KKKH 4194

PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Lecture 3A

7th April 2016

Ir Ishak Arshad

Earthwork- earthwork activities & mass diagram

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Earthwork Activities
A) Site clearing & grubbing

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Earthwork Activities
A) Site clearing & grubbing
removal of trees, shrubs, and other vegetation
removing stumps and root mat at least 600mm
below sub-grade

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Earthwork Activities
B) Stripping Top Soil (to be done after site clearing)
Top soil - resulting from decomposition of vegetative matter unsuitable for use in embankment
- Strip the top soil eg 150mm thick as mentioned in BQ/
drawings stockpile - to be used for turfing work/ landscape
or to waste
Some project, stripping of top soil is given as a separate item
(Quantity as Lump Sum or using rate per meter square) and
some used as part of the excavation
Eg Description in BQ:
Strip top soil to an average depth of 150mm and stockpiles
for reuse or dispose m2 or hectars

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Earthwork Activities
B) Stripping Top Soil

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Earthwork Activities
C) Excavation & Embankment
Description in BQ eg
1) Excavate all the unsuitable material until hard formation and
refill with suitable matls as shown in the drawings and as
directed by the SO all in accordance with the specifications
m3 (quantity)
2) Excavation (earth) and transport as shown in the drawings
and as directed by the SO all in accordance with the
specifications cu.m
3) Excavation in rock . cu.m (Prov Quantities ?)
4) Form embankment to the slope and levels as shown in the
drawings from excavated materials and as directed by the SO
all in accordance with the specifications cu.m
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Graphical Presentation of earthwork:

3 kinds of views in the contract documents to show
construction features
1. Plan view horizontal alignment of features (for roads, drainages,
sewwerage etc)

2. Profile view (longitudinal section) a vertical view along the centre

line of the work (for roads, drainages & sewerage)

3. Cross section view a view formed by a plane cutting the work at

right angles to its horizontal alignment (in plan) for a road project the
cross section at every 50 meter or other suitable intervals for a building
project, cross sections across building platform for few locations both
along X axis and Y axis
(Section X-X and Section Y-Y)
Earthwork for Road projects

- Drawings 1, 2 and 3 are given in Contract

document
Earthwork of building projects - Drawings 1 and 3 are given
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Figure 2.2 -Profile View (Longitudinal Section) pg 23

Existing
Ground
Level
Formation
level

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Figure 2.3 Earthwork Cross Sections (pg 66)

Plateform Level

Existing
Ground Level
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Cross Sections- Cut and Fill

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Earthwork Quantities:
Earthwork computation involve:
1. Balancing cuts and fills
2. Calculating earthwork volume
3. Planning the most economical material hauls to left or right ?

1. Calculating earthwork volume:

Calculate a cross sectional end areas
a) Use computer softwares or digitizing tablet
b) Use a planimeter (to measure are of cut or fill )
c) Sub divide of the project area into geometric figures eg
triangles, squares or rectangulars and the use of the trapezoidal formula
- Triangle =1/2 hw
- Trapezoid = (h1+h2)x w where w= distance between 2 parallel sides
h1 & h2 lengths of the parellel sides

Average
end area = (A1 + A2)/2 in m2
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Volume
= (A1+A2)L/2 in m3

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Fig. 2.4 Cross Sectional Area- Division of a cross

section drawing into triangles & trapezoidals -(pg 68)

Existing
Ground
Level

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Formation
level

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Volume Calculation Average end area (pg 69)

Volume = (A1+A2)/2 x L

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Calculation of Volume 1 Example 3.2 ms 70

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Volume Calculation 2 (pg 70)

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Earthwork Quantities:
Calculating earthwork volume:

Example 1: Volume = 257,018 ccy

Example 2: Volume = 250,556 ccy

Same project but different in volume is due to
- In Example 1 more cross-sectional areas are
taken ( 9 end areas) compare to Example 2 (only 7
end areas )
You will get accurate answer if you take more cross
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sections !

