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Cross Section and Borrow Pit
Methods

This lecture covers:

Readings: 26-1 to 26-6, 26-8 to 26-10.
Figures: 26-1 to 26-4, 26-6, and 26-7
Plate B-5 page 893, and B-2 page 890
Examples:26-1 and 26-3

Volumes
Usage:
Quantities of earthwork and concrete
Capacities of some structures: tanks,..
Quantities of water discharged by streams per
unit time

Units:
1 yd3 = 27ft3
1 m3 = 35.315ft3
Acre-foot: volume of an acre of 1 foot depth

The Cross Section Method

More accurate than a single profile along the

centerline.
Done by measuring cross sections (profiles) at a
right angles to the centerline, usually at intervals of
50, or 100 ft.
Readings at each cross section are taken at the
centerline and at critical points perpendicular to
the centerline.
Cross sections are drawn and design templates are
superimposed, the difference in area is the area of
cut or fill at that section (end area).

 End areas can be cut, fill, or transition

(both).
Use the areas to compute volumes,
knowing the distance between the
sections.
The whole work can be done with
photogrammetry and a computer
software.

Data Recording
Plate B-5
Left page looks like Profile leveling, no
intermediate points
right page: in front of each station, a group of
fractions that describe the point location,
reading, and elevation, in the form:
99.2
7.4
52

Elevation
rod reading
distance from CL

End Area Computation

Simple
cases:
formulae in
fig 26-2, and
fig26-4
End areas by
coordinates:
we will learn
it through
(traversing)

End Area Computation

Simple cases: formulae in fig 27-2, and fig 27-4

compute individual areas and add them up. After computing the
elevation at critical points, form a table:(mistakes!)
station H L C D E R G
24+00 0 C12.5 C15.8 C18.0 C10.1 C12.2 0
15
15 33.8
20
0
33.3 15
Compute the areas and add them up.

Volume Computation
Done after computing the end areas, identify which is cut
and which is fill. Two main methods:
Average End Area: Multiply the average area of the two
sections by the distance between them. See next slide
Ve = A1+ A2 * L
2

27

yd3

Prismoidal Formula
What is a prismoid? A solid with parallel ends joined
by a plane or continuously wrapped surfaces
Fits most earthwork problems
VP = L(A1+4AM+A2)
6*27

yd3

Where AM is the area of computed section midway

between stations.
Prismodial Formula is more accurate, The difference
is called CP: Prismoidal correction

Volume Computation
Compute end areas at stations, fill the first three
columns in table 26-3.
Compute the cut and fill volumes, one of the
formulae.
Multiply the fill volumes by an expansion factor.
Compute the amount of soil to be borrowed or
transferred out of the site, which is the difference
between the cut and the fill.

Borrow-Pit Method
Not suitable for linear features, very useful for
construction sites.
The site is divided into equal squares of sides
20,50, or a 100 ft. Elevations are then
measured at the corners of the grid, which are
given titles that correspond to the coordinates
of the corner in the grid, ex: 3-D, 4-A,..
V = (hijn)
A
yd3

4*27
The idea is to multiply each height by the
number of complete squares it is common to.

Plate B.2

The volume of any square, or part of a square is equal to the average

height(elevation difference) at the corners, times the area.
To compute the volume:
1- draw a line between the cut and the fill areas
2- compute the total volume
of all the complete cut squares,
do the same for the fill, use
the previous formula
3- Compute the
incomplete squares
separately and add them to the
squares.
4- Compute the difference
between the cut and the fill.,
pay attention to the expansion
factor.

Site 1
Site 3

Site 2

PROJECT 1
Instructions

36

Assumed 36
for piles
200 ft

20

C
D
B
A