2013

Earth Work Calculation

1 Earth Work Calculation

Table of Contents
1. List of Figures 02
2. List of Tables 02
3. Chapter 01 03
a. Introduction to Earth Work 03
b. Cut and Fill 03
c. Cross-sectional Area 03
d. Earth Work Analysis 04
4. Chapter 02 05
a. Objective 05
b. Study Area 05
c. Data Source 05
d. Data Format 05
e. Software 06
f. Given Task 06
g. Methodology 06
h. Calculations 08
i. Results 09
5. References 11

Atiqa Khan 14-Nov-13

2 Earth Work Calculation

List of Figures

1. Figure 1: Cross-Sectional Area 04

2. Figure 2: Tank Road 05
3. Figure 3: Sample_Data 06
4. Figure 4: Fill_Sample 07
5. Figure 5: Cut_Sample 07
6. Figure 6: Sample Drawing 08
7. Figure 7: Excel Sheet_Sample 08

List of Table

1. Table 1: Result-l 09
2. Table 2: Result-ll 10

Atiqa Khan 14-Nov-13

3 Earth Work Calculation

Chapter 01
Introduction to Earth Work
By definition, earth work is defined as:

“Earth work is the excavation, hauling, and placing of soil, rock, gravel, or other material
found below the surface of earth.”

(Surveyor Reference Manual; By George M. Cole, Andrew L. Harbin)

By the word earth work means, all the processes involving in the movement of the different
materials, soil, rocks, and all such materials that are involved in construction. This is the main
part over the construction side. All the accuracy and cost depends upon the level of earth
work.so this has to be done very precisely.

Cut Fill
Cut is defined as:

“Earthwork that is excavated, or to be excavated is known as Cut.”

(Surveyor Reference Manual; By George M. Cole, Andrew L. Harbin)

Similarly, Fill is defined as:

“Excavated that is placed in the embankment (Raise up) is said to be Fill.”

(Surveyor Reference Manual; By George M. Cole, Andrew L. Harbin)

One thing should be kept in mind that the payment of earth work is either for cut or fill, not
for both. It is like paying, for the same earth twice. Normally, the units are „Cubic yards‟.

Cross Section Area

The main task of the earth work is to calculate the cross sectional area of cut and fill
separately. This will help the constructer to estimate the amount of earth that is required to be
moved. That in return decides the cost of the project.

It can be calculated by hand, dividing the cross section into either in triangle or trapezoids,
depending upon the requirement.

Or it can be calculated by the aid of software.

Atiqa Khan 14-Nov-13

4 Earth Work Calculation

Fig 1: Cross Section Area

Earth Work Analysis

There are few steps that are common to each earth work calculations, either by hand or by
software. These steps are as follows:

1. Take cross-sections (typically 25m)

2. Define natural ground level.
3. Define proposed level.
4. Indicate the cut and fill areas.
5. Estimate the area measurements of cut and fill.
6. Estimate the volume per cut and per fill.

Atiqa Khan 14-Nov-13

5 Earth Work Calculation

Chapter 02
Objective:
The objective is minimized the earth work calculation so to exactly estimate the amount of
cut and fill in the construction area.

Study Area
The study area is „Tank Road‟, D.I. Khan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, located at
31°50'53.78" N, 70°52'19.84" E, at the elevation of 585 ft. Located at a distance of 61 km
from D.I.Khan Bypass.

Fig 2: Tank Road, D.I.Khan

Data Sources
The source of data is observed cross-sectional points by total level at locations 25m apart.

Data Format
The format of data is in “.dwg”, related to the “Auto-Cad”. One of the examples is as shown
below:

Atiqa Khan 14-Nov-13

6 Earth Work Calculation

Fig 3: Sample Data

Where,

Red Line shows: Original Road

White Line shows: Designed Road

Software
The software used here is:

 Auto Cad
 Microsoft Excel 2010

Given Task
My task is to calculate the areas of cut and fill. The area assigned to me was: ‘X-Section at km
13+ 025 ~ 14+ 000’. This make a total of 1km, divided into 40 parts each at 25m apart.

Methodology
The method was just simple. Followed by some steps, defined as below:

1. Open the Auto-cad.

2. Open the file. (e.g. 13+025)
3. Type ‘pl’ in the Command line.

Atiqa Khan 14-Nov-13

7 Earth Work Calculation

4. Identify the Cut and Fill portions as follows:

a. If the Red line (original road) is below the White line (designed road), then
this portion has to be filled. So known as ‘Fill’.