Earthwork Quantities:
Calculating earthwork volume:

Net Volume
Volume of material in cut is different with volume of material in
fill
Volumes for the fill = compacted volume= c meter cube
Volumes from the cut = natural volume (in situ volume) = bank
volume = b meter cube
If the cut and fill volumes are to be combined, they must be
converted into compatible volume
b= (c meter cube)/0.9 Refer Table 3.1 Peurifoy pg 73
Table 2.1 Earthwork Vol.xls

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Table 3.1 Earthwork Volume Calculation Sheet

Table 3.1.docx

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Calculating earthwork volume:

An Earthwork volume sheet refer Table 3.1

Column 1 Stations refer to surveyor notation (chainages) at 100 ft

interval (abt 30 m)
Distance between Stations = 50 ft or 100 ft (15 m or 30m)

Column 2 - End Area Cut (ft square) or meter sq calculate cross

sectional areas in cut cros sectional in cut

Column 3 - End Area Fill (ft square) meter sq calculate cros sectional
areas in fill

Column 4 - Volume of Cut between the adjacent preceding stn and the
stn - Use average end area formula (A1+A2)/2 x L = b cubic
meter ( in the example they used yd cube) , b= bank volume
Column 5 - Volume of Fill use avg end area formula = c cubic meter
(m3) where c= compacted volume

Column 6 Stripping vol in the cut width of cut x avg depth x distance
between stns = b cubic meter, not suitable for use in
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embankment (will be deducted)

Calculating earthwork volume:

An Earthwork volume sheet refer Table 3.1 . Continue

Column 7- Stripping volume in the fill width of fill x avg depth x distance
between stn = c cubic meter
Column 8 - Total vol of cut = vol of cut (column 4 vol of stripping cut in
col 6 = b cubic meter
Column 9 - Total Fill = vol of fill in column 5 + vol of stripping fill in col 7
= c m3

Column 10 Adjusted Fill = total fill vol converted from compacted vol to
bank volumn (bcm) (m3)
c m3/0.9 = b m3

Column 11 Algebraic Sum = vol in col 8 vol in col 10 , + ve cut, -ve fill
= b m3

Column 12 Mass Ordinate = the running total of col 11, +ve cut, -ve fill
( cut will be added and fill will be substracted)
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Earthwork Volume & Mass Diagram (MD)

Table 3.1 pg 73
Earth moving = operation where material is removed
from high spots (cut) & deposited in low spots (fill)
any deficit to get from borrow & excess to dump

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Mass Diagram (MD)

MD is the most effective tools for planning movement
of material on any project of linear extent
a graphical means for measuring haul distance in
meters (stations) and earthwork volume in m3
the movement = 1 cubic meter, through a distance of
one station
Mass diagram only for matl that must be transported
beyond the limit of 2 cross section (200 ft or 100m)
If having both cut & fill between stations, cut matl will
be used for fill requirement between 2 consecutive
stns. Only the excess vol is to be carried forward for
MD
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Mass Diagram (MD)

An Earthwork Profile is a plot of the net earthwork
along a roadway or airstrip
Net cut values are plotted above the X-axis (positive Y
value)
Net fill values are plotted below the X-axis (negative Y
value)
Presents a picture of the earthwork requirements

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Figure 2.6 (pg 76 A Mass Diagram

Existing
Ground
Level

Formation
level

Highest pt in MD at the end

of cut & beginning of fill

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Lowest pt in
MDat the end of
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fill and beginning
of cut

Mass Diagram (MD)

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Mass Diagram (MD)

A Mass Haul Diagram is a continuous curve
representing the cumulative volume of earthwork
along the linear profile of a roadway or airfield
The accumulated volume of earthwork at the
horizontal axis (Y=0) is 0
When a horizontal line intersects two or more points
along the curve, the accumulated volumes at those
points are equal
A negative value at the end of the curve indicates that
borrow is required to complete the fill
A positive value at the end of the curve indicates that
a waste operation will be the net result
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Mass Diagram (MD)

the vertical coordinate is a plot of the

cumulative earthwork from the origin to that
point
upward sloping curves indicate (rising left to
right) indicate a cut
downward sloping (falling left to right) curves
occur in a fill section
peaks indicate a change from cut to fill and
valleys occur when the earthwork changes
from fill to cut
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Mass Diagram (MD)

