Chapter 8

Areas, Volumes, and Mass

Diagrams

RABIH DAGHER, M.S.

CIE361 : Surveying
LAU
 Length Computation
Circumference of a circle = π D = 2πr
Length of an arc of a circle is proportional to
its central angle
α L
=
360 2πr
Where,
r=radius(1/2 diameter)
D=diameter
α=central angle

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Sample Problem #1
Given: The following two shapes.
Find the perimeter.
Solution:

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 Methods of Measuring Area
Field Measurements
More accurate than map
measurements
Types of Field Measurements:
1- division of the tract into simple
figures (rectangles, triangles and
trapezoids),
2- offsets from a straight line,
3- coordinates (criss-cross), and
4- double meridian distances (DMD)
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Map Measurements
Accuracy depends on:
a) quality of surveying data used
to produce maps
b) map scale
c)precision of the drafting process
Types of Map Measurements:
1- counting coordinates squares,
2- dividing area into triangles,
rectangles, etc,
3- digitizing coordinates, and
4- planimeter
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 Methods of Measuring Area
Example of counting
squares

English and Metric Units

for Areas
US System-English System Metric System
1 acre = 43,560 ft2 1 hectare = 10000 m2
= 10 ch2 (Gunter’s) = 2.471 acres

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 Methods of Measuring Area
Area by division into triangles and other shapes:
- The area of a triangle whose sides are known:
Area = s ( s − a )( s − b)( s − c)

Where: a, b, and c are sides of the triangle

a+b+c
s=
2

- Cosine rule:

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Sample Problem #2
Given: The following two shapes.
Find the area of the two shaded figures.
Solution:

πD 2
Area = = πr 2
4

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Sample Problem #3
Given: I) Find the area of a triangle with sides 18ft., 12ft. And 10 ft.
II) Find the cross-section area of a ditch of trapezoidal cross section with
top width of 28 ft., bottom width of 4 ft. and depth of 6 ft.
Solution:

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 Areas of Portions of a Circle
Area#1 : A = T × R
RL R 2 ( Sin∆)
Area#2 :A= 2 − 2
R 2 ( Sin∆)
Area#3 :A= 2
RL
Area#4 : A = TR − ( 2
)

R 2 ( Sin∆)
Area#5 : A = TR − 2
h
Area#6 : A = 2 ( L1 + L2 )
R
Area#7 : A = ( )L
2
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 Area by Offsets from Straight Lines
Irregular tracts can be reduced to a series of
trapezoids:

h0 hn
Area = b( + h1 + h2 + ... + )
2 2

Application example: Highway Profile

What is the area shown in this figure?

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Area by Offsets from Straight Lines

1
Area = [a (h0 + h1 ) + b(h1 + h2 ) + c(h2 + h3 ) + ...]
2

Application
example:

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 Area by Double-Meridian-Distance
method (DMD)
Requires the balanced departures and latitudes
This method produces twice the area
To ease the problem of signs, a reference meridian
usually is placed through the most westerly traverse
station.
To calculate DMD for a closed traverse:
1. The DMD of the first course is its departure
2. The DMD of all following courses equals to the DMD of the preceding course plus
the departure of the preceding course plus the departure of the course itself
3. The DMD of the last course equals its departure with opposite sign
4. If the reference meridian is passed through the most westerly station the
computations are easier and all DMD are positive

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 Area by Meridian-Distance method
(MD)

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Sample problem: Area by DMD
Given: A traverse with the following information.
Find: The area by DMD method?

Line Bearing Distance (ft) Latitude Departure

North South East West
AB N 65°04’W 560.27 236.11 -507.97
BC S 30°14’W 484.14 -418.39 -243.72
CD S 84°33’E 375.42 -35.71 373.77
DE S 48°13’E 311.44 -207.56 232.27
EA N 18°53’E 449.83 425.55 145.65
∑ 661.66 -661.66 751.69 -751.69

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 Area by coordinates (Criss-cross)
The coordinate method requires the coordinates after the balanced
departures and latitudes have been completed
This method also produces twice the area; therefore, the answer
should be divided by 2 to obtain the area
Calculation involves finding the areas of trapezoids

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 Area by coordinates (Criss-cross)
A negative sign during calculations is of no concern since the
total area will always be positive
Negative coordinates must be entered with their signs
Y1 Y2 Y3 Yn Y1
X1 X2 X3 Xn X1

Note: the first two coordinates must be repeated at the end.

