Contents

Using Trench Tools (PlanSwift)

There are a few different trenching tools. First, you can choose to display the trench measurement by volume or by length. You can also calculate backfill by volume or by weight.

The properties window has three tabs when looking at the form view. The Trenching Home tab is where you will input the values for: Trench Width, Trench Depth, Pipe Diameter, Bedding Depth, Pipe Zone Depth, Tons per CU YD – Native Backfill, Tons per CU YD – Bedding, and Tons per CU YD – Pipe Zone Backfill. Some of these input values will be hidden or shown depending on which checkboxes are selected on this form. With all of the boxes checked you will see all the input properties. (Figure 59)

Changing the Slope Options will show you different trench slope styles in the image on this form and will also change the calculated volume of the trench automatically. After you have digitized the length of the trench, making any changes on this form will automatically recalculate the values of the connected parts.

By default the trenching tools have 5 parts attached as an assembly. Those parts are: Excavated Volume, Pipe Displaced Volume, Native Backfill, Pipe Zone Backfill, and Bedding. You can add more parts to the trenching tool from the templates, such as pipe, labor, and how many trucks needed to import or export. If you see a zero in the quantity of a part it could be a calculated value or it could be due to that part not being used, for example, not all trenches require pipe or backfill around the pipe. (Figure 60)

Using the Depth Options for a Trench

If you have a trench that has slope in it, you can use the Depth Options tab to calculate an average trench depth. You must check the box next to “Calculate Trench Depth” to see the four input properties. Enter a value for each. The trenching tool will use an average depth to then calculate the overall volume based on that average depth and the total digitized length. If your plans have trenches of multiple depths, or a single trench that will have varying depth, it is recommended that you string together several trenching tools to get the most accurate calculations. (Figure 61)

The General Instructions tab on this form contains additional text to assist you in using this tool. 

Trench Reports and Layouts

The trenching tools have their own report and estimating layout. The report summarizes each of the parts in the trenching tool. The estimating layout displays the volume or weight of each part and also shows the cross sectional area of the trench. These layouts can be very useful for seeing values quickly. (Figures 62 and 63)

Adding Trench Pipe and Parts

Drag and Drop Parts for Trenches

You can drag and drop parts from the right hand Templates window onto the items on the page or onto items in the estimating tab. These parts are prebuilt, but can be customized and you can build your own folder of custom parts if you desire.  (Figure 64 and 65)

The Trenching Pipe parts include a part for creating your own pipe. It is recommended that you first copy and then paste that part and then modify the copied part. This will allow you to reuse the custom part as many times as you like. Copy and Pasting parts is a very common way to customize your PlanSwift parts and enhance your Earthwork Pro plugin. (Figure 66)

Using Sectional Cut & Fill Tools

From the Templates window on the right hand side expand the folder for Sectional Cut and Fill Tools. There is single tool for Cut and a single tool for Fill. Double click or click on the green “record” button to launch these tools from the right panel in Templates. (Figure 67)

After launching the tool the properties window has an input property on the form that requires you to input a station distance. The tool is set to 25 feet by default. Enter the distance between the stations on the plans and click Ok. (Figure 68)

Use the digitizer to measure the area of the cross section for the cut or the fill. The volume is calculated by taking the cross section of the area and multiplying it by the station distance you entered for that item. You can reuse the item if the station distance is the same, but if the station distance changes, launch a new template and enter the new station distance.

(Figures 69 & 70)

To reuse the item, the green “Continue With” button on the left panel in Pages or Takeoff Summary will launch the takeoff item again with the same station distance. The station distance is automatically inserted into the name of the item for reference. (Figure 70)

Using Parts with (Enter Qty)

From the left hand panel in the Templates window open the folder and choose the part you need. These parts require you to enter a value for the quantity (as opposed to most other types of parts which have a calculated value for the quantity)

The folder for Trucks (Enter Qty) has four different parts to choose from: Import, Import (by Load), Export, and Export (by Load). These truck parts should be used to add a parts to your estimate that can be priced by CU YD or by number of loads. (Figure 71)

Note: It is important to understand that these parts will not update their values like other parts do because you are entering the quantity instead of having it calculated from the takeoff items.