MODULE 10

Chapter 10
EARTHWORKS

One important aspect of roadway design is determining the amount of earthwork necessary on a
project. The manual method for determining earth excavation and embankment amounts involves
three steps: cross sections of the proposed highway are placed on the original ground cross sections,
the areas in cut and the areas in fill are calculated, and the volumes between the sections are
computed.

• PRISMOIDAL FORMULA FOR VOLUME

𝑳
𝑽𝒑 = 𝟔 (𝑨𝟏 + 𝟒𝑨𝒎 + 𝑨𝟐 )

• END AREA METHOD FOR VOLUME

𝑨𝟏 +𝑨𝟐
𝑽𝑬 = ( 𝟐
)𝑳

• PRISMOIDAL CORRECTION, 𝑉𝑐
- To be subtracted algebraically from the volume by the end area method

𝑳
𝑽𝒄 = 𝟏𝟐 (𝒃𝟏 − 𝒃𝟐 )(𝒉𝟏 − 𝒉𝟐 )
𝑽𝒑 = 𝑽𝑬 − 𝑽𝒄

1
Example Problem 1:

Given is the cross-section notes of an earthwork between Station 10+000 and 10+200. Assume both stations to
have the same side slope and width of the same base.
Compute the ff:
a) Side slope of both sections
b) Value of x at Sta. 10+200 if it has a cross sectional area of 14.64 sq.m.
c) Volume of earthwork between Sta. 10+000 and Sta. 10+200 using end area method with prismoidal
correction

Solution:

a) Side slope of both sections

𝐻
𝑆= 𝑉
; 𝐻 = 𝑉𝑆
Considering Sta 10+000
𝐵
2.3𝑆 + = 6.45 ①
2
𝐵
− (𝑆 + = 4.5 ) ②
2
1.3𝑆 = 1.95
𝑺 = 𝟏. 𝟓 answer
b) Value of x at Sta. 10+200 if it has a cross
sectional area of 14.64 sq.m.
𝐵
(2.3)(1.5) + = 6.45
2
𝐵 =6𝑚
𝐴𝑆𝑡𝑎.10+200 = 𝐴1 + 𝐴2 + 𝐴3 + 𝐴4
1
14.64 = 2 [(3)(2) + (𝑥)(6) + (𝑥)(6.9) +
(3)(2.6)]
𝒙 = 𝟏. 𝟐 𝒎 answer

c) Volume of earthwork between Sta. 10+000 and Sta. 10+200 using end area method with
prismoidal correction
(𝐴𝑆𝑡𝑎.10+000 +𝐴𝑆𝑡𝑎.10+200 )𝐿
𝑉𝐸 = 2
𝐴𝑆𝑡𝑎.10+000 = 𝐴1 + 𝐴2 + 𝐴3 + 𝐴4
1
𝐴𝑆𝑡𝑎.10+000 = 2 [(3)(2.3) + (1.5)(6.45) + (1.5)(4.5) + (3)(1)]
𝐴𝑆𝑡𝑎.10+000 = 13.163 𝑚2
(13.163+14.64)200
𝑉𝐸 = 2
= 2780.3 𝑚3
𝐿
𝑉𝑐 = 12 (𝑏1 − 𝑏2 )(ℎ1 − ℎ2 )
𝑏1 = 6.45 + 4.5 = 10.95
𝑏2 = 6 + 6.9 = 12.9
ℎ1 = 1.5 𝑚
ℎ2 = 1.2 𝑚
200
𝑉𝑐 = 12
(10.95 − 12.9)(1.5 − 1.2)
3
𝑉𝑐 = −9.75 𝑚
𝑉𝑝 = 𝑉𝐸 − 𝑉𝑐
𝑉𝑝 = 2780.3 − (−9.75)
𝑽𝒑 = 𝟐𝟕𝟗𝟎. 𝟎𝟓 𝒎𝟑 answer

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Example Problem 2:

The center height of the road at Sta. 7+110 is 2.00m fill while at Sta. 7+160 is 1.20m cut. From Sta. 7+110 to the
other station makes a uniform slope of 4.8%.

a) Compute the slope of the new road

b) Compute the distance in meter from 7+110in w/c the fill is extended
c) Compute the stationing of the point where the fill is extended

Solution:

a) Compute the slope of the new road

𝑦
𝑔 = 50
𝑦2 = 50(0.048) = 2.4
𝑦1 = 2.4 − 1.2 = 1.2
𝑦 = 2 − 1.2 = 0.80
0.80
𝑔 = 50
𝒈 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟔 = 𝟏. 𝟔% answer
b) Compute the distance in meter from 7+110in w/c the fill is extended
𝑥(0.048) = 1.2 + (50 − 𝑥)(0.016)
𝒙 = 𝟑𝟏. 𝟐𝟓 𝒎 answer

c) Compute the stationing of the point where the fill is extended

𝑆𝑡𝑎. 𝐹𝑖𝑙𝑙 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎. 7 + 110 + 𝑥
𝑆𝑡𝑎. 𝐹𝑖𝑙𝑙 = (7 + 110) + 31.25
𝑺𝒕𝒂. 𝑭𝒊𝒍𝒍 = 𝑺𝒕𝒂. 𝟕 + 𝟏𝟒𝟏. 𝟐𝟓 answer

