Roads and platforms
Cut and fill along a new alignment, one zone at a time.
Earthworks and volumes
How Much Earth Moved Since Last Week?
Answer it from two scans, in a browser. Draw a zone on the point cloud, pick the earlier and the later scan, and Time Compare in SpatialSense shows where material was cut and filled, with the net volume change in cubic metres.
- 30-day free trial, no card
- Drone or laser scans
- Unlimited users
The short answer
Cut and fill is the difference between two surfaces. If you have a scan of the ground on two dates, that difference is already in your data. Time Compare in SpatialSense works it out for a zone you draw: a colour heatmap of material removed (cut) and added (fill), the net volume change in cubic metres, and the height change in metres. The results are saved with the survey, so you can come back to them next month.
What Time Compare gives you
- A heatmapCut and fill in colour across the zone, so you see where the earth moved, not only how much.
- The numbersNet volume change in m³ and height change in m for the zone.
- Saved with the surveyResults stay with the survey, so the history builds up month by month.
- Sections tooCut a height profile across the ground to see levels and slopes along a line.
- From drone or laserPoint clouds from drone flights or laser scanners of any make, in E57, LAS, LAZ, PCD or PLY.
Cut and fill in three steps
Both scans need to be georeferenced and in the same project.
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Draw the zone
Draw a box around the area you want to measure, such as one stockpile or one excavation.
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Pick two dates
Start Time Compare and confirm the earlier (reference) and later (current) scans.
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Read the result
The zone shows cut and fill as a heatmap, with the net volume change in m³ and the height change in m.
Why are volume checks such a chore?
People who praise volume tools in reviews tend to praise the same thing: getting a number without a second piece of software.
A separate program
The scan lives in one place and the volume calculation in another, often on one person’s desktop.
One person who knows how
When only the surveyor can run it, the number waits for the surveyor.
Numbers without a picture
A single figure does not show where the material went, which is what the site team needs to know.
When the heatmap and the number sit next to the scan, the whole team can see where the earth moved, and the next conversation starts from the same figure.
Earthworks in SpatialSense
A plan of one area
A width profile shows only the points inside a box, seen from above, ready to measure.
Take it to your CAD
Export sections as PNG, PDF, CSV or LAS for your survey or design software.
Volumes in SpatialSense and in separate software
The same two scans, worked two ways.
| Time Compare in SpatialSense | Separate volume software | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | In a browser, next to the scans. | On a desktop with a licence. |
| Who can run it | Organisation admins and supervisors; everyone else can view the results. | Usually one specialist. |
| What you see | A cut and fill heatmap plus the m³ figure. | Often a figure and a report. |
| History | Saved with the survey. | In files on someone’s machine. |
| Sharing | Unlimited users, or a link without a login. | Export and email. |
Your first cut and fill
Two scans of the same ground, from different dates.
- Start a free trial30 days of the full platform, no card details.
- Upload two dated scansAdd each to its own survey in the same project, and georeference both.
- Draw a tight zoneKeep it around one stockpile or excavation so the figures describe that area only.
- Run Time CompareConfirm the earlier and later scans and click Compare.
- Read and shareCheck the heatmap and the volume, then share the survey with your team.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cut and fill from a point cloud?
You need two scans of the same ground from different dates, both georeferenced. In SpatialSense, draw a zone on the point cloud, start Time Compare, confirm the earlier and later scans, and read the cut and fill heatmap and the net volume change in m³.
Can I calculate a volume online?
Yes. Time Compare runs in the browser on scans in your SpatialSense project, with nothing to install.
Why does the heatmap show change where nothing was built?
Anything that moved between scans counts, including machines, people and stored materials. Draw the zone to avoid them, or allow for them when you read the results.
Do I need drone or laser data?
Either works. Upload a point cloud from a drone flight or a laser scanner as E57, LAS, LAZ, PCD or PLY.
Who can run Time Compare?
Organisation admins and supervisors can run it. Members can view the heatmaps and figures from earlier runs.
See SpatialSense on your project
Upload two scans of the same ground, draw a zone, and see where the earth moved.