I am looking for tutorials on using the volume routines in this version of Carlson.
thanks for your help
Try Lesson 9, is Carlson Manual (or Carlson Help Manual). Not sure if available in Ver2008. Or download latest manuals at http://www.carlsonsw.com/support/manuals/
Dane, I seem to remember there being a volume tutorial on the installation CD to follow.
There are basically five methods available. I will tell you about the two that I use for all of my work (aside from road volumes, that's another area of the program).
Volume by triangulations
The main thing is to make sure that your TIN models are well built and accurate: Points on real Z-axis and 3D polylines for breaklines. Inclusive / exclusive boundaries should also be closed. To get the volume, you select one surface, two surface or three surface option (not sure if this option is in 2008), select your inclusive/exclusive boundary (ies) and do your thing.
The 3 surfaces volume is useful when comparing OG, as-built and design surfaces all at once.
Stockpile Volume*
The stockpile volume works very well too. Similar to TerraModel, the software knows that it is dealing with a stockpile, so it does not require the user to create the base surface. The only requirement is that your inclusive boundary (the toe of the pile) is placed on a layer called "perimeter". When I run a stockpile volume, I first built the 3D faces to make sure the model is correct. The I select all CAD entities including the perimeter and those 3D faces. The software makes a temporary grid file. I use a standard resolution "dimension of a cell" 0.2 0.2. I just found that from experience (The piles I deal with are fairly small). The 0.2 0.2 setting is low enough to get consistent results regardless of the data in, but large enough to keep the fan from starting. The software also gives the option to break down the volume by elevation range. If your stockpile is 1/2 miles long, you should increase the dimension of a cell value.
*Same idea for pond volume (an inverted stockpile if you will)
If you create grid surfaces. Remember that the start point and grid resolution must be same for both surfaces in order to generate accurate results. Triangulation is said to yield most accurate volumes. SO I don't use grid volumes (aside from stockpile utility).
Time's up - Hope this helps,
Just looked and I have 3 tutorials prepared by a Carlson College member. This site won't let me attach pdf files, so email me your email address and I will send them right on to you.