Cross section of an Embankment (not to scale)

GL FL

100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00
99.00
98.00 98.00

97.80
Level

97.20

95.40 95.40
95.70

95.60

95.40
95.40

95.10

95.00
3.00 5.00 7.00 8.00 10.00 11.00 13.00 16.00 22.20
-7.00 -5.00 -3.00 -2.00 0.00 1.00 3.00 6.00 12.20
Distance
 Distance Ground Level Formation Level
-7.00 3.00 98.00 98.00 0.00
-5.00 5.00 97.20 99.00 1.80 2.00
-3.00 7.00 95.70 100.00 4.30 2.00
-2.00 8.00 95.40 100.00 4.60 1.00
0.00 10.00 95.60 100.00 4.40 2.00
1.00 11.00 95.10 100.00 4.90 1.00
3.00 13.00 95.40 100.00 4.60 2.00
6.00 16.00 95.00 97.80 2.80 3.00
12.20 22.20 95.40 95.40 0.00 6.20
19.20

2.8 0 6.2
8.680
 2.7 3.00 -7.00
3.05 6.00 -4.00
4.45 7.00 -3.00
9 8.00 -2.00
4.65 10.00 0.00
9.5 11.00 1.00
11.1 13.00 3.00
8.68 16.00 6.00
53.130 22.20 12.20
 An example with numerical values

Calculation of area by ordinate method.

[1/2{( 98.00 – 98.00) + ( 99.00 – 97.20)}x ( 5.00 – 3.00)] = 1.80

[1/2{( 99.00 – 97.20) + ( 100.00 – 95.70)}x ( 7.00 – 5.00)] = 6.10

[1/2{( 100.00 – 995.70) + ( 100.00 – 95.40)}x ( 8.00 – 7.00)] = 4.45

.
[1/2{( 100.00 – 95.40) + (100.00 – 95.60)}x ( 10.00 – 8.00)] = 9.00

[1/2{( 100.00 – 95.60) + ( 100.00 – 95.10)}x ( 11.00 – 10.00)] = 4.65

[1/2{( 100.00 – 95.10) + ( 100.00 – 95.40)}x ( 13.00 – 11.00)] = 9.50

[1/2{( 100.00 – 95.40) + ( 97.80 – 95.00)}x ( 16.00 – 13.00)] = 11.10

[1/2{( 97.80 – 95.00) + ( 95.40 – 95.40)}x ( 22.20 – 16.00)] = 8.68

Total Area = 55.28 Sq units
Formula of calculation in Excel sheet
P1=B1xC2+C1xD2+D1xE2+E1xF2+F1xG2+G1xH2+H1xI2+I1xJ2+J1xK2+K1xL2+L1xM2+M1xN2+N1xO2.
P2=B2xC1+C2xD1+D2xE1+E2xF1+F2xG1+G2xH1+H2xI1+I2xJ1+J2xK1+K2xL1+L2xM1+M2xN1+N2xO1.
Area = 1/2 ( P1 - P2)

Calculation of area by 2nd method in XL as explained earlier.

Distances taken from a known reference as zero & entered in clockwise
AREA -55.280 direction.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P
1 Distance 3.00 5.00 7.00 13.00 16.00 22.20 16.00 13.00 11.00 10.00 8.00 7.00 5.00 3.00 13108.100
2 Level 98.00 99.00 100.00 100.00 97.80 95.40 95.00 95.40 95.10 95.60 95.40 95.70 97.20 98.00 13218.660

AREA -55.280 Distances taken left and right from centre line of cross section taken as zero &
entered in clock wise direction.

Distance -7.00 -5.00 -3.00 3.00 6.00 12.20 6.00 3.00 1.00 0.00 -2.00 -3.00 -5.00 -7.00 512.100
Level 98.00 99.00 100.00 100.00 97.80 95.40 95.00 95.40 95.10 95.60 95.40 95.70 97.20 98.00 622.660

AREA 55.280 Distances taken from a known reference as zero & entered in anticlockwise
direction.

Distance 3.00 5.00 7.00 8.00 10.00 11.00 13.00 16.00 22.20 16.00 13.00 7.00 5.00 3.00 13218.660
Level 98.00 97.20 95.70 95.40 95.60 95.10 95.40 95.00 95.40 97.80 100.00 100.00 99.00 98.00 13108.100

AREA 55.280 Distances taken left and right from centre line of cross section taken as zero &
entered in anticlock wise direction.

