Measurement And Analysis

Use AVAG’s measurement tools to calculate volumes, compare surveys, and inspect elevation changes.

Select a shape on the map or in Measurements to open its details. Generated cut/fill maps are available under Cut/Fill Maps in the sidebar. See Drawing Tools for creating and editing shapes.

Make your measurements visible

Both the measurement’s folder and the individual measurement must be switched on. Click the folder icon in Measurements to toggle folder visibility, then check the shape’s individual checkbox.

An individually hidden shape remains hidden when its folder is switched on. A new measurement drawn into a hidden folder also remains invisible until the folder is switched on. Selecting or editing it does not override this setting.

Volume calculations

A polygon defines the calculation boundary. Draw or select a polygon, then locate Measure volume in its detail panel.

The calculation requires elevation data. You do not need to display the DSM’s color overlay to use that data.

Single dataset: surface to base surface

With one dataset active, AVAG calculates the volume between its elevation surface and a chosen base surface.

Base surface	Description
Triangulated	A triangulated base across the polygon boundary.
Lowest point	A horizontal base using the lowest elevation.
Highest point	A horizontal base using the highest elevation.
Average point	A horizontal base using the average elevation.
Custom	A fixed elevation you enter.

Choose the appropriate method and click Execute. The button identifies the layer being used; check this before calculating.

Compare two datasets

With two datasets active, AVAG calculates the difference between their elevation surfaces within the polygon. Use this for surveys from different dates or for a surveyed surface and a design surface.

The Execute button identifies both layers. Check their identifiers and comparison order. Enable Also generate cut/fill map if you want a visual map alongside the results.

Read the results

The detail panel shows the layers used, calculation time, and results:

Fill: calculated fill volume.
Cut: calculated cut volume.
Total: net volume, calculated as fill minus cut.
Fill Area: area associated with fill.
Cut Area: area associated with cut.
Area: the polygon’s horizontal area.

Volumes use cubic meters (m³); areas use square meters (m²).

Understand surface areas

Layer Surface Area is calculated from the DSM and accounts for surface variations within the polygon.

Polygon 3D Area measures the polygon’s own geometry in three-dimensional space. It does not necessarily follow the DSM between its vertices.

The two values can differ because the terrain contains variations that the polygon’s geometry does not capture.

Adjust the calculation boundary

Select the polygon and unlock it using the lock control or U. Hold and drag a vertex to move it, click an edge to add a vertex, or double-click a vertex to delete it. Lock the polygon when finished.

Run the calculation again after changing the boundary so the results you use correspond to the revised area.

Export a report

Use Export protocol to prepare a PDF report. Review the map preview and generated report before sharing it. See Data Export for the protocol workflow and available export options.

Elevation profiles and cross-sections

Select a line or arc. Both support elevation profiles along the path and cross-sections across it.

Elevation profile

Set Elevation profile resolution in meters, then click Generate. A smaller interval provides more detailed sampling.

The chart shows elevation along the path, with separate colored profiles for active layers. Hover over it to inspect values; the corresponding profile position is linked to the map views. A dash (–) indicates a missing value, not an elevation of zero.

Click enlarge for a larger chart. Choose DXF or CSV to export it.

Section profiles

Configure:

Along: distance between sections, in meters.
Left and Right: widths on either side of the path, in meters.
Stationing: starting chainage, in kilometers.
reversed direction: reverse the stationing direction.
Generate elevation profiles automatically: generate the section profiles as part of the operation.

Click Generate. Sections appear on the map and in a folder named after the source shape, such as Section profiles (Line 1).

If they are not visible, switch on their folder by clicking its folder icon, and check the individual sections’ visibility.

Select a section to inspect its profile. If automatic profile generation was off, click Generate in its Elevation profile area. Export profiles as DXF or CSV.

Cut/fill maps

Cut/fill maps show differences between a surveyed surface and its reference within a polygon.

Generate one by enabling Also generate cut/fill map before executing a volume calculation, or by clicking Generate in the polygon’s Cut/Fill Map section after calculation.

Open generated maps under Cut/Fill Maps in the sidebar.

View the overlay

Switch the pane to 2D:

Blue: fill.
Red: cut.
White: no significant change within the configured threshold.

The colored overlay is not displayed in 3D, although the polygon and numerical results can still be inspected there.

Adjust the no-change threshold to filter small differences. For example, a 10 cm threshold displays differences smaller than that value as white.

A cut/fill map can compare one dataset with a base surface or compare two datasets.

Other measurements

Shape	Available measurements
Point	X, Y, Z position and elevation.
Line or arc	Horizontal Length, 3D Length, Highest point and Lowest point.
Line, where additional information is shown	Height difference between endpoints and Slope in degrees and percent.
Polygon	Horizontal Area and Polygon 3D Area. Volume results also include Layer Surface Area.