Create and Edit Earthen Materials
There are two types of earthen materials you can define for use in earthworks, site improvements, surfaces, and corridors:
These materials have unique properties that influence volume calculations in various earthwork and takeoff reports. There may also be earthen materials that can be 'mined' locally to meet the needs of specific subgrades or other structural fill requirements. Those materials may therefore need to be defined in both places (and cross-referenced).
Unique Earthen (Mass Earthworks) material settings:
- The Material nature and Handling cost settings used in various mass haul commands are unique to the Earthen (Mass Earthworks) category because those operations are associated only with mass earthworks. Conversely, 'select' materials that are mined, processed, or manufactured are typically purchased with the expectation that they are 100% usable.
- The Offsite borrow unit cost setting is unique to the Earthen (Mass Earthworks) category because borrow pits are associated with mass earthworks, borrow pits.
Unique Earthen (Select) material settings:
- The Procurement unit cost setting is unique to the Earthen (Select) category because procured materials are generally bought from and delivered by a supplier for the construction of a specific site improvement (as opposed to generalized mass earthwork cut and fill). Only usable and suitable earthen materials are expected to be procured and imported for use in constructing the site improvements associated with these materials.
Earthen materials appropriate to both categories
In some cases, the same earthen material may be needed in both the Select and Mass Earthworks categories. The easiest way to replicate earthen materials is to click-and-drag from one category to another. When a material exists in both categories, its icon changes to 
, indicating that it is shared. If you create an earthen material in a category that already exists in the other category, it will automatically inherit the properties of the pre-existing material of the same name. If you edit a material shared by both categories, your changes will appear in both instances of the material.
Prerequisites:
- None
To access the command:
To create an earthen material:
- In the explorer pane, expand the Materials group, and select the appropriate Earthen category.
Note: For details on choosing the appropriate category, see Differences between the earthen material categories below. If appropriate, earthen materials can also appear in both categories (see Earthen Materials appropriate to both categories below.)
Note: Only materials assigned to the Earthen (Select) category can be selected in the Material above list when you create corridor template instructions. - Select entry options in the Earthen Material Category pane.
- Do one of the following:
- Select Edit > New Earthen Material.
- Click the New Earthen Material icon on the toolbar.
- Right-click and select New Earthen Material from the context menu.
A material called New Earthen appears in the Earthen category in the explorer pane.
- Type a unique identifier in the Name box.
- Select material options in the Earthen Material pane.
- Click any other item in the explorer pane to save the material.
To edit an existing earthen material:
- In the explorer pane, select the material that you want to edit. The properties appear in the Earthen Material pane.
- Click in any of the boxes to edit the properties. See Earthen Material Options for details.
- Click any other item in the explorer pane to save the changes.
