COST OF HANDLING AND

TRANSPORTING MATERIAL
TA.Ahmed Mohamed Eldeeb
Teacher assistant AUC

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COST OF HANDLING A
In many instances, Engineering materials are delivered by the seller or producer
directly to the project in trucks. However, in other instances the materials must be
.obtained by the contractor at the storage yard of the supplier
Some projects require the use of aggregates, sand and gravel, or crushed stone,
which are produced from natural deposits or quarries and hauled to them project
in trucks or tractor-pulled wagons. The handling and hauling may be done by a
contractor, using his or her laborers and equipment, or it may be accomplished
through a subcontractor. Regardless of the method used, it will involve a cost
which must be included in the estimate for a project. When estimating the time
required by a truck for a round trip, the estimator should divide the round-trip time
:into four elements

Loading. 1
Hauling, loaded. 2
Unloading. 3
Returning, empty. 4

The time required for each element should be estimated. If

elements 2 and 4 require the same time, they may be
combined. Since the time required for hauling and returning
will depend on the distance and the effective speed, it is
necessary to determine the probable speed at which a vehicle
can travel along the given haul road for the conditions that
will exist. Speeds are dependent on the vehicle, traffic
congestion, condition of the road, and other factors. An
appropriate operating| factor should be used in determining
production rates. For example, if a truck will operate only
45min/h, this time should be used in determining the number
.of round trips the truck will make in 1 h

While the discussions and examples given in this part of

work do not include all types of handling and
transporting, they should serve as guides to illustrate
methods which may be applied to any job.

Lumber is usually loaded by laborers directly onto flatbed

trucks, hauled to the Job, and stacked according to size.
A laborer should be able to handle lumber at a rate of 2,000
to 4,000 Feet Board Measure per hour (fbm/h), using the
lower rate for small pieces and the |higher rate for large
pieces. A fair average rate should be about 3,000 fbm/h.
Trucks of the type generally used will haul 2 to 6 tons,
corresponding to 1,000 'to 3,000 fbm per load. The average
speed will vary with the distance, type of road, |traffic
congestion, and weather.

Estimate the cost of transporting 40,000 fbm of lumber from a

lumberyard to a job site. The lumber will be transported by trucks
which can carry 2,000 fbm per load. The job site is 2 miles (mi) from
the lumberyard- An examination of the haul road indicates an
average speed of 20 mi/h for the trucks, including necessary delays
to check oil, gasoline, water, etc. Assume that a worker will handle
3,000 fbm/h of lumber. Based on using two workers,( a truck driver
and a laborer), and one truck, the length of the job can be
:determined as follows
Rate of loading a truck, 2 x 3,000
= 6,000 fbm/h
.Time to load a truck, 2,000 / 6,000
= 0.33 h = 20 min
.Time to unload a truck, 2,000 / 6,000 = 0.33 h = 20 min
.Travel time, round trip, 4 mi / 20 mi/h = 0.20 h = 12min
.Total time per load
= 0.86 h = 52 min
No.(Cycles) trips per h, 1/0.86 = 60/52 = 1.16 trips
Quantity hauled per hour (Production rate) 1.16 x 2,000 = 2,320 fbm/
Total time for the job, 40,000 / 2,320

= 17.2 h

An alternative method of determining the length of the job is

as follows:
No. truckloads required, 40,000 / 2,000 = 20 truckloads
Round-trip time per load, 0.86 h
Total time for the job, 20 x 0.86 = 17.2 h
The cost will be (Assuming rate of truck is $10.58/h, of driver
$8.10/h, for laborer $7.50/h)
Truck, 17.2h@$10.58
=$181.98
Truck driver, 17.2h@$8.10
=$139.32
Laborer, 17.2h@$7.50
= 129.00

