Part 8: Earthwork Excavation for Roadway

8.1 Calculation of Volume

There are three methods generally adopted for computation of earthwork volume (according to the
formation of the solid). They are:

1) From cross sections: Measurement from cross section is a universally applicable method.
2) From spot levels: measurement from spot levels are applied sometime for large excavation.
3) From contours: Rough estimates of volume may be made by treatment of the contour line
and not much used in practice.

8.2 Measurement from Cross Sections

The cross sectional area along the line is first calculated by standard formulae and the volumes of
the prismoids between successive cross-sections are then calculated by following methods:

1) Formulae of Mid-section method/ Average height method.

2) Formulae of Trapezoidal method/ Average end area method/ mean-sectional area
method.
3) Formulae of prismoidal method according to Simpson’s one-third rule.

8.3 Terms and Abbreviations

EGL (Existing Ground Level) or GL (Ground Level): The existing earth surface

FL (Formation Level): The proposed level of roadway.

RL (Road Level): A level stated in relation to a known bench mark or datum.
Longitudinal Slope/ Gradient: Gradient may be defined as the rate of rise or fall along the length of
highway.
Side Slope: Side slope is defined as the rate of rise or fall of the shoulders of the pavement. It depends
on the soil characteristics and geographic location of the highway.
8.4 Mid-section formulae (Average Height Method)

d2

davg

d1 L

Figure 8.1: Cross Section of a Trapezoidal Section for Average Height Method
Depth section (1) = d1 (note that d1 is the difference between GL & FL)
Depth section (2) = d2 (note that d2 is the difference between GL & FL)
Average depth, davg = (d1 + d2)/2
Width of section = b
Side slope = 1: s (vertical: horizontal)
Area of mid-section, A mid = bdavg + (1/2) sdavg2 + (1/2) sdavg2
A mid = (b+sdavg) x davg
Length between two consecutive sections (between section (1) & (2)) = L1-2
Volume of earthwork between these two consecutive sections (between section (1) & (2)), V1-2 =
Aavg x L
V1-2 = (b+sdavg) x davg x L (may be cut or fill)

8.5 Trapezoidal Formula/ Average End Area Method / Mean-Sectional Area Method
Depth section (1) = d1 (note that d1 is the difference between GL & FL)
Depth section (2) = d2 (note that d2 is the difference between GL & FL)
Area at end 1, A1 = (b+sd1) x d1
Area at end 2, A2 = (b+sd2) x d2
Mean sectional area, A mean = (A1+A2)/2
Width of section = b
Side slope = 1: s (vertical: horizontal)
Length between two consecutive sections (between section (1) & (2)) = L
Volume of earthwork between these two consecutive sections (between section (1) & (2)), V1-2 = A
mean x L

V1-2 = A mean x L (may be cut or fill)

8.6 Prismoidal formula

Depth section (1) = d1 (note that d1 is the difference between GL & FL)
Depth section (2) = d2 (note that d2 is the difference between GL & FL)
Area at end 1, A1 = (b+sd1) x d1
Area at end 2, A2 = (b+sd2) x d2
Mean sectional area, A mean = (A1+A2)/2
Width of section = b
Side slope = 1: s (vertical: horizontal)
Length between two consecutive sections (between section (1) & (2)) = L
Volume of earthwork between these two consecutive sections (between section (1) & (2)),
V1-2 = (A1+ 4Am + A2)/6 x L (may be cut or fill)

8.7 Worked Out Problem

A 1 km road is to be constructed in existing ground level having reduced levels 54.1, 53.8, 53.5,
53.5, 54.3, 54.6, 54.9, 54.5, 54.7 and 54.3 meters at 100 m intervals. A required reduced level at
station 1 is 55 meter and the downward gradient is 1 in 1000. The width of the road at formation
level is 8 meter. Slopes to be maintained at cutting and filling are 1:2 (V: H) and 1:3 (V: H)
respectively. Calculate the volume of Earthwork.

Figure 8.2: Typical Fill Section

 Figure 8.3: Typical Cut Section

54.0

Figure 8.4: Long Section of the Road

*From figure
X 100 - X
X 100 - X RL = 54.6 m RL = 54.6 m
0.3 = 0.1 => X= 75’
0.1 m
0.3 m
RL = 54.5 m

RL = 54.3 m
100 m

5 6

Figure 8.5: Length of Cut and Fill between station 5 & 6.

