Grid Volumes From Boundaries
Command Licensing and Default Menu Location
- The Grid Volumes From Boundaries command is part of the RPS Modeling Toolbox
- The command is located on the Modeling macros menu ribbon
- The command is located in the Reports menu group
Command Description
Computes the volumes between two selected surfaces and within multiple selected boundaries using the grid volume method. The computations are extremely fast, even with a small defined grid interval. This tool is ideal to rapidly compute volumes on projects as an interim step prior to final results using the TIN surface method.
Command History
July 2025 - updated the command to label grid cell and boundary volumes, and add the ability to create a point at the centroid of each grid cell for the lowest, highest, average elevation point. Also enhanced the excel output to support the new Excel Templates and better formatting of the output. Added the ability to apply Shrink / Swell and Loose Haul Bulking factors to enable reports of adjusted cut, adjusted balance and Loose Haul numbers for Cut and Borrow / Waste.
The command has been updated to fully support the use of Reference Surfaces introduced in TBC v5.60.
Command Training Video
The following video shows how to utilize the Grid Volumes From Boundaries command
Command Interface Description
The Grid Volumes From Boundaries command dialog looks as follows
Select surfaces or Select reference cut fill map:
The command can be executed by either selecting two surfaces from which the cut fill volumes will be derived, or a reference cut fill map that has already been computed, and that provides the color coded cut fill map, over which the volumes by boundary will be overlaid.
When select surfaces is chosen, select your Initial and Final surfaces from the pull down lists of surfaces.
When reference CF map is chosen. select the cut fill map that you wish yo use for the calculations.
Orthogonal Grid or Alignment Grid selection
When doing grid cell volumes, you can select whether you use a regular N-S, W-E grid (Orthogonal) or a Station / Offset (Alignment) grid for the calculations.
When you choose Alignment Grid, select your reference alignment from the pull down list of alignments.
Boundary lines or Boundary grid cells selection
You can choose between selecting any number of irregular or polygonal boundaries or using a grid cell method of computation e.g. a 100 x 100 grid cell array covering the entire site.
When you select Boundaries, select the boundaries that you wish to use for the calculations. Each boundary will be computed as a separate volume and will be reported and labeled accordingly. Note, make sure that your boundary lines are named for report clarity purposes.
When you select Boundary grid cells, enter the Grid cell size e.g. 100 ft (100x100 cells), the grid direction e.g. 90 degrees for a W - E aligned grid, and the Volume grid size e.g. 2 ft (2x2 grid cells for the volume calculations within each boundary or cell).
Apply shrink / swell factor to cut numbers checkbox
When checked, you can enter a shrink swell factor e.g. 0.85 for a 15% shrinkage of cut when taken from native in ground cut to placed compacted fill. This will do the following in the volume calculations
- You will see a Cut Number
- You will see an Adjusted Cut Number (Cut x Shrink / Swell Factor)
- You will see that the Balance Number is computed using Adjusted Cut - Fill
Compute loose haulage numbers checkbox
When checked, you can enter a Haul Bulking factor e.g. 1.12 for a 12% expansion of material when you extract Native Cut and place it in a truck or scraper for haulage purposes. This will do the following in the volume calculations
- You will see a Loose Haul Cut number - this is the Cut x Haul Bulking factor
- You will see a Loose Haul Waste / Borrow Number - this is the Balance Number (computed as compacted placed fill) / Shrink Factor x Haul Bulking factor to provide an accurate estimate of the loose haul volumes for the Waste or Borrow material created or required on the project.
Report area checkbox
If you want to report the areas of the surface within each boundary / grid cell, check this checkbox. leave the checkbox unchecked if you just want to report the Cut / Fill volumes only.
Save grid cells checkbox
The process computes the volumes for each defined boundary or each defined grid cell. If you wish to save the boxes that define each grid cell, check this checkbox. Note, this setting is only applicable to calculations using the Boundary grid cells method.
Save computed grids checkbox
The process uses grid volume calculation methods to determine the cut / fill volumes. If you wish to retain all of the calculated grid cell volumes in the project check this checkbox, these can be clicked on and queried from the View Filter Manager - Stored Measurements section.
File name
The process will generate an Excel spreadsheet output as a report, click here to enter the file name and select a storage location for the file.
Volume labels checkbox
If you wish to generate a label at the centroid of each volume boundary or grid cell boundary, check this checkbox. The label will include the Cut, Fill and Balance volume numbers.
Change plot scale button (and displayed current plot scale)
The labels are generated using a text style, and the text Style, if defined in Sheet Units uses the Plot Scale to determine the height of the text on the drawing. The current plot scale is displayed, click the button if you wish to change the plot scale at this point of the process. For example if your text style is defined as 0.04" in sheet units, and your plot scale is 125 scale, then the text height will be 5’ in the plan view graphics after generation.
Label text style
Text styles are defined in the RPS Text Style Manager command. Select the text style that you want to use for your volume labels on the drawing. The text style defines the font, text height and text height units, and ultimately dictates the look and feel of your final drawing deliverables.
Text orientation - Perpendicular or Parallel selection
Select parallel if you want your text labels aligned either W-E, or parallel to the X axis of the grid or selected alignment. Select perpendicular if you want your text labels aligned either S-N, or perpendicular to the X axis of the grid or selected alignment.
Create 3D points checkbox
This option was added to facilitate the computation of the Lowest, Highest or Average Elevation of each grid cell / boundary area and create a 3D point at the centroid of the cell or boundary area. The use case for this was to provide a drilling point in each grid cell, with an elevation of the lowest point in the cell, that could be provided to a soil driller to drill to that depth in order to determine the types and depths of contamination to be found in that cell on a contaminated land project.
Elevation reference - Low point, High point, or Average
When the create 3D points checkbox is enabled, select the elevation reference that you want to apply to the centroid points (normally the low point).
Apply
Click the Apply button to execute the process and generate the volume reports and grids / labels in your drawing area. On completion, the command readies itself for a further execution.
Results pane reports
The results of the calculations are formatted and displayed in the results pane of the dialog.
Switch command
The Switch command button provides the ability to close the current command, close all running commands, or to switch to other running commands in the command stack. You can also press the ESC key on your keyboard to open the switch command list of running commands by your current cursor position. You can press the ESC key twice to close the current command and expose the next command in the command stack.
Header bar commands
In the header of the currently operating command, you will see command icons that provide access to other command that you may need while executing the current command. The Grid Volumes by Boundary command offers the following commands in the Command Header bar
- Command Help
- RPS Settings
- PDF Manager
- CAD Cleanup
- Smart Select
- Smart Draw
- Smart Edit
- Smart Elevate
- Smart Model
- Volumes Manager
- Create Boundary
- Create Quick Contours
- RPS Paste
- Leader Lines
Command Tips
The command tips area of the dialog provides access to the help document for the command (this document) in addition to any other useful tips that you may need to know while running this command.
Use Case Videos
The following videos show the use of the Grid Volumes From Boundaries command in a work process context
Feedback and Enhancement Requests
If you would like to provide feedback on the use of the Grid Volumes From Boundaries command or to request enhancements or improvements to the command please click Reply below.