tal cost
= $450.30 per total job
Cost per 1000 fbm,$450.30 / 40 =$ 11.26

Based on the use of two laborers who remain at the yard, two
laborers who unload the trucks at the job, and a driver for
each truck, with the drivers to assist in loading and unloading
:the trucks, the costs can be determined as follows
Rate of loading truck. 3 x 3,000 = 9,000 fbm/h
Time to load a truck, 2,000 / 9,000
= 0.222 h = 13.32
.min
Time to unload a truck, 2,000 / 9,000
= 0.222 h= 13.32
.
min
.Travel time, round trip, 4 mi /20 rni/h
= 0.200 h = 12 min
.Total time per load (Cycle time)
= 0.644 h = 38.64min
No. trips per h per truck, 1 / 0.644
= 1.55 trips
Round-trip time
0.644
No. trucks required,
Time to load
0.222
=2.9 trucks

An alternate method of determining the number of trucks

required is as follows:
No. trips per h per truck
= 155
Quantity of lumber hauled per h per truck, 1.55 trips x 2,000 fbm =
3,100 fbm
No. trucks required, 9,000 / 3,100
Determine the cost, using 3 trucks

= 2.9 trucks

Total time for the job, 40,000 fbm / 9,000 fbm/h = 4.44 h
The cost will be
Trucks, 3 x 4.44 = 13.32h @ $10.58 = $140.93
Truck drivers, 13.32 h @ $8.10
= $107.89
Laborers, 4 x 4.44 = 17.76 h @ $7.50 =$ 133.20
Total cost
= $382.02
Determine the cost, using 2 trucks. Since there are not enough
trucks to keep the laborers busy, the rate of hauling will
determine the length of the job.

Quantity hauled per truck, 1.55 x 2,000

= 3100
fbm/h
Quantity hauled by two trucks
= 6200
fbm/h
otal time required for Job, 40,000 / 6,200 = 6.45h
:The cost will be
rucks, 2 x 6.45 = 12.9 h @ $10.58
= $136.48
ruck drivers, 12.9h@$8.10
= $104.49
aborers, 4 x 6.45 = 25.8 h @ $7.50
=$19.50
otal cost
= $434.47
Note that the total costs are based on labor and truck costs
for the actual time at work, with no allowance for laborers
and trucks while they are waiting their turn to start workingIf there will be costs during such nonproductive times, the
total cost of the job will be higher than the values calculated.

Sand and gravel are strip-mined by companies and stockpiled for use
on construction projects. Sand is generally excavated from riverbeds
by draglines, loaded into trucks, and transported to a central
location for later distribution to prospective buyers, Similarly, gravel
is strip-mined from a rock quarry, crushed in a rock-crushing
machine, screened, and transported by trucks to a central gravel
yard. Sand and gravel can be handled by several types of
equipment, such as clamshells, front-end loaders, or portable
conveyers. Small quantities may be handled by common laborers.
Portable belt conveyers are used frequently for handling and
transporting
material such as earth, sand, gravel, crushed stone, concrete, etc.
Because of the continuous flow of material at relatively high speeds,
.belt conveyers have high production for handling material

The amount of material that can be handled by a conveyer depends

on the width and speed of the belt and on the angle of repose for
the material. Portable belt conveyers are available in lengths of 33
to 60 ft, with belt widths of 18 to 30 in, the maximum speeds of
conveyer belts range from 250 to 450ft/min. A 300-ft/min belt speed
is representative for many job sites. Table below gives the areas of
cross section of materials with various angles of repose.
Table of cross section of materials for loaded belts, ft2
Width of belt, in

