Volumes and Areas

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Volumes and Areas

The Grid | Volume command is used to compute net volumes, cut and fill volumes, planar areas, and surface areas. The
computation results are displayed in the grid volume report. The results can be saved as an ASCII text file, in Rich Text
Format, or can be pasted into the clipboard.
Volume calculations are performed on solids defined by an upper and lower surface. The upper and lower surfaces are
defined by a grid file or a plane of constant Z level. When two grid files are specified for the upper and lower surfaces, the
grid files must have the same number of rows and columns and the same X and Y limits. The upper surface does not have
to be above the lower surface at all points; the upper surface may dip below the lower surfaces in some locations. Blanked
regions on either the upper or the lower surface are excluded from consideration during the volume calculations.
Volume results are provided in cubic units based on the units of the input grid file.

Volume Accuracy Example

This grid has a highly irregular surface and

is a poor candidate for volume calculations.

These two grids are based on the same data but created at different grid densities.
The grid on the right is a better candidate for obtaining accurate volume
information because it is a much more smooth and dense grid.

Volume calculations are generated for each grid cell. In areas where the surface is tilted at the top or bottom of a grid cell,
Surfer approximates the volume of the prism at the top or bottom of the grid cell column. For very coarse grids, the prisms
can contain a significant volume. Volume calculations become more accurate as the density of the grid is increased
because the relative size of the prisms is reduced compared to the size of the associated column. Grids with significant
"noise" or with highly irregular surfaces are poor candidates for volume calculations.

Calculating Volumes and Areas

Use the Grid | Volume command to calculate net volumes, cut and fill volumes, planar areas, and surface areas.

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1.

Click the Grid | Volume command.

2.

In the Open Grid dialog, specify the name of the grid file to use in the volume and area calculations. This can be the
grid file for either the upper or the lower surface.

3.

Click OK and the Grid Volume dialog is displayed. The specified grid file is shown for both the upper and lower surface.

4.

Specify the Upper Surface and Lower Surface parameters.

The
button displays information about the grid file used in the volume calculations. The information includes
the grid size, the minimum and maximum XYZ values contained in the grid file, and statistics. If the grid file is large,
click OK in the message box that appears to create a detailed grid report or click the Cancel button to create a
shorter, less detailed grid report.
The Grid File option is used to specify a grid to use as the upper or lower surface. To use the grid file for the
surface, click the Grid File option. To change the grid file for either the upper or lower surface, click the Grid File
option and click the

button to select another grid file.

The Constant option is used to specify the level of the planar surface to use as the upper or lower surface. Specify
the level of the planar surface by entering the value into the Z = box. The specified value is in Z data units.
5.

If the X, Y, and Z units are different, the resulting volume calculations are meaningless. If, for example, your XY values
are in meters but your Z values are in feet, the volume results are square meters times feet, rather than cubic units. Z
Scale Factor can be used to adjust for this problem. In this example, setting the Z Scale Factor to 0.3048 (number of
meters in a foot) results in cubic meters for volume calculations. You will need to know the conversion factor to use this
field.

6.

Click OK in the Grid Volume dialog and the results are displayed in a report.

7.

Click File | Save As to save the report, or you can copy the information to the clipboard and paste it into another
application.

Use the Grid | Volume command to calculate net volumes, cut and fill volumes, planar areas, and surface areas.

Grid Volume Dialog

Click the Grid | Volume command to open the Open Grid dialog. Select a grid file and click Open to open the Grid
Volume dialog.

Specify grid volume options in the Grid Volume dialog.

Upper Surface and Lower Surface Grid Information
The
button displays information about the grid file used in the volume calculations. The information includes the grid
size, the minimum and maximum X, Y, and Z values contained in the grid file, and statistics. If the grid file is large, click OK
in the message box that appears to create a detailed grid report or click Cancel to create a shorter, less detailed grid report.
Grid File
The Grid File option is used to specify a grid to use as the upper or lower surface. To use the grid file for the surface, click

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the Grid File option. To change the grid file for either the upper or lower surface, click the Grid File option, and then click the
button to open the Open Grid dialog. Select another grid file and click the Open button. The new grid file is now
displayed in the Grid File box.
Constant Z
The Constant option is used to specify the level of the planar surface to use as the upper or lower surface. Specify the level
of the planar surface by entering the value into the Z = box. The specified value is in Z data units.
Units
If the X, Y, and Z units are different, the resulting volume calculations are meaningless. If, for example, your X, Y values are
in meters but your Z values are in feet, the volume results are square meters times feet, rather than cubic units. Z Scale
Factor can be used to adjust for this problem. In this example, setting the Z Scale Factor to 0.3048 (number of meters in a
foot) results in cubic meters for volume calculations. You will need to know the conversion factor to use this field.
3
A grid with X, Y, and Z units in feet, the units for the results are: Net Volume = (feet * feet * feet) or ft .
Grid Report
Click OK in the Grid Volume dialog and the results are displayed in the Grid Volume Report. Use File | Save As to save
the report, or you can copy the information to the clipboard and paste it into another application.

See Also
Introduction to Volumes, Areas, Cross Sections
Calculating the Volume of a Lake
Calculating the Volume of a Blanked Grid
Calculating the Volume between Two Surfaces
Grid Volume Report
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