Fundamental of Surveying

(FUNSURVEY2)
MODULE # 4

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

Station # 4
Earthworks - Areas

Introduction This chapter introduce the concept of Earthworks and first step in
solving the design. Different type of method in solving the area
and interpreting the data given.

Content This chapter focuses on

➢ Introduction to Earthworks
➢ Cut and Fill
➢ Area by Determinants
➢ Area by Trapezoids and Triangles

Objectives
After this chapter, the student should be able to
➢ Understand the concept of Earthworks
➢ Compute the earthworks area
➢ Identify the cut and fill of Earthworks

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

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 Station 4 – Earthworks: Area
Introduction to Earthworks

“You got to put the past behind you before you can move on”
Forest Gumps

The movement of soil or rock from one location to another for construction purposes is called
earthwork. A volume of earth that is excavated, that is, removed from its natural location, is called cut.
Excavated material that is placed and compacted in a different location is called embankment or fill.
The construction of the grade line for a new road or railway typically involves much cut and fill (see
Figure 10-1); the grading, or reshaping, of the ground for a building site also involves cut and fill.
Surveyors are often called on to measure earthwork quantities in the field and to compute the volumes
of cut and fill
Earthwork quantities or volumes are measured in terms of cubic yards (yd3) or cubic meters (m3).
Generally, the volume is computed as the product of an area and a depth or distance.
The first part of this section deals with the computation of irregular areas; the second part covers
the computation of volumes and the balancing of cut-and fill quantities.

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 Station 4 – Earthworks: Area
Cross Sections and Areas

The cross-section came from the specific location or station in profile perpendicular to the
centerline of a roadway or other facility. Cross section in station show the surface, the base of the
roadway and the side slopes of the cut or fill. The horizontal line is the base to which the cut or fill is
first constructed.
The side slopes are expressed as the ratio of a horizontal distance to a corresponding unit of
vertical distance for the cut or fill slope

Plotting the cross-section is the first step to compute the area. The

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 Station 4 – Earthworks: Area

Coordinate
The coordinates for a point on the edge or perimeter of the section are the depth of cut or fill,
relative to the base, and the distance of the point from a vertical axis, usually the centerline. Depths
above the base may be considered positive and those below the base negative. Distances to the right
and left of centerline. The pairs of numbers are arranged as a series of ratios, and the area is computed
as for a traverse. Treat the centerline as the origin of coordination.

+2 +4 +5 −5 −8
10 5 0 5 10

Given is an example of station coordinates. To identify the vertical distance and side distance,
observed the sign indication in the sample. The numerator has a sign convention, unlike the
denominator. This sign convention indicates that the given is a vertical distance. The centerline is the
ratio in the middle. This is also called Cross-section Notes.

Geometric Method
To compute the area of a cross section by the geometric method, sometimes called the
trapezoidal method, subdivide the area into simple geometrical figures, calculate each area according
to its geometry, and total the results. There is no set rule for performing the subdivisions. The
computer selects those subdivisions which will produce the most direct and accurate results. The
following computations apply to the geometric method in figure. Basic formulas are as follows.

Sample Problem:
1. The cross-section notes shown below are for a ground excavation for an 8 – m wide roadway.
Find the area of both stations.

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Station 4 – Earthworks: Area
Solution:
First, convert the cross-section notes in drawing.
For Station 32+300 For Station 32+420

Using the trapezoidal method to solve for the area. Find triangle or trapezoid in the figure

Using the trapezoid, combined the A1 and A2 to have a trapezoid, and minus the A2, triangle.

Cross section for Station 32+300

𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = (𝐴12 − 𝐴2) + (𝐴34 − 𝐴4)
2.20+2.25 1
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = [(2.25 + 4) ( )] − [ (2.25)(2.25)] +
2 2
0.75+2.20 1
[(0.75 + 4) (
2
)] − [2 (0.75)(0.75)]
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = (11.375) + (6.725)
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 18.1 𝑚2

Cross section for Station 32+420

𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = (𝐴12 − 𝐴2) + (𝐴34 − 𝐴4)
3.20+0.75 1
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = [(3.2 + 4) ( )] − [ (3.2)(3.2)] +
2 2
0.75+1.25 1
[(1.25 + 4) (
2
)] − [2 (1.25)(1.25)]
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = (9.1) + (4.47)
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 13.57 𝑚2

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Station 4 – Earthworks: Area

2. In a certain portion of road to be constructed, the following data were taken.

Base for cut = 9m

Side slopes = 1V:1H

Base for fill = 8m

Side slopes = 1V:1.5H
a) Compute the area of station 1+040
b) Compute the area of station 1+100

Solution:
First we need to identify if the station is cut or fill. For station 1+040, the vertical coordinates is
negative, therefore it is fill. For station 1+100, the vertical coordinates are positive, meaning
there is an earthwork above the road pavement design. Therefore, it is cut.