Angle of repose
10

18
24

0,134
0.257

30

0.421

20

0.174 0.214
0.331

0.410
0.668

30

0.541

A portable belt conveyer is used to load sand from a stockpile into

trucks. The conveyer has a 24-in-wide belt which has a travel speed
of 300 ft/min. The conveyer will load 12-yd3 dump trucks that will
haul the sand 4 mi at an average travel speed of 30 mi/h. Assume a
dump time of 2 min and an angle of repose of the sand of 20.
Determine the number of trucks required to balance the production
rate of the belt conveyer.
Production rate of conveyer, 300 ft/min x 0.331 ft2 = 99.3
Cu.feet/min The hourly production rate will be (99,3 cu.f./min /
27cu.f./cu.yrd) x60min/h = 220.7 cu.yrd. /h
The cycle time for a truck is
.Time to load, 12 yd3 / 220.7 yd3/h
.Time to haul, 4 mi / 30 mi/h
Time to dump, 2 min / 60 min/h
Time to return, 4 mi / 30 mi/h
.Round-trip time per truck

= 0.05 h = .05 x 60 = 3min

= 0.13 h = .13 x 60 = 7.8 min
= 0.03 h = .o3 x 60 = 1.8 min
= 0.13 h = 13 x 60 = 7.8 min
= 0.34 h = .34 x 60 = 20.4 min

Quantity hauled per hour, 12 yd3 / 0.34 h

= 35.3 yd3/h
Number of trucks required, 220.7 yd3 /h / 35.3 yd3/h = 6.2 trucks
Therefore 6 or 7 trucks are required
The following example illustrates a method of determining the cost
of
.unloading and hauling the material to a job

Estimate the probable cost of loading 160yd3 of gravel from a

stockpile into trucks and hauling it 3 mi to a project. Use a 0.5 yd3
truck-mounted clamshell to load 6-yd3 dump trucks. The trucks can
maintain an average speed of 30 mi/h hauling and returning to the
cars- The truck time at the dump will average 8 min, including the
time required to check, service, and refuel a truck.
The clamshell should handle an average of 32 yd3/h allowing time
for moving the clamshell and for other minor delays. The estimated
:cost can be determined as follows
Time to load a truck, 6 yd3 / 32 yd3/h

= 0.188 h

Travel time, round trip, 6 mi / 30 mi/h

= 0.200 h
Time at dump, 8 min / 60 min/h
= 0.133 h
Total round-trip time
= 0.521 h
No. loads per h per truck, 1.00 / 0.521
= 1.92
Volume hauled per truck per h, 6 x 1.92
= 11.52 yd3
No. trucks required, 32 yd3 / 11.52
= 2.78
/If 3 trucks are used, the time required to complete the job will be 160
.yd3/h = 5 h 32
The cost will be
Moving clamshell to and from job
= $420.00 (Assumption)
Cost of clamshell. 5 h @ $57.50
= 287.5
Trucks, 3 x 5 = 15 h @ $16.80
= 252.00
Clamshell operator, 5 h @ $17.25
= 86.25
Clamshell oiler, 5 h @ $11.25
= 56.25
Truck drivers, 3 x 5 = 15 h (a) $8.10
= 121.5
Laborers, 2 x 5 = 10 h @ $7.50
= 75.00
Total cost

= $1,298.50

If 2 trucks are used, the length of the job will be determined by the
rate at which the trucks haul the gravel. As previously determined, a
.truck should haul 11.58 yd3/h
.Two trucks should haul 2 x 11.58
= 23.16 yd3/h
.The length of the job will be 160 / 23.16
= 6.9 h
The cost will be
Moving clamshell to and from job
Cost of clamshell, 6.9 h @ $57.50
Trucks, 2 x 6.9 = 13.8 h @ $16.80
Clamshell operator, 6.9 h @ $17.25
Clamshell oiler, 6.9 h@ $11.25
Truck drivers, 2 x 6.9 = 13.8 h @ $8.10
Laborers, 2 x 6.9 = 13.8 h @. $7.50
Total cost

= $ 420.00
= 396.75
= 231.84
= 119.03
= 77.63
= 111.78
= 103.50
= $1,460.53

.Thus it is cheaper to use 3 trucks

If a foreman is used to supervise the job, her or his salary should be
.added to the cost of the project

The costs determined in previous examples are the minimum

amounts, based on the assumption that the cost durations can be
limited to 5 or 6.9 h. It may be impossible or impractical to limit the
costs to these respective durations. If such is the case, the
appropriate durations should be used.

