Did you check and run a what-if analysis on that RSMeans daily output or the daily production rate from your company’s past costs that you plan to use to manage that earthwork operation?

You’re not just going to wing that operation, right? Or are you planning to do it and learn as you go?

For planning, cost estimating, and project scheduling, we rely on historical cost data. This data may come from your company’s past costs or sources like RSMeans, but that does not automatically make such data reliable for use. The best practice would be to check and verify the accuracy of the data.

When it comes to earthwork construction, many of the tasks are equipment-driven, as opposed to labor-driven. This means the production rates used are based on how much that equipment can do per a given time period, which can be an hourly production rate or a daily production rate.

Let’s start with an example: the estimate says that the daily production rate under normal conditions is 1600 LCY/8-hour shift, which is 20 LCY/hour. How do you verify that this production rate is accurate for the cycle distance, the condition that the crew will perform the work, and the available construction equipment capacity?

The benefits of conducting a check and performing a what-if analysis are significant because this ensures that the field engineer or superintendent is not working blindly. They are able to make well-informed decisions. Most importantly, it enables them to quickly reassess their strategy if they encounter a major burst or issue in the plan.

What if I told you that you can easily perform such checks and what-if analyses using the construction equipment production rate calculators included in our Interactive Webbook on Earthwork Construction?

Here’s how to perform such checks and what-if analyses with the bulldozer calculator. Enter the relevant parameters, and the calculator will generate the hourly production rate, multiply that by an 8-hour shift, and that will give you your daily production.

Understanding equipment production rates along with daily cost analysis can provide valuable insights even before starting the operation. This allows you to accurately determine if your operation will be profitable or incur losses. Having this information in advance enables you to re-strategize or improve the operation’s efficiency.

Additionally, this information serves as the foundation for determining the duration of the tasks for cost estimating and project scheduling.

The Uplands Mass Grading Project, Puyallup, WA. Courtesy of Drew Nordi – Tucci and Sons.

The Uplands Mass Grading Project, Puyallup, WA. Courtesy of Drew Nordi – Tucci and Sons.

The Uplands Mass Grading Project, Puyallup, WA. Courtesy of Drew Nordi – Tucci and Sons.

An interactive video to walk you through the sections of the calculator.

The make and model for different construction equipment are extensive, and each manufacturer provides a performance chart to help estimate their equipment’s capacity under various conditions. How much material can a bulldozer doze under specific parameters? There is a formula for that, and here is a calculator that calculates a bulldozer’s production rate per hour. Similar to this calculator, other construction equipment production rate calculators have been configured for several types of earthwork construction equipment. This calculator is for educational purposes only. Consult the manufacturer of your equipment for production rate calculation.

Here Are All the Earthwork Calculators Configured and Included in the Interactive Webbook Unit for Earthwork Construction

• Bulldozer
• Scraper
• Hydraulic Hoe/Excavator
• Hydraulic Shovel
• Wheel and Track Loader
• Dump Truck
• Compactor
• Rock Drill
• Clamshell
• Dragline
• Motor Grader