Finding Volume Between Two Surfaces
For this project a technical memo was produced (please send me an email and I will forward the document). The project involved calculating space between an existing surface (Landfill) and another surface (Contours from the Ministry of Environment). The landfill surface must be constrained to the final surface the MOE set forth, or else fines and penalties would be applied to the landfill.
With the use of GPS Survey points provided already, a surface map could then be made of the existing landfill, and the MOE Final Contours.
From these surfaces, we are able to calculate the places where the existing landfill surface "breaks" through the MOE Final, and also where there is space beneath the MOE Final for more garbage yet to be filled. The Cut/Fill tool inside ArcMap allows the analysis of these points, shown below. The areas in red are overshooting the MOE Final surface, while the blue areas can be filled in.
So with this analysis comes a map that can be used by the landfill to show exactly where they must plow garbage to avoid fines by the Ministry of Environment. As well, exact volumes can be derived from the spaces between the existing and final surface. The table below shows the Cut/Fill results, with blue highlighting being the shapes (areas) below the MOE Final surface, and areas shaded red being above.
The bottom line is that there is 123,812 cubic meters left to fill in, meaning that the garbage can be moved around to fill in voids and escape any fines and fees for overfilling.
With the use of GPS Survey points provided already, a surface map could then be made of the existing landfill, and the MOE Final Contours.
 |
| Figure 1 - Existing Landfill Surface (Left) and Final Landfill Surface (Right) |
From these surfaces, we are able to calculate the places where the existing landfill surface "breaks" through the MOE Final, and also where there is space beneath the MOE Final for more garbage yet to be filled. The Cut/Fill tool inside ArcMap allows the analysis of these points, shown below. The areas in red are overshooting the MOE Final surface, while the blue areas can be filled in.
 |
| Figure 2 - Blue Areas denote places to be filled, Red areas must be cut down |
So with this analysis comes a map that can be used by the landfill to show exactly where they must plow garbage to avoid fines by the Ministry of Environment. As well, exact volumes can be derived from the spaces between the existing and final surface. The table below shows the Cut/Fill results, with blue highlighting being the shapes (areas) below the MOE Final surface, and areas shaded red being above.
The bottom line is that there is 123,812 cubic meters left to fill in, meaning that the garbage can be moved around to fill in voids and escape any fines and fees for overfilling.
Cut/Fill Results
|
|||
ObjectID
|
Count
|
Volume (m3)
|
Area (m2)
|
1
|
83806
|
-133104.7656
|
83806
|
2
|
4791
|
4026.317871
|
4791
|
3
|
2240
|
375.307312
|
2240
|
4
|
114
|
8.373321
|
114
|
5
|
91
|
-2.236724
|
91
|
6
|
6
|
0.023345
|
6
|
7
|
1
|
0.044036
|
1
|
8
|
837
|
381.33908
|
837
|
9
|
787
|
308.913391
|
787
|
10
|
5
|
0.090576
|
5
|
11
|
1
|
0.074218
|
1
|
12
|
10
|
2.400115
|
10
|
13
|
1
|
0.045471
|
1
|
14
|
2
|
0.028594
|
2
|
15
|
2
|
0.122497
|
2
|
16
|
28
|
8.365814
|
28
|
17
|
1
|
0.02716
|
1
|
18
|
1
|
0.071899
|
1
|
19
|
3575
|
4182.807128
|
3575
|
Totals
|
96299
|
-123812.6505
|
96299
|