Bricks are generally loaded at the brick supplier by forklifts or small cranes
that are fitted on the bed of flatbed trucks and hauled to a project. The
capacity of the trucks is normally 2,000 to 3,000 bricks per load. Popular
sizes of building bricks weigh about 4 lb each.

Upon arrival at the project, the bricks are unloaded by a small crane
that is mounted on the truck, or by a forklift, onto small four-wheel
tractors that transport bricks around the perimeter of the structure
where the bricks are to be laid.

Workers, using brick tongs, can carry 6 to 10 bricks per load to the
brick
mason for laying. A worker should be able to pick up a load, walk to
the location of the brick mason and deposit the load, and return for
another load in 0.5 to 1 min per trip. If it is assumed that the
average time for a trip is 3/4 min and the work carries 8 bricks per
trip, in 1 h he or she will handle 640 bricks. The actual number of
bricks, worker can handle will depend on the job site conditions at a
particular. The following table provides rates for various job
.conditions
Bricks
Trip
Bricks
Hours
carried
time,
handled
per 1,000
per trip
min
per hour
bricks
6
8
10
6
8
10
6
8
10

0.5
0.5
0.5
0.75
0.75
0.75
1.00
1.00
1.00

720
960
1,200
480
640
800
360
480

1.39
1.04
0.83
2.08
1.56
1.25
2.78
2.08

600

1.6

The cost for 60,000 bricks from a supplier includes delivering,

unloading, and stacking the bricks at a central location at the job
site. Estimate the cost of transporting the bricks from the central
location where they are stacked by the supplier to the structure
where they will be installed by a brick mason. The bricks will be
Laborers
be stationed
around
theatperimeter
thebricks
structure
hauled bywill
a small
four-wheel
tractor
a rate of of
1800
per to
carry
hour.
bricks to the brick masons. Assume each laborer will carry 8 bricks
.per load and average 3/4 min per trip each way
No. bricks handled per labor-hour will be 8 x 60 /0.75
=
640
Time to haul bricks by tractor = 60,000 / 1,800 per h
=
33.33 h
Time
to haul
by laborers = 60,000 / 640 per h
=
The costs
willbricks
be
93.75
h 33.33 h @ $19.00
Tractor,
= $ 633.2
Operator, 33.33 h @ $9.50
Laborers, 93.75 h @ $7.50
Total cost
The cost for handling bricks is $1,653.04 / 60,000
. brick

= 316.6
= 703.1
=$1,653.
= $0.028 per

Estimate the cost of hauling 60,000 bricks from the brickyard

supplier to a job 4 mi distant. Each truck will haul 3,000 bricks per
load and can travel at an average speed of 20 mi/h loaded and at 30
mi/h empty, allowing for lost time. Three laborers will be stationed
at the yard to load the trucks, and another three be at the job to
unload the trucks. The truck drivers will assist in loading unloading
the trucks. Each laborer will carry 8 bricks at the yard and at the job.
Assume
that
a laborer
average83/4
min
per trip at the yard
and
No. bricks
handled
per will
labor-hour.
x 60
0.75
= 640
.Rate
at the
ofjob
loading a truck, 4 x 640
= 2,560

per h
Time to load a truck, 3,000 2,560
= 1.170
h
Time to unload a truck, same
= 1.170
h
Time to drive from job to yard, 4 30
= 0.133 h
Time to drive from yard to job, 4 20
= 0.200
Total Time for round trip
= 2.673 h
No. bricks hauled per h per truck, 3,000 2.673
= 1,122
No. trucks required to haul 2,560 bricks per h, 2,560 1,122 = 2.28 tr

