Volume & Stockpile

The Volume & Stockpile tool calculates the volume of earth, material, or void within a polygon boundary you draw on the map. Choose a reference mode to define the base plane, and SiteView computes the volume above and below that plane — giving you cut/fill breakdowns for earthworks or total quantities for stockpiles.

Activating the Tool

Open the Measurements tab in the site detail floating panel and click the Volume icon, or press V on your keyboard. The cursor changes to a crosshair.

⚠️ Watch out!

The Volume tool requires a processed DEM (digital elevation model) for your site. If no DEM is available, SiteView will prompt you to upload and process survey data before you can use this tool.

Drawing the Boundary

Click on the map to place vertices around the boundary of the volume you want to calculate:

1. First click — places the first vertex of the polygon
2. Subsequent clicks — add vertices to define the boundary
3. Double-click — places the final vertex, closes the polygon, and triggers the volume calculation

Place vertices around the perimeter of the stockpile, excavation, or earthworks zone. The polygon does not need to follow exact contour lines — SiteView samples the DEM within the polygon to calculate the volume accurately.

Reference Modes

After closing the polygon, select the reference mode that defines the base plane for the volume calculation:

Lowest Point

Uses the lowest elevation within the polygon as the flat reference plane. All terrain above this level is counted as positive volume. Useful for measuring the volume of an embankment or raised platform where you want to know how much material is above the lowest surrounding ground.

Average Elevation

Uses the average elevation of all sampled points within the polygon as the reference plane. Points above the average contribute positive volume (cut), and points below contribute negative volume (fill). This gives a balanced view of the terrain variation within the boundary.

Custom Reference Level

Enter a specific elevation value (in metres AHD or your site's vertical datum) as the reference plane. This is useful when you know the design finished level and want to calculate how much material needs to be cut or filled to reach it.

Surrounding Ground (Stockpile Mode)

Estimates the natural ground plane beneath a stockpile by sampling the elevations around the perimeter of the polygon. SiteView interpolates a ground surface across the polygon boundary and calculates the volume of material above that interpolated surface. This is the mode to use for measuring stockpile volumes where the pile sits on existing ground.

💡 Tip

For stockpile measurements, draw the polygon boundary slightly outside the base of the pile so that the perimeter points sit on the natural ground surface. This gives the surrounding ground interpolation the best reference for estimating the plane beneath the pile.

Compare to Design Surface

If a design surface is loaded for the site, this mode calculates the volume difference between the current ground (from the DEM) and the design surface within the polygon. The result shows:

• Cut volume — earth above the design level that needs to be removed
• Fill volume — voids below the design level that need to be filled
• Net volume — the difference between cut and fill

This is the primary mode for earthworks quantity calculations on graded surfaces, road subgrade, and building pads.

Results

The results panel displays:

ℹ️ Did you know?

Volume accuracy depends on the DEM resolution and the density of the drone survey imagery that produced it. Higher-resolution DEMs yield more accurate volumes. For critical quantity surveys, use tightly spaced drone flight lines and process at the highest available resolution.

Practical Uses

• Stockpile quantities — measure sand, gravel, topsoil, or spoil stockpiles to verify delivered or remaining quantities
• Excavation volumes — calculate how much material has been removed from a trench, foundation, or cut
• Earthworks progress — compare current ground against design to track cut/fill progress over time
• Fill import estimates — determine how much fill material is needed to bring a site up to the design level
• Borrow pit volumes — measure the volume of material extracted from a borrow pit

Saving the Measurement

Click Save to record the volume measurement with its reference mode and results. Add a category, notes (such as the material type or survey date), and attach photos. Saved volume measurements appear in the Measurements tab and can be re-displayed on the map.

What's Next?

• Elevation Profile — visualise the terrain elevation along a drawn line
• Cross-Section — generate cross-section profiles with optional design overlay
• Measurement Tools Overview — return to the full list of measurement tools