Fundamental of Surveying

(FUNSURVEY2)
MODULE

Fundamental of Surveying 2
 Holy Angel University
School of Engineering and Architecture
Department of Civil Engineering
Transportation Engineering

Station 5
Earthworks - Volume

Introduction This is the continuation of the previous chapter about

earthworks. After knowing the different method of solving the
area, part is knowing the volume of the earthworks. Solving
with different type of methods, and introduction to cut and fill.

This chapter focuses on

➢ End Area Method
Content ➢ Prismoidal
➢ Prismoidal Correction

Objectives After this chapter, the student should be able to

➢ Solve volume of earthworks
➢ Understand the concept of earthworks
➢ Identify the cut and fill in volume

References Charles D. Ghilani and Paul R. Wolf, 2015. Elementray Surveying: An Introduction to
Geomatics, 14th Edition

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 Station – Earthworks: Volume
Introduction to Earthworks Volume

“Leave the Past, Live the Present, believe in your Future”

Some quotes’ author

Persons engaged in surveying (geomatics) are often called on to determine volumes of various
types of material. Quantities of earthwork and concrete are needed, for example, on many types of
construction projects. Volume computations are also required to determine the capacities of bins,
tanks, reservoirs, and buildings, and to check stockpiles of coal, gravel, and other materials. The
determination of quantities of water discharged by streams and rivers, per unit of time, is also
important.

Volume

Direct measurement of volumes is rarely made in surveying, since it is difficult to actually apply a
unit of measure to the material involved. Instead, indirect measurements are obtained by measuring
lines and areas that have a relationship to the volume desired. Here in earthworks, we can have the
volume using different type of indirect method.

End Area Method

Computing the volumes by the average-end-area method. In the given figure, A1 and A2
are end areas at two stations separated by a horizontal distance (L). The volume between the
two stations is equal to the average of the end areas multiplied by the horizontal distance L.

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Station – Earthworks: Volume
The formula for end area method are approximate and give answers that generally are
slightly larger than the true prismoidal volumes. They are used in practice because of their
simplicity, and contractors are satisfied because pay quantities are generally slightly greater than
true values. Increased accuracy is obtained by decreasing the distance L between sections.
When the ground is irregular, cross-sections must be taken closer together.

Prismoidal Formula
The prismoidal formula applies to volumes of all geometric solids that can be
considered prismoids. A prismoid, illustrated in the figure below, is a solid having ends that are
parallel but not congruent, and trapezoidal sides that are also not congruent. Most earthwork
solids obtained from cross-section data fits this classification. However, from a practical
standpoint, the differences in volumes computed by the average-end-area method and the
prismoidal formula are usually so small as to be negligible. Where extreme accuracy is needed,
such as in expensive rock cuts or concrete placements, the prismoidal method can be used.
One arrangement of the prismoidal formula is

𝐴1 +4𝐴𝑚 +𝐴2
𝑉𝑝 = 𝑥𝐿
6
Where:
Vp = Prismoidal Volume
A1 and A2 = areas taken in the field
Am = Area of a computed section midway between A1 and A2. This is found by usual
computation after averaging the heights and widths of the two end sections.
L = The distance between the two stations.

The difference between the volumes obtained by the average-end-area formula

and the prismoidal formula is called the prismoidal correction, Cp. Various books on route
surveying give formulas and tables for computing prismoidal corrections, which can be applied
to average-end-area volumes to get prismoidal volumes. A prismoidal correction formula, which
provides accurate results for three-level sections is

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 Station – Earthworks: Volume

𝐿
𝐶𝑝 = (𝑐 − 𝑐2 )(𝑤1 − 𝑤2 )
12 1

Where:
Cp = Volume of the prismoidal correction
c1 , c2 = center heights in cut or fill
w1 , w2 = widths of sections (from slope intercept to slope intercept)
L = The distance between the two stations.

The most commonly used method on solving the volume of the earthworks is the
combination of end-area method and prismoidal correction.

𝑉 = 𝑉𝑒 − 𝐶𝑝

Sample Problem:
1. From station 0+040 with center height of 1.40m fill, the ground line makes a uniform slope
of 5% to station 0+100, whose center height is 2.80m cut. Assume both sections to be level
sections with side slopes of 2:1 for fill and 1.5:1 for cut.
a) Find the grade of the finished road surface.
b) Find the area at each station
c) By end area method, find the amount of cut and fill.

Solution:
First, illustrate the problem

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Station – Earthworks: Volume

Use the triangle, using the slope of the existing ground.

𝑦
𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 =
60

𝑦
5% =
60

𝑦=3

Use the triangle, using the slope of finished ground

1.2
𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 =
60
𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 = 2% 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑑

For Station 0+040

14.6+9
𝐴= 𝑥 1.40
2

𝐴 = 16.52 𝑠𝑞. 𝑚 (𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑙)

For Station 0+100

10 +18.40
𝐴= 𝑥 2.80
2

𝐴 = 39.76 𝑠𝑞. 𝑚 (𝑐𝑢𝑡)

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Station – Earthworks: Volume

C)
We need to identify the distance of fill and cut
Fill = x
Cut = 60 -x

Using height proportion

1.40 − 2%(𝑥 ) = 5%(𝑥)

1.40 − 0.02𝑥 = 0.05𝑥
𝑥 = 20
𝐴1 + 𝐴2
Fill = 20m 𝑉= 𝑥𝐿
2
Cut = 40m

16.52 + 0
𝑉𝑓 = 𝑥 20𝑚
2
𝑉𝑓 = 165.20 𝑐𝑢. 𝑚
0 + 39.76
𝑉𝑐 = 𝑥 40𝑚
2
𝑉𝑐 = 795.20 𝑐𝑢. 𝑚

2. From the given cross-section of an earthworks between A (20+200) and B (20+220)

assuming both have same slope and width of base.