For station 1+040 For Station 1+100

The slope for fill is 1V:1.5H The slope for cut is 1v:1H

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Station 4 – Earthworks: Area

Use trapezoidal method to get the area of both station

For Station 1+040 For Station 1+100

Cross section for station 1+040

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

1.22+1.84 1
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = [(6.76) ( )] − [ (1.84)(2.76)] +
2 2
0.42+1.22 1
[(4.63) (
2
)] − [2 (0.42)(0.63)]
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = (7.80) + (3.66)
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 11.46 𝑚2

Cross section for station 1+100

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

1.098+3.05 1
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = [(5.598) ( )] − [ (1.098)(1.098)] +
2 2
0.5+3.05 1
[(5) (
2
)] − [2 (0.5)(0.5)]
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = (11) + (8.75)
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 19.75 𝑚2

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Station 4 – Earthworks: Area

3. The cross-section notes of the ground surface at station 1+200 of a road survey, shows that
the ground is sloping at a 10% grade downward to the right. The elevation of the ground along
the center line of the proposed road at this station is 150m and that of the finished subgrade is
152m. Width of subgrade is 7.00m with side slopes of 1.5:1.
a) Compute the distance of the right slope stake from the center of the road.
b) Compute the distance of the left slope stake from the center of the road.
c) Compute the difference in elevation of the right slope and the left slope stake.

Solution:

First, illustrate the problem.

Using given side slope ratio

Below the figure, we can have triangle.

Using the triangle at the rightside

𝑅𝑖𝑠𝑒
𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 =
𝑅𝑢𝑛
𝐻𝑅−2
10% =
3.5+1.5𝐻𝑅

𝐻𝑅 = 2.76 𝑚

𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 = 3.5 + 1.5𝐻𝑅

𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 = 7.64 𝑚

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 Station 4 – Earthworks: Area
Using the triangle at the leftside
𝑅𝑖𝑠𝑒
𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 =
𝑅𝑢𝑛
2−𝐻𝐿
10% =
1.5𝐻𝐿+3.5

𝐻𝐿 = 1.43 𝑚

𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 = 3.5 + 1.5𝐻𝐿

𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 = 5.65 𝑚

𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣 𝐻𝐿 = 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣 𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑒 − 𝐻𝐿

𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣 𝐻𝐿 = 152 − 1.43
𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣 𝐻𝐿 = 150.57 𝑚

𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣 𝐻𝑅 = 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣 𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑒 − 𝐻𝑅

𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣 𝐻𝑅 = 152 − 2.76
𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣 𝐻𝑅 = 149.24 𝑚

𝐷𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣 = 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣 𝐻𝐿 − 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣 𝐻𝑅

𝐷𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣 = 150.57 − 149.24
𝐷𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣 = 1.33𝑚

4) Given the following section of an earthworks for a proposed road construction on a hilly
portion of the route. The width of the road base for cut is 6m for allowance of drainage canals
and 5m for fill. Side slopes for cut is 1:1 and for fill is 1.5:1

3.7 𝑥
0
−0.8 +1.8
a) Compute the value of x
b) Compute the area in fill
c) Compute the are in cut

Solution:
First, illustrate the problem

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Station 4 – Earthworks: Area
Left side cross-section notes have negative vertical value, it is
fill. Right side cross section notes have positive vertical value,
it is cut

The value of x is 4.8m

To get the area of fill, use geometric method

𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 𝐴12 − 𝐴2

1 1
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = [ (3.7)(0.8)] − [ (1.2)(0.8)]
2 2
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = [1.48] − [0.48]
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 1 𝑚2

To get the area of cut, use geometric method

𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 𝐴34 − 𝐴4

1 1
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = [ (4.8)(1.8)] − [ (1.8)(1.8)]
2 2
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = [4.32] − [1.62]
𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 2.7 𝑚2

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 Station 4 – Earthworks: Area

Questions

1. What is Earthwork?
2. Explain the cross-section of Earthworks. (100 words)
3. Make a procedure of how to solve the area of earthwork
4. Explain the cross-sectional notes. How to interpret the data given

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

Chapter 4:
Charles D. Ghilani and Paul R. Wolf, 2015. Elementray Surveying: An Introduction to Geomatics, 14 th
Edition
Jerry Nathanson, Michael T. Lanzafama, and Philip Kissam, 2011. Surveying Fundamentals and Practices,
6th Edition

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