Mass haul and stockpile SP-1, PA 585 Clear Bend bypass

Week-by-week simulation of the 2027 earthwork season, built from Estimate Rev C and the earthwork schedule. With Cut C3 starting as scheduled, stockpile SP-1 has to hold 73,425 loose cubic yards in the week of Jul 19, 36% more than its capacity, and double handling adds $187,180 to the earthwork estimate.

Estimate Rev C and 2027 earthwork schedulePA 585, Sta. 100+00 to 244+00Earthwork Apr 5 – Oct 15, 2027Prepared Nov 5, 2026

Summary

Stockpile SP-1

SP-1 is over capacity for 10 weeks with C3 on schedule

With C3 starting the week of May 31 as scheduled, SP-1 exceeds its 53,800 LCY capacity in the weeks of May 31 through Aug 2. The peak comes in the week of Jul 19 at 73,425 LCY, 136% of capacity and 19.2 ft high against the 13 ft maximum (PA585_Mass_Haul_Plan.pdf, p. 9).

Action: move the C3 start or enlarge SP-1 before the schedule is baselined.

Double handling

28% of the material is handled twice; the estimate carries 15%

59,740 BCY goes through SP-1 against 33,000 BCY in Estimate Rev C (Mass Haul tab). At $7.00/BCY for rehandling, that adds $187,180, 4.5% over the $4,117,000 earthwork estimate.

C1 and C2 account for about 49,000 BCY of it, because E2 does not open until the week of Jun 14.

C3 start

Starting C3 the week of Jun 21 keeps SP-1 within capacity

Starting three weeks later holds the peak to 52,000 LCY (97%), cuts double handling to 50,620 BCY and lowers the forecast by $63,840. Earthwork still finishes the week of Oct 11. Enlarging SP-1 to 4.25 acres instead also stays within capacity but costs $68,750 more than the plan.

A start the week of Jun 14 is not enough, and any start after the week of Jul 12 pushes completion to the week of Oct 18.

Mass haul week by week

Play the season or drag the timeline to see hauls between cuts, embankments and SP-1. Change the C3 start, number of trucks, loads per day and stockpile area, and the haul, the key figures and the estimate tab update immediately.

Peak in SP-1
Over capacity
Through SP-1 (rehandled)
Earthwork complete
Forecast vs. estimate

Cut Embankment Completed Direct haul To and from SP-1

Schematic plan along the alignment, to scale along the centerline. Line width follows the week’s volume. Hover a line or an area for values.

Stockpile SP-1 and hauls per week

Click the chart to pick a week. Red is volume above capacity. The dip in haul capacity is the four-day week of Jul 5.

The week’s hauls are split across active areas in proportion to their production rates.

    Cut and embankment areas

    Sources and method

    Sources

    • PA585_Earthwork_Estimate_RevC.xlsxQuantities, unit prices and time-related costs. Mass Haul, Unit Prices and Summary tabs9 tabs
    • PA585_Earthwork_Schedule_2027.pdfStart of each cut and embankment area3 pages
    • PA585_Mass_Haul_Plan.pdfCut and embankment areas and volumes. Stockpile SP-1 at Sta. 165+00 Lt.: 495 × 264 ft, 13 ft max., 2H:1V slopes (p. 9)18 pages
    • PA585_Geotechnical_Report_Sta213-229.pdfDeep soil mixing columns under E3; embankment no earlier than the week of Jul 2646 pages
    • Earthwork_Equipment_Plan_2027.xlsx30-ton articulated haul trucks at 17 BCY per load, loads per day and production rate per cut2 tabs

    Method

    1. Volumes for each area were taken from the Mass Haul tab of the estimate, start weeks from the earthwork schedule and weekly production rates from the equipment plan. Embankment volumes are converted to bank cubic yards with the estimate’s shrinkage factor, so cut and fill balance at 214,000 BCY.
    2. Each week, material moves in this order: direct cut → embankment, SP-1 → embankment, and last cut → SP-1. All moves are limited by haul capacity: trucks × loads per day × 5 days × 17 BCY.
    3. Stockpile volume is carried in loose cubic yards with a 25% swell. Capacity and height are computed as a truncated pyramid on the stockpile footprint (15:8 aspect) with 2H:1V side slopes and a 13 ft maximum height. The PA DEP Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Program Manual (363-2134-008, March 2012) limits stockpile slopes to 2H:1V or flatter and heights to 35 ft.
    4. The forecast applies the estimate’s unit prices to the simulated volumes. Everything that passes through SP-1 carries the rehandling price, and time-related costs follow the number of work weeks up to the last haul.

    Assumptions and limitations

    • All material is treated as suitable common excavation with one swell factor. Rock, unsuitable material and waste hauled off site are not included.
    • When several areas are active, the week’s volume is split in proportion to their production rates. Haul distance does not change the unit price.
    • The simulation lets SP-1 go over capacity to show the need. In practice excavation would have to stop or the stockpile be enlarged, and that cost is not priced.
    • The week of Jul 5 (Independence Day observed) is counted as a four-day week.
    • The 33,000 BCY of rehandling in the estimate is split C1 10,500, C2 18,000 and C3 4,500 BCY.
    • Swell, truck load, unit prices and the weekly time-related cost are the estimate’s own assumptions. An estimator familiar with PennDOT work should check the price level before the forecast is used.