.the cost will be determined as follows

Rate of hauling bricks, 2 x 1,122
2,244 per h
Time required to finish the Job, 60,000 2.244
h
The cost will be
Trucks, 2 x 26.7 = 53.4 h @ $22.80
$1,217.52
Truck drivers, 53.4 h @, $8.10
432.54
Laborers,
x 26.7 = 160.2 h @ $7.50
Total6cost
.1,201$2,851.56

=
= 26.7
=
=
=

If 3 trucks are used, the rate of loading the trucks, as previously

Time
required
to be
finish
thebricks
job, 60,000
2,560
= 23.5
determined,
will
2,560
per hour.
h
The cost will be
Trucks, 3 x 23.5 = 70.5 h @ $22.80
=
$1,607.40
Truck drivers, 70.5 h @ $8.10
=
571.05
cost= 141.0 h @ $7.50
==
Laborers,Total
6 x 23.5
$3,235.95
1,057.50
It will be more economical to use 2 trucks.

This project involves loading cast-iron pipe onto trucks and hauling
it to a project, where it will be laid on the ground along city streets.
The average haul distance will be 5 mi.
The pipe will be 12 in. in diameter and 18 ft long and weigh 1,140 Ib
per joint of 18 ft . A 4-ton truck-mounted crane will be used to load
the pipe onto 8-ton trucks, which will haul 14 joints per load. The
pipe will be unloaded from the trucks by an 80-hp crawler tractor,
with a side boom, which will move along with the trucks.
.The trucks can average 25 mi/h loaded and 30 mi/h empty
:The total labor crew will consist of the following persons
At the loading site
crane operator 1
crane oiler 1
laborers with the crane 2
laborers on the truck 2
At the unloading site
tractor operator 1
laborers helping unload pipe 2

Determine the number of trucks required and the direct cost per foot f
.transporting the pipe

:The time required by a truck for a round trip will be

oading
truck,
14time
joints
x 3 min/joint
42unload
min of
60one joint=is0.70
.Assuming
the
required
to load=or
3 min
h
Hauling to job, 5 mi / 25 mi/h
= 0.20
h
Unloading truck, 14 joints x 3 min/joint = 42 min 60
= 0.70
h
Returning to car, 5 mi / 30 mi/h
= 0.17
h
otal time
= 1.77
No.
trips
per
h,
1

1.77
=
0.565
h
No. joints hauled per h per truck, 0.565 x 14 = 7.9 joints
No. joints unloaded per h, 60 3 = 20 joints
No. trucks required, 20 7.9 = 2.54 trucks
Use 3 trucks

Assume that the crane and truck will operate 50 min/h. The average nu
of joints hauled per hour will be 20 x 50 60 = 16.67 joists

67.50
Tractor with boom, 1 h @ $18.20
=
18.20
Crane operator, 1 h @ $17.25
=
17.25
Crane oiler, lh @ $l 1.25
=
11.25
Tractor operator, 1 h @ $15.86
=
15.86
Truck drivers, 3 h @ $8.10
=
24.30
Laborers, 6 h @ $7.50
=
45.00
Foreman, 1 h @ $17.30
=
17.30
Total cost
=
Any cost of moving equipment to the job and back to the storage
$279.41
yard should be prorated to the total length of pipe handled, and
Cost per ft, $279.41 (18 x 16.67)
=
added to the unit cost determined above, to obtain the total cost per
0.931
unit length.

1-Estimate the total direct cost and the cost per 1,000 fbm of lumber
for transport 50,000 fbm of lumber from a lumberyard to a job which
is 3 mi from the yard. A 5- stake-body truck will haul 3,000 fbm per
load. The trucks can average 25 mi/h loaded and 40 mi/h empty.
One laborer plus the truck driver will load lumber onto the truck at
the lumberyard, and another laborer plus the truck driver will unload
the truck and stack lumber at the job. Each worker will handle 1,200
fbm/h when working.
Assume that the laborers and the trucks operate 50 min/h.
Determine the most economical number of trucks to use.
Will placing an additional laborer at the yard and at the job reduce
the cost of handling and hauling the lumber?

