---
title: "Ballast Volume Report"
canonical: "https://support.cordel.ai/space/CSD/1682866177/Ballast%20Volume%20Report"
format: markdown
---
The ballast volume report list volumetric measurements of the ballast profile.

Infringing conditions are when there is insufficient ballast under the sleeper or insufficient volume in the profile as a whole (e.g. if the shoulder was continuously shorter than what is specified then this would bring the volume down).

As the LiDAR only is able to make surface measurements, depth is inferred based on extrapolation of the foundation on which the ballast is lain. Where the foundation is not clearly seen (e.g. due to the presence of track equipment, too much vegetation / detritus near the batter/foundation edge or at bridges, level crossings and some culverts) it will unavoidably invalidate the measurement and several quality measurements are included in order to diagnose these cases.

A volume measurement is made by combining up 1 metre transects into a longer pre-configured span (e.g. 20 m, but may be shortened due to the presence of level crossings and bridges which are excluded). Each metre transect will measure the volume based on integrating the heights of the ballast profile above an inferred foundation slope based on the best left or right fit.

**Example file:**

```
TrackCode,Km,Depth(m),Longitude,Latitude,Altitude,Easting,Northing,MeanDepthCentre,Volume,DesignVolume,Alert,BadLeft,BadRight,MinDepthCentre,MaxDepthCentre,WorseQual,WorseLeftQual,WorseRightQual
NGD 0,602.4372,20.0,134.537974601,-29.867613181,149.90,455379.45,6695794.44,0.187,30.676,26.220,True,True,False,0.120,0.252,0.00583,0.00649,0.00131
NGD 0,602.4573,20.0,134.537976838,-29.867432119,149.94,455379.58,6695814.50,0.231,33.623,26.280,False,False,False,0.190,0.280,0.00091,0.00091,0.00173
NGD 0,602.4774,20.0,134.53797901,-29.86725109,149.98,455379.71,6695834.56,0.198,31.261,26.493,False,False,False,0.165,0.231,0.00086,0.00086,0.00089
NGD 0,602.4973,20.0,134.537981256,-29.867071457,150.02,455379.85,6695854.47,0.217,31.907,26.187,False,False,False,0.181,0.243,0.00028,0.00054,0.00011
NGD 0,602.5173,20.0,134.537983468,-29.866890507,150.07,455379.98,6695874.52,0.233,33.051,26.140,True,False,False,0.142,0.284,0.00051,0.00051,0.00026
NGD 0,602.5368,20.0,134.537985614,-29.866710935,150.12,455380.11,6695894.42,0.216,31.157,26.600,False,False,False,0.168,0.269,0.00031,0.00031,0.00039
```

# File naming convention

no LRS match: Unknown_MLSINF_{metaname}_BallastVolumetricReport.csv

has LRS match: {Track}[{StartPost as X,XXX.XX}-{EndPost as X,XXX.XX}]_MLSINF_{metaname}_BallastVolumetricReport.csv


# Column description

| **Column name** | **Description** | **Example** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TrackCode | LRS trackcode the trajectory has matched to. | NGD 0 |
| Km | LRS distance in kilometres. | 515.3446 |
| Depth(m) | Length in metres over which the volumetric measurement is made. | 20.0 |
| Longitude, Latitude and Altitude | WGS84 geodetic coordinates for the start of the infringement. | 134.517936342,-30.657513808,118.59 |
| Easting, Northing | Projected Coordinates for the start of the infringement. | 453814.86,6608226.08 |
| MeanDepthCentre | Depth in metres of the ballast below the bottom of the centre of the sleeper, averaged over the length of the span. | 0.145 |
| Volume | The volume of ballast in cubic metres determined by measuring the shape of the profile and batter and subtracting the extrapolated triangular foundation wedge. | 27.783 |
| DesignVolume | The volume of ballast in cubic metres expected to be needed over the span given the requirements of a minimum under sleeper depth, maximum batter gradient, and minimum formation gradient at the measured superelevation. | 26.434 |
| Alert | True if, for any transect, there is an infringement (i.e. when the centre depth is less than what is required, or the volume is less than the design volume). | True |
| BadLeft, BadRight | True if the variance of the respective left and right variances of the straight line fit to the foundation are greater than a pre-specified threshold for any transect. | True,False |
| MinDepthCentre, MaxDepthCentre | The minimum and maximum depth in metres at the sleeper centre over the length of the span. | 0.101,0.176 |
| WorseQual, WorseLeftQual, WorseRightQual | Worse variance over the length of the span taken from the respective best (out of the left or right), left, and right fits to the foundation. | 0.00119,0.00548,0.00119 |