Fig 4: Fill_Sample

b. If the Red line (original road) is above the White line (designed road), then
this portion has to be cut. So known as ‘Cut’.

Fig 5: Cut_sample

5. Complete a polygon, by placing points on the ‘Nodes’ at the given cut/fill.

Atiqa Khan 14-Nov-13

8 Earth Work Calculation

6. Click on the ‘Properties’. And find out the area of the observed polygon.

Fig 6: Sample_Calculation

Calculations
1. Note the area in the excel sheet, for cut/fill separately.
2. Calculate the volume for each of the cut/fill by multiplying each cut/fill area by 25.
3. Then calculate the difference of both values (cut/fill).

Fig 7: Excel Sheet_sample

Atiqa Khan 14-Nov-13

9 Earth Work Calculation

Results
The final result in the form of Excel sheet is give as follows:

X Section at km 13+050 ~ 14+000

Serial RD Cut Area(m) Fill Area(m) Cut Fill Difference
No. Volume(m3) Volume(m3)
1 13+025 10.906 272.65
2 13+050 10.717 267.925
3 13+075 10.167 254.175
4 13+100 9.561 239.025
5 13+125 9.551 238.775
6 13+150 9.478 236.95
7 13+175 9.675 241.875
8 13+200 9.324 233.1
9 13+225 9.035 225.875
10 13+250 8.997 224.925
11 13+275 8.715 217.875
12 13+300 8.408 210.2
13 13+325 8.089 202.225
14 13+350 8.934 223.35
15 13+375 9.057 226.425
16 13+400 9.074 226.85
17 13+425 9.153 228.825
18 13+450 9.407 235.175
19 13+475 9.468 236.7
20 13+500 9.799 244.975
21 13+525 9.521 238.025
22 13+550 8.902 222.55
23 13+575 9.325 233.125
24 13+600 8.905 222.625
25 13+625 9.447 236.175
26 13+650 9.35 233.75
27 13+675 9.241 231.025
28 13+700 8.885 222.125
29 13+725 8.433 210.825
30 13+750 8.426 210.65
31 13+775 8.501 212.525
32 13+800 8.843 221.075
33 13+825 7.987 199.675
34 13+850 8.779 219.475
35 13+875 8.115 202.875
36 13+900 7.486 187.15
37 13+925 6.939 173.475
38 13+950 6.427 160.675
39 13+975 6.068 151.7
40 14+000 5.334 133.35
Table 1: Result-l

Atiqa Khan 14-Nov-13

10 Earth Work Calculation

Serial No Cumulative Avg. (Fill) Cumulative Avg. (Fill_vol)

01 10.8115 270.2875
02 21.2535 531.3375
03 31.1175 777.9375
04 40.6735 1016.8375
05 50.188 1254.7
06 59.7645 1494.1125
07 69.264 1731.6
08 78.4435 1961.0875
09 87.4595 2186.4875
10 96.3155 2407.8875
11 104.877 2621.925
12 113.1255 2828.1375
13 121.637 3040.925
14 130.6325 3265.8125
15 139.698 3492.45
16 148.8115 3720.2875
17 158.0915 3952.2875
18 167.529 4188.225
19 177.1625 4429.0625
20 186.8225 4670.5625
21 196.034 4900.85
22 205.1475 5128.6875
23 214.2625 5356.5625
24 223.4385 5585.9625
25 232.837 5820.925
26 242.1325 6053.3125
27 251.1955 6279.8875
28 259.8545 6496.3625
29 268.284 6707.1
30 276.7475 6918.6875
31 285.4195 7135.4875
32 293.8345 7345.8625
33 302.2175 7555.4375
34 310.6645 7766.6125
35 318.465 7961.625
36 325.6775 8141.9375
37 332.3605 8309.0125
38 338.608 8465.2
39 344.309 8607.725
40 523.1905 13079.7625
Total 7727.5465 193188.6625
Table 2: Result-ll

Atiqa Khan 14-Nov-13

11 Earth Work Calculation

References

1. Surveyor Reference Manual, By George M. Cole, Andrew L. Harbin

2. CIVL 361, Earthwork, Dr. Mehmet M. Kunt, Fall 2009, EMU

Atiqa Khan 14-Nov-13