Labor and truck costs per hour will be

Trucks
Truck drivers
Laborers

$16.40
9.25
7.30

2- Using the information given in Prob. 1, is it less expensive to keep

two laborers at the yard and two other laborers at the job site or to
use only two laborers, who will ride with the truck driver to load and
unload a truck?

3-The owner of a sand and gravel pit is considering the purchase of a

fleet of trucks to deliver aggregate to customers. Two sizes are
being considered, namely, 10- and 15-yd diesel-engine-powered
dump trucks. The haul distances will vary from 6 to 20 mi, with an
average distance of about 12 mi.

It is estimated that the 10-yd trucks can travel at an average speed

of40mi/h loaded and at 50 mi/h empty, while the 15-yd trucks can
travel at an average speed of 35 mi/h loaded and at 45 mi/h empty.
The trucks will be loaded from stockpiles of aggregate, using a 2-yd
clamshell with an angle of swing averaging 90. See THE Table TO
GET the output for the clamshell. The average truck time at the
dump will be 4 min for the 10-yd3 truck and 5 min for the 15-yd3
truck. Assume that the trucks and the clamshell will operate 45
min/h.
Determine which size truck is more economical.

The cost of a 10-yd truck is $27,10 per hour, and that of a 15-yd
truck is $43.55 per hour. A truck driver will be paid $9.50 per hour.
Because the cost of the clamshell will be the same for each size
truck, this cost need not be considered.

4-Is it more economical to use a 1- or a 2-yd clamshell to load sand

and gravel from stockpiles into 10-yd3 diesel-engine-powered dump
trucks? Assume an average angle of swing of 90 from the clamshell.
Use THE Table to determine the production rate for each clamshell.
In addition lo the time required by a clamshell to load a truck, there
will be an average delay of 2 min waiting for another truck to move
into position for loading. Assume a 50-min hour for both the
:-clamshell and the trucks. The costs per hour will be
yd clamshell
$38.85-1
yd clamshell
72.15-2
Truck
29.50
Truck driver
9.50
Clamshell operator 18.20
Clamshell oiler
12.40

5-A total of 140,000 bricks is to be hauled from a brickyard by 5-ton

gasoline-engine- powered stake-body trucks to a project 4 mi from
the yard. A truck, which can haul 3,000 bricks per load, will average
30 mi/h loaded and 40 mi/h empty. Assume that the trucks operate
45 min/h.
Determine the total cost and the cost per 1,000 bricks for each of
the stated conditions.
(a) Three laborers plus a truck driver will each load 450 bricks per
hour onto a truck, and three other laborers plus a truck driver will
unload the bricks from a truck at the job at the same rate.
(b) Three laborers plus a truck driver will each load 450 bricks per
hour onto a truck; then the truck driver and the three laborers will
ride on the truck to the job, where they and the truck driver will
unload the bricks at the same rate as at the yard. The costs per hour
will be
Truck, each
Truck driver
Laborers, each

$15.75
9.50
7.25

6-The operator of a gravel pit is invited to bid on furnishing 2,500

yd3 of bank-run gravel for a job. The gravel is to be delivered to a
job, which is 12 mi from the pit. The gravel will be loaded into trucks
by a hydraulic excavator which will load at a rate of 80 yd/h. The
trucks will haul 10 yd3 per load and average 35 mi/h loaded and 45
mi/h empty. Assume that the hydraulic excavator and the trucks will
operate 45 min/h. The following costs will apply:
Royalty paid for gravel,
$0.42 per yd
General overhead,
$0.30 per yd
Profit,
$0.55 per yd
Hydraulic excavator,
$63.00 per h
Trucks, each,
$26.00 per h
Excavator operator,
$18.10 per h
Excavator oiler,
$12.50 per h
Truck drivers,
$9.10 per h
Foreman,
$18.50 per h
Labor taxes, 15 % of wages paid, including foreman
?What price per cubic yard should be bid