Volume calculation software?

[Toxick]

I am an environmental geologist at a State regulatory agency. We are working on an enormous remediation project that will include dozens of separate excavations ranging from a few thousand to a few hundred thousand cubic yards of soil. Some excavations will be backfilled, some partially backfilled and some left unfilled. All of our data, including LIDAR elevation contours and hundreds of boring with depth data, is currently in Access database files viewed in ArcGIS. What software do you recommend for doing volume calculations? Thanks.

 

[BigH]

Try AutoCad Civil 3D?

 

[brandonbw]

Carlson Takeoff is pretty easy to use.

B+W Engineering and Design
Los Angeles Civil Engineer and Structural Engineer

http://bwengr.com

 

[Toxick]

Thanks for the suggestions. I was hoping to find a single-purpose software but it sounds like AutoCAD is the way to go.

 

[Twinkie]

Paydirt

 

[cvg]

seems like you can do it with your current software

ArcGIS Help 10.1 - TIN Polygon Volume (3D Analyst)
resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/.../00q900000064000000.htm
ArcGIS geoprocessing tool that calculates the volumetric and surface area between polygons of an input feature class and a TIN surface.

 

[Toxick]

CVG, thanks for the info! I will investigate this - sounda promising.

 

[Nole954]

CAD Civil3D is your best bet if you can generate point data files with existing and proposed contours, which you should be able to do with google earth. I used Earthworks#D when I did estimating for large earthwork jobs. Just don't forget fluff factors and compaction factors, you can put a company out of business(or lose your job) if you don't take into these factors.

 

[beej67]

ArcGIS should be able to do this on its own.

If I were in your shoes, and decided not to just do it in ArcGIS, I'd choose PayDirt over Civil3d. Civil3d is a monstrous program with a huge stack of options you don't need, and a higher learning curve. Then again, so is ArcGIS.

If you're going to invest the time in learning a complex software, you'll probably get more mileage out of ArcGIS given your profession.

Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com

 

[booch17]

Yes Civil 3d is what I use as well as Trimble Business Center which is really good for things such as volume piles, and borrow pits etc

 

[Toxick]

ArcGIS sounds like my best bet. Thanks all.

 

[DevEngNerd]

I-Site Studio - Very expensive, very fast/accurate/intuitive. Can handle TONS of data including LiDAR, survey, CAD, etc...
Global Mapper - Very inexpensive, still very accurate, not intuitive, slower workflow, can also handle almost any data you throw at it.

Hope this helps!

 

[LincolnPE]

I was hoping to find a single-purpose software

http://www.agtek.com/

This is what our heavy earthwork contractors use.