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Example Problem 3:

In determining the position of the balance line in the profile diagram, a horizontal grade line is drawn such that
the length of the cut is 850m and that of fill is 1200m. The profile area between the ground line and the grade line
in the cut is 7800 sq.m. while that of fill is 8500 sq.m. if the road bed is 10.00m wide for cut and 8.00m wide for fill
and if the side slope for cut is 1.5:1 while that for fill is 2:1. Assume a level section with an average value of cut
and fill for each stretch.

a) Determine the volume of cut

b) Determine the volume of fill

Solution:

a) Determine the volume of cut

𝐴𝑐𝑢𝑡 7800
ℎ𝑐 = 𝐿𝑐𝑢𝑡
= 850
= 9.176

𝑥𝑐 = ℎ𝑐 (𝑠) = 9.176(1.5) = 13.764

𝑤 = 10 + 2𝑥𝑐 = 10 + 2(13.764) =
37.528 𝑚
37.528+10
𝑉𝑐𝑢𝑡 = ( ) (9.176)(850)
2

𝑽𝒄𝒖𝒕 = 𝟏𝟖𝟓, 𝟑𝟒𝟗. 𝟔𝟗𝟒 𝒎𝟑 answer

b) Determine the volume of fill
𝐴𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑙 8500
ℎ𝑓 = 𝐿𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑙
= 1200 = 7.083

𝑥𝑓 = ℎ𝑓 (𝑠) = 7.083(2) = 14.166

𝑤 = 8 + 2𝑥𝑓 = 8 + 2(14.166) =
36.332 𝑚
36.332+8
𝑉𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑙 = ( 2
) (7.083)(1200)

𝑽𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒍 = 𝟏𝟖𝟖, 𝟒𝟎𝟐. 𝟏𝟑𝟒 𝒎𝟑 answer

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Example Problem 4:

The following data are results of the earthwork computations of areas, free haul distance and limits of economical
haul by analytical solution instead of graphical solution (mass diagram). The cross sectional area at station 1+460 is
40 sq.m. In fill and at station 2+060, the cross sectional area is 60 sq.m. In cut. The balancing point is at station
1+760 where area is equal to zero. Assume the ground surface to be sloping upward uniformly from sta. 1+460 to
1+760 and then with slightly steeper slope to 2+060. Assume free haul ditance = 50 m. And limit of economical haul
= 450 m.

Stationing of the limits of freehaul distance = (1+732.47) and (1+782.47)

Stationing of the limits of economical haul = (1+512.26) and (1+962.26)

a. Determine the overhaul volume

b. Determine the volume of waste
c. Determine the volume of borrow

Solution:

a) Determine the overhaul volume

1st Solution (Considering the side of Cut)
𝐴1 +𝐴2
𝑉𝑜 = ( 2
)𝐿
60 𝐴1 𝐴
2
300
= 202.26 = 22.47

𝐴1 = 40.452 𝑚2
𝐴2 = 4.494 𝑚2
40.452+4.494
𝑉𝑜 = ( 2
) (179.79)

𝑽𝒐 = 𝟒𝟎𝟒𝟎. 𝟒𝟐𝟏 𝒎𝟑 answer

2nd Solution (Considering the side of Fill)

𝐴3 +𝐴4
𝑉𝑜 = ( 2
)𝐿

5
 40 𝐴3 4𝐴
300
= 247.74 = 27.53

𝐴3 = 33.032 𝑚2
𝐴4 = 3.671 𝑚2
33.032+3.671
𝑉𝑜 = ( ) (220.21)
2

𝑽𝒐 = 𝟒𝟎𝟒𝟏. 𝟏𝟖𝟒 𝒎𝟑 answer

b) Determine the volume of waste

𝐴1 +60
𝑉𝑤 = ( )𝐿
2
40.452+60
𝑉𝑤 = ( 2
) (97.74)

𝑽𝒘 = 𝟒𝟗𝟎𝟗. 𝟎𝟖𝟗 𝒎𝟑 answer

c) Determine the volume of borrow

𝐴3 +40
𝑉𝑏 = ( 2
)𝐿
33.032+40
𝑉𝑏 = ( 2
) (52.26)

𝑽𝒃 = 𝟏𝟗𝟎𝟖. 𝟑𝟐𝟔 𝒎𝟑 answer