 9.2). In this type of cross section, the ground
is assumed to be level transversely i.e. the value of n approaches to
infinity.
From elementary knowledge of plane geometry, we know
2. Two-level section. (Fig. 9.3).
Let us assume that AB represents the formation level in a cutting.
P and Q are the points where sloping sides AP and BQ intersect the
natural ground surface PQ.
Construction : Drop PN perpendicular to RM where RM is the
central line. Drop PK and QL perpendiculars to AB produced on
either side to meet at K and L respectively.
3. Three level section. Let us assume that transverse slope of the
natural ground is not uniform. Let it be n1 to 1 and n2 to 1 on either side
of the central line. (Fig. 9.4)
Construction : Drop PN and QC perpendiculars to MR and MR
produced respectively. Drop PK and QL perpendiculars to AB
produced on either side.
Area of the cross-section PRQBAP= Area of trapezium PRMK + Area of
trapezium RQLM – Area of Δ PAK – Area of Δ QLB
where D is total top width.
4. Side hill two level section. In such cases, the ground slopes
transversely and the slope of the ground surface cuts the formation level
in such a way that one portion of the area is in cutting and the other
portion is in embankment i.e. the section consists of two parts one in
cutting and the other in filling.
In general, two cases may arise :
(i) When the centre line of the formation is in excavation.
(ii) When the centre line of the formation is in embankment.
Case I. When centre line of the formation is in excavation
(Fig. 9.5).
Let the transverse slope of the
ground surface be n to 1 and the
side slopes in the cutting and
embankment be s to 1. Let AB be
the width of the formation level of
which CB is in the excavation and
CA is in embankment. Let h be the
depth of the cutting at the centre
line.
Example 1. Compute the volume of the earth work in a road
cutting 50 metres long from the following data :
Example .2. Compute the volume of the earth work in a road
cutting 100 metres in length from the following data :
Formation width 8 metres ; sides 2 to 1 ; average depth of cutting
along the centre line = 0.6 m ; Transverse cross-section of the
ground 8
to 1.
Solution. (Fig. 9.10)
Given data :
Formation width (b) = 8 m
Side slope (s) = 2 to 1
Transverse slope (n) = 8 to 1
Average depth of cutting h = 0.6 m.
Example .3. Compute the volume of the earth work in a road
embankment 100 metres long from the following given data :
The formation width 6 metres ; side slope of banking 2 to 1
Transverse slope of the ground 5 to 1 ; the mean height of the
embankment 2 metres.
CALCULATION OF VOLUMES
The volume of the earth work between-cross sections
taken along a route, may be calculated by one of the
following methods :
1. Prismoidal formula 2. End area formula,
1. Prismoidal formula. A Prismoid is a solid bounded
by planes of which two, called end faces, are parallel.
The end faces may be both polygons, not necessarily
similar or with the same number of sides, one of them
may even be a point. The other faces, called the
longitudinal faces are planes extending between the
end planes.
2. End area (or Trapezoidal) formula. While calculating volumes
by the end area formula, it is assumed that volume of a prismoid,
is equal to the product of the length of the prismoid by theaverage
of the end areas
MEASUREMENT OF VOLUMES FROM SPOT LEVELS
Whenever earth work is required for large excavations, the site
is divided into triangles, squares or rectangles of equal area of
convenient size. The depths of cuttings at the corners of these
geometrical figures are obtained by finding the difference in
levels between the original and proposed ground surfaces.
These differences in level may be regarded as the length of the
sides of a number of vertical truncated prisms of which areas of
horizontal base are known.
The volume formula by spot levels.
The volume of each prism may be
obtained by the product of the area of
the right section multiplied by the
average height of the vertical edges
(Fig. 9.16).
where Σh1 = sum of the heights used once.
Σh2 = sum of the heights used twice.
Σh3 = sum of the heights used thrice.
Σh4 = sum of the heights used four times.
Alternative Method. If the entire
area of the excavation is divided
into a number of equal triangles, the
height of any corner will be used in
calculation once, twice, thrice etc. upto
eight times according to the number of
truncated prisms to which it may
belong (Fig. 9.17).
Calculation of Storage Capacity of Reservoirs
The capacity of a reservoir at its dam site may easily be
calculated with the help of a contour map. Knowing the
maximum water level of the dam and contour interval, the area
enclosed at respective elevations may be found out by a
planimeter. The capacity of the reservoir may then be computed
by using Trapezoidal or Prismoidal formulae.
where A1, A2, A3...An are the areas enclosed between successive contours
and h is the vertical contour interval.
Example : Following data refers to a site of a reservoir. The areas
are the ones which will be contained by a proposed dam and contour lines
as given below :
Applying prismoidal formula, we get
Example : From a topographical map, the areas enclosed within
the contour lines and along the face of a proposed dam, are as given
below:
