INTRODUCTION 

Cut and fill is a condition where the amount of material (in terms of volume) from cuts roughly matches the amount of fill needed. The material
from cuts will be used to fill the void to minimize the amount of construction labor. This was done until we have  a suitable area to build
buildings, roadways and others. 

 
A cut volume is defined as the volume of material which is excavated below existing site levels. Fill is the volume of material which is mounded
above existing site levels. Cut and fill volumes are expressed in cubic metre (m3). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 APPARATUS 

 
                Theodolite x1                           Tripod stand x1 
 

 
        Levelling rod (staff) x1                  Staff bubble x1 
  
           Measuring tape x1 
Information Background

Cut and fill is one the important in the site surveying. Cut and Fill can be categories one the excavation works. Cut and Fill is a process
for land surveyor to measure the ground level which section is needed to be fill or which part of the surface is needed to be remove. For
examples: The Land surveyor will set the first ground level which is TBM and measure all the ground level from the high raised surface until the
lower surface, any part of the ground level is higher than the TBM will be removed the soil and any part of the lower ground level than TBM
ground level will be fill up the soil to raised up the surface of the ground. After recording the data, the data will be used to calculate the area and
the data of area will be used to calculate the Volume. This data would the land surveyor to determine which part is needed to be cut or fill.
In other words, cutting meaning remove the extra soil or it can be called as top soil on the surface of ground. The filling will be defined
as fill up the soil to made ground level raised up. Cut and fill can be carrying out by using two method which is Cross section method and Grid
method. In the Cross-section method, there two type of method which is On-line method and Off-line Method. On-line Method is defined as the
theodolite will be stay the between the staff. The theodolite will be recording the first staff and turn 180 degree to record back sight of the staff.
After recording the theodolite will move to other point which is between the staff. This process will be repeated until the last staff. For the Off-
line Method, Off-line method is totally different from the On-line Method. Off-line Method; the theodolite was place between the section. The
theodolite will stay on the middle of the section and not be moving to any part of the field until the reading was taking from the first staff until
the last staff.
Precaution

1. The staff must be always balanced it, if not it would affect the theodolite for recording the data.
2. When recording these, all distances should be obtained to 3 decimal places. There is a possibility that that some of the errors outlined
below will occur from time to time, so be aware of them. Do not rush and hopefully you will not forget to record any information which
is required.
3. The bubble of the theodolite also must be in circle, the bubble represents the balanced of the theodolite, if the theodolite is not balance it
would affect the data for recording.
4. When doing the calculate, the method for calculate also must be using the right formula. For example: there are two type of method
which is off-line and on-line therefore, when calculating the data, it must the suitable formula for the calculation.

Objectives

1. The main objectives of cut and fill is to determine the which part of the volume earth is needed to be removed and fill up.
2. To made the surface ground level equally which allow the building the can be raised up easily.
3. To enable students to get hands-on experience in setting up and working with the theodolites, levelling rod, tripod stand as well as other
instruments and collect the data of the relevant fieldwork.
4. To allow student able to know principle of the cut and fill, and able to know how to calculate the cut and fill.
Procedure
Step 1: Prepare all the equipment for the experiment.

Step 2: Place the wooden peg to set up the Theodolite.

Step 3: Set up the theodolite and the tripod must be same height with the chest level.
Step 4: Make sure all the bubbles are in the center.
Step 5: Use the measuring tape to form a straight line from the starting point to ending point.
Step 6: Record down the TBM data by marking the Vertical Angle, Horizontal Angle, Lower stadia, Middle stadia, and the Upper stadia of the
staff.
Step 7: Place the staff in every 1m away from each other until the ending point.
Step 8: Record down the data of every staff which are Vertical Angle, Horizontal Angle, Lower stadia, Middle stadia, and Upper stadia.
Step 9: Repeat the same Step 7 and Step 8 until the Ending Staff and Record in a computer or a peice of paper.
Result of Line A

