10/23/2016

EARTHWORKS_1

ROSALIE B. REYES, Dr. Eng.

TOPICS
Cross-sections
Part 1
Areas of Cross-sections
Volume Computation
Earthwork Distribution Analysis

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ELEMENTS OF ROAD CROSS SECTION

The cross section of a road includes some or all of the following
elements:
Traveled way (the portion of the roadway provided for the
movement of vehicles, exclusive of shoulders)
Roadway (the portion of a highway, including shoulders,
provided for vehicular use)
Median area (the physical or painted separation provided on
divided highways between two adjacent roadways)
Bicycle and pedestrian facilities
Utility and landscape areas
Drainage channels and side slopes
Clear zone width (i.e., the distance from the edge of the
traveled way to either a fixed obstacle or non-traversable
slope)
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/publications/flexibility/ch06.cfm#fig6
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HIGHWAY RIGHT-OF-WAY ELEMENTS

Roadside
Traveled Way A and B
Right and Left Shoulders
for both Traveled Ways
Median
Traffic Lanes
Fence
Side Slope (fill)
Curbed Section
Swale (Drainage
Channel)
Side Slope (cut)

Considered as a single unit, all these cross section elements define the highway right-of-way.
The right-of-way can be described generally as the publicly owned parcel of land that
encompasses all the various cross section elements

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TYPICAL ROAD ELEMENTS

Shoulders

Lanes and Median

Sidewalks & Pedestrian paths

Clear zones

Curbs

Bikelanes

ROAD PLAN

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ROAD PLAN WITH

VERTICAL CURVE
DESIGN

ROAD PLAN WITH HORIZONTAL CURVE DESIGN

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ROAD CROSS SECTIONS

CROSS SECTIONS
Shows the
elevations at a
distance relative
from the
centerline
Drawn/done by
cutting a plane
on to a surface
normal to the
centerline

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PRELIMINARY CROSS-SECTIONS
1. Obtained from terrain data collected
2. A trial grade is selected on a profile sheet (design of vertical
alignment
3. For each station, a cross-section which shows both the existing
ground and the roadbed template is drawnRoadbed template
consists of subgrade (transversely level) and side slope
4. Finished cross-section pavement (w/ cross-slope from
centerline to edge of pavement), shoulders (planting strips),
drainage and rounded corners (curb and gutter)

Side-slopes
Ratio of vertical component
to the horizontal component,
where
the
vertical
component is unity for
angles less than 45

Material

Side Slope

Ordinary Earth

1:1.5

Coarse gravel

1:1

Loose gravel

2:1

Solid rock

4:1

Soft sand

1:2

Clay

1:3

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PRELIMINARY CROSS-SECTIONS
1. Compute areas of cross-section
2. Compute for volumes, positions of slope stakes
and ordinates for mass diagram
3. These data are then evaluated to see if changes in
the alignment should be made
4. Modifications are made to provide most economic
solution while adhering to standards

1
3

Final Cross-sections and Slope Staking

1. Done after the final design stage and before actual
construction
2. Centerline and catch point locations are determined
and staked for each station
3. Can be done by field methods and by using a DTM

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TYPICAL CROSS SECTIONS OF ROADBED

TYPICAL CROSS SECTIONS OF ROADBED

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SETTING OUT COSS SECTIONS

Survey pegs/stakes and multi-purpose pegs should show:
1. The centre line of the road,
2. The level of the road (flat/hilly/mountainous terrain, cut, fill),
3. The location of the ditches,
4. The limit of excavation (cut, side long cut), and
5. The foot of the embankment (fill).
Normally, the road camber is set out together with the side drains.
Once the position and levels of the centre line have been
determined, it is possible to construct the camber and side drains.
The cross section pegs should be set out at a right angle to the
centre line pegs.

CROSS-SECTION OF STANDARD FORMATION (FLAT TERRAIN)

In this case, the survey pegs serve to mark the centre line as well as the
road level. When it is necessary to cut or fill to reach the required level, this
is shown on the peg.

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CROSS-SECTION OF SIDE CUT

Here the survey peg marks the road level. After the road has been excavated to level,
the centre line and ditch slope pegs will be placed.

CROSS-SECTION OF CUT TO FILL

Again, the survey peg marks the future level of the road. The figure below shows that
the volume of the excavation is approximately twice the volume of the fill and that a
bench-notch should be dug to provide a stable foundation for the fill side of the
road.

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CROSS-SECTION OF A FILL
The survey pegs on both sides of the road show the height to be filled. The
height is marked on the peg and measured from the top of the peg. With a
slope of 1:1 on both sides, the formation width can be calculated by adding
hf1 and hf2 to the road width.

