Volumetric & Earthwork Calculations

Stockpile, cut/fill, and progress volumes with transparent methods and QA—optimized for contracts, reconciliation, and project controls.

Overview

We measure stockpiles, borrow pits, and earthworks using UAV/mobile LiDAR and photogrammetry, tied to site control for consistent, repeatable results. Our reports include methodology, assumptions, and QA so stakeholders can track reconciliation and certify pay quantities with confidence.

Mining & Aggregates. We survey open-pit mines and sand & gravel quarries, including benches, haul roads, and stockyards. Deliverables include per-pile volumes, site totals, and cut/fill by phase or area—ready for reconciliation, contracts, and project controls.

Bathymetric Integration. Where water is present, we add single-beam bathymetric surveys to compute accurate underwater quantities for pits, ponds, and lagoons. Hydro data are merged with LiDAR/photogrammetry along shorelines and referenced to the same control, producing defensible dredge volumes, capacity curves, and cross-sections.

Typical Relative Accuracy
±1–3% (stockpiles)*
Cycle Time
Hourly / Daily / Weekly / Monthly
Coverage
Single piles, mining & gravel quarries
Reference
Design, prior survey, or best-fit base; bathymetric datum
Outputs
Reports, CAD/GIS, CSV; cut/fill maps; point clouds; 3D models

*Assumes good control, surface visibility, well-defined toes/breaklines; underwater quantities referenced to site water/vertical datum.

Deliverables

Volume Reports

  • Total and net volumes (cut/fill)
  • Per-pile and per-phase breakdowns
  • Assumptions, dates, and control summary

Maps & Visuals

  • Colorized cut/fill heatmaps
  • Toes and breaklines, pile IDs
  • Section plots and spot checks

Data Formats

PDF CSV/XLSX DWG/DXF LandXML LAS/LAZ GeoTIFF

Methods

Stockpiles

  • Toe digitization and breakline enforcement
  • Best-fit base plane or known floor level
  • Occlusion checks and edge refinement

Cut/Fill

  • Surface-to-surface (existing vs. design)
  • Interval progress against baseline
  • Grid/sectional summaries by area

QA Comparisons

  • Check lines/points and residuals
  • Alternative method cross-checks
  • Variance flags and reason codes

Workflow

  1. Scope & references — design/baseline and naming conventions
  2. Control & safety — site control, access, and traffic planning
  3. Acquisition — UAV/mobile LiDAR or imagery
  4. Processing — classification, breaklines, and surface build
  5. Computation — toeing, base, and cut/fill calculations
  6. QA/QC — checks, exceptions, and variance commentary
  7. Handover — reports, data packages, and dashboards

Technology

Sensors & Survey

  • UAV/mobile LiDAR; high-res RGB
  • GNSS RTK/PPK and total station checks
  • SLAM for GNSS-challenged areas

Computation Methods

Surface vs. surface Design vs. existing Best-fit base plane Toe breaklines Cut/fill grids Bathymetric merge

File Support

DWG/DXF LandXML LAS/LAZ CSV/XLSX GeoTIFF PDF

Standards & QA

QA/QC

  • Control summary and calibration notes
  • Check lines/points and residual stats
  • Repeatability and method comparison

Documentation

  • Assumptions, base definitions, and dates
  • Change log and versioning for audits
  • Signed deliverables upon request

Presentation

  • Colorized cut/fill maps and callouts
  • Pile labels and sections
  • Area-based breakdowns and charts
  • 3D mesh model

FAQ

We typically use a best-fit base plane or known floor elevation. For irregular settings, we model toes with breaklines and enforce surface edges to avoid under/over-counting.
Yes—our interval surveys produce consistent surfaces. We include per-phase summaries that can be reconciled with weigh tickets or production logs.
We segment with crest lines and separation breaklines, and provide both individual pile volumes and site totals for transparency.

Need certified volumes or cut/fill tracking?

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