The accumulated volume of earthwork at the

horizontal axis (Y=0) is 0
When a horizontal line intersects two or more
points along the curve, the accumulated
volumes at those points are equal
A negative value at the end of the curve
indicates that borrow is required to complete
the fill
A positive value at the end of the curve
indicates that a waste operation will be the net
result
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Mass Diagram (MD)

Table 3.1
Column (1) is Stations of a project (Chainage)
Column (12) is cumulative sum of excavation &
embankment
The Table 2.1 gives information on:
1) Quantities of matl, 2) Avg haul distance,
3) Types of equipment to be considered
Refer Figure 3.13 Peurifoy pg 76, For Mass Diagram,
+ ve mass ordinate above datum = volume of matl is
surplus
- ve below datum = volume of mtl is deficient 29
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Mass Diagram Properties

A MD is a running total of the quantity of matl can show
surplus or deficient
Excavation = ascending MD curve between stn
A&B, and between D & E
Filling =decending MD curve between B & D
Volume of cut/fill can be calculated by a projection of
the mass diagram line pts to the vertical scale
Maximum or minimum pts on the MD = a change from
excavation to filling or vice versa at pts B and D
When MD curve crosses the Datum Line (zero
volume) at C, no excess or deficit of matl at pt C
At Stn E = waste situation, excess matl will have to be
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hauled to dumping site

Characteristic of Mass-Haul Diagram ref Shrivastava

pg 145
Mass haul curve represents the algebraic summation of the qty
of earthwork in the direction in which the chainage of the
station progresses
If the algebraic summation (or cumulative volume) is plus it
indicates the cutting and is plotted upwards. If minus, it
indicates the filling and is plotted downwards, with reference to
base line
The slope of the mass-haul curve changes with the volume
between station. If the curve is ascending, it indicates
excavation or cut. Decending curve indicate embankment or
fill.
The lowest point of a loop that form a sag, it occurs at the end
of the fill. The highest point of a loop that form peak, it occurs
at the end of the cut
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Characteristic of Mass-Haul Diagram ref Shrivastava

pg 145 -continue
The vertical distance between a valley point and the next
forward ridge point gives the total volume of the cut. And the
vertical distance between a ridge point and the next forward
valley point gives the total volume of the fill.
Between any 2 consecutive pts where a horizontal line or base
line intersects the mass haul curve, the qty of earthwork is
balanced.
If the loop of the mass-haul curve is above the balance line,
the excavated matl is to be moved in the direction in which the
station progresses or from left to the right in the MHD. Where
the loop is below the base line, the excavated matl is to be
moved in the opposite direction or from right to left
The maximum ordinate of any loop represent the total qty of
earthwork that is to be moved from cut to fill
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Using Mass Diagram

MD is an analysis tool for selecting appropriate equipment for excavating

and hauling matl
Analysis using balance lines & calculating avg hauls

Balance lines:
Horizontal line of specific length that intersects the MD in 2 places
Can be constructed so that its length is the maximum haul distance for diff
type of equipment
Max haul distance the limiting economical haul distance for a particular
equipment (mc) use to fix location for mc
Ref- Table 3.2 pg 77
Machines Type

Economical Haul Distance

Large dozer- pushing matl

Up to 90m (300 ft)

Scrapers

90 to 1500m (300-5000ft)

Loader & Trucks

Haul greater than 1500m

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Balance lines: - continue..

Fig 2.7 shown a balance line AC
For a large push-loader scraper, the distance between stns A
and C= 1500m (5000 ft) ref Table 2.2
Between the ends of the balance in (A and C), at C the cut
volume = fill volume
Between stn A and C, the amount of matl the scrapers will
haul = the vertical scale =Q
The avg haul the multiple balance lines and the area shown
is a rectangular.
The avg haul distance = the length of a horizontal line placed
1/3 of the distance from balance line in the direction of the
high or low pt of the curve
It is when the general shape of the MD is a triangle ( 2
triangles)
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Figure 3.14 (pg78) MD with a balance line

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Balance lines: - continue..