TYPICAL ROAD CROSS SECTION

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SLOPE STAKING BY FIELD METHODS

1. Secure record of both existing and sub-grade elevations from profiles and
design plans
2. Set up instrument at any convenient location and obtain HI by taking a
back-sight on a BM
3. Hold rod on ground and get foresight reading
4. Compare elevation obtained with those from the profile
5. Then compare elevation obtained to the sub-grade elevation based on
design, this will give the amount of cut or fill
6. The computed cut or fill is marked on the back of the center stake

Slope Staking by Field Methods

HI = ElevBM + BS

CROSS-SECTION IN CUT

Grade rod = HI Elevgrade

Ground rod= FS
Cut = Grade rod Ground rod

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Slope Staking by Field Methods

HI = ElevBM + BS

CROSS-SECTION IN FILL

Ground rodA/B= FSA/B

Case 1:
Grade rodA = HI Elevgrade
Fill = Grade rodA Ground rodA
Case 2:
Grade rodB = Elevgrade - HI
Fill = Grade rodB + Ground rodB

Slope Staking by Field Methods

By trial and error

Compute for the cut/fill using the preceding method
Using this value compute for the distance at the right/left side of the
centerline given the width of the roadbed and the side slope ratio:

Let
w = width of roadbed,
d = measured distance from
the center line to slope
stake (rod)
1:s = side-slope ratio (ratio of
drop or rise to horizontal
distance) and c = cut
f = fill at the slope stake

measure the distance from the centerline to point where the rod was held
if measured value is smaller than computed value, move out
if measured value is greater than computed value, move in

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Slope Staking by Field Methods

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SLOPE STAKE BY FIELD METHOD

If the slope to the sides of the center line is very high or very low it is more convenient to
use a total station

CUT: uphill (+V); downhill (V)

FILL: uphill (-V); downhill (+V)

Slope Stake using DTM

Uses coordinate geometry in a local, right-handed x, y, system
where the origin is at the intersection of the centerline with the
subgrade and the x axis coincides with a line through the subgrade
positive to the right side of the cross-section when facing toward the
higher station
X coordinates offset distances from centerline
Ycoordinates terrain elevations minus grade elevation

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Slope Stake using DTM

Compute for the approximate location of catch point using:

d=

w
+ c's
2

or d =

w
+ f 's
2

c (f) is average cut (fill) to the right or

left of centerline
use two-point equation and point-slope
equation
solve for two equations simultaneously
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Slope Stake using DTM

( ys yi ) = ( xs xi )

(y

yi )

(x

xi )

(two-point equation)

ys yE = ( xs xE ) cot AE S (point-slope equation)

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EXAMPLE 1:
Determine the offset distance and elevation of catch points for station 51+00 when the
roadbed width is 13.20 m., the center line grade is 890.000m above the datum, and side
slopes are 1:1.5. Terrain elevations are given by the cross-section data below:

Elev

891.0

892.0

893.0

894.0

894.3

895.0

895.1

899.0

Offset
dist

28

20

11.6

3.3

CL

8.2

17

29

33

On the right side of 51+00,

dR1 = 13.2/2 + [(894.3 + 895.0 +
895.1 + 899.0)/4 - 890.00] (1.50)
= 6.6 + 8.76 = 15.375 m
which falls b/n the offsets of 8.2
and 17 m right.
Thus, the catch point is located
at the intersection of the terrain line
i-j and side slope E-SR.
Now, write the 2-point equation
for line ii-j:
(ySr - yi)/ (yj - yi) = (xSr - xi)/ (xj- xi)
(ySr- 5.0)/(5.1- 5.0) = (xSr8.2)/(17.0- 8.2)
0.1xsr - 8.8 ySr = -43.18

Next, form the point-slope equation for line EE- SR:

ySr - yE = (1/1.5) (xSr - xE)
ySr- 0.0 = (1/1.5) (xSr- 6.6)
0.67xsr - ySr = 4.40
Solving the 2 equations simultaneously yields
xSr = 14.15 m and ySr = 5.06 m
dR = 14.2 m to the right 34
and CR = 5.1 m as cut at the right catch point.

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Similarly, on the left side of the

cross section, the estimate for dL
is
dL1 = 6.6 + [(894.3 + 894.0 +
892.0 + 891.0)/4 - 890.00] (1.50)
= 10.8 m
which falls b/n offsets 3.3 and
11.6 to the left of center line or
points i', and j'.
As before, 2 equations can be
formed for lines i'-j' and F-SL:
xsL - 8.3ysL = -36.
36.50
- 0.67x
67xsL - ysL = 4.42
which can be solved to give
xsL = -11.2 m and ysL = 3.1 m

dL = 11.
11.2 m to the left and
CL,. = 3.1 m as cut at the left catch point.
point.
The final cross-section notes for station
51+00 are

c 3 .1 c 4 .0 c 4 .3 c 5 .0 c 5 .1
,
,
,
,
11.2 3.3 0.0 8.2 14.2

AREA OF CROSS SECTION

1. Area by geometric method (triangles and trapezoids)
2. Area by DMD
3. Area by coordinate method

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LEVEL SECTION
A = c ( w + sc )

The amount of cut/fill is

the same throughout the
cross-section

c = centerline cut (or fill, f )

w = roadway width
s = denominator of side slope ratio

THREE LEVEL SECTION

Cross-section
note:

fL
dL

f
0.0

fR
dR

w
w
A1 = 1 f L
A2 = 1 f R
2 2
2 2
d
d
A3 = f L
A4 = f R
2
2
A = A1 + A2 + A3 + A4

