--- title: "Mass haul diagram: characteristics and haul terms" subject: "Transportation Engineering II" chapter: 3 key: "semester_7/transportation_engineering_ii:mass-haul-diagram-characteristics" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/transportation_engineering_ii/mass-haul-diagram-characteristics site: BCT Engineering --- # Mass haul diagram: characteristics and haul terms Transportation Engineering II · Chapter 3: Road Construction Technology - Asked in: 2082 Bhadra, 6+2 marks; 2081 Bhadra, 8 marks; 2080 Bhadra, 5+3 marks; 2071 Chaitra, 8 marks; 2070 Chaitra (old course), 10 marks; 2066 Bhadra, 8 marks (asked 6 times) - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/transportation_engineering_ii/mass-haul-diagram-characteristics - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/transportation_engineering_ii/chapter-3 ## Question Explain the characteristics of the mass haul diagram with a neat sketch. Define free haul, overhaul, economic haul distance, and shrinkage and swelling of earth. ## Short answer Mass haul diagram plots cumulative cut/fill against chainage; rising means cut exceeds fill, falling means fill exceeds cut, peaks/valleys mark changes, balancing line shows balanced sections. Free haul is included distance; overhaul is haul beyond free haul; economic haul distance is limit where borrowing is cheaper; shrinkage/swelling are volume decrease/increase after compaction/excavation. ## Answer #### Mass haul diagram and its characteristics A **mass haul diagram** is a curve of cumulative earthwork volume (cut positive, fill negative, after correcting for shrinkage or swell) plotted as ordinate against chainage as abscissa. It is used to plan the movement of earth along a road. ```text Cum. volume ^ peak | ,--*--. | A -----'-------'--- B balancing line | ,' '. | ____/ '. valley | '-._*______ +------------------------------------> chainage cut fill cut ``` **Characteristics** 1. A rising curve shows cut exceeding fill; a falling curve shows fill exceeding cut. 2. A peak marks a change from cut to fill and a valley a change from fill to cut. 3. A horizontal line (balancing line) cuts the curve at points where cut and fill are equal; the earth between these points is balanced. 4. The maximum or minimum ordinate between two such points gives the volume of earth moved from cut to fill in that section. 5. The length of the balancing line gives the haul distance for that balanced volume. 6. Curve above the balancing line means haul is forward (in the direction of chainage); below means backward. 7. The area between the curve and the balancing line is the haul moment, volume times distance (m3-m). 8. A steep slope shows heavy earthwork; a flat curve shows a balanced section. 9. The end ordinate gives the excess (to be wasted) or deficit (to be borrowed) for the whole length. #### Definitions - **Free haul distance (FHD)**: the distance up to which excavated earth can be moved with no extra payment, because it is included in the unit rate of excavation and filling (commonly 100 m in Nepal/India specifications; as per contract). - **Overhaul**: hauling beyond the free haul distance; paid as volume times extra distance (m3-station, 1 station = 20 m or 100 m as specified) $=V\times(L-L_f)$. - **Economic haul distance (limit of economic haul)**: the longest distance for which carrying cut to fill costs no more than excavating from a borrow pit and wasting the cut; beyond it, borrowing is cheaper. $L_e = L_f + \dfrac{\text{cost of borrow and waste}}{\text{overhaul rate per m}^3\text{-m}}$. - **Shrinkage**: loose or in-situ soil, when compacted in an embankment, occupies less volume than the bank volume it came from (about 10 to 20 percent for soil); the fill volume is multiplied by a shrinkage factor to get the cut needed. - **Swelling**: increase in volume of soil or rock after excavation (loose condition), for example 20-30 percent for common earth and 40-60 percent for rock, so more truck volume is needed. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. On a mass haul diagram, what does a rising curve show? A. Fill exceeds cut B. Cut and fill are balanced C. Cut exceeds fill D. Haul is backward Answer: C. Cut is positive, so ordinates rise where cut is more than fill. (Key point: Slope of curve) 2. What does a horizontal balancing line meeting the curve at two points indicate? A. Cut and fill are equal between those points, so the earth is balanced B. The earth between the points must be wasted C. The excess earth must be borrowed D. Overhaul is zero everywhere Answer: A. Equal ordinates mean the cumulative volume is unchanged, so cut equals fill between the points. (Key point: Balancing line) 3. How do free haul distance and overhaul differ? A. Free haul is hauling beyond a set distance; overhaul is hauling within it B. Free haul is hauling with no extra payment up to a set distance; overhaul is paid as volume x extra distance beyond it C. Both are paid at the same rate regardless of distance D. Free haul is borrowing from outside; overhaul is wasting spoil Answer: B. Free haul is covered in the unit rate; beyond it payment is V x (L - Lf). (Key point: Free haul and overhaul) 4. What is the economic haul distance? A. The shortest distance between cut and fill B. Always equal to the free haul distance C. The distance for which swelling is zero D. The longest distance for which carrying cut to fill costs no more than borrowing and wasting Answer: D. Beyond this limit it is cheaper to waste the cut and borrow fill. 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