CSE29357 Highway Engineering

Tutorial Highway Earthwork

Summary

Highway design documents

Location choice of highway

Earthwork
- Computation of earthwork volume Average area method, cut and fill volume
𝐿
𝑉 = (𝐴1 + 𝐴2)
2
Correction for shrinkage
- Mass diagram ordinates
- Free-haul, overhaul ($), balance point

Reading:
Garber (2015), section 14.3
Banks (2002), Chapter 5

Banks, J. H. (2002). Introduction to transportation engineering (2nd ed.. ed.). Boston: Boston : McGraw-
Hill.
Garber, N. J. (2015). Traffic and highway engineering (Fifth edition.. ed.): Stamford, Connecticut :
Cengage Learning.

Tutorial Exercise

This is basically the same example as in the lecture notes, but you’ll work on it yourself.

A roadway section is 600m (20 stations).

The cut and fill volumes are to be computed between each station.
Materials in a fill section will shrink for 10% for this road section and the end area values are given
in the Table below.

Compute mass ordinates using average area method.

(Try to work out the first few stations, maybe up to 0 +120)

Area ( 𝑚2) Volume (𝑚3) Mass
Net
Mass Diagram Diagram
Station Fill Fill Volume
Cut Fill Cut Ordinate Ordinate
(Uncorrected) (Corrected) (𝑚3)
(ans)

CSE29357 Tutorial – Highway Earthwork

 0 + 000 3 18 75 1020 1122 -1047 0 0
0 + 030 2 50 60 2205 2425.5 -2365.5 -1047 -1047
0 + 060 2 97 90 3405 3745.5 -3655.5 -3412.5 -3412.5
0 + 090 4 130 180 2715 2986.5 -2806.5 -7068 -7068
0 + 120 8 51 720 1440 1584 -864 -9874.5 -9874.5
0 + 150 40 45 1275 975 1072.5 202.5 -10738.5 -10738.5
0 + 180 45 20 1875 375 412.5 1462.5 -10536 -10536
0 + 210 80 5 3030 105 115.5 2914.5 -9073.5 -9073.5
0 + 240 122 2 3780 30 33 3747 -6159 -6159
0 + 270 130 0 4050 0 0 4050 -2412 -2412
0 + 300 140 0 3600 45 49.5 3550.5 1638 1638
0 + 330 100 3 2700 495 544.5 2155.5 5188.5 5188.5
0 + 360 80 30 2325 750 825 1500 7344 7344
0 + 390 75 20 1875 1050 1155 720 8844 8844
0 + 420 50 50 1050 1950 2145 -1095 9564 9564
0 + 450 20 80 450 2700 2970 -2520 8469 8469
0 + 480 10 100 150 3300 3630 -3480 5949 5949
0 + 510 0 120 45 3600 3960 -3915 2469 2469
0 + 540 3 120 645 2550 2805 -2160 -1446 -1446
0 + 570 40 50 1050 1200 1320 -270 -3606 -3606
0 + 600 30 30 -3876 -3876

Plot the mass diagram

Try to identify the cut and fill sections

CSE29357 Tutorial – Highway Earthwork

 15000

10000

5000

-5000

-10000

-15000

Stations

Compute Balance Points

(i) Compute the balance point station considering the x-axis as the balance line.

Recall: Balance points are where the ordinates change from cut to fill (or vice versa) about the balance line.

Two balance points (A and B) can be identified about the balance line (x-axis for the time being)
Try to mark A and B in the mass diagram above

Balance point A is between station (0 + 270) and (0 + 300) in which the mass ordinates changes
from -2412 to +1638. (By interpolation)
Station of balance point A: = (0 + 270) + 16380−(−−(2412−2412) ) × 30 = (0 + 270) + 17.9 = (0 + 287.9)

Balance point B is between station (0 + 510) and (0 + 540) in which the mass ordinates changes
from 2469 to -1446 Station of balance point B: (0 + 510) + 0−2469 × 30 = (0 + 528.9 )
−1446−2469
(ii) Compute the balance point station considering a horizontal segment (C-D) between balance
points A-B which measures 150m.

CSE29357 Tutorial – Highway Earthwork

Try to mark the points C and D in the mass diagram
In fact, you’ll need a larger version of the mass diagram, let’s suppose we’ve done that and found
Station of balance point C: (0 + 334)
Station of balance point D: (0 + 484)

Similarly, you can identify another 150m segment between (0 + 000) and A.

12000

10000

8000

6000

4000

2000

-2000

-4000

-6000

Stations

Compute overhaul payment

Assume the free-haul distance in this highway construction contract is 150m, and the overhaul
price is $11/𝑚3 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (i.e. $11 for hauling 1 cubic meter for 1 station). Compute the overhaul
payment to be paid to the contractor to balance the cut and fill between balance points A and B.

From (0 + 287.9) to (0 + 300):

Volume moved = 1638 𝑚3
(at A, the mass ordinate is 0 and at (0 + 300) the mass ordinate is 1638, thus the volume moved is 1638𝑚3)

Average distance moved = + (334 − 300) =40.05m

(move these materials from the “middle” of (A and (0 + 300)) to C (0 + 334))

CSE29357 Tutorial – Highway Earthwork

From (0 + 300) to (0 + 330):
Volume moved = 3550.5 𝑚3
Average distance moved = 330−300 + (334 − 300) =19m
2

From (0 + 330) to (0 + 334):

Volume moved = 5480 − 5188.5 = 291.5 𝑚3
(5480 is the average of mass ordinates at C and D, it is difficult to find points C and D that are exactly 150m
away and have exactly the same mass ordinates, so we just take the average in view of the small
discrepancies)
Average distance moved = 2m

Overhaul distance from (0 + 287.9) to (0 + 334) is

[1638 × 40.05 + 3550.5 × 19 + 291.5 × 2]
= 24.39𝑚
5480
(Method of moments)

Now, try to compute the overhaul distance from (0 + 484) to (0 + 528.9)

From (0 + 484) to (0 + 510):

Volume moved = 5480-2469=3011 𝑚3 Average distance
moved = 510−484 + (528.9 − 510) = 31.9𝑚
2

From (0 + 510) to (0 + 528.9):

Volume moved = 2469 𝑚3 Average distance
moved = 528.9−510 = 9.45m
2

The overhaul distance from (0 + 484) to (0 + 528.9) is

[3011 × 31.9 + 2469 × 9.45]
= 25.60𝑚
5480

If overhaul is charged at $11𝑚3 station (i.e. $11 for moving 1 𝑚3 over 1 station) Overhaul
cost = $11 × 5480 × (24.39 + 25.60) = $100,447
30 30

Remark:
In this question, the mass ordinates between A and B are going up and then down.
If you are moving from A to B, you are gathering more and more earth materials in the “cut” section
is hauling them to the “fill” section. All the materials collected in the “cut” section will be completely
used up at point B (that’s how we define balance points).
You have hauled materials over a great distance to balance the cut and fill, but you don’t need to
pay for the “middle” 150m (between A and B) because it’s the free haul distance. Therefore, you’re
only paying for overhaul for movement of earth materials between points A and C, and B to D.

CSE29357 Tutorial – Highway Earthwork