Task
Measure a volume
Measure the material between the surface and a base level that you choose — a deposit, a stockpile, scour or erosion.
FindMeasureVolume
A volume is the gap between the captured surface and a base that you assume. The base is your choice, and it changes the answer without changing the concrete — so choose it deliberately. To measure concrete missing from a sound face, use the 3D defect tool instead: see Measure missing concrete.
To measure a volume
Section titled “To measure a volume”-
On the toolbar, click Measure ▸ Volume.
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Click points round the edge of the volume, and close the outline: click the first point, press Enter or double-click.
The outline must be at least 10 cm across.
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Correct the outline if you need to: drag, click the outline to add a point, double-click a point to remove it.
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In the Measurement panel, in Against, select the base surface.
Triangulated (oriented) is the default. Click ? to compare all the base surfaces in diagrams; choosing one there applies it. See Volume base surfaces.
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If you selected Flat custom (horizontal), enter the level in Altitude (m).
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Click Measure volume.
The status line says that the surface inside the outline is being traced. When it has finished, the volume figures appear in the panel.
Results on ground
Section titled “Results on ground”| Figure | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Volume (Cut) | Material above the base — what would be dug out |
| Volume (Fill) | Space below the base with no material in it — what would be filled in |
| Volume (Net) | Cut minus fill |
Cut and fill are always both reported: a real surface is rarely entirely on one side of a level.
Results on a wall
Section titled “Results on a wall”When the outline is on a near-vertical face, the tool measures square to the plane through the points you traced, and says so in its rows:
| Figure | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Proud of the plane | Material standing out in front of that plane |
| Recessed behind it | Material set back behind it — a recess, a niche, a blockout |
| Net (proud − recessed) | The first minus the second. Positive means it stands proud overall |
To see how finely the volume was measured
Section titled “To see how finely the volume was measured”-
In the Measurement panel, click Explain.
A note says the grid the surface was sampled on, and how much of the outline had no surface — for example, past the edge of the model. That part is not counted in the volume.