EARTH DISTRIBUTION

GENERAL METHOD
GENERAL METHOD

The major advantage of mass diagram is that it provides a solution

(graphically) to the majority of earthwork distrubition problem
normally encountered in highway and railway grading operations. By
means of a series of trials using horizontal balancing lines in a variety
of positions it is possible to determine

a)Earthwork distrubition plan that will result in a minimum cost for

hauling plus borrow and waste
b)Economical plan for team organization (earthwork machines)
1. ASSUMPTIONS What is assumption?

❖ First Assumption:

All the volume excavated is suitable for embankment.

❖ Second Assumption:

Along the mass diagram it is possible to make borrow and waste.

Borrow and waste costs are same every where.

2. LIMIT of ECONOMIC HAUL (LEH) lm

Vehicle 1 → C1= a1L+b1 TL/m3

Vehicle 2 → C2= a2L+b2 TL/m3
Vehicle 3 → C3= a3L+b3 TL/m3

Unit cost of borrow CB TL/m3

Unit cost of waste CW TL/m3
Distance-Cost Diagram

C (TL/m3)

………
C3

C2

C1

L (m)
……… ……… ………
First Way to calculate LEH (lm)

Cw+B
C3

C2

C1

L (m)
lm
Second Way to calculate LEH (lm)

C1= a1L1+b1=Cw+B
C2= a2L2+b2=Cw+B L1 L2 L3

C3= a3L3+b3=Cw+B

lm is the maximum
3. MAKING EARTH DISTRIBUTION
by USING MD
• We need to define 2 new terms to help us to make earth distribution. Hill
and Valley. Those terms do not represent real hill and valley. In the MD :
• Hill represents increasing (cut) and decreasing (fill) part.

• Valley represents decreasing (fill) and increasing (cut) part.

• MD consists of hills and valleys.

• Each increasing (cut) and decreasing (fill) parts form hill and valley at the
same time (If they are not at the beginning or end).
 Hill

RL

Valley
 RL RL

• Calculated lm distance (using the proper scale) is placed on the curve and we
know that at the area of closed loop excavated material should be hauled to
embarkment section. Beyond or outside the closed loop excavated material
should be wasted and the fill section must be made from borrow.
W

B
RL

W
B

First waste or borrow in the

beginning of mass diagram drawn on
the left side of the diagram, all other
waste and borows are drawn on the
right side.
Directions of the arrows are very
important.
RL

RL
RL
 RL

INTERFERE

Interference problem is solved by a new balancing line which obeys the rule of:
← →

෍ 𝑈𝐶 − ෍ 𝑈𝐶 is minimum (may be zero)

෍ 𝑈𝐶 :the total unit costs of the operations (haulage, waste, borrow) directed to

the left side

→

෍ 𝑈𝐶 :the total unit costs of the operations (haulage, waste, borrow) directed to

the right side

 t
v RL

• For one hill and one valley, the solution of interfere is:

ℎ−𝑣 𝑚𝑖𝑛

ℎ−𝑣 =0
AB < lm BC < lm CD > lm
SOLVED!

INTERFERE NEEDS TO BE SOLVED

→

෍ 𝑈𝐶 = 𝐶 ℎ1 + 𝐶 ℎ2

෍ 𝑈𝐶 = 𝐶 𝑣1 + 𝐶𝑊 + 𝐶𝐵
How the unit costs change when
we move the balancing line up, we move the balancing line down,
→ →

෍ 𝑈𝐶 … … … … … … … … ෍ 𝑈𝐶 … … … … … … … …
← ←

෍ 𝑈𝐶 … … … … … … … … . ෍ 𝑈𝐶 … … … … … … … … .
 SECONDARY BALANCING LINES

C (TL/m3)

CW+B
C3

C2

C1

L (m)
le1-2 le2-3 lm
SECONDARY BALANCING LINES
TOTAL COST OF GRADING

TAŞITLAR
Lav1
𝑉1 → 𝐶1 = 𝑎1 × 𝐿 + 𝑏1 TL/m3
Lav2
𝑉2 → 𝐶2 = 𝑎2 × 𝐿 + 𝑏2 TL/m3
…………………………………………………..
Lavn
𝑉𝑛 → 𝐶𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛 × 𝐿 + 𝑏𝑛 TL/m3