STATION A
6.60 0 4.8
+2.4 12 +1.2
STATION B
6.3 0 7.2
+2.2 𝑥 +2.80

a) Compute the width of the base

b) Compute the value of cut at station B if it has an area of 16.82 m2.
c) Compute the volume between A and B with Prismoidal Correction

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 Station – Earthworks: Volume
Solution:
First, illustrate each station

a) Width of the Base

Ratio and proportion of the base

𝐵
6.9 = 2.2𝑠 + ---- Eq. 1
2

𝐵
7.2 = 2.8𝑠 + ---- Eq. 2
2

0.9 = 0.6𝑠
𝑠 = 1.5

Substitute the value of s in eq. 1

𝐵
6.9 = 2.2(1.5) +
2
𝐵 =6𝑚

B) Value of cut at station B

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 Station – Earthworks: Volume
Using the geometric method, given cross-section of station B

𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = (𝐴12 − 𝐴2 ) + (𝐴34 − 𝐴4 )

𝑋+2.2 1 𝑋+2.8 1
16.82 = [(3.3 + 3) (
2
)] − [2 (3.3)(2.2)] + [(3 + 3.9) ( 2
)] − [2 (3.9)(2.8)]

𝑋 = 1.38𝑚

c) Volume using Prismoidal Correction

Area of station B is given, we need to get the area of station A
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = (𝐴12 − 𝐴2 ) + (𝐴34 − 𝐴4 )

2.4+2 1 2+1.2 1
𝑆𝑡𝑎. 𝐴 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 = [(6.6) (
2
)] − [2 (3.6)(2.4)] + [(4.8) ( 2
)] − [2 (1.8)(1.2)]
𝑆𝑡𝑎. 𝐴 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 16.80 𝑠𝑞. 𝑚

Using End area method

𝐴 +𝐴
𝑉𝑒 = 1 2 𝑥 𝐿
2
16.80+16.82
𝑉𝑒 = 𝑥
20
2
𝑉𝑒 = 336.20 𝑐𝑢. 𝑚

Using prismoidal correction

𝐿
𝐶𝑝 = (𝑐1 − 𝑐2 )(𝑤1 − 𝑤2 )
12
20
𝐶𝑝 = (2 − 1.38)(11.40 − 13.5)
12
𝐶𝑝 = −2.17 𝑐𝑢. 𝑚

𝑉 = 𝑉𝑒 − 𝐶𝑝
𝑉 = 336.20 − (−2.17)
𝑽 = 𝟑𝟑𝟖. 𝟑𝟕 𝒄𝒖. 𝒎

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 Station – Earthworks: Volume

3. At station 1+100 of a portion of a highway stretch has an area of 100 sq. meter in cut while
that of station 1+200 the area is 240 sq. meters in cut. At station 1+100, the ground surface
to the left of the center line is flat and the height of the right slope stake above the grade
line is one half of the left , while that of station 1+200, the height of the right slope stake is 3
times higher than that of the left slope stake. The center cut at station 1+200. The width of
the roadway is 10m with a side slope 2:1.
a) Determine the height of cut at the center of station 1+100
b) Determine the height of the right slope stake at 1+200
c) Determine the volume between station 1+100 and 1+200 by applying prismoidal
correction.

Volume from Spot Level

This method is useful in the determination of volumes of large open excavations for tanks,
basements, borrow pits, and for ground leveling operations such as playing fields and building sites.
Having located the outline of the, dive the area into squares or rectangles. Marking the corner points
and then determine the reduced level. By subtracting from the observed levels the corresponding
formation levels, a series of heights can be found.

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 Station – Earthworks: Volume

Sample Problem
1. A rectangular plot show below, which is to be excavated to the given reduced level. Assuming
area is subdivided into equal rectangular system, calculate the volume of earth to be
excavated.
(Excavated level = 10.0m)

a) Compute by formula

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 Station – Earthworks: Volume
Solution:
Area = 12.25m x 15m
Area = 183.75

[(𝐴)+(2𝐵)+𝐶+(2𝐷)+(4𝐸)+(2𝐹)+𝐺+(2𝐻)+𝐼]
𝑉=
4
[(16.54)+(2𝑥17.25)+15.40+(2𝑥16.32)+(4𝑥12.95)+(2𝑥15.55)+16.17+(2𝑥15.84)+13.38]
𝑉=
4
𝑉 = 𝐴 𝑥 60.8025
𝑉 = 183.75 𝑥 60.8025
𝑽 = 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟕𝟐. 𝟒𝟔 𝒄𝒖. 𝒎

Questions

1. What is the volume of earthworks?

2. Why do we need to solve for the prismoidal correction?
3. Differentiate the end-area method to prismoidal method.
4. Where do we use the volume of spot level method in surveying? Why?
5. Explain the cut and fill in earthworks? Differentiate the two.

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 Station – Earthworks: Volume
References: This part includes online references. This is to avoid plagiarism in the content of the
modules.

Chapter 5:
Charles D. Ghilani and Paul R. Wolf, 2015. Elementray Surveying: An Introduction to Geomatics, 14th
Edition
Jerry Nathanson, Michael T. Lanzafama, and Philip Kissam, 2011. Surveying Fundamentals and Practices,
6th Edition

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