Area=1/2[(X1Y2+X2Y3+……+XnY1) –(Y1X2+Y2X3+……+YnX1)]

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Sample Problem: Area by Coordinates Method
Given: A traverse with the following information. Assume Point A
has (0,0) coordinates.
Find: The area by Coordinates method?

Line Latitude Departure Point Y X

North South East West A 0.0 0.0
AB 236.11 -507.97 B +236.11 -507.97
BC -418.39 -243.72 C -182.28 -751.69
CD -35.71 373.77 D -217.99 -377.92
DE -207.56 232.27 E -425.55 -145.65
EA 425.55 145.65 A 0.0 0.0
∑ 661.66 -661.66 751.69 -751.69

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 Measurement of area by planimeter
Planimeter is a measuring device where the area can
be calculated by tracing the boundaries of the area
Planimeters:
◦ Are excellent tools to use when you measure irregular shaped areas
◦ Eliminate the need for grids, charts, or calculations done by hand
◦ There are 2 types of planimetera: mechanical and electronic

The precision depends on operator skill and

accuracy of the plotted map

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Sample problem: Area by planimeter
Given: The area of a lake is obtained by planimeter as 10 in2 on a
map with a scale of 1:50,000
Find: what is the area covered by the lake in square miles?

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 Methods of Volume Measurement
Cross-section method Unit area (borrow-pit) Contour-area method
 Consists of measuring  Area is divided into 10,  Volumes based on
ground elevations 20, 50, 100 feet squares contours can be obtained
 Areas (end areas) are  Using level, obtain from contour maps by
calculated at certain elevations of corner points planimetering the area
locations of each square enclosed by each contour
 Volumes can be Then, average the and multiplying the
calculated by: elevations and multiply by average of areas by the
square area contour intervals
1. Average-end-area
formula
2. Prismoidal formula
3. Pyramid formula

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 Volumes by Cross-section Method
Average-End-Area Method:
◦ Gives approximate and larger volumes
◦ Ignores slopes and orientation of the ends and sides
◦ Favors contractors
◦ Increased accuracy is achieved by decreasing distance between areas (L)

A1 + A2 L
V= × ( yd 3 )
2 27
A1 + A2
V= ×L (m3 )
2
 Volumes by Cross-section Method
Prismoidal Method:
◦ Gives more accurate and less volumes than Average-end-area
◦ Favors owner
◦ Difference between volumes (end-area and prismoidal) is called the prismoidal
correction

( A1 + 4 Am + A2 ) L
V= × ( yd 3 )
6 27
( A1 + 4 Am + A2 )
V= ×L (m3 )
6

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 Volumes by Cross-section Method
Pyramid Method:
◦ Used when one end area is small compared to the other area (about 5% or less)
◦ If one end area is not zero, truncated pyramid is used

ABase × L 1
Vpyramid = × ( yd 3 )
3 27
L 1
Vtruncated pyramid = (T + B + T × B ) × ( yd 3 )
3 27

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Sample problem: Volume Computation
Given: The following data of the cross section for a roadway is given in the following table

Station Cut (ft2) Fill (ft2)

1+00 0 50
2+00 250 70
3+00 100 0

Find: The amount of imported borrow (deficit) or waste (excess) using the average end area
method?

Find: The amount of imported borrow (deficit) or waste (excess) using the pyramid method when
applicable?

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 Volumes by Contour Area Method
Example:
◦ Area within 10-ft contour = 19,400 ft2
◦ Area within 20-ft contour = 16,400 ft2
◦ Volume based on the contour-area?

(19,400 + 16,400) 10
V= ×
2 27
V = 6629.63 ( yd 3 )

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