Distance -7.00 -5.00 -3.00 -2.00 0.00 1.00 3.00 6.00 12.20 6.00 3.00 -3.00 -5.00 -7.00 622.660
Level 98.00 97.20 95.70 95.40 95.60 95.10 95.40 95.00 95.40 97.80 100.00 100.00 99.00 98.00 512.100

Note :- Depending on the recording of readings towards clock wise or anti clock wise direction, value of area
gives either '+' ve or '-' ve.In case of '-' ve sign , sign is to be neglected.
 3

Theoretical proof of area of a polygon or closed traverse

( X2,Y2 ) ( X3,Y3 )

( X4,Y4 )
( X1,Y1 )

( X5,Y5 )

1. Area of a Polygon.(trepezium method):

1/2 [{( Y1 + Y2) x ( X2 - X1) + ( Y2 + Y3) x ( X3 - X2) + (Y3 + Y4) x (X4 - X3)} - {(Y1 + Y5) x
(X5 - X1)+(Y4 + Y5) x (X4-X5)}]

1/2 (X2Y1 + X2Y2 - X1Y1 - X1Y2 + X3Y2 + X3Y3 - X2Y2 - X2Y3 + X4Y3 + X4Y4 - X3Y3 - X3Y4 - X5Y1 - X5Y5 +
X1Y1 + X1Y5 - X4Y4 - X4Y5 + X5Y4 + X5Y5)

1/2 (X2Y1 - X1Y2 + X3Y2 - X2Y3 + X4Y3 - X3Y4 - X5Y1 + X1Y5 - X4Y5 + X5Y4)

1/2 ( - X1Y2 + X1Y5 + X2Y1 - X2Y3 + X3Y2 - X3Y4 + X4Y3 - X4Y5 - X5Y1 + X5Y4)

1/2 {X1(Y5 - Y2) + X2(Y1 - Y3) + X3(Y2 - Y4) + X4(Y3 - Y5) + X5(Y4 - Y1)} Eq 1.

2. Theoretical proof of calculation of area of a polygon by its co-odinates.

X-axis X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 X1

Y-axis Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Y1

Area = 1/2 ( å X2 Y1 - å X1 Y2)

1/2 { ( X2Y1 + X3Y2+ X4Y3 + X5Y4+ X1Y5 ) + ( - X1Y2 - X2Y3 - X3Y4 - X4Y5 - X5Y1) }

1/2 {X1(Y5 - Y2) + X2(Y1 - Y3) + X3(Y2 - Y4) + X4(Y3 - Y5) + X5(Y4 - Y1)} Eq 2.

Since Eq1. & Eq2. are same, the summation of cross multiplication of ordinates and 1/2
of their difference will exactly give the area.
By using this principle areas of cross sections can be calculated with utmost ease.
 This is as simple as this

( 2,5 ) ( 6,5 )

3 units

4 units
( 2,2 ) ( 6,2 )

1. Area of Rectangle.

4x3=12 sq units

2. Theoretical proof of calculation of area of a closed traverse by its latitudes & departur

X- Co-
2 2 6 6
Ordinate

Y- Co-
2 5 5 2
Ordinate

Area = 1/2 [{( å 2x5, 2x5, 6x2,6x2)-( å 2x2, 5x6, 5x6,2x2) } ]

Area = 1/2 [{( 10+10+12+12)-( 4+30+30+4) } ]

Area = 1/2 ( 44-68)

Area = 12 sq units
latitudes & departures.

2
 An example with numerical values

Calculation of area by ordinate method.

[1/2{( 98.00 – 98.00) + ( 99.00 – 97.20)}x ( 5.00 – 3.00)] = 1.80

[1/2{( 99.00 – 97.20) + ( 100.00 – 95.70)}x ( 7.00 – 5.00)] = 6.10

[1/2{( 100.00 – 995.70) + ( 100.00 – 95.40)}x ( 8.00 – 7.00)] = 4.45

.
[1/2{( 100.00 – 95.40) + (100.00 – 95.60)}x ( 10.00 – 8.00)] = 9.00

[1/2{( 100.00 – 95.60) + ( 100.00 – 95.10)}x ( 11.00 – 10.00)] = 4.65

[1/2{( 100.00 – 95.10) + ( 100.00 – 95.40)}x ( 13.00 – 11.00)] = 9.50

[1/2{( 100.00 – 95.40) + ( 97.80 – 95.00)}x ( 16.00 – 13.00)] = 11.10

[1/2{( 97.80 – 95.00) + ( 95.40 – 95.40)}x ( 22.20 – 16.00)] = 8.68

Total Area = 55.28

Calculation of area by 2nd method in XL as explained earlier.

AREA 55.280 Distances taken from a known reference as zero

A B C D E F G H I J K L
1 Distance 3.00 5.00 7.00 13.00 16.00 22.20 16.00 13.00 11.00 10.00 8.00 7.00 5.00 3.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 13108.100
2 Level 98.00 99.00 100.00 100.00 97.80 95.40 95.00 95.40 95.10 95.60 95.40 95.70 97.20 98.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 13218.660

AREA 55.280 Distances taken left and right from centre line of cross section taken as zero.

Distance -7.00 -5.00 -3.00 3.00 6.00 12.20 6.00 3.00 1.00 0.00 -2.00 -3.00 -5.00 -7.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 512.100
Level 98.00 99.00 100.00 100.00 97.80 95.40 95.00 95.40 95.10 95.60 95.40 95.70 97.20 98.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 622.660

By R.D.Umamaheswara Rao. AXEN/C/CTC.