What are the different options for computing and reporting quantities on components in OpenRoads and what information does each option actually report?

1. Does each option take into account clipping boundaries which are clipping corridor components?
2. Is the cut/fill between the design and existing terrain reported?

1.  Analysis -> Element Component Quantities

Select the command under the MicroStation Tasks > Civil Tools > Analysis & Reporting > Element Component Quantities. Locate the corridor when prompted to 'Locate First Element' then reset after selecting the corridor. The program will analyze the corridor and output a set of quantities for the different components within the corridor. 

1. Is the clipping boundary honored?  Yes
2. Are the cut/fill quantities computed?  No

The result of this command will give you the component quantities for the elements in the corridor while taking into account the clipping boundaries.  Therefore the sections of the corridor which are clipped are not included in the quantity results. However, the cut/fill volumes are not reported because this is only giving physical element quantities.  Opening the "Report" will open the Element Quantities Report which will include the total volumes for the elements but will not break it down into stations.

2.  Corridor -> Component Quantities

Select the command under the MicroStation Tasks > Civil Tools > Corridor Modeling > Component Quantities. Locate the corridor when prompted. The program will analyze the corridor and output a set of quantities for the different components within the corridor, this time including Cut Volumes and Fill Volumes, but the clipping boundary is ignored. 

1. Is the clipping boundary honored?  No
2. Are the cut/fill quantities computed?  Yes

The result of this command is intended as a quick and easy quantities report on the selected corridor, therefore it will not take into account the clipping boundaries. This command is intended for a quick output and is comparable to the Approximate Quantities option available in the SS2 Roadway Designer.   Opening the "Report" will open the Corridor Modeling Quantities Report which will include the total volumes for the component throughout the entire corridor and will also include the cut volumes and fill volumes. This report is broken down into stations based upon the template stations controlled by the design stages.

So how do you include both the cut and fill volumes AND honor clipping boundaries?....

3.  Corridor -> End Area Volumes

In order to compute the quantities through the End Area Volume method, you must first have a cross section model created including the corridor. 

Once you have the cross section model created, select the command under the MicroStation Tasks > Civil Tools > Corridor Modeling > End Area Volume.    Here is a video for reporting End Area Volumes:  Video: End Area Volumes  

With the EAV command, the program will analyze the components and terrains in the cross section model and output a set of quantities for the different components within the corridor, this time including Cut Volumes and Fill Volumes AND it will honor the clipping boundaries. 

1. Is the clipping boundary honored?  Yes
2. Are the cut/fill quantities computed?  Yes

The End Area Volume method is the recommended process to compute quantities on a corridor to include all volumes (unsuitable materials, component quantities, cut/fill, etc) and it will honor a clipped corridor. Before applying the command, toggle on the "Create XML Report" option under the General tab to get a results report for the volumes.  There are many report stylesheets to choose from to review the component quantities. Set the stylesheet to Volumes.XSL which will include the volumes for the components throughout the corridor, broken down by each station in the cross section. This report will include the cut/fill volumes for each station and any station/sections which the corridor is clipped will result in a volume of 0 reported for any component clipped by the clipping boundary. 

4.  MicroStation Element Information 

In order to utilize the MicroStation Element Information to report volumes for a given component, you must have the correct corridor design stage set where the components are displaying in the model.  Go to the 3D model where you can isolate and select the component.  Once the component element is selected, go to the Element Information dialog and you can see the volume reported for that component.  

1. Is the clipping boundary honored?  Yes
2. Are the cut/fill quantities computed?  No.  There is no element created for the cut/fill of the corridor, therefore there is no way to select an element to review the information.

5.  Terrain Modeling -> Create Cut & Fill Volumes

This option requires surfaces for the existing ground as well as the design corridor, preferably a Terrain created from the bottom mesh. How do you create a terrain from a corridor mesh? Here is a demonstration:  Video:  Creating a Terrain Model from a Corridor  

Select the command under the MicroStation Tasks > Civil Tools > Terrain Model > Create Cut & Fill Volumes. Select the existing terrain and then select the terrain created from the bottom mesh.  The Create Cut & Fill Volumes command compares the two selected surfaces and creates a component for the cut and a component for the fill which can be used for component quantities through the above-mentioned options.  

1. Is the clipping boundary honored?  No.  With manual editing of the design terrain, the corridor clipping may be mimicked to yield desired results.
2. Are the cut/fill quantities computed?  Yes

The resulting elements created from this command will be components representing normal cut and fill and will not include any volumes for the corridor closed components.  Once you select the Cut component or the Fill component, you can review the Element Information to see the volume of the cut or fill individually.  If used in conjunction with the Analysis & Reporting -> Element Component Quantities results, the volumes can be reported for the Cut (from Create Cut & Fill Volumes),  Fill (from Create Cut & Fill Volumes), and components of the corridor (from Element Component Quantities).  Each volume can be reviewed separately and manually combined to determine the overall component quantities of the corridor.

This method for getting a rough volume estimate may be best used when you have a continuous corridor.  A clipped corridor will require more setup when creating the Terrain Model from the bottom mesh because you will need to create the Clipping Boundary for the corridor as a 'Hole' in the Terrain as well as create a 'Boundary' to limit the design terrain extents before running the Create Cut & Fill Volumes to create the components used for the quantities.