Table of Contents

• Point cloud data and the importance of volume calculation

• Benefits of using a point cloud viewer

• Types and features of 3D analysis tools

• Points to consider when selecting a point cloud viewer

• Simple surveying using the latest technologies

• Conclusion: Choose the tool that fits your company

• FAQ

Importance of Point Cloud Data and Volume Calculation

In recent years, on construction and civil engineering sites, the use of point cloud data captured by drones or laser scanners to efficiently perform volume calculations has been increasing. For example, accurately determining the volumes of cut and fill in earthworks, managing the amount of soil transported in and out, and measuring the volumes of material or industrial waste stockpiles are all scenarios that require precise volume assessment. Traditionally, these volume calculations relied on craftsmen’s estimates or time-consuming manual surveys using cross-section methods. However, by utilizing captured point cloud data, you can quickly calculate volumes with high accuracy from comprehensive 3D measurements of the site.

Point cloud data is 3D data that represents objects or terrain as a collection of many points. Each point contains X, Y, and Z coordinate values and can record the shapes of terrain and structures in detail. Under the promotion of "i-Construction" (ICT earthworks), digitalization of sites using point clouds has progressed and begun to be used for as-built management and quantity management. By deriving volumes from point cloud data, you can digitally grasp precise soil volumes and quantities that were difficult to determine from paper drawings or on-site visual estimation. This is a major advantage for cost control and schedule management, and one reason why 3D analysis tools and point cloud viewers are attracting attention in the construction and surveying industries.

Benefits of using a point cloud viewer

A point cloud viewer is software that displays captured point cloud data on a PC or tablet and allows various measurements and analyses. Especially when used for volume calculations, a point cloud viewer provides the following benefits.

• Improved accuracy: Because point clouds represent the actual site surface with countless measurement points, the accuracy of volume calculations improves dramatically. Rather than estimating from a few height measurements taken manually, point cloud data can account for subtle surface irregularities. For example, on uneven ground, a point cloud can capture small depressions and bulges, helping to prevent under- or overestimation of volumes.

• Safer and more efficient work: Even on hazardous slopes or large embankments, point cloud measurement eliminates the need for personnel to climb directly onto the terrain. This removes the need to set up temporary scaffolding, reduces measurement preparation, and shortens work time. By capturing data from the air with drones or scanning remotely with laser scanners and analyzing it in a viewer, volumes can be calculated quickly while ensuring worker safety.

• Multi-purpose use of data: Once a point cloud is captured, it can be used not only for volume but also for measuring distances and areas, creating cross-sections, and other analyses. On the viewer, you can cut arbitrary cross-sections to check layer thicknesses or display as-built conditions with a color map to visualize deviations from design. Being able to extract multi-faceted information from a single dataset reduces the need for additional surveys. Point cloud data itself can also be reused for future design changes or additional analyses, making it a long-term data asset once captured.

• Sharing via digital data: Volume results calculated in a point cloud viewer can be saved and shared as digital data. This allows accurate figures to be shared not only with on-site personnel but also with office staff and clients, facilitating explanations and consensus building. If needed, numbers can be output in report form or 3D models can be made available for stakeholders to view together, enabling intuitive sharing of site conditions.

Types and features of 3D analysis tools

Even within the category of point cloud viewers and 3D analysis tools, there is a wide variety. Each has different characteristics, so it is important to choose one that fits your company’s use case. The main types and their features are summarized below.

• Desktop dedicated software: High-function software installed and used on a PC. Provided by surveying equipment manufacturers and specialist vendors, these offer rich point cloud editing and analysis functions and can handle large-scale datasets. However, they tend to be expensive and require time to learn. Advanced analyses may require a high-performance workstation, so hardware investment should also be considered. These are suitable for large-scale projects or when advanced analysis capabilities are needed.

• Cloud service type: These services upload point cloud data to a cloud platform for analysis. They can process large amounts of point cloud data without a high-performance PC and require no software installation. Some services even automate volume calculation and cross-section generation. Although a network connection is required and uploading large datasets can take time, their ease of use and team-sharing capabilities are attractive. Because business data is stored in the cloud, be sure to check information security and costs (subscription fees) in advance.

