Earthwork Shrinkage Calculation

Shrinkage factor calculations in earthwork projects constitute a major source of misunderstanding between road contractors and the Departments of Transportation. The shrinkage factor is used to estimate changes in earthwork volumes as soil materials are excavated from borrow pits, placed and compacted in fills or embankments. A wrong shrinkage factor may have detrimental effects on project costs, allocation of resources and could even result in litigation between the contractor and the Department of Transportation. The primary hypothesis is that shrinkage factor is a function of soil clay content, moisture content and density. This study employed stochastic modeling and simulation techniques to relate soil properties (clay content) to earthwork shrinkage factors. The data used was obtained from the STATSGO database. Stochastic techniques were employed in modeling and simulating the high clay content of North Dakota soils. It was evident from the analysis that a single shrinkage factor could not be employed across the state or a transportation district (depending on the behavior of soil properties in the district). Transportation districts which provided the authors with shrinkage factors were used as examples. A graphical relationship between shrinkage factor and soil clay content has been developed with shrinkage factor data from the example districts - Minot and Dickinson Districts. In the second phase of the research, soil densities would be obtained to verify and enhance the predictive capabilities of the model. The tool could then be extended to other districts.

• Corporate Authors:

  North Dakota State University, Fargo

  Department of Construction Management and Engineering
  Fargo, ND  United States  58105

  North Dakota Department of Transportation

  Materials and Research Division, 300 Airport Road
  Bismarck, ND  United States  58504-6005
• Authors:
  • Asa, Eric
  • Song, Jongchul
  • Gao, Zhili
• Publication Date: 2010-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 147p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Calculation; Clay soils; Earthwork; Shrinkage; Simulation; Stochastic processes
• Geographic Terms: North Dakota
• Subject Areas: Construction; Geotechnology; Highways; I51: Earthworks and Soil Drainage;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01366356
• Record Type: Publication
• Contract Numbers: 91-400-0708
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 29 2012 7:14AM