In order to calculate the total hauling cost, average distances should be

calculated.
HOW TO CALCULATE AVERAGE DISTANCE
METHOD-1
𝑳𝒆𝟏−𝟐 + 𝟎
𝑳𝒂𝒗𝟏 =
𝟐
Le1-2 𝑳𝒆𝟐−𝟑 + 𝑳𝒆𝟏−𝟐
𝑳𝒂𝒗𝟐 =
Le2-3 𝟐
lm 𝒍𝒎 + 𝑳𝒆𝟐−𝟑
𝑳𝒂𝒗𝟑 =
𝟐
HOW TO CALCULATE AVERAGE DISTANCE
METHOD-2 Graphical method
PROBLEM 1

100 m3
100 m
300 m3

400 m 800 m
RL
100 m3
700 m
100 m3
500 m
200 m3

100 m
100 m3
 27

The mass diagram of a railway project is given above. At this site, three
different vehicles will be used for hauling. The cost equations of these vehicles
are as follows:

V1→ C1 = 0.040 x L + 0.5 TL/m3

V2→ C2 = 0.015 x L + 3.0 TL/m3

V3→ C3 = 0.012 x L + 4.5 TL/m3

The unit cost of borrow and waste are 7.0 TL/m3, and 5.9 TL/m3 respectively.

a) Draw distance-cost diagram.

b) Calculate the limit of economical haul (lm).

c) Calculate total earth moving cost.

ANSWER 1
 C (TL/m3)

12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
L (m)
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
First way to calculate ℓm

Second way to calculate ℓm

 31

Drawing 1° distribution lines (ℓm) & 2° distribution lines (Le(1-2) & Le(2-3))

RL
Total Earth Moving Cost

Operation Average Unit cost Total Cost

Vehicle Volume (m3)
Type Hauling (m) (TL/m3) (TL)

 8 845
 Operation Type Vehicle Volume (m3) Average Hauling (m) Unit cost (TL/m3) Total Cost (TL)
Hauling 1 100 50 2,5 250
Hauling 2 300 250 6,75 2025
Borrow - 100 - 7 700
Hauling 1 100 50 2,5 250
Hauling 2 200 300 7,5 1500
Hauling 3 100 600 11,7 1170
Waste - 500 - 5,9 2950
8845 TL TOTAL
 34

PROBLEM 2
868 m

RL

Show the economical distribution of earth on the mass diagram and schematic
profile if :
a) lm = 600 m
b) lm = 850 m
c) lm = 1000 m
 35
a) lm = 600 m
868 m

KÇ
 36
b) lm = 850 m
868 m

KÇ
 37

Single interferance SOLUTION

h − v  min h−v = 0
 38
c) lm = 1000 m

868 m

KÇ

Multiple interferances SOLUTION__Stepwise approach

 39

W h1 v1 h2 B
RL

→ 
 UC −  UC  min
 720 720
770 620 920

V1→ C1 = 0.040 x L + 0.5 TL/m3

Le(1-2) = 100 m
V2→ C2 = 0.015 x L + 3.0 TL/m3
Le(2-3) = 750 m
V3→ C3 = 0.013 x L + 4.5 TL/m3
Lm = 1000 m
The unit cost of borrow and waste are 10.0 TL/m3, and 7.5 TL/m3 respectively.
 42

868 m

KÇ
 43

PROBLEM 3
1300 m
200 m

500 m 400 m 800 m

RL

Make earth distribution if limit of economic haul is 800 m.

Write all needed equations.
ANSWER 3 1300 m
200 m

500 m 400 m 800 m

RL
PROBLEM 4
RL

Show the economical distribution of earth on the mass diagram and

schematic profile if :
a) lm = 1200 m
b) lm = 1600 m
c) lm = 2500 m
 46
ANSWER 4
a) lm = 1200 m RL
 47

b) lm = 1600 m
RL
 48

c) lm = 2500 m
RL
PROBLEM 5

Show the economical distribution of earth on the mass diagram and

schematic profile if :
a) lm = 800 m
b) lm = 2000m
ANSWER 6 lm = 800 m
ANSWER 6 lm = 2000 m
PROBLEM 6

RL

Show the economical distribution of earth on the mass diagram and

schematic profile if lm = 1000 m.
ANSWER 6 lm = 1000 m.

RL
PROBLEM 7

Show the economical distribution of earth on the mass diagram and schematic
profile if lm = 1000 m.
ANSWER 7
V1→ C1 = 0.040 x L + 0.5 TL/m3
Le(1-2) = 100 m
V2→ C2 = 0.015 x L + 3.0 TL/m3
Le(2-3) = 750 m
V3→ C3 = 0.013 x L + 4.5 TL/m3
Lm = 1000 m
The unit cost of borrow and waste are 10.0 TL/m3, and 7.5 TL/m3 respectively.
PROBLEM 8

Show the economical distribution of earth on the mass diagram and

schematic profile if lm = 800 m
ANSWER 8