Calculating Bulk Volumes Using Simpson Rule

Simpsons Rule

Previously when we drew our sections we assumed that the ground was straight between the spot
heights. In the real world natural land will undulate between the spot heights you have taken.
Simpsons rule is a method that tries to estimate this undulation.

The formula is expressed as follows,

Area of the section = D 3 x (X1 + 4X2 + 2X3 + 4X4..+ 2Xn-2 + 4Xn-1 + Xn) Where,

D= Spacing between spot heights (Note this method will only work if an even grid method is used)

Xx = Cut/Fill value calculated

subscript is the grid position along the section

n = The number of spot heights along the grid The number of grids must be an odd number

Simpsons Rules uses the sections developed from either the longitudinal or cross sections.

The formula may also be expressed as

D 3 x ( First Cut/Fill + 4 x Second Cut/Fill + 2 x Third Cut/Fill + .4 x Even Numbered Cut/Fill + 2 x Odd
Numbered Cut/Fill + 4 x Second Last Cut/Fill + Last Cut/Fill)

From the previous grid layout

Step 1

Determine Formation Height = 100.500

Step2

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Determine Cut/Fill for each spot height.

RL 100.500

Vertical Scale 1:20

Horizontal Scale 1:100
RL 100.000
15.000

30.000
20.000

25.000
10.000
0.000

5.000

Chainage
100.950

100.800

100.735

100.830
100.730

100.724

100.680

Existing Ground Level

0.950

0.800

0.830
0.735

0.724

0.680
0.730

+/- above Datum

-0.450 100.500

-0.330 100.500
-0.235 100.500

-0.224 100.500

-0.180 100.500
-0.230 100.500
-0.300 100.500

Design Level

Cut

Fill

Longitudinal Section Grid 1

= D 3 x (X0 + 4X1 + 2X2 + 4X3 + 2Xn4 + 4X5 + X6)

=5 3 x (-0.450 + 4 x -0.300 + 2 x -0.230 + 4 x -0.235 + 2 x -0.224 + 4 x -0.180 + -0.330)

= -7.580m2 2
To remove any doubt if this formula works lets substitutes the following example,

RL 100.500

Vertical Scale 1:20

Horizontal Scale 1:100
RL 100.000

15.000

30.000
20.000

25.000
10.000
0.000

5.000

Chainage
100.700

100.700

100.700

100.700
100.700

100.700

100.700
Existing Ground Level
0.700

0.700

0.700

0.700
0.700

0.700
0.700

+/- above Datum

-0.200 100.500

-0.200 100.500

-0.200 100.500

-0.200 100.500
-0.200 100.500

-0.200 100.500
-0.200 100.500

Design Level

Cut

Fill

Longitudinal Section Grid X

The example is a longitudinal section which shows a perfectly flat section with an RL 100.700.
To reduce it to its design level there is a constant cut of 0.200m.

This may be easily calculated as 30m x 0.200m = 6m2

Using Simpsons we can write the formula as follows

Area = D 3 x (X0 + 4X1 + 2X2 + 4X3 + 2Xn4 + 4X5 + X6)

=5 3 x (-0.200 + 4 x -0.200 + 2 x -0.200 + 4 x -0.200 + 2 x -0.200 + 4 x -0.200 + -0.200)

=- 6m2

= -7.580m2

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 RL 100.500

Vertical Scale 1:10

Horizontal Scale 1:100
RL 100.000
15.000

30.000
20.000

25.000
10.000
0.000

5.000

Chainage
100.900

100.830

100.700

100.600
100.720

100.650

100.650

Existing Ground Level

0.900

0.830

0.600
0.700

0.650

0.650
0.720

+/- above Datum

-0.400 100.500

-0.200 100.500

100.500
-0.150 100.500

-0.150 100.500
-0.220 100.500
-0.330 100.500

Design Level
-0.100

Cut

Fill

Longitudinal Section Grid 2

= D 3 x (X0 + 4X1 + 2X2 + 4X3 + 2Xn4 + 4X5 + X6)

=5 3 x (-0.400 + 4 x -0.330 + 2 x -0.220 + 4 x -0.200 + 2 x -0.150 + 4 x -0.150 + -0.100)