St. Inst. Staff Station Horizontal Vertical Angel Upper Mediu Lower MS Plan Lg Vertical
Heigh Name R. L Angel Stadia m Stadia (D) Height (H) i+H-h
t Stadia mS sin² α mS sin α
cos α
A 1.32 TBM
50 0°0’00” 90°00’00” 0.808 0.756 0.705 10.3 10.300 0 0.564
Ref. P
49.6 330°08’50” 90°00’00” 1.205 1.156 1.107 9.8 9.800 0 0.164
1
52.381 62°57’10” 73°06’00” 1.322 1.268 1.218 10.4 9.520 2.893 2.945
2
52.433 61°38’10” 75°34’10” 0.541 0.495 0.451 9 8.440 2.172 2.997
3
52.556 61°08’40” 77°05’40” 0.349 0.306 0.265 8.4 7.981 2.106 3.12
4
51.953 60°00’50” 72°53’00” 1.18 1.138 1.097 8.3 7.581 2.335 2.517
5
51.413 58°32’40” 82°35’30” 0.22 0.187 0.154 6.6 6.490 0.844 1.977
6
50.669 56°28’10” 82°35’30” 0.728 0.7 0.671 5.7 5.605 0.613 1.233
7
50.386 53°58’40” 89°37’50” 0.427 0.402 0.377 5 5.000 0.0322 0.950
8
50.030 50°33’50” 89°37’50” 0.768 0.747 0.736 3.2 3.200 0.0206 0.593
9
49.825 44°17’30” 89°48’50” 0.957 0.941 0.925 3.2 3.200 0.01 0.389
10
49.5946 24°05’30” 89°49’00” 1.165 1.155 1.145 2 2.000 -0.0064 0.1586
11
49.316 317°4’50” 89°49’10” 1.443 1.435 1.427 1.6 1.600 -0.00504 -0.1200
12
49.0427 281°10’00” 89°49’00” 1.719 1.704 1.69 2.9 2.900 -0.00928 -0.3932
13
48.875 268°57’40” 89°49’10” 1.908 1.883 1.859 4.9 4.900 -0.0015 -0.5615
14
48.674 264°57’40” 94°33’10” 1.609 1.576 1.545 6.4 6.360 -0.506 -0.762
15
48.377 259°40’40” 95°29’50” 1.55 1.502 1.458 9.2 9.116 -0.877 -1.059
16
48.218 260°07’00” 95°29’50” 1.634 1.584 1.534 10 9.886 -0.954 -1.218
17
47.856 259°29’40” 95°29’50” 1.897 1.842 1.786 11.1 10.998 -1.058 -1.58
18
47.855 258°20’00” 95°27’50” 1.876 1.82 1.762 11.4 11.297 -1.081 -1.581
19
48.106 258°15’20” 95°27’50” 1.581 1.522 1.462 11.9 11.792 -1.128 -1.33
20
48.387 258°00’20” 95°27’50” 1.274 1.213 1.152 12.2 12.089 -1.156 -1.049
21
48.862 257°46’30” 95°27’40” 0.755 0.691 0.628 12.7 12.585 -1.203 -0.574
Area to Cut and Fill of Line A
Cut
A=[(a+b/2)]x d
Staff Length of A Length of B Distance A=1/2(1+d)
(m) (m²)
1-2 0 0.052 1.080 0.028
2-3 0.052 0.175 0.459 0.052
3-4 0.175 0.428 0.400 0.121
4-5 0.428 0.968 1.091 0.762
5-6 0.968 1.712 0.885 1.186
6-7 1.712 1.9948 0.605 1.121
7-8 1.9948 2.3514 1.800 3.869
8-9 2.3514 2.556 0.000 0.000
9-10 2.556 2.7864 1.200 1.602
Total Area: 8.741

Fill
A=[(a+b/2)]x d
Staff Length of A Length of B Distance A=1/2(1+d)
(m) (m²)
10-11 0.000 3.06504 0.400 0.613
11-12 3.06504 3.33828 1.300 4.16216
12-13 3.33828 3.5065 2.000 6.84478
13-14 3.5065 3.707 1.460 5.26586
14-15 3.707 4.004 2.756 10.6258
15-16 4.004 4.163 0.770 3.1443
16-17 4.163 4.525 1.112 4.83053
17-18 4.525 4.526 0.299 1.35312
18-19 4.526 4.275 0.495 2.17825
19-20 4.275 3.994 0.297 1.22795
20-21 3.994 3.519 0.496 1.86322
Total Area: 42.109
Result of Line B