Ref Fig 3.15 pg 79 multiple balance lines
Avg haul for an equipment, where distance = midway between balance
lines
When the curve is above the balance line direction of haul is from left to
right i.e up stationing
When the curve is below the balance line direction of haul is from right to
left i.e down stationing
Length of the balance line = max or min haul distances for the balanced
earthmoving operation - to conform to capabilities of equipment to be
utilised
Equipment/mc to operate at haul distances within its range of efficiency
In fig 2.8, dozers will be used to push the short haul matl.
Using dozers the excavation between stns C and D will be placed between
stns D and E
Using a scraper to excavate matl between stn A and C & haul to fill
between stns E and G
Note: In Fig 2.8, yardage= volume in yd3 or for us to use m3
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Figure 3.15 2 balance lines of a MD

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Figure 3.14 Using MD & Profile to determine avg haul grades

1/2h

1/2h

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Average Grade:

When the MD & the project profile are plotted one on top of the
other, ref Fig 3.14. and Fig 3.15 , the avg haul grades of the
earthmoving operation can be approximated
On profile view, draw a horizontal line that divide the cut area
in half in vertical dimension. Do the same to fill area.
The diff in elevation between these 2 lines provide the vertical
distance to use in calculating the avg grade for the haul
(involve transport cost)
involving the matl in the balance
Avg grade % = (Change in elevation/Avg haul distance) x 100
Ref Fig 3.14 - The avg grade from the cut to the fill
= (-18 ft/203)x100 = -8.9%
The return trip will be up a 8.9% grade

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Haul Distances:
Ref Table 3.1
column 8 from 0 +00 to 8 +50, total vol of excavation,
b1 = 2,188 yd3
Column 11- +ve values, vol of cut ,b2 = 2,050 yd3 to
be moved longitudinally
b1 b2 = 2188-2050= 139 yd3 = cross haul for the
project to be done by a dozer
Column 12 lowest ve value = -847 at Stn 2 +50
highest +ve value = 1202 at Stn 6 +50
Values of of peak and low pts = total excavation to
be moved longitudinally, b = 847 + 1202 = 2049 yd3
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Haul Distances: .continue

Ref Table 3.3 Table 3.3 Earthwork Vol For MD.xls
Column 12 - lowest pt of the valley = -28,539 at Stn 5 +00
- high pt of -17,080 at Stn 8+ 00
- 2nd lowest pt = -22,670 at Stn 10 +00
Sum of values of of the peak and low pts = total excavation to
be moved longitudinally,
b =[(28,539 17,080) + (22,670-17,080) + (17,080-0) =
33,188 yd3]
Haul 1 = 11,459 yd3
Haul 2 = 5,590 yd3
Haul 3 = 17,080 yd3
Ref Fig 3.17
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Calculating Haul Distances: Ref MD

Avg haul distance for any individual haul,
= area enclosed by the balance line and zero datum / amount of
matl hauled
Graphically = the vertical mid point of the area
= Area from 0 +00 to 15+ 00
h0 =0, h1= 3631, h2=13,641....h13=17080, h14= 8502, h15=0
= 213,654 stn-yrd
Avg haul distance= 213,654/17,080 =12.51 stn
Graphically = 12,200 ft
SBC2253_OCW_Mass_Haul_Diagrams.pdf
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Fig 3.17 Mass Diagram plotted from data Table 3.3

Haul 3
17,080
Haul 1

Haul 2
22,670

28,539

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References:
1. Peurifoy R.L and Clifford J.Schexnayder .2006 (7 th
Edition).Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods.
McGraw Hill (chapter 2). (Chapter 3)
2. Nunnally S.W. 2007. Construction Methods and Management.
Pearson International Edition. (Chapter 3)
3. Peurifoy R.L and Oberlender G.D .2002. Estimating
Construction Costs. McGraw Hill
4. Schexnayder C.J and Mayo R.E.2004. Construction
Management Fundamentals. McGraw-Hill
5. Twort A.C and Rees J.G .2005, Civil Engineering Project
Management . 4th Edition, UK: Elsevier Butterworth
Heinemann
6. Shrivastava U.K. 2007. Construction Planning & Management.
Galgotia Publication New Delhi (Chapter 4 & Chapter 7)
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