Soils and construction equipment
CM 360 Final Team Project
Throughout this semester we have looked at the ins and outs of soils from a technical standpoint. This includes
understanding what it is and how it behaves under various conditions. This is all well and good and does provide us
with a necessary basis for understanding this construction material, but up till now we have not looked too much at
how we manipulate soil to achieve a desirable result. The purpose of this team project is to utilize collaboration for
efforts and sharing of knowledge and experience to fill that gap in our knowledge of soils and to learn the basis of
how we prepare for, and execute earthwork operations using heavy equipment.
Using the baseball analogy (from Bull Durham), baseball is a simple game, we hit the ball, we catch the ball, and we
throw the ball. Earthwork is a simple process, we:
• Prepare for the earthmoving
• Dig or excavate the soil
• Load the soil for hauling
• Haul the soil out of the job site
• Haul the soil from a borrow site to the job site
• Compact soil to a desired density
• Estimate the total cost for labor and equipment
Scenario:
Your team (made of 2 to 3 students) has been hired to perform excavation and compaction for an
underground parking garage project (196 ft in length, 76 ft in width, and 20 ft in height) located in Seattle.
Sheetpiles will be used as a soil shoring. Your team will be only responsible for soil excavation and
compaction. It is required by the developer that your excavation will be done within 7 days and the backfill
(GW) and top layer (CL) compaction will be done within 10 days.
A soil logs file is attached in BBLearn. In order to achieve the desired soil density, your team is expected to
review the soil properties and make a right decision to fulfill the expectation.
Cut: the excavation finish grade will be set at an elevation of 223 ft. All soils removed will be dumped to a
waste landfill site located 15 miles from the job site.
Fill: The finish grade of the top slab of the parking garage will be at an elevation of 243 ft followed by a 2 ft
thick new soil (GW) on the top as subgrade (part of the surface pavement) and backfill materials. On the
top of the GW soil, a 5 ft thick CL will be filled as a base layer of the surface pavement. The borrow area is
located 17 miles from the job site. The parameters for the soil at the sites, and the equipment are given
below. Due to a zoning code for residential areas, the contractor will be allowed to construct from 8am-
6pm Mondays through Fridays. Provide the following information in a report (between 6-8 pages excluding
the cover page, double-spaced, 1 in margin, time new roman 12 font sizes, due December 9 in class).
1. The total cost of labor and equipment rental (show in a table, clearly differentiate between labor
and rental regular time).
2. Project schedule showing shift length for each day
3. Equipment Productions for compaction and excavation
4. Number of trips and trucks required for both haul-away and fill transport
Borrow pit:
Wet unit weight of the borrow soil=115 pcf
Dry unit weight of the borrow soil=95 pcf
Classification of borrow soil: CL
Labor: $360/hr regular including all workers
Wet unit weight of the borrow soil=105 pcf
Dry unit weight of the borrow soil=83 pcf
Classification of borrow soil: GW
Labor: $360/hr regular including all workers
Job site:
Maximum density of the fill soil (CL) = 120 pcf (the fill soil that was tested from a lab result)
Relative compaction=98% (required by the contract)
Maximum density of the fill soil (GW) = 113 pcf (the fill soil that was tested from a lab result)
Relative compaction=98% (required by the contract)
Wet unit weight of the native soil=110 pcf
Classification of native soil: SW
Labor: $480/hr regular (all tasks)
Swell of job site and borrow area soil (see “Table for Excavator Production” handout)
Equipment options: (80% efficiency for all equipment, unless specified)
Compaction:
CAT Tamping 815F2
• (5 passes, 6 mph, 8-in lift thickness, 6’4” compacted width per roller ), (rental rate: $230/hr, 8am-
6pm, 1hr unpaid break time)
CAT Tamping 825H
• (5 passes, 8 mph, 8-in lift thickness, 7’5” compacted width per roller), (rental rate: $350/hr, 8am-
6pm, 1hr unpaid break time)
CS54 Roller (single smooth drum)
• (4 passes, 4 mph, 8-in lift thickness, 8’ compacted width per roller per feet, 70% efficiency) (rental
rate: $400/hr, 8am-6pm, 1hr unpaid break time)
Truck fleet:
CAT 770 (use struck capacity for estimation)
• (rental rate: $150/hr 8am-6pm, 1hr unpaid break time)
CAT 772 (use struck capacity for estimation)
• (rental rate: $185/hr 8am-6pm, 1hr unpaid break time)
Excavation:
CAT 320D (with 8’2” boom)
• rental rate: $580/hr (including operators) 8am-6pm, 1hr unpaid break time
CAT 315D L (with 7’4” boom)
• rental rate: $500/hr (including operators) 8am-6pm, 1hr unpaid break time
CAT 312D L (with 6’11” boom)
• rental rate: $460/hr (including operators) 8am-6pm, 1hr unpaid break time
814F2 Wheel Dozer
• rental rate $70 (including operators) 8am-6pm, 1hr unpaid break time
824H Wheel Dozer
• rental rate $85 (including operators) 8am-6pm, 1hr unpaid break time
834H Wheel Dozer
• rental rate $100 (including operators) 8am-6pm, 1hr unpaid break time
CM 360 Team Project Rubrics Presented by Team___________
Attribute 1-Not
Acceptable
(0 %)
2-Below
Expectations
(20%)
3-Meets
Expectations
(40-60%)
4-Exceeds
Expectations
(80-100%)
Score
( points)
Analysis of production and cost of rollers (clearly explain in
report) (10 points)
Analysis of production and cost of dozers (clearly explain in
report) (10 points)
Analysis of production and cost of trucks (clearly explain in
report) (15 points)
Analysis of production and cost of excavators (clearly explain
in report) (20 points)
Analysis of earthwork (OST, blue beam, or other associated
tool used) (25 points)
Scheduling (MS Project) clearly explain in report)
( 10 points)
Report (format, quality, grammar, writing, etc.)
(10 points)
Total Points
(100 points)