The Volume Grid Heatmap Report: An Overview
Introduction to Volume Grid Heatmap Reporting with DatuBIM
In the ever-evolving world of infrastructure and earthworks construction, the ability to precisely track material movement across a site is critical. The Volume Grid Heatmap Report (Or Cut/Fill Report), powered by DatuBIM, offers a high-resolution visual representation of cut and fill volumes across a surface - enabling quick insight into progress, deviations, and necessary corrective actions.
These heat maps transform complex elevation differentials into an intuitive, color-coded grid. Whether comparing two flights or analyzing progress toward final design, this report allows field teams, project managers, and survey stakeholders to assess volumetric change with clarity and speed - improving decision-making and supporting high-impact communications.
Why a Volume Grid Heatmap Report is Critical
1. Earthwork Progress Tracking
The Volume Grid Heatmap Report can be used to provide a snapshot of how much material has been added (fill) or removed (cut) between two surface models. This enables construction teams to validate site progress after each drone flight - with actionable insights at a granular level.
2. Billing and Quantity Validation
Contractors and subcontractors rely on this report to support quantity-based billing. This report delivers defensible, georeferenced data showing exactly where material has shifted or will shift - reducing disputes and supporting transparency.
3. Grading and Tolerance Checks
Color-coded ranges allow teams to instantly see which areas fall within acceptable volumetric thresholds. This is especially helpful for identifying areas that require additional work to meet final grading standards.
4. Coordination Between Stakeholders
Visual volume maps simplify collaboration among PMs, surveyors, and subcontractors. Field teams can target specific areas for correction, while executives and clients can see clear summaries of site transformation over time.
5. Audit and Documentation
Volume Grid Heatmap Reports serve as detailed records of earth movement, useful for internal reporting, client updates, and regulatory or compliance reviews.
Real-Life Applications
Volume Grid Heatmap Reports (or Cut/Fill Reports) are used extensively on infrastructure, highway, and site grading projects. For example, on a large roadway corridor project, construction teams may generate this report after each drone flight to confirm that cut and fill operations are proceeding as planned. The visual heatmap clearly shows where earth has been removed (e.g., from a hillside) or added (e.g., to build embankments), supporting billing cycles and progress updates.
In another case, a contractor may compare the current flight to the design surface - with this report showing color-coded zones where material needs to be removed, where the grading is on target, and where additional fill is needed to meet final elevations.
How to Set Up the Volume Grid Heatmap Report
The Volume Grid Heatmap Report is available through the Reports panel in DatuBIM. It can be generated by comparing any two surfaces, including:
- Two completed drone flights
- A drone flight and a design surface
Setup Steps:
1. Open the Reports tab and select Volume Grid Heatmap.
This will open an area to customize this report to suit your needs. For example. choose which surface to compare to (e.g. comparing your current flight to the final design), and customize size and color of your visual.
Tip: "Is Automated" allows you to set this report to generate automatically with each flight.
2. Choose your Base Surface.
Typically the earlier flight or existing ground.
3. Select your Comparison Surface
This will be the newer flight or the final design.
4. Select the model type:
a. DTM (Digital Terrain Model) - excludes objects like vehicles or vegetation; ideal for tracking ground-level changes.
b. DSM (Digital Surface Model) - includes everything captured in the flight; useful when objects are relevant to the analysis.
5. Draw a Report Area Polygon.
This polygon defines the area the grid will cover - The report will only process volumes inside of this boundary.
6. Make Optional Adjustments:
a. Adjust the Rotation Angle if needed to align the grid to a specific site orientation.
b. Set the Grid Cell Size (X and Y) - This defaults to 150ft blocks unless otherwise adjusted.
c. Select or customize the Grid Label Colors for visual clarity.
For example, you can change the surface difference from yellow to purple for better visibility on the heatmap.
d. Customize the Heatmap Grid Colors using the Edit Colors dropdown to define how cut, fill, and neutral zones are visualized.Tip: DatuBIM defaults to a blue-to-red theme, but you can apply your company's grading color standards here.
e. Adjust the Cut and Fill Factor, if applicable.
7. Advanced Parameters:
Click on the arrow icon next to the "Advanced Parameters" for the ability to upload a customer logo, a consultant logo, provide the approver, upload a signature, and note any additional comments you would like on the report when it generates.
8. Click "Generate Report".
Volume Grid Heatmap Report Viewing
Every created report for your project will be in the "reports" section on the left side of your screen. When a report is being created, you will see "Processing" next to the correct one.
If you see a green circular arrow, it means that this report is automatically generated with each flight.
When your report is finished generating, click on the report to open it.
The generated report consists of three sections:
Section 1: A top view of the area showing the heatmap and volume calculations.
Section 2: A top view of the area without the heatmap, still including the grid and volume calculations.
Tip: In Sections 1 and 2, at the bottom of each page includes summary information about the area that is being used in the report, such as total area and total cut/fill volume.
Section 3: A summary table of all intermediate and accumulative volumes across each cell.
How to Read the Volume Grid Heatmap Report
At the bottom of sections 1 and 2, in addition to the summary information, you will find a legend to the map.
For example, in the below images: Cross-point E20:
- Fill volume: 118.92 yd³
- Cut volume: 0 yd³
- Base Surface Elevation (the elevation of our last flight, in this case): 1,286.57 ft
- Target Surface Elevation (the elevation of the design, in this case): 1,293.08 ft
- Difference (to the left of the Target Surface Elevation): 6.51 ft
Downloading the Volume Grid Heatmap Report
Once the report is opened, it can be downloaded using the "download Report" option in the upper right corner. The downloaded PDF report goes to the standard downloads folder.
The Volume Grid Heatmap Report helps teams measure progress, validate work, and communicate with confidence. With customizable visuals and grid-level precision, it's an essential part of DatuBIM's reporting toolkit. Reach out to your Customer Success Manager or to Support if there are any additional questions.
Related Articles
Elevation grid and heatmap report
Introduction to elevation grid and heatmap reporting with DatuBIM In the dynamic and complex world of civil engineering and construction management, the ability to communicate site conditions accurately and efficiently is crucial. Elevation heatmap ...Delta volume - enhanced volume tracking with DatuBIM
DatuBIM's Delta Volume tool provides precise, user-friendly tracking of volume changes for effective design and management. It calculates volumes against various surfaces, ensuring comprehensive jobsite monitoring. Utilize chart or graph views for ...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 ...Cross Section Volume Calculation and Report Generation
Cross section volume calculation and report generation is an advanced feature that was added for any road design. It basically gives you the option to calculate fill and cut volumes between two cross section stations and generate a detailed report of ...PDF Report Exports
Measurements, Analytics, and Annotations Any measurement, analytics, or annotation may be exported as a PDF report. Any reference below to measurements is also true for analytics and annotations. Groups of measurements may also be exported as PDF ...