• Freeware / open source: There are free point cloud processing software options. For basic visualization, distance measurement, and volume estimation, these can be sufficient. Some have active user communities and can be extended with plugins. However, they may lack Japanese-language support or have specialized UIs, which can be a hurdle for beginners. They are worth trying as an introduction when you want to keep costs low for small-scale projects.

• Mobile app type: Point cloud viewers and scanning apps for tablets and smartphones have increased in recent years. Modern iPads and smartphones often include LiDAR sensors, and with dedicated apps you can scan the surroundings on site to generate point clouds. Apps that can calculate volumes directly on mobile devices have also emerged, offering quick results. However, for large datasets or higher precision, support from a PC or cloud service may still be necessary, so choose based on the use case. For example, wide-area sites may be limited in the coverage captured at once, so you may need to perform multiple scans and combine them with cloud analysis.

Points to consider when selecting a point cloud viewer

So, which tool should you choose from the many available? When comparing and evaluating point cloud viewers, pay attention to the following points.

• Does it have the required functions: First, support for volume calculation is essential. Also confirm whether it includes functions needed for your work, such as cross-section creation and report output of measurement results. If you plan to expand its use in the future, general analysis functions like area measurement and comparison with design data are convenient.

• Data processing performance and supported formats: It is important to ensure the tool can handle the scale of point cloud data you will use. Point clouds can reach tens of millions of points. Consider your PC specs or, for cloud services, any upload size limits. Also confirm the software supports data formats output by laser scanners and drone surveys (LAS, PLY, E57, etc.).

• Usability and learning curve: If on-site staff will use the tool, an intuitive interface is a major consideration. Check whether the menus support Japanese and whether manuals or training services are available. Even if a tool is feature-rich, an overly complex one may see little use on site; it is often better to choose software that has sufficient functionality and is easy to use.

• Cost and licensing model: Software is available as perpetual licenses, monthly subscriptions, or free options. Choose a model that fits your budget. Don’t just choose the cheapest option—consider cost performance in terms of support and functionality. A large initial investment may be worthwhile if it substantially improves operational efficiency in the long run.

• Compatibility with other systems: If integration with CAD software or surveying equipment is necessary, interoperability becomes a selection criterion. For example, can you export measurement results as DXF for drawing, or import design data to compare with the as-built condition? Recently, solutions that share point cloud data via the cloud so multiple people can view and comment simultaneously have emerged. Choose a tool that integrates well with your company’s workflow.

• Support and operational assistance: When introducing a tool for the first time, the vendor’s support structure is important. Can you contact them when problems occur? Are training sessions provided? Are updates regularly released? A reliable support environment makes on-site adoption smoother.

Simple surveying using the latest technologies

Point cloud measurement and analysis, which traditionally required expensive 3D scanners and dedicated software, is becoming much more accessible thanks to recent technological advances. New surveying methods using smartphones and compact devices are accelerating site DX.

For example, many recent smartphones and tablets come with built-in LiDAR, and dedicated apps allow you to obtain surrounding point clouds simply by walking around the site. Photogrammetry techniques can also generate 3D models and point clouds from ordinary camera photos. Point clouds obtained by these methods can be uploaded to cloud services where noise removal and volume calculation are automated, allowing you to check results in a short time. Because analyses progress with button operations, even users without specialist knowledge can benefit—breaking down the assumption that “point cloud processing is difficult.”

Additionally, smartphone surveying devices that combine high-precision GNSS (GPS) have emerged. For example, by using [LRTK](https://www.lefixea.com/), a small RTK-GNSS receiver that attaches to a smartphone, a single person can easily perform high-precision on-site positioning. Point clouds with position information obtained via LRTK are immediately synced to the cloud and can be measured for volume and cross-sections in a browser-based 3D viewer. There is no need to set control points or carry heavy equipment, allowing immediate calculation of fill volumes on site and dramatically improving surveying speed and efficiency. AR (augmented reality) solutions have also appeared that project virtual reference planes or walls onto a smartphone screen and instantly calculate the volume of soil within them. As a result, analyses that used to be done in the office after surveying are increasingly completed in real time on site.

