ECM 366

BASIC CIVIL ENGINEERING QUANTITIES

TOPIC 2:
TAKING OFF QUANTITIES
FOR BUILDING AND
CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS
prepared by HERDA BALQIS ISMAIL
By the end of this session, the students are able
to:
• Defined and explain the preparation of BQ
and Taking-off sheet
• Define and explain measurement of general
excavation, excavation for structure &
foundation, dredging, filling and compaction,
trimming of slope, preparation of surface &
embankment.
• Able calculate and prepare taking of sheet &
BQ for Civil Work (Earthwork)
Excavation of :
Stage 1 :
TOPSOIL : 150mm
Stage 2:
TRENCH DEPTH >1500mm
Stage 3:
TRENCH DEPTH >1500mm
BUT <3000mm
• Excavation of cuttings is measured by volume and is
given in m3 in the Bill of Quantities.
• Example of item description for the excavation of the
cutting is shown in cross-section in the
diagram, Figure 2.1 and Table 2.2.
• The item description assume :
i) The excavation starts at the Original Surface and finishes
at the Final Surface,
ii) There is no top soil at the Original Surface,
iii) All material excavated are for disposal.
• Where an embankment is to be
constructed on steeply sloping
round, the surface may be
specified to be benched in steps
or trenched.
• The steps or trenches can be
classified as "Excavation of
cuttings", it should be identified
by the phrase "benched in steps
below embankments" or
"trenched below embankments.
• Surface of earthworks are
classified as “Trimming of
Slope” - specified to be
sloped to a required angle of
over 10 degrees to the
horizontal.
• The surface areas of the
slope – Square meters ( m2)
• Preparation of surfaces is
measured superficially in
square meters to the
extent that earthworks
are to receive Permanent
Works other than
earthworks.
• The item covers merely
preparing the surface to
the required profiles and
configurations.
• It would not include any
material or additional
• This is measured only when double handling is required.
• Consequently, excavation and filling items are deemed to
include double handling that may be necessary to carry out
the earthworks.
• Double handling if excavated material is measured by
volume and is given in the Bill of Quantities in m3; The
volume shall be that if the void formed in stockpile.
• When calculating the volume of double handling if
excavated material for the quantities in the Bill of Quantities,
an allowance will need to be made for the difference in bulk
if the material in the stockpile and its bulk when used as
filling.
• When calculating the volume of material for double handling
at the site- the volume of the stockpile will need to be
measured both before and after the material has been
removed
• Applicable only to silt
which accumulated
during the maintenance
period and is required to
be removed.
• The quantities for the BQ
will require to be
estimated and measured
on completion.
• The grid method involves drawing a uniform grid
onto a plan of the earthworks project, and taking off
the existing and proposed ground levels at each
node of the grid.
• With these values the average depth of cut or fill
required on each cell of the grid is calculated, and
the volume for each cell is obtained by multiplying
the depth by the cell area.
• By adding the volumes for each cell together the
total cut and fill volumes for the project can be
estimated.
• Used for parking lots and site “leveling”
• Grid size from 10’x10’ to 50’x50’
• The cut or fill depth for each cell is found by
subtracting the average existing level of the cell from
the average proposed level.
• If the resultant depth is positive then this is a fill cell,
while a negative value indicates a cut cell.
• In either case, the volume is calculated by
multiplying the cut of fill depth by the area of the grid
cell.
• Once the volume has been calculated for each grid
cell, all of the cut cells are added together to obtain
the total cut volume.
• The same is done for the fill cells to get the total fill
volume.
• The accuracy of the grid method depends upon the
size of grid cell/grid spacing which is used.
• A compromise has to be made between the
accuracy which is required, and the time which will
be taken to produce the estimate.
Step l
Determine by visual study of the site drawing if the net total will be
an import (more fill required than cut) an export (less fill required
than cut) or a blend (cut and fill about equal)
Step 2
Determine the pattern of calculation points or grid size.
Step 3
Determine elevations at each calculation location, the corners of
each grid.
Step 4
Calculate the cubic yards of cut or fill required in each grid cell.
Step 5
Add the individual Grid Cell quantities together to arrive at the total
cut, total fill volume and the import or volume export yardage
required for the job.
• The basis of the estimate can be fully summarized
on the site drawings, which presents a very clear
summary of the calculations for others to check.

• No graphical summary is generated for the

estimation.
• Preparation - time-consuming
• Tedious to implement.
An example calculation of the volume for one of the grid cells in the example on
the right
The average cut or fill depths are determined for each cell in the grid. From these
depths the volumes of each grid cell can be calculated, and by adding the cell
volumes together the total cut and fill volumes are obtained
EXAMPLE 2.1 : QUESTION
EXAMPLE 2.1 : SOLUTIONS

G
H
EXAMPLE 2.1 : SOLUTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.2 : QUESTION
EXAMPLE 2.2 : SOLUTIONS
• The cross section method involves plotting cross
sections of the existing and Proposed Levels (PL) at
regular intervals across the project site.
• The cut area and the fill area for each of the cross
section is determined.
• The volume between each pair of sections is
estimated by multiplying the average cut or fill area
of the two sections by the distance between them.
• Once these volumes have been calculated for each
pair of sections, the total cut and fill volumes are
obtained by adding them all together.
• Methods used to determine the areas of cut and fill once the
sections have been plotted.
– plot the sections on gridded paper and count the grid cells
of the cut and fill areas.
• the simplest (but most time consuming)
– Multiplying the cell count by the area represented by each
of the grid cells gives the cut or fill area for the section.
– Draw the sections in CAD and exporting areas or
calculating areas mathematically using the trapezoidal
rule.
– Use spreadsheet included with this article includes
formulae which have automated the process of calculating
section areas using the trapezoidal rule.
• This can save a great deal of time if you are using the
cross section method.
• The accuracy of the cross section method depends
to a large degree on the distance you choose to set
between the sections.
• Closer sections improve the accuracy of the
estimate, but take longer to estimate.
• A balance has to be made between accuracy on the
one hand, and speed of generating the estimate on
the other.
• The cross sections are generated in the process.
• Provide a useful visual summary of the estimation,
which present the cut and fill depths across the
project in a very clear way.

• The method is that it can be extremely laborious to

extract cross sections from the drawing, and to
determine the areas of the sections.
An example calculation for the volumes between two sections of the example
shown opposite. This calculation is repeated for all of the sections, and the
values are added together to get the total cut and fill volumes.
Sections are drawn at equal intervals through the project. For each section line the
cut area and the fill area is determined. The volume between two sections is
determined as the average area of the two sections multiplied by the distance
between them. By adding together the volumes between all of the sections the
total cut and fill volumes are obtained.
EXAMPLE 2.3 : QUESTION
EXAMPLE 2.3 : SOLUTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.4 : QUESTION
EXAMPLE 2.4 : SOLUTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.4 : SOLUTIONS
EXERCISE 1
EXERCISE 2
EXERCISE 3
• https://www.kublasoftware.com/knowledge-base/cut-and-fill/estimating-earthworks.html
• HOW TO ESTIMATE CUT AND FILL VOLUMES FOR EARTHWORKS PROJECTS
• his article is written by an employee of Kubla Ltd. who are the makers of Kubla Cubed, a software
product which is mentioned in this article.
• This article, including the images, are the copyright of Kubla Ltd. They may be used by educators
provided attribution is given. In all other cases you must contact Kubla before using this
copyrighted material.
• The topographic data used in the example in this article is provided courtesy of the NOAA.
• If you have any feedback on this article please email [email protected]