Volume Calculations using QGIS

In this tutorial, you will learn how to calculate the volume of a raster using QGIS.
In this comprehensive guide, we delve into two distinct methods to determine the volume of a raster dataset: the direct 'Raster surface volume' tool and an intricate manual process using raster calculator & zonal statistics.
Here's a summary of what you'll learn:
- How to use the 'Raster surface volume' tool under the Raster Analysis tools for direct volume computation.
- Transforming an elevation raster into a volume raster with the raster calculator.
- Leveraging zonal statistics for aggregating pixel values over a defined area to obtain the volume result.
- A side-by-side comparison to ensure the accuracy and similarity of both methods.
In the first part of the tutorial, you will learn a direct method to do the volume calculation of a raster dataset using 'Raster Surface Volume' tool found under Raster Analysis tools. Following that, we use a manual method where we transform the elevation raster into a volume raster using the raster calculator, and then perform a zonal statistics sum operation over all the pixels to obtain the volume. The we compare these two results and find out the the volume computed by both methods are almost equal. Finally, we apply the direct calculation method to calculate the land mass volume of a small hill above a certain base height.
Download the practise dataset - drive.google.com/drive/folder...
Note: The practise dataset is an arbitrary dataset designed for the sole purpose of explaining the concepts of this tutorial, and do not reflect any real geographical features or properties.
Timeline:
00:00 - Volume of pit using 'Raster surface volume' tool (direct method)
12:58 - Volume of pit using raster calculator (alternative method)
25:40 - Volume of a hill (using the direct method)

[@antoniiojosee]

hi, from Brazil! Your video is awesome, your content is super current. One day i will visit India.

[@raghebkamal1100]

Great Explanation 👍

[@geodeltalabs]

Glad you liked it

[@revansiddayyap3925]

I like the way you explain it and i have a request that pls start a tutorial on HEC-Ras or Watergem softwares where there are no recent contents on youtube, I will be waiting for your reply brother and love to learn those softwares from you.

[@Tom-ks9xl]

Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant greetings from Deutschland haha

[@elritsa]

Thank you for this, excellent guide! As I understand it the calculated area in the volume report is a "flat" surface and not the surface area?

[@David_Mash]

I would love to be able to take drone photos and import them to qgis and extract volumetric data the way that I can with other photogrammetry webwares

[@sandunpriyankarasomarathna9281]

in here , how to get hill.tif is it dem file

[@samirkumarsingh2960]

BUT HOW DID YOU CREATE PIT FILE, THATS THE REAL THING. AND YOU SKIPPED IT ?
😢

[@geodeltalabs]

Hi, no there was no plan to include it in the first place in this tutorial as this focuses only on the volume calculation aspects (hence, the raster dataset is provided for you guys to directly download). As a quick note, there are multiple ways to create a 3D model of a pit, and one of them is to have an array of depth/ elevation points and use a geostatistical interpolation method to develop a raster dataset. More advanced methods would include things like LiDAR scans. I will publish a tutorial on this in a couple of days time so keep an eye out for that :)