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Area Computation

• To date in the lecture series we have

looked at ways of measuring and depicting
land and features
• Now we will look at some of the
applications of these measurements
• Two common application areas are the
determination of areas and volumes of
land and other regular and irregular
objects
 Area Computation

Types of boundary:

1. Uniform (regular).
2. Non uniform (Irregular).
 Simple Regular (uniform) Figures
• Often complex shapes can be broken down into a series
of simple geometric figures
• These can then be used in the calculations
• These include:
– Triangles
– Trapezium
– Rectangles
– Circles
 The Area of Triangles
bh
A = = √s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)
2 B
bcSinA
=
2
a
c abSinC
h
=
2
acSinB
=A
C b 2
a+b+c
where s =
2
and h = height.
 The Trapezium
p (a + b)
A=
2
a

Where a and b are parallel

 

The Circle r r

A  r 2
The Sector
r 2
r 2 (rad )
A 
360 2
h
2
r
The Segment A ( rad  Sin )
2 c
r  r
 The Ellipse and parabola
a

ab
A=
b

2 bh
b

A= 3
h
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Area Computation

Irregular (non uniform) Figures

• The previous formulae present nothing new,
however when dealing with the real world land
parcels are not always regular
• In order to determine the area of irregular
portions, we approximate parts of the figure to
regular areas
• For example, a block of land with a creek
boundary…
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Area Computation
 Area Computation

Area of the non uniform boundary

1. Coarse area using graph paper.

2. Using Trapezium and Simpson’s
rules.
3. Using planimeter instrument.
 Area Computation

Non uniform boundary

 Simpson’s Rule

Area lying under the parabola through the first three

offsets 01, 02 and 03;
Area = Trapezoid (abdea) + Parabola area (agefa)
Area = (01 + 03)2L/2 + 2/3(Area covered by the parabola)
Area = (01 + 03)L + 2/3 x 2L[02 - (01 + 03)/2]
Area = L[01 + 402 + 03]/03
This can be repeated and totaled to determine the area of the non
uniform boundary. The numbers of offset must be odd number.
 Simpson’s Rule

General rule:

Area = d/3*[(O1 + On) + 2(O3 + O5 + On-2) + 4(O2 + O4 + On-1)]

Area = d/3*[(1st + last offset) + 2 (odd offset) + 4 (even offset)]

= Total
d= interval
 Example
Offsets are measured perpendicular to
the line of traverse with 8 m interval.

Offset O1 O2 O3 O4 O5 O6 O7 O8 O 9 O10

Distance 0 2.3 5.5 7.9 8.6 6.9 7.3 6.2 3.1 0

Area  8 0  3.1 4 2.3 7.9  6.9  6.2  25.58.6  7.3 = 370.9 m2
1- 9 3  

 3.1  0   12.4m 2
8
Area910
2
TOTAL AREA = 370.9+12.4 = 383.3 m2
 Trapezium Rule

It is different than Simpson, in this case, arc is

assumed as equal to straight line. Therefore
trapezium rule can be used to determine area.
 Non uniform boundary

Traverse line

The area of the first trapizium is:

L01  02 
A1 
2

Where L is interval between

offsets.
The area of the second trapezium and the rest
can be written as;

L02  03  ... L05  06 

A2  A5 
2 2

or in general is given as;

A
L
01  0N   202  03  04  0N 1
2
 Example

The offsets are perpendicular to the

traverse line with intervals of 8 meters.

Offset O1 O2 O3 O4 O5 O6 O7 O8 O9 O10

Length 0 2.3 5.5 7.9 8.6 6.9 7.3 6.2 3.1 0

Area  8 0  0  2 2.3 5.5 7.9 8.6  6.9  7.3 6.2  3.1
2 

= 4 x 2(47.8) = 382.4 m2
Planimeter
 Uniform/straight boundary

Area determination technique:

1. Coordinate method.
2. Easting and northing computation.
 Area by coordinates

Area 12345 = (Area 15ba+Area 54db+Area 43ed)

- (Area 23ec-Area 12ca)
 Area by coordinates

Area _ 15ba 
Y1  Y5  X 5  X 1 
2
Hence, area 154321 is:

Area  Y1  Y5  X 5  X 1   Y4  Y5  X 4  X 5   Y3  Y4  X 3  X 4 

1 1 1
2 2 2
 Y1  Y2  X 2  X 1  Y2  Y3  X 3  X 2 
1 1
2 2

Or can be simplified if the coordinates series are

arranged according to its sequence as follows:
 Area by coordinates
E1 N1
E5 N5
2A = E4 N4
E3 N3
E2 N2
E1 N1

2A=[(E1xN5)+(E5xN4)+(E4xN3)+(E3xN2)+(E2xN1)]
-[(N1xE5)+(N5xE4)+(N4xE3)+(N3xE2)+(N2xE1)]
 Example
STN N E
1 340.65 159.97
2 152.26 139.37
3 0.00 226.02
4 29.94 30.55
5 169.02 0.00
1 340.65 159.97

Total1 = (340.65×139.37)+(152.26×226.02)+(0.00×30.55)+(29.94× 0.00)+(169.02×159.97)

Total2 = (159.97×152.26)+(139.37×0.00)+(226.02×29.94)+(30.55×169.02)+(0.00×340.65)

Total1 = 108928.31
Total2 = 36287.62

2 x Area = 108928.31 - 36287.62 = 72640.69

Area = 72640.69 / 2 = 36320.34 meter square.