Digitize an Area
Areas are primarily used to identify regions of the site that you will use to calculate cut and fill totals at the job site, such as a site perimeter, job phase, or borrow pit.
Areas also allow you to raise and lower the elevations of that area and calculate the material volumes in that area. For example, you can digitize areas that will require topsoil stripping, or calculate bedding materials for concrete slabs.
Area Elevations
The elevation of an area is defined by the contours and spot elevations within and around the area. If an entire area, such as a building pad, requires the same elevation, you can set the elevation within the Area Properties popup. The changes in elevation that you can set for an area are used to raise and lower the area in small portions to account for material layers, such as bedding materials and concrete.
Digitize Vector Areas
On a digital plan, an area may be composed of pixel-based lines or may be represented by one or more vectors. An area that is composed of pixel-based lines must be digitized by tracing the lines, while an area that is represented by vectors can be digitized by simply selecting the vectors within it. As a result, you are able to more quickly and accurately create Earthwork estimates. See Working With Vectors for more information about vectors.
Methods for Digitizing Areas
- Compensate
- Add Drawing
- Point
- Trace
- Spot Elevation
- Borings
- Reference Point
- Stake
- Trench
- Count Line
- Count Item
