GENERAL METHODS OF DETERMINING VOLUMES

There are three methods generally adopted for measuring the volume. They are:

1. FROM CROSS SECTIONS:

This is employed for computation of volumes for building earthwork, highways, railways and
canals. Here a series of cross sections are taken along the length of the line at the regular
intervals. These are obtained by measurements in the field. The cross sections are plotted on a
sheet and over the cross section design templates are superimposed. The difference in the two
areas will be the amount of cut or fill.

The following five types of cross sections generally occur in practice:

a. Level Section:

When the ground is level along the transverse direction-

Here, h1 = h2 = h

b
And w1 = w2 = w =  nh
2

b  (b  2nh)
So, Cross sectional area = h
2

 b  nh  h

Md. Hamidul Islam, Lecturer, Department of Building Engineering & Construction Management, KUET
 b. Two Level Section:

Let O be the point on the center line at which the two side slopes intersect.

BH : HO  n : 1
b
 HO 
2n

Then area DCEBA = DCO  ECO  ABO

1 b b b2
 {(h  ) w2  (h  ) w1  }
2 2n 2n 2n
2
b b
 ((w1  w2 )(h  )  )                    1
2n 2n

The formula can also be expressed in terms of h1 and h2.

Then area DCEBA = DAH  EBH  DCH  ECH

Md. Hamidul Islam, Lecturer, Department of Building Engineering & Construction Management, KUET
 1 b b
 ( h2  h1  hw1  hw2 )
2 2 2
1 b
 ( (h1  h2 )  h(w1  w2 ))                      2
2 2

The above expression is independent of m and n. Let us, now find the expression for w1, w2, h1
and h2 in terms of b, h, m and n.

BJ = nh1

b
Also, BJ = HJ – HB = w1 –
2

b
 nh1  w1                         (i )
2

Also, w1 = (h1 – h) m                      (ii )

Substituting the value of w1 in (i), we get,

b
nh1  (h1  h)m 
2
b
h1 (m  n)  mh 
2

m b
h1  (h  )
mn 2m

Substituting the value of h1 in (i), we get

b b mn b
w1   nh1   (h  )
2 2 mn 2m

Proceeding in similar manner, it can be shown that

m b
h2  (h  )
mn 2m

b mn b
And w2   (h  )
2 mn 2m

Substituting the values of w1 and w2 in equation (1) and simplifying, we get

Md. Hamidul Islam, Lecturer, Department of Building Engineering & Construction Management, KUET
 m 2n b b2
Area  2 (h  ) 
m  n2 2n 4n

Similarly, substituting the values of w1, w2, h1 and h2 in equation (2), we get

2
b

n   m 2 bh  nh 2
2

Area =   2
m  n2  

c. Three Level Section:

Let 1 in m1 be the transverse slope of the ground to one side and 1 in m2 be the slope to the other
side of the center line of the cross section.

The expression for w1, w2, h1, and h2 can be derived in the similar way as for two level sections.

b
w1   nh1
2

w1  m1 h1  h 

w1
 h1  h  
m1

Md. Hamidul Islam, Lecturer, Department of Building Engineering & Construction Management, KUET
 w1
 h1  h
m1

b w 
So, w1   n 1  h 
2  m1 

m  n b
 w1  1    nh
 m 1  2

m1  b 
 w1    nh 
m1  n  2 

m2  b 
Similarly, w2    nh 
m2  n  2 

w1
Again, h1  h 
m1

w2
h2  h 
m2

Then, area ABECD = AHD  BHE  CDH  CEH

1  b  b 
  h2     h2    hw2  hw1 
2  2  2 
b h 
  h1  h2   w1  w2 
4 2 

Md. Hamidul Islam, Lecturer, Department of Building Engineering & Construction Management, KUET