How-to guides for levelling and earthwork

The calculations behind every canal, road and embankment job, worked through by hand with real numbers, so you can check what any program gives you.

CH 0+050

How to reduce a level field book by the height of instrument methodWork out reduced levels from back sight, intermediate sight and fore sight readings, with change points and the arithmetic checks, in a worked example.
How to calculate the cut and fill area of a cross-sectionFind the toe points, split the section where ground and design cross, and add up trapezoidal strips to get cut and fill areas, step by step with numbers.
Earthwork volume by the average end area methodCalculate cut and fill volumes between cross-sections with the average end area formula, a worked example, and when the prismoidal formula is more accurate.
Reverse level book: working out staff readings from known levelsBack-calculate back sight, intermediate sight and fore sight readings from known reduced levels, with change points at the staff limit, worked and checked.