MX v8i Earthworks Creation

One of the queries that crops up regarding earthworks creation in MX is the Cut/Fill strategy
and how it affects the earthworks creation. The easiest way to show the difference in the
strategies is to run through a quick example.

The example I'm and going to show involves a scheme running close to properties where
there is requirement to have a minimum cut of 3m or an earth bund of 3m where the
scheme is in fill or cut of less then 3m.

Below is the plan without earthworks showing properties close to scheme.

The longsection below shows that the cut depth of the alignment at the property
at Chainage 360 is less then 3m . This area will require an earth bund to satisfy the
scheme requirements.

Below are the cut style and fill bench style that are being used on the scheme.
The earthwork styles are set up as below.
Using the styles above lets create the earthwork using the default Cut/Fill strategy, Analyse
Cut before Fill.
This creates the earthwork for the scheme as shown below.
There has been no fill bench created at Ch360 due to the fact that the cut style was
analysed first and applied to areas of the scheme in cut and the fill strategy applied to areas
of the scheme in fill.
This earthworks style doesn't satisfy the scheme requirements.

Lets change the Cut/Fill strategy to Analyse Fill before Cut.

This creates the earthwork for the scheme as shown below.
This time the fill style is analysed first and due to it being a fill bench style with a false cut of
3m the fill style has been applied to areas of the scheme in areas of cut of less then 3m and
areas in fill. In cut area of greater then 3m the cut style is applied.
This earthworks style satisfies the scheme requirements.

Using a different Cut/Fill strategy can lead to dramatically different earthworks creation as
shown above.

Any questions, please add comments to this post, or drop me a mail at

jason.walsh@bentley.com or call us on 0808 1019246.