Cross-section volume report

Cross-section volume report

Introduction

In the fast-paced world of construction, particularly in highway and rail projects, precision in planning and execution is paramount. DatuBIM’s Cross Section Volume Report (CSVR) emerges as a cutting-edge solution, designed to elevate project management through meticulous volume calculation and report generation. This advanced feature caters to the nuanced needs of road design, offering unparalleled insights into earthwork requirements.


View here the full report as a short video.

The Essence of Cross-Section Volume Report

Cross-section volume calculation is pivotal for any road design, allowing project teams to calculate fill and cut volumes between two cross-section stations and to generate a detailed report of these calculations. This process begins with the creation of a Road/Rail Design, a foundational step that sets the stage for precise grade checking and volume analysis.


Preparing Road Design Base Files for CSVR Generation

The foundation of a successful Cross Section Volume Report lies in the meticulous preparation of road design base files. These files serve as the bedrock for all subsequent analyses, ensuring that volume calculations are both accurate and relevant to the project's specific needs. Here’s a step-by-step guide to preparing these critical design files, emphasizing that this is a one-time task per site.

Do not hesitate to contact our support if you need help creating those road design base files!

Creating the Road/Rail Design

Road/Rail Design is being created from within DatuBIM’s designs panel using the "+ New Design → Road/Rail Design" option:


Step 1: Choose the input type

      We recommend you choose the landxml surface design as it is much simpler to create than the CAD design. This section assumes the recommendation has been followed.

Step 2: Uploading Design Surfaces

      Proceed to upload the essential design surfaces:

  1. Top Surface: Include a single Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) surface in XML format, defining the top surface of your project's design. This will usually be your end design.
  2. Bottom Surface: This XML file should contain a TIN surface that outlines the bottom surface of your project's design. This will usually be your initial state design.
  3. Centerline alignment: The alignment file, usually in the form of a 2D/3D polyline, delineates the road's centerline. It should start before the project's start station.

Step 3: Defining Start Station and Stations Interval

  1. Start Station: Establish the first station of the design, ensuring it corresponds with the project's layout and intervals. 
  2. Stations Interval: Set the interval between stations to determine the report's depth of cross-section analysis throughout the project, a critical component for detailing the spacing of volume calculations.

Step 4: Format the Station Names:

      Depending on your chosen interval, the station names will follow a sequence that incorporates both the whole and fractional parts of the distance from the starting point. There are 3 options available which can be easily explained by examples:
  1. First station starts at 10,500, new station every 50: 105+00, 105+50, 106+00, …
    this format is usually used with feet.
  2. First station starts at 10,500m, new station every 50m: 10+500, 10+550, 10+600, …
    this format is usually used with meters.
  3. First station starts at 10,500m, new station every 50m: 10500+000, 10550+050, 10600+100, …
    this format is usually used with meters.

If the first station doesn’t fall exactly on an interval mark, the naming sequence will adjust so that the second station falls on the nearest interval. For example, using the 3rd option above, if the first station starts at 82.6 meters with an interval of 20 meters, the first station will be '82.6+000', the second station will be '100+000', the third station will be ‘120+020’ and so on.

Step 5: Set a meaningful name to the road design and optionally, assign it to a category

Step 6: Create!


Visualizing Design Files

      Following upload and internal processing, the design files become viewable under the Designs tab as a single road-design file with top, bottom, and centerline layers. This visualization step showcases the project's top and bottom surfaces alongside their alignment through color-coded lines, which is vital for confirming the alignment of design components with the project’s geographical layout.

Generating the Cross-Section Volume Report

      The generation of a CSVR is a streamlined process, offering two pathways: selecting the "Cross section volume report" menu option for a specific Road design or using the "+ New report" option from the Report tab. Both ways will lead to the following report’s setup dialog:


  1. Report Name and Design Selection:
    Users must provide a report name, which can be auto-filled or manually selected (recommended), and select the appropriate design.
  2. Base and Model Surface Selection:
    The report necessitates choosing either the top or bottom surface of the uploaded design as the base surface, against which the as-built (DEM of a chosen flight) comparison surface is measured.
  3. Defining Stations and Intervals:
    The start and end stations mark the boundaries of the report, with a defined section interval dictating the spacing between cross sections.
  4. Section Max Width:
    This property allows to limit the width of the cross sections, in case the surfaces are very wide and include unnecessary data.
  5. Factor Cut/Fill for Volume Calculations:
    This factor is used for calculating the volume of material before compression, ensuring accurate earthwork estimation. The default value is 1.00.
  6. Advanced Parameters:
    For further customization, users can adjust advanced parameters to refine the report's appearance and content.

 Upon completing these steps and pressing "Generate Report," the CSVR is processed in the background. Accessibility of the report varies based on the project's complexity, with recommendations to limit report length for highway projects to ensure timely delivery.


Viewing and Handling the Cross-Section Volume Report

      The CSVR is meticulously structured into three sections for comprehensive analysis:

  1. Top View of the Area:
    This section provides a bird's eye view of the project area, detailing the centerline and cross-section stations alongside valuable side information.
  2. Detailed Cross-Section Stations:
    Offering one or two stations per row, this section allows users to delve into specific cross-section details, with functionalities for zooming and adjusting views for enhanced analysis.
  3. Summarizing Volume Table:
    This section aggregates volume data across all stations, providing a succinct overview of earthwork requirements.

Conclusion

DatuBIM’s Cross Section Volume Report is more than just a technological advancement; it is a strategic enabler for highway and rail project management. By facilitating detailed volume calculations and generating comprehensive reports, CSVR empowers project teams to make informed decisions, optimize resource allocation, and maintain project timelines with greater accuracy. In an industry where precision and efficiency are non-negotiable, DatuBIM’s CSVR stands as a testament to the power of innovative solutions in driving project success.


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