What the earthworks calculator does
The calculator works out cut and fill volumes directly from a DXF or DWG survey map. Upload the surveyor's drawing, tell it which layers hold the ground levels, the building outline or the design levels — and the program builds a terrain model, generates the excavation with its side slopes and gives you the cut, fill and earthwork balance in cubic metres.
The result is calculated by two independent methods: a square grid (as in a classic cut/fill map) and an exact overlay of two TIN surfaces. If they differ by more than 3%, the program tells you.
How it works
- Upload a drawing in DXF or DWG with ground levels.
- Assign roles to layers: existing ground, design surface, calculation boundary, building outline, access ramp, zone or "skip". Level texts and point markers may be on different layers.
- Set up the excavation: bottom level, working space around the outline and side slope 1:n.
- Click "Calculate" — you will see the recognised points, a cut/fill map and the quantity table.
- Check the warnings (e.g. a point without a level, a level that does not fit its neighbours) — clicking one shows the spot on the drawing. Wrong levels can be corrected by hand.
- Copy the result to Excel or download an XLSX or CSV file.
Where the levels come from
- Text labels next to points ("118.78", "h=12,45", "▽ 212.30") — each label is matched with the nearest marker: a cross, dot, block or circle. The program learns where the author places labels relative to the points, so in dense surveys labels do not end up on a neighbouring point.
- Block attributes and the Z coordinate of 3D points.
- Contour lines — from the polyline elevation or from a label next to the line. An unlabelled contour gets its level from the neighbouring contours when the contour interval is known. Triangles never cross contours, and flat areas on ridges and in valleys are split so the volume is not underestimated.
- Beyond the surveyed points the ground can be extrapolated up to a given distance — those cells are marked and the result shows their share of the volume.
Building excavation
The program generates the excavation surface from the building outline: a flat bottom enlarged by the working space and side slopes at the given gradient running up to the ground. The outline may be concave (e.g. L-shaped). Several outlines can have different bottom levels (basement and non-basement parts), and an access ramp with a given gradient can lead out of the pit. The excavation combines with the design levels of the rest of the plot.
Adjustments and soil balance
- Topsoil stripping to a given depth — cut and fill are measured from the ground after stripping, with the topsoil volume reported separately.
- Bulking factors (initial and residual) — bulked cut volume, in-situ soil needed for fill, surplus or shortage and the volume to haul away or bring in.
- Zones calculated separately (e.g. building, road, yard) — from a layer or drawn on the preview.
Who it is for
Cost estimators, site managers and engineers, designers and earthworks contractors who need a quick estimate of cut and fill from a survey map without terrain modelling software.
Frequently asked questions
Is the earthworks calculator free?
Yes. The tool is free and runs in the browser, with no installation and no account needed.
Which files can I upload?
Maps and drawings in DXF or DWG format, e.g. from AutoCAD, BricsCAD or ZWCAD. A DXF file is processed in your browser and never leaves your computer. A DWG file is converted to DXF on the server and nothing is stored.
Will the program recognise the levels on a survey map?
In most cases, yes: it reads level labels next to points, block attributes, 3D points and contour lines. You only need to say which layers hold the levels. Doubtful matches, points without a level and levels that do not fit their neighbours are shown as warnings, and any level can be corrected by hand.
How accurate is the result?
Both methods are exact for the terrain model built from the points and contours, and their agreement is checked automatically. Accuracy depends on the data: point density, correct levels and the excavation parameters. The result is an estimate — check the calculation parameters before using it in a cost estimate.
What if the points do not cover the whole area?
Cells without data are left out and reported separately. You can switch on extrapolation up to a given distance from the last point — the ground is then extended along the local slope, and the result shows how much of the volume comes from it.
Can I save the project settings?
Yes. Layer roles, excavation parameters, level corrections, the boundary and zones can be saved to a settings file and loaded later with the same drawing.