Conclusion: Choose the tool that fits your company

Volume calculation using 3D point clouds delivers overwhelming efficiency and accuracy improvements compared with traditional methods. As digital data utilization advances in the construction and surveying industries, adopting a point cloud viewer or analysis tool that matches your company’s needs is becoming essential for strengthening competitiveness and promoting DX. As introduced in this article, options range from high-function dedicated desktop software to easy-to-use cloud services, free tools, and smartphone apps. Compare and evaluate each tool’s features and selection points, and choose the one that best fits your operations.

Recently, simple surveying tools that anyone can use have begun to appear. For example, smartphone-based RTK surveying systems such as the LRTK mentioned in this article enable acquisition of precise 3D data and onsite volume calculation without specialized equipment. Make good use of the latest technologies and try applying new solutions to your sites. Point cloud analysis technologies will continue to advance, with AI-based automatic classification and real-time feedback to the field among the capabilities that will become increasingly available. Select the tool best suited to your company’s size and objectives, and proactively leverage these new technologies.

FAQ

Q: What is a point cloud viewer? A: A point cloud viewer is software that displays and manipulates large point cloud datasets captured by laser scanners or photogrammetry. It visualizes point clouds in 3D and allows measurements of distance, angles, volume, and more. It may be offered as a feature within professional point cloud processing software or as a simpler viewer app focused on viewing and measurement.

Q: What data is required for volume calculation? A: Basically, you need point cloud data of the target, such as a fill or depression. If you have 3D point clouds obtained by drone or terrestrial laser scanning, you can calculate volumes in a point cloud viewer. You can compute volume from a single point cloud by comparing it to an arbitrary reference surface, or calculate *changes in soil volume* by differencing two point clouds captured before and after excavation.

Q: Can you measure volume from drone imagery? A: Yes. A point cloud model can be generated from many photos taken by a drone using photogrammetry techniques, and that point cloud can be used for volume calculation. Today, services are available that automatically convert drone images uploaded to the cloud into 3D point clouds and compute volumes and cross-sections. Even without a dedicated laser scanner, combining drone imaging and image analysis techniques can provide sufficiently accurate volume measurements.

Q: Can free point cloud software calculate volumes accurately? A: If the data is captured accurately, free software can produce accurate volume calculations. Open-source point cloud viewers often include functions to specify regions with polygons and compute volumes. However, they may lag behind paid software in usability and automation, meaning more manual work and time, and possibly no vendor support. Free software is sufficient for small-scale analyses or learning, but for frequent professional use you should consider productivity and support as well.

Q: Is there a way to quickly know the volume on site? A: For immediate volume estimates, simple measurements using smartphones or tablets are effective. Using a LiDAR-equipped smartphone and a dedicated app, you can scan terrain on site and calculate volumes within minutes. Also, smartphone-compatible RTK devices like LRTK add precise coordinates to measured points, enabling high-accuracy volume measurements by a single operator on site. These methods let site personnel verify volumes in real time without waiting for specialist survey teams.

Q: Can beginners handle volume calculation using point clouds? A: Many tools are now designed for beginners, enabling basic volume calculations with simple operations. Cloud services with Japanese-language menus and clear guidance, or intuitive smartphone apps, make it possible to use point cloud tools without specialist knowledge. Start with small datasets, use manuals and support, and gradually you will be able to apply point cloud measurements to larger projects.

Q: How much more efficient is it compared to traditional surveying-based volume calculation? A: It varies by site and target, but using point clouds typically results in a dramatic efficiency increase. For example, terrain data that used to take a survey team several days to collect can, in some cases, be completed in about half a day using drone surveying and automatic analysis. Fewer personnel are required, on-site time is reduced, and safety and cost benefits are significant. Since point cloud data can be analyzed repeatedly once captured, progress tracking and evaluation of multiple plans can be done rapidly without additional measurements.