Labour Based Methods For Earthworks

Labour-based methods and
technologies for employmentintensive construction works

A cidb guide to best practice
Best Practice Guideline Part 2-1
Labour-based construction methods

for earthworks
Confronting joblessness
This set of best practice guidelines for labourbased construction represents a significant
investment of leadership by the South African
Construction Industry to spearhead job
creation and skills development so that our
growing economy is increasingly accessible to
all citizens
(Minister Stella Sigcau, SA Construction
Industry Status Report 2004).
In finalising this set as a tool for designers and
practitioners, the Construction Industry
Development Board (cidb) has assembled the
knowledge and experience given freely by
industry through a consultative process that
commenced in 1996.
Taking forward this process, the cidb has
published these guidelines in fulfilment of its
mandate to establish and promote best
practice and the improved performance
of participants in the construction delivery
process.
We have made the firm commitment to
confront the challenges of poverty and
joblessness. We have made the solemn
pledge that we will do everything
possible to achieve the goal of a better
life for all our people.
President Thabo Mbeki, 18 May 2004
launch of the Expanded Public Works
Programme.
These best practice guidelines are supported by

the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP),
which directs a significant and increasing proportion of South Africas public investment
towards a labour-intensive programme of
construction, drawing the unemployed into
productive work and providing access to skills
development.
Labour-based methods and technologies for

employment-intensive construction works
In this set: (colour coded)
Part 1
An overview of labour-based technologies and
methods in employment-intensive works
Part 2
2.1 Labour-based construction methods for
earthworks
Part 3
Labour-based methods for materials
manufacture
3.1 Precast concrete products, bricks and block
making
3.2 The BESA building system
Part 4
Labour-based construction technologies
4.1 Labour-based open channel flow
technology
4.2 Rubble masonry dam construction
technology
4.3 Rubble masonry concrete arch bridge
construction technology
4.4 Foamed bitumen gravel
4.5 Cast in situ block pavement
4.6 Emulsion-treated gravel
4.7 Waterbound Macadam
4.8 Slurrybound and composite Macadam
construction
4.9 Labour-based construction methods for
unsealed roads
The guidelines draw on international experience

and are endorsed by Engineers Against Poverty
(EAP), an international development NGO established by leading UK engineering institutions.
EAP is working to ensure that the engineering
industry remains at the forefront of efforts to
reduce and eventually eliminate global poverty.
Labour-based methods and technologies

for employment-intensive construction works
A cidb guide to best practice
1ST
Best Practice Guideline Part 2-1
Edition
of CIDB

for earthworks
Contents
Overview of best practice labour-based guidelines
1. Introduction
2. Clearing and grubbing
3. ELHUS and compaction
4. Safety
23
5. Specialist literature
25
Acknowledgements
29
cidb is a public entity established in terms of the CIDB

Act, 2000 to provide strategic direction for sustainable
growth, reform and improvement of the construction
sector and its enhanced role in the countrys economy.
In pursuit of this aim cidb partners with stakeholders
and regulates the construction industry around a
common development agenda underpinned by best
practice procurement and project processes.
ISBN: 0-621-35565-8
Printed March, 2005
Construction Industry Development Board

Private Bag X14, Brooklyn Square, 0075
Tel: 27 12-481 9030 Fax: 27 12-343 7153
E-mail: cidb@cidb.org.za Website www.cidb.org.za
document
1023
March 2005
Part 2 Labour-based construction methods for Earthworks
Overview of the best practice labour-based guidelines
he South African White Paper Creating an Enabling Environment for