 Table 8.1: Earthwork Computation Table (Mid-section / average height method)
Depth, Average
Volume,
FL EGL d= EGL depth, Area, Length,
Station V = A x L Remark
(m) (m) ῀ FL davg A=(b+sdavg)davg (m2) L (m)
(m3)
(m) (m)

1 55.0 54.1 0.9

(8+3 X 1) X 1
1 100 1100.00 Fill
= 11
2 54.9 53.8 1.1
(8+3 X 1.2) X 1.2 1392.00
1.2 100 Fill
= 13.92
3 54.8 53.5 1.3
(8+3 X 1.25) X 1.25
1.25 100 1468.00 Fill
= 14.68
4 54.7 53.5 1.2
(8+3 X 0.75) X 0.75
0.75 100 768.00 Fill
= 7.68
5 54.6 54.3 0.3
(8+3 X 0.15) X 0.15 75* 95.06 Fill
0.15
= 1.26
0 x x 0
(8+2 X 0.05) X 0.05
0.05 25* 10.18 Cut
= 0.40
6 54.5 54.6 0.1
(8+2 X 0.15) X 0.15
0.15 100 124.50 Cut
= 1.245
7 54.4 54.6 0.2
(8+2 X 0.4) X 0.4
0.4 100 352.00 Cut
= 3.52
8 54.3 54.9 0.6
(8+2 X 0.45) X 0.45
0.45 100 400.50 Cut
= 4.01
9 54.2 54.5 0.3
(8+2 X 0.45) X 0.45
0.45 100 400.50 Cut
= 4.01
10 54.1 54.7 0.6
(8+2 X 0.45) X 0.45
0.45 100 400.50 Cut
= 4.01
11 54.0 54.3 0.3

Volume of total cutting = 1688.18 m3

Volume of total filling = 4824.56 m3
Assignment 1: Calculate the volume of cutting and filling for the previous worked out problem
using the trapezoidal method.
Hints
Table 8.2: Earthwork Computation Table (Trapezoidal formula/Average End Area Method)

Length, L (m)

V=AmidxL
Avg. Area
Depth, d=

= (b+sd)d
EGL ̴ FL

Remarks
EGL(m)

Area , A

Volume
Station

FL(m)

Amean
(m2 )

(m3)
(m)
1 55 54.1 0.9

2 54.9 53.8 1.1

3 54.8 53.5 1.3

4 54.7 53.5 1.2

5 54.6 54.3 0.3

0 - - 0

6 54.5 54.6 0.1

7 54.4 54.6 0.2

8 54.3 54.9 0.6

9 54.2 54.5 0.3

10 54.1 54.7 0.6

11 54 54.3 0.3
Assignment 2: Calculate the volume of cutting and filling for the previous worked out problem
using the prismoidal method.
Hints
Table 8.3: Earthwork Computation Table (Prismoidal formula)

Volume

Amid=(b+sdavg) davg
Depth, d= EGL ̴

Avg. depth, davg

Length, L (m)
V=(A1 +4

Remarks
Area (A)
EGL(m)
Station

FL(m)

Amid + A2

Area

(m2 )
(m)

(m)
FL
) x L /6
(m3)

1 55 54.1 0.9 A1
A1-2
2 54.9 53.8 1.1 A2
A2-3
3 54.8 53.5 1.3 A3
A3-4
4 54.7 53.5 1.2 A4
A4-5
5 54.6 54.3 0.3 A5
A5-0
0 - - 0 0
A0-6
6 54.5 54.6 0.1 A6
A6-7
7 54.4 54.6 0.2 A7
A7-8
8 54.3 54.9 0.6 A8
A8-9
9 54.2 54.5 0.3 A9
A9-10
10 54.1 54.7 0.6 A10
A10-11
11 54 54.3 0.3 A11
Assignment 3: Calculate the volume of earth filling for the ditch. Given, reduced level of filling
plane is 100 m.

Figure 8.6: Section A-A of Ditch for Assignment 3

Reduced levels (RL) of different stations are given as follows

Table 8.4: Reduced levels (RL) of Different Stations for Assignment 3

Station RL (m) Station RL (m) Station RL (m) Station RL (m) Station RL (m)
1 101.00 12 103.20 23 105.25 34 104.14 45 101.00
2 102.00 13 103.90 24 107.00 35 100.00 46 103.20
3 101.70 14 101.30 25 108.36 36 101.10 47 101.10
4 102.00 15 100.16 26 105.90 37 104.80 48 102.15
5 101.00 16 104.15 27 103.00 38 105.60 49 102.00
6 100.60 17 106.85 28 100.00 39 103.00
7 100.10 18 107.65 29 101.70 40 107.80
8 100.60 19 105.90 30 104.80 41 104.14
9 106.00 20 104.00 31 105.60 42 101.00
10 107.50 21 102.00 32 103.00 43 100.10
11 105.10 22 101.70 33 107.8 44 102.30

Hints:

 Calculate depth to be filled at each station

 Calculate volume of each grid to be filled ( i.e. V 1-2-8-9 = 1/4 x (d1 + d2 + d8 + d9) x A 1-2-8-9
)
 Sum up all to get total volume (Total volume = V 1-2-8-9 + V 2-3-9-10 + …………….)