How to use Quantities in InfraField

This article covers how to use the Quantities feature of Dalux InfraField to summarize the properties of objects and measure the differences between surfaces and/or alignments.

There are 3 main ways to use quantities in InfraField.

1. You can create filters based on objects and extract quantities from properties.
2. You can compare the volume of two terrain surfaces and calculate the difference in volume.
3. Compare a surface to an alignment and calculate the difference in meters.

Objects

You can filter BIM data within a specific structure or area, using object properties to generate quantities that can then be exported to spreadsheets or saved as filters.

Selector: Select the structure or area you want to view.

Click to save this as a filter or export data to a spreadsheet.

Read more about filtering for data and creating filters here: How to use Quantities.

Terrain

The terrain quantities feature of InfraField will compare two surfaces and calculate the difference between them in volume.

Navigate to:

InfraField Quantities Terrain

• Surface: Here you define the surfaces you would like to use for volume calculations and alignments.
• Volume: Here you calculate the difference between the selected surfaces.

Surfaces

Surfaces are used to generate quantities by comparing them with each other or with alignments. They are created by selecting objects from model data.

• Area selector: Select the area you want to display
• Create: create a new surface (see below)
• Choose volume: Select a surface to display and/or modify (see below)

Create new surface

When creating a new surface, you select the surfaces in the model view. Start by clicking the icon, and hold down the shift button to select multiple surfaces. When done selecting, click 'Continue' and type in a name before clicking 'Create'.

Edit a surface

Click the 3 dots next to a surface to edit it.

Rename: Rename the selected surface.

Delete: Delete the selected surface. Data is permanently deleted and cannot be retrieved. The model is not affected by this action.

Volumes

Volumes are calculated by comparing two surfaces or by comparing a surface with a defined elevation. They are displayed on the map as color-coded areas, showing cut and fill zones.

• Area selector: Select the area you want to display
• Choose: Select a volume to display and/or edit (See below)
• : Create a new row of volume calculation. (See below)
• Measure: Add area or line measurement; data won't be saved if you leave this page.
• Open bottom panel: Open the list of volumes (See below)

Create new volume

Type: Select how you want the volumes to be calculated

• Compare surfaces: Select two surfaces to use for the calculation.
• To elevation: Select a surface and an elevation to use for the calculation.

Reference surface (if you compare surfaces): Select the surface that will be the reference surface. This should be the current state of the terrain.

• Cut will indicate how much to remove from the reference surface.
• Fill will indicate how much you need to add to the reference surface.

Comparison surface: Select the surface to use for the calculation, e.g. a terrain or formation model.

Elevation (if you compare to an elevation): Enter the elevation to be used for the calculation.

Name: This identifies the surface in the list view.

Edit a volume

Click the 3 dots next to a volume to edit it.

• Edit: Edit the selected volume calculation. Calculations will update automatically after you save your work.
• Delete: Delete the selected volume calculation. Data is permanently deleted and cannot be retrieved.

Green indicates fill, while orange indicates cut (see below for details).

Bottom panel

• More: Click on the 3 dots to export data to a spreadsheet.
• Close panel: Click here to close the panel.

Each line of the volume calculation consists of the following information: 

•  
  • Name: Specifies the name of the calculation.
  • Reference: Reference surface used in the calculation.
  • Comparison: Comparison surface used in the calculation (empty if an elevation is used).
  • Elevation: Elevation used in the calculation (empty if a surface is used).
  • Cut: Volume to be removed from the reference surface.
  • Fill: Volume to be added to the reference surface.
  • Net: Total volume (Cut-Fill)

Alignments

The Alignments tab compares a surface to an alignment and displays the height difference along the alignment.

• Choose profile: Select a previously created profile to show on the map.
• Create: Create a new profile (See below).
• Measure: Add area or line measurement; data won't be saved if you leave this page.
• Open bottom panel: Opens the alignment height map (See the Profile map view below).

Create new profile

Alignment: Select an alignment to be used for this profile.

Surface: Select a surface, used to calculate quantities in conjunction with the width and cut/fill slope.  (see Surfaces)

Station increments: Placeholder for future development.

Width: Used to calculate the quantities together with the surface and cut/fill slope.

Cut Slope: The angle of the slope when the alignment is below the surface, used to calculate quantities in conjunction with the surface and width.

Fill Slope: The angle of the slope when the alignment is above the surface, used to calculate quantities in conjunction with the surface and width.

Edit a profile 

Click the 3 dots next to a profile to edit it.

• Edit: Edit the selected profile (see create above).
• Delete: Delete the selected profile. Data is permanently deleted and cannot be retrieved.

Profile map view

Open the bottom panel to view the profile's height map.

Differences are color-coded:

• Orange: Alignment is lower than the surface.
• Green: Alignment is higher than the surface.

• More: Click on the 3 dots to export data to a spreadsheet.
• Close panel: Click here to close the panel.

Move the mouse along the profile below to see the difference and highlight the station increments on the map. 

Use the mouse wheel to zoom in or out on the height map. A dark line will indicate the zoomed area next to the profile on the map.

Cross sections

With cross sections you can calculate the volume of individual layers across a defined length of your alignment.

• Area selector: Select the area you want to display
• Choose cross section: Select a previously created cross section to display and/or edit (See below)
• : Create a new cross section for volume calculation. (See below)
• Open bottom panel: Open the list of volumes (See below)

Create new cross section

When creating a new cross section, fill out the dialog according to your needs:

• Name
• Alignment: Choose an alignment from the ones that are available in your project
• Start station (PK) & End station (PK): Define the length of your cross section for your calculation. Hover on the icon next to your alignment if you are unsure about the exact stationing.
• Layers: Create the individual layers of your cross section. Dalux uses the measurements from the start station for calculations.

Create layers

When clicking on Create layer, the model opens at your defined start station. You can use your mouse to pan, zoom, or rotate, but you must always work within this section's pane.

Trace the geometry of the layer you want to create by clicking on its corner and creating a polygon.

You can edit the shape by dragging corners, or create new corners by dragging from an edge. Use ctrl+z or ctrl+y to undo or redo your actions, so your final result will have the needed accuracy

When you are done, click 'Save' to confirm the geometry. Give this layer a name and choose a color.

Repeat this process for each layer you want to calculate.

When you are done, click on 'Save' to create your cross section.

Calculated cross section layers

Select your cross section at the top to display the quantities of each layer in the bottom panel. The volumes of each layer are calculated based on your drawn geometry and the specified start and end stations: