Overview
The Smoothing feature in PVX.AI is a grading method that optimizes the terrain surface while keeping cut and fill volumes equal. This method is ideal for projects that aim to minimize earthwork costs by maintaining a balanced cut-fill ratio.
Prerequisites
A surface model and a defined PV area must be created.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Open the leveling tool
Navigate to the Leveling menu and select your parcel boundary.
2. Choose the Smoothing method
Select Smoothing as the leveling method. This algorithm keeps cut and fill volumes approximately equal.
3. Enter slope limits
Enter the maximum north-south and east-west slope limits as percentages. These define the acceptable slope ranges after grading.
4. Configure additional options
You can enable three options: Keep Original Terrain preserves the original surface; Show Cut Fill Map generates a cut/fill map at each mesh point; Show Slope Analyzer updates the slope table after grading.
5. Run the grading process
Start the process. Upon completion, you can view the total earthwork volume in cubic meters and the new surface model. The Smoothing algorithm is optimized to keep cut and fill volumes balanced.
Tips & Recommendations
- Smoothing minimizes soil transport costs by maintaining a balanced cut-fill ratio.
- Enable the original terrain option to compare before and after surfaces.
- Typical slope limits for solar projects are 5-15%; adjust based on your project requirements.