St. Inst. Staff Station Horizontal Vertical Angel Upper Mediu Lower MS Plan Lg Vertical
Heigh Name R. L Angel Stadia m Stadia (D) Height (H) i+H-h
t Stadia mS sin² α mS sin α
(i) (h) cos α
A 1.5 TBM
50 0°0’00” 90°0’00” 1.109 1.044 0.81 29.9 29.9 0 0.456
Ref. P
49.6036 336°13’30" 90°0’10” 1.504 1.441 1.377 12.7 12.7 0.0006 0.0596
1
52.413 64°18’00” 78°58’30” 0.481 0.433 0.385 9.6 9.249 1.802 2.869
2
52.386 62°25’40” 78°58’30” 0.277 0.235 0.193 8.4 8.093 1.577 2.842
3
52.209 60°53’10” 78°58’30” 0.3 0.262 0.224 7.6 7.322 1.427 2.665
4
51.861 59°26’40” 78°58’30” 0.532 0.497 0.462 7 6.744 1.314 2.317
5
51.494 58°13’40” 78°58’30” 0.782 0.751 0.718 6.4 6.166 1.201 1.95
6
51.036 56°04’40” 81°15’30” 0.877 0.849 0.821 5.6 5.471 0.841 1.492
7
50.552 51°27’00” 81°57’30” 1.181 1.157 1.133 4.8 4.706 0.665 1.008
8
50.12 46°03’20” 81°57’30” 1.487 1.478 1.447 4 3.922 0.554 0.576
9
49.903 37°08’50” 81°57’30” 1.6 1.584 1.568 3.2 3.137 0.443 0.359
10
49.493 345°01’40” 87°54’10” 1.634 1.624 1.614 2 1.997 0.073 -0.051
11
49.3971 309°15’00” 93°08’10” 1.644 1.63 1.613 3.1 3.091 -0.0169 -0.1469
12
49.2021 287°02’40” 93°08’10” 1.839 1.819 1.797 4.2 4.187 -0.0229 -0.3419
13
48.837 276°56’50” 108°08’30” 0.316 0.284 0.251 6.5 5.87 -1.923 -0.707
14
48.6 271°15’50” 104°33’50” 0.465 0.424 0.382 8.3 7.775 -2.02 -0.944
15
48.523 270°15’50” 102°44’30” 0.609 0.563 0.518 9.1 8.657 -1.958 -1.021
16
48.355 268°54’00” 101°15’20” 0.806 0.756 0.705 10.1 9.715 -1.933 -1.189
17
47.912 267°36’30” 101°15’30” 0.896 0.835 0.776 12 11.543 -2.297 -1.632
18
47.796 266°56’50” 101°15’30” 0.972 0.912 0.85 12.2 11.735 -2.336 -1.748
19
47.87 266°18’20” 101°15’30” 0.863 0.8 0.739 12.4 11.927 -2.374 -1.674
20
48.197 265°54’00” 101°15’30” 0.403 0.339 0.272 13.1 12.601 -2.508 -1.347
21
48.851 265°30’50” 96°18’40” 0.806 0.74 0.673 13.3 13.041 -1.453 -0.693
Result cut and fill of Line B
Cut
A=[(a+b/2)]x d
Staff Length of A Length of B Distance A=1/2(1+d)
(m) (m²)
1-2 0.000 0.027 1.156 0.015606
2-3 0.027 0.204 0.771 0.089051
3-4 0.204 0.552 0.578 0.218484
4-5 0.552 0.919 0.578 0.425119
5-6 0.919 1.377 0.695 0.79786
6-7 1.377 1.861 0.765 1.238535
7-8 1.861 2.293 0.784 1.628368
8-9 2.293 2.51 0.785 1.885178