= -6.600m2

4
 RL 100.500

Vertical Scale 1:20

Horizontal Scale 1:100
RL 100.000
15.000

30.000
25.000
20.000
10.000
0.000

5.000

Chainage
100.750

100.730

100.550

100.400
100.690

100.530

100.450

Existing Ground Level

0.750

0.730

0.400
0.550

0.530

0.450
0.690

+/- above Datum

-0.250 100.500

-0.050 100.500

100.500
-0.030 100.500

100.500
-0.190 100.500
-0.230 100.500

Design Level

Cut
+0.100
+0.050

Fill

Longitudinal Section Grid 3

= D 3 x (X0 + 4X1 + 2X2 + 4X3 + 2Xn4 + 4X5 + X6)

=5 3 x (-0.250 + 4 x -0.230 + 2 x -0.190 + 4 x -0.050 + 2 x -0.030 + 4 x 0.050 + 0.100)

= -2.517m2

5
 RL 100.500

Vertical Scale 1:20

Horizontal Scale 1:100
RL 100.000
15.000

30.000
20.000

25.000
10.000
0.000

5.000

Chainage
100.550

100.470

100.320

100.290
100.330

100.350

100.600

Existing Ground Level

0.550

0.470

0.290
0.320

0.350

0.600
0.330

+/- above Datum

-0.050 100.500

100.500

100.500
100.500

-0.100 100.500
100.500
100.500

Design Level

Cut
+0.030

+0.180

+0.150
+0.170

+0.210

Fill

Longitudinal Section Grid 4

= D 3 x (X0 + 4X1 + 2X2 + 4X3 + 2Xn4 + 4X5 + X6)

=5 3 x (-0.050 + 4 x 0.030 + 2 x 0.170 + 4 x 0.180 + 2 x 0.150 + 4 x -0.100 + 0.210)

= 2.067m2

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 RL 100.500

Vertical Scale 1:20

Horizontal Scale 1:100
RL 100.000
15.000

30.000
20.000

25.000
10.000
0.000

5.000

Chainage
100.394

100.330

100.200

100.040
100.300

100.190

100.140

Existing Ground Level

0.394

0.330

0.200

0.040
0.190

0.140
0.300

+/- above Datum

100.500

100.500

100.500
100.500

100.500
100.500
100.500

Design Level

Cut
+0.300
+0.170

+0.360

+0.460
+0.106

+0.200

+0310

Fill

Longitudinal Section Grid 5

= D 3 x (X0 + 4X1 + 2X2 + 4X3 + 2Xn4 + 4X5 + X6)

=5 3 x (0.106 + 4 x 0.170 + 2 x 0.200 + 4 x 0.300 + 2 x 0.310+ 4 x 0.360 + 0.460)

= 8.177m2
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 Longitudinal Section Grid 1 Longitudinal Section Grid 2

Longitudinal Section Grid 3 Longitudinal Section Grid 4

Longitudinal Section Grid 5

So far we have calculated the cross sectional area for each Longitudinal Sections 1 to 5.

This is represented by the following table.

A B C D E F G Cross Sectional Area

1 -0.450 -0.300 -0.230 -0.235 -0.224 -0.180 -0.330 -7.580
2 -0.400 -0.330 -0.220 -0.200 -0.150 -0.150 -0.100 -6.600
3 -0.250 -0.230 -0.190 -0.050 -0.030 0.050 0.100 -2.517
4 -0.050 0.030 0.170 0.180 0.150 -0.100 0.210 2.067
5 0.106 0.170 0.200 0.300 0.310 0.360 0.460 8.177

We now need to calculate the volume.

We could represent our answers as a polygon as displayed on the following page

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As there are an odd number of cross sections we again can use Simpsons Rule to determine the
volume.

= D 3 x (X0 + 4X1 + 2X2 + 4X3 + 2Xn4 + 4X5 + X6)

=5 3 x (-7.580 + 4 x -6.600 + 2 x -2.517 + 4 x 2.067 + 8.177)

= -37.615m2

If there were an even amount of spot heights the next best options would be to use the Trapezoid
rule to finish of the calculation as shown on the next page.
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= D x ((X1 x 0.5) + X2 + X3..+ Xn-1 + (Xn x 0.5))

=5 x ((-7.780 x 0.5) + -6.600 + -2.517 + 2.067 + (8.177 x 0.5)

= -34.258

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