In calculating concrete pad volume, what does t represent?

• A. Length
• B. Width
• C. Thickness
• D. Height

Answer: (C)

When calculating the volume of a rectangular concrete pad, you multiply the two plan dimensions by the vertical dimension to get the three-dimensional size. The symbol t represents thickness, which is the vertical depth of the pad from bottom to top. This is the dimension that converts the flat plan area into a solid volume: Volume = Length × Width × Thickness.

For example, if the pad is 5 m long, 2 m wide, and 0.15 m thick, the volume is 5 × 2 × 0.15 = 1.5 cubic meters.

Length and width describe the horizontal extents on the plan, not the vertical depth. Height is a general vertical measurement but for a concrete pad the standard term for the vertical dimension is thickness.