Total Area: 6.298

Fill
A=[(a+b/2)]x d
Staff Length of A Length of B Distance A=1/2(1+d)
(m) (m²)
9-10 0.000 2.92 1.14 1.6644
10-11 2.92 3.0159 1.094 3.24694
11-12 3.0159 3.2109 1.096 3.41229
12-13 3.2109 3.576 1.683 5.71118
13-14 3.576 3.813 1.905 7.03802
14-15 3.813 3.89 0.882 3.39702
15-16 3.89 4.058 1.058 4.20449
16-17 4.058 4.501 1.828 7.82293
17-18 4.501 4.617 0.192 0.87533
18-19 4.617 4.543 0.192 0.87936
19-20 4.543 4.216 0.674 2.95178
20-21 4.216 3.562 0.44 0.74669
Total Area: 41.950
Volume to Cut and Fill for Line A
Section Area to cut, m² Are to Fill, m²
1 13.826 43.085
2 12.489 42.379
3 8.741 42.109
4 12.045 50.205
5 10.261 45.610

Total Volume to Cut

 1/3 width f strip x (1st area + last Area) + 4(sum of the even areas) + 2(sum of the
remaining odd area)

= 1/3(2) x [(13.826 + 10.261) + 4(12.489+ 12.045) + 2(8.741)]

= 2/3 x (24.087+ 98.116+ 17.482)
= 93.123 m³
Total Volume to Fill
 1/3 width f strip x (1st area + last Area) + 4(sum of the even areas) + 2(sum of the
remaining odd area)
= 1/3(2) x [(43.085+ 45.610) + 4(42.379+ 50.205) + 2(42.109)]
= 2/3 x (88.695+ 370.336+ 84.218)
= 362.166m³
Volume to Cut and Fill for Line B
Section Area to cut, m² Are to Fill, m²
1 14.250 43.688
2 9.986 42.680
3 6.298 41.950
4 12.103 40.582
5 6.798 45.816

Total Volume to Cut

 1/3 width f strip x (1st area + last Area) + 4(sum of the even areas) + 2(sum of the
remaining odd area)

= 1/3(2) x [(14.250 + 6.798) + 4(9.986+ 12.103) + 2(6.298)]

= 2/3 x (21.048+ 88.356+12.596)
= 81.333 m³
Total Volume to Fill
 1/3 width f strip x (1st area + last Area) + 4(sum of the even areas) + 2(sum of the
remaining odd area)
= 1/3(2) x [(43.688+45.816) + 4(42.680+ 40.582) + 2(41.950)]
= 2/3 x (89.504+ 333.048+83.9)
= 337.635 m³
DISCUSSION

During this test, we learnt to conduct a cut and fill survey by using a theodolite and several
formulas that we learnt during lecture class to complete the calculation and drawing part.

The level instrument has been set up at the centre which it can see as many staff as possible.
The staff is placed at every around 1m. We set the theodolite off the line, the theodolite
placed on any desire position beside the line and take the staff reading to conduct the survey.
After taking the TBM and the reference point, set the horizontal angle to 0 at TBM and
starting to look at the first point until the last point. The procedure is repeated to get another
point of readings.

We use the cross-section method. The cross-section method involves plotting cross section of
the existing and proposed levels at regular intervals across the project site. For each of the
cross section, the cut area or the fill area is determined. The volume between each pair of
sections is estimated by multiplying the average cut and 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 together. We use trapezoidal rule
to calculate the area and volume.

Based on the result, we found that point 1 to point 10 are cut area and point 11 to point 21 are
fill area for Line A(at 8m), point 1 to point 9 are cut area and point 10 to point 21 are fill area
for Line B(at 10m). We determine the cut and fill from the reduced level column which is
calculated by us using formula i+H-h, using the TBM value 50 to start calculate. In the end,
we found that the cut area for Line A is 8.741m 2 and the fill area is 42.109m2. For line B, the
cut area is 6.298m2 and the fill area is 41.85m2. The volume of the cut area for line A and line
B is 156.466m3 and volume of fill area for both line is 750.07m3.
Conclusion

In conclusion, we have learnt some common knowledge in construction site which is how to
conduct a cut and fill survey by using a theodolite and several formulas. Based on our result,
we found that point 1 to point 10 are cut area and point 11 to point 21 are fill area for Line A
and point 1 to point 9 are cut area and point 10 to point 21 are fill area for Line B. By using
the formula I+H-h and the TBM value of 50, we found that the cut area for Line A is 8.741m 2
and the fill area is 42.109m2. For line B, the cut area is 6.298m 2 and the fill area is 41.85m2.
The volume of the cut area for line A and line B is 156.466m 3 and volume of fill area for both
line is 750.07m3.