Reconstruction, Growth and Development in the Construction Industry
(1999) expresses a vision for public-sector delivery aimed at optimising
employment opportunities through labour-intensive construction. This can be
realised in the delivery of infrastructure through the adoption, where technically
and economically feasible, of:
labour-based methods of construction and manufacture where labour,
utilising hand tools and light equipment, is preferred to the use of heavy
equipment for specific activities; and
labour-based technologies where there is a shift in balance between labour
and equipment in the way the work is specified and executed for selected
works components.
Appropriate specifications and labour-based technologies are required to
optimise employment opportunities generated per unit of expenditure. The
absence of adequate design information on labour-based technologies
frequently limits the choices available in project design. As a result labour-based
technologies are often approached circumspectly and conservatively.
These best practice guidelines present current state-of-the-art practices in a wide
range of labour-based construction methods, manufacturing methods and
technologies which have been successfully utilised in South Africa in recent years.
They are intended to provide sufficient technical information on such methods
and technologies to enable those responsible for the design of projects to make
confident and informed choices on their use in projects.
The cidb best practice guidelines establish desirable and appropriate standards,
processes, procedures and methods relating to the implementation of
employment-intensive works using:
labour-based construction methods for earthworks;
labour-based methods for materials manufacture; and
labour-based construction technologies.
Following a process of peer review and public comment cidb has published the
guidelines in Government Gazette No 27352 on 11 March 2005.
The guidelines can be downloaded from the cidb website www.cidb.org.za free
of charge and can be obtained in hard-copy from cidb or the South African
Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE), website www.civils.org.za, at the cost of
printing and postage.
1. Introduction
1.1 History, current practice, brief description
of the activities (ELHUS)
Note: Earthworks traditionally a labour-based activity
An extensive study on the feasibility of labourEarthworks are at the core of most civil engineering construction, especially
based construction conducted by the World Bank
road construction. For centuries earthworks have been executed using
concluded that "Labour-intensive methods are
employment-intensive methods and there is no doubt that a wide range of
earthworks can be executed in this manner. In recent decades, however,
technically feasible for a wide range of construction
most earthworks have been executed using equipment-based methods.
activities and can generally produce the same
Accordingly, most of the knowledge and skills that are needed for effective
quality of product as equipment-intensive
employment-intensive earthworks have been lost. Furthermore there are
methods". The term employment-intensive does
labour-related activities that are very difficult and therefore time consuming
not mean that only labour should be used in the
and uneconomic. With these activities it is often recommended to use some
construction process, but implies the use of a range
equipment to complement the labour-based activities. These guidelines try
of machine/labour combinations, based on conand address these issues by providing best-practice guidelines for
siderations of quality, cost and time constraints.
earthworks.
This World Bank study specifically singled out the
earthworks operations of Excavate, Load, Haul, Unload and Spread (ELHUS), as
being activities that could potentially be undertaken economically by labour.
More recent experience in South Africa and elsewhere has expanded this list of
activities.
Several specifications have been written for employment-intensive earthworks;
the more successful ones being modelled on SANS 1200 series (Standardized
specification for civil engineering construction). Standards South Africa has
recently published SANS 1921-5 (Construction and management requirements for
works contracts, Part 5: Earthworks activities which are to be performed by hand).
This standard identifies earthworks activities and sub-activities which a contractor
must execute by hand.
1.2 Common general difficulties

Before continuing, it is important to note that labour-based earthworks activities
are often perceived as the simplest and most backward of all construction
activities in many projects. Because of this attitude, the works are often not
planned properly. The perception that labour-based earthworks are just pick and
shovel activities that do not require a serious approach is probably the most
important reason that productivities on the projects where this attitude prevails
are below expectations (and the costs above expectations).
It cannot be stressed enough that in order to have cost-effective employmentintensive earthworks, one needs to approach, plan, execute and monitor the
works with the same level of commitment and seriousness as is done when
expensive equipment is hired. The work must be planned, ensuring sufficient
manpower so that the required deadlines can be met, different activities should
often have different team sizes so that the productivities are balanced, proper
tools should be provided and adequate supervision should be in place. All of
these and other important activities are often neglected and as a result the
obtained productivities are too low. The fact that employment-intensive
methods were used is then often blamed. If any work is not taken seriously and
not planned properly, productivities will be low, regardless of whether
employment-intensive or equipment-intensive methods are used.
labour-based methods and technologies
2. Clearing and grubbing

Note
SANS 1921-5 requirement for clearing
and grubbing is:
Grass and small bushes shall be cleared
by hand.
2.1 Introduction
Clearing and grubbing involves the cutting down of trees, bush and other
vegetation and the subsequent grubbing and removal of the root systems.
Topsoil removal is sometimes included or is scheduled under earthworks. The
ground is left clear for further construction activities.
2.2 Standards
In conventional specifications, clearing and grubbing is specified as follows:
Tools
The tools used for clearing and grubbing
depend on the materials to be cleared.
The list below gives tools typically
required. However, if there are no trees
to be cleared, then tree-cutting tools are
not needed.
Axe
Saw
Rope
Slasher or sickle
Rake
Pick
