100
101
102
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105 106
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100
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104
105 106
Showing Fill
Cut Uphill Figure 15.2-A Contours 101 through 107 have been repositioned uphill, thereby creating a cut slope
101
102
Figure 15.2-B Contours 101 through 107 have been repositioned downhill, thereby creating a fill slope
Introduction to Estimating Earth-Moving Quantities The work done by a contractor for site grading—referred to as earthwork in technical specifications and contract documents—can represent a substantial proportion of a construction budget. For example, earthwork would represent the major expense of a construction budget for constructing a set of soccer fields or other sport facilities, including a golf course. In order to estimate the cost for earthwork, several calculations are required to determine the amount of cut and fill required to implement the grading plan. There are several commonly used methods for calculating the volume of cut and fill, representing varying degrees of accuracy and amounts of time required to make the calculations. Many offices use AutoCAD, Land CAD, and other computer software to prepare their grading plans. Most software applications have an earthwork calculation function that makes determining the amount of earthwork fairly easy as one becomes proficient with the software. In this chapter we will consider a graphic means for estimating cut and fill. With practice accuracy will increase, as will speed.
Estimating Volume of Cut and Fill Using Contour Method
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