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FIVE LEVEL SECTION

Cross-section note:
cL
dL

cL '
w
2

c
0.0

cR '
w
2

cR
dR

A1 = 1 cL ' d L
2
2
c + c w
A3 = L '

2 2
A = A1 + A2 + A3 + A4

A2 = 1 cR ' d R
2
2
c + c w
A4 = R '

2 2

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DMD METHOD

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DMD METHOD

IRREGULAR SECTION
Area by Coordinates:
1
Y1 ( X 2 X n ) + Y2 ( X 3 X 1 ) + Y3 ( X 4 X 2 ) + ... + Yn 1 ( X n X n 2 ) + Yn ( X 1 X n 1 )
2
1
A = Y1 ( X 2 X 9 ) + Y2 ( X 3 X 1 ) + Y3 ( X 4 X 2 ) + ... + Y8 ( X 9 X 7 ) + Y9 ( X 1 X 8 )
2
A=

Or for convenience:
Y
Y3
Y5
Y2
Y4
Y1
AR = 1
0.5 COUNTERCLOCKWISE
X
X
X
X
X
X
2
3
4
5
1
1
= (Y1 X 2 + Y2 X 3 + Y3 X 4 + Y4 X 5 + Y5 X 1 ) (Y2 X 1 + Y3 X 2 + Y4 X 3 + Y5 X 4 + Y1 X 5 ) (0.5)
Y
Y6
Y7
Y8
Y9
Y5
Y1
AL = 1
CLOCKWISE
0.5
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
1
6
7
8
9
5
1
= (Y1 X 6 + Y6 X 7 + Y7 X 8 + Y8 X 9 + Y9 X 5 + Y5 X 1 ) (Y6 X 1 + Y7 X 6 + Y8 X 7 + Y9 X 8 + Y5 X 9 + Y1 X 5 )
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(0.5)

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AREAS OF CROSS SECTION: SUMMARY

Level Section
A = c(w+sc)
Three Level Section
A3l = (1/2)c(dl+dr) + (w/4)(cl+cr)
Five Level Section
A5l = (1/2) (cl dl + cr dr+ cw)
Irregular Sections
By coordinate method
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EXAMPLE 2: AREA COMPUTATION

Compute the area enclosed by the section and roadbed templet
having a width of 7.00 meters. Use the three level equation and
check by the coordinate method. The final cross-section notes are
as follows (units are in meters): (Anderson & Mikhail, 1998 pp
913-914)
c0.56 c1.11 c1.86
4.62 0.00 7.22

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By Coordinate Method
By 3 Level Equation

AL = [0.00 0.00 0.56 1.11 0.00 ]

[0.00 3.50 4.62 0.00 0.00 ]
AL = [(0.00x3.50 + 0.00x4.62 + 0.56x0.00 +
1.11x0.0 0) (0.00x0.00 + 0.56x3.50
+ 1.11x4.62 + 0.00x0.00)]
AL = 3.54 sqm

A3l = w/4(cl +cr) + c/2(dl + dr)

= 1.75 (0.56 + 1.86) + 0.556
(4.62 + 7.22)
= 4.24 + 6.58

= 10.82 sqm

AR = [0.00 1.11 1.86 0.00 0.00 ]

[0.00 0.00 7.22 3.50 0.00 ]

cL

1.86

1.11

7.22

0.00

0.56
4.62

0.00
3.50

0.00
0.00

0.00
3.50

AR = [(0.00x0.00 + 1.11x7.22 + 1.86x3.50 +

0.00x0.00) (0.00x1.11 + 0.00x1.86
+ 7.22x0.00 + 3.50x0.00)]
AR = 7.26 sqm
A = 3.54 + 7.26

A = 10.80 sq m

SIDE-HILL SECTION
There is transition from cut to fill or
from fill to cut within a station
Area can be determined by coordinate
method but first translate the y-axis to
the location of the grade point.

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LOCATIONS OF CROSS-SECTIONS
1. At full stations (20-m intervals)
2. Transitions from cut to fill on a side-hill location
3. Road intersections
4. Start and end of an alignment
5. At PCs and PTs of horizontal curves
6. When grading is heavy or rock is present, take crosssections at closer intervals
7. Fill-base & cut base grade points

GROUPWORK 3
In a 20 meter road stretch, the following cross section of the existing ground
and corresponding sub-grade cross section notes were taken.
Existing Ground Cross Sections
Stations
0+280

0
17

Left
-2
9

0+300

-3
14

-2
10

-1
5

Center
0
0

1
7

1
0

1
4

Right
2
12

1
18

1
5

0
9

-2
17

Subgrade Cross Sections

Stations
0+280

0
17

Left
-6
7

-5
6

Center
-5
0

-5
6

Right
-6
7

1
18

0+300

-3
14

-8
7

-7
6

-7
0

-7
6

-8
7

-2
17

a) Compute the cross

sectional area at section
0+280
b) Compute the cross
sectional area at section
0+300
c) Compute the volume
between the two stations.

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