--- title: "Mass haul diagram and soil cement base" subject: "Transportation Engineering II" chapter: 3 key: "semester_7/transportation_engineering_ii:mass-haul-soil-cement-base-construction" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/transportation_engineering_ii/mass-haul-soil-cement-base-construction site: BCT Engineering --- # Mass haul diagram and soil cement base Transportation Engineering II · Chapter 3: Road Construction Technology - Asked in: 2081 Baisakh, 8 marks - Video: [How To Calculate EarthWork Quantity Of A Road By Mid Section Method ? @CivilConstruction](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYGRP1C1QH8) — CivilConstruction - 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-soil-cement-base-construction - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/transportation_engineering_ii/chapter-3 ## Question Define Mass Haul Diagram with its characteristics. Write down the construction procedure of soil cement stabilized base course. ## Short answer A mass haul diagram plots cumulative cut and fill against chainage; rising curve means cut exceeds fill, peaks mark cut-to-fill changes, and a balancing line shows balanced earthwork sections. For soil cement base, spread and pulverise soil, add 4-8% cement, mix with water, compact to 98% modified Proctor density, and cure for 7 days. ## Answer #### Mass haul diagram 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 that cut exceeds fill; a falling curve shows that fill exceeds cut. 2. A peak marks a change from cut to fill, and a valley marks a change from fill to cut. 3. A horizontal line (balancing line) cuts the curve at points between which cut and fill are equal, so the earth between these points is balanced. 4. The vertical distance from the balancing line to the peak (or valley) between two such points gives the volume of earth moved from cut to fill in that section. 5. The length of the balancing line between two intersection points gives the maximum haul distance for that balanced volume. 6. Where the curve lies above the balancing line, the haul is forward (in the direction of increasing chainage); where it lies below, the haul is backward. 7. The area between the curve and the balancing line is the haul (volume times distance, m3-m); dividing it by the balanced volume gives the average haul distance. 8. A steep slope shows heavy earthwork; a flat portion shows little net cut or fill. 9. The ordinate at the end of the curve gives the net excess (to be wasted) or deficit (to be borrowed) for the whole length. #### Soil cement stabilised base course **Soil-cement (cement-stabilised) base** is a mix of soil, cement and water, compacted to give a strong, durable layer (IRC:SP:89, IS:4332). **Materials**: granular or sandy soil (PI below 20, fines below 50 percent, maximum size 40 mm; clay and organic soil unsuitable); ordinary Portland cement 4-8 percent by dry weight (decided by laboratory trial: 7-day UCS 1.7-3 MPa); clean water. **Equipment**: pulveriser (rotavator) or grader, cement spreader (or bags), water tanker, rollers (vibratory 8-10 t, pneumatic tyre), motor grader, curing sprayer. **Construction procedure** 1. Prepare the subgrade, trim and compact; set line and levels. 2. Spread the soil in a uniform layer and pulverise to break clods. 3. Spread the cement in a uniform layer at the specified rate (by bags at fixed spacing or by mechanical spreader). 4. Mix dry cement and soil with rotavator or grader until colour is uniform; add water to the optimum moisture content and mix again. 5. Compact immediately (within 2 hours of adding water) to 98 percent of modified Proctor density, using a vibratory roller and then a pneumatic roller; shape with the grader. 6. Cure for 7 days with moist cover or a bituminous prime coat (bitumen emulsion) to retain moisture; keep traffic off. 7. Provide the bituminous surface or the next layer after curing. 8. Control: cement content (titration), moisture and density, UCS cubes, thickness and level. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. What is plotted in a mass haul diagram? A. Cut area against level B. Slope against chainage C. Cumulative earthwork volume against chainage D. Cost per cubic metre against haul Answer: C. Cut is positive and fill negative (after shrinkage correction), plotted as cumulative ordinate. (Key point: Mass haul definition) 2. What does a peak on the mass haul curve mark? A. A change from cut to fill B. A change from fill to cut C. A balancing point D. The end of the project Answer: A. The curve rises in cut and falls in fill, so a peak is cut-to-fill. (Key point: Peak and valley) 3. Which soil suits soil-cement base? A. Organic soil B. Granular or sandy soil with PI below 20 C. Highly plastic clay D. Peat Answer: B. Clay and organic soils are unsuitable for cement stabilisation. (Key point: Suitable soil) 4. When must the soil-cement be compacted after water is added? A. Within 2 hours, to 98 percent of modified Proctor density B. After 24 hours of mellowing C. After 7 days of curing D. Any time within a week Answer: A. Cement starts to set once wetted, so compaction must be prompt. 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