Chapter 8 Excavation

(Part 1)
 EXCAVATION
 Relatively simple to determine quantity to be excavated
 Difficult to estimate cost at which earthwork will be handled
because of hidden items that may affect cost
 These items may be,
 Type of soil
 Required slope of bank in excavated area
 Whether bracing or sheet piling would be required
 Whether ground water will be encountered and pumping
will be required
 Excavation be left on site
 or must be removed

 how far must be hauled

 Top soil be stock piled for future use

Excavation
 Factors affecting earthwork,
 Job
 Management
Excavation
Job Factors
 Difficult for contractor to change:
 Type/class of soil
 Extent of water present
 Weather conditions
 Freedom of workers/equipment to operate
 Size of job
 Length of haul
Analysis requirements thorough review of
plans/specs , soil investigation report, visit to job
site
Excavation
Management Factors
 Under control of contractor
 Org for job
 Maintain good morale of workers
 Selection/using suitable equipment/construction
methods
 Ex care in servicing equipment
 Establishing good field supervisory persons
Soil
 First item that must be considered is the type of
soil
 May start by investigating soil boring shown
drawings or included in specifications
 Must conform soil conditions during site visit
Calculating Excavation
 Measured in cubic yard
 27 cf= 1 cy
 In undisturbed conditions soil weighs about 100
lbs per cf; rock weighs about 150 lbs per cf
 Site plan- key drawing for determining earthwork
requirements
 Typically scaled in feet and inches
 When estimating quantities, computations need
not be worked out to an exact answer
Example 9-1
Given the following dimensions, determine the
quantity to be excavated
Length = 52.83 ft
Width = 75.75 ft
Depth = 6.33 ft
Volume = 52.83 x 75.75 x 6.33
=25,331.85 cf
= 25,332 cf
= 938 cy
Excavation
 Quantities determined from the site plan
 Scaled in feet (no inches)

 Measured in cubic yards

 Must separate bank, loose, or compacted
quantities
Swell and Shrinkage
 Bank: soils in original state (measured in bcy)

 Loose (swelled): soils after excavation and before

compaction (measured in lcy), normally expressed in
%age gained above original or bank volume

 Compacted (shrinkage): Soils after placement and

compaction (measured in ccy), again expressed as a
%age of undisturbed original or bank volume
Swell and Shrinkage
 Swell: increase in volume between bank and loose
condition

 Shrinkage: decrease in volume between bank and

compacted condition
Swell and Shrinkage
Percentage of Swell & Shrinkage
Material Swell Shrinkage
Sand and Gravel 10 to 18% 85 to 100%
Loam (sand, silt, clay) 15 to 25% 90 to 100%
Dense Clay 20 to 35% 90 to 100%
Solid Rock 40 to 70% 130%
Solid rock when compacted is less dense than its bank condition.
Example 9.2
If 1,000 bank cubic yards (in place at natural density) of dense
clay (30 percent swell) needs to be hauled away, how many
loose cubic yards would have to be hauled away by truck?

Dense clay = 1,000 bcy

Swell = 30%
Loads to be hauled = ?
Lcy = bcy x(1+swell)
Cubic yard of haul = 1,000 (1+30%)
= 1,300 lcy
Dump truck = 7cy
Load = 1,300 lcy / 7 lcy per load
= 186 loads