Earthen Material Categories
The Earthen material categories (Mass Earthworks and Select) enable you to define naturally occurring soil and rock materials needed for typical earthwork computations and reports, as well as mass haul and topsoil stripping, handling, and replacement analyses.
The following entry options for the Earthen categories reflect attributes unique to earthen materials. These attributes can affect the volumes calculated and shown in the Earthwork Report and Takeoff Report. The options apply to all of the materials in either Earthen category.
Note: Only materials assigned to the Earthen (Select) category can be selected in the Material above list when you create corridor template instructions.
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Options |
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| Entry combinations |
Shrinkage - Select this to calculate the shrinkage from cut or the natural bed to fill. = (haul bulkage x haul compaction) Haul Bulkage - Select this to calculate the bulkage from the natural bed to the loose condition. = (shrinkage / haul compaction) Haul compaction - Select this to calculate the shrink to compacted in-place condition from the loose condition. = (shrinkage / haul bulkage)
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| Enter values as |
Factor - Select this to view the calculation as the number by which the volume is multiplied or divided. Percentage - Select this to view the calculation as a percentage (proportion multiplied by 100). Note: To understand the relationship between factor and percentage in relation to shrinkage and haul bulkage, experiment by entering various numbers. For example: |
| Geometric measurement unit |
Select the unit of measure that you want mass earthwork volumes to be reported when in earthen material properties are considered. |
When entering values for material shrinkage, bulkage, and compaction, consult a standard soils engineering reference. As an example, an industry manual might show these values:
|
Material |
Bulkage |
Shrink (in negative %) |
| Earth (loam) – dry |
35% |
12% |
| Earth (loam) – wet (mud) |
0% |
20% |
According to the sample reference, if you dig wet earth out of the ground, and pile it, or load it on a truck, it will not expand (0%). It will remain the same volume as it was in the ground. If you dig dry, compacted dirt out of the ground, and pile it, or load it on a truck, its volume will expand about 35%.
If you dig wet earth out of the ground, use it as fill on the site, and compact it, it should shrink by 20%. If you take dry earth and do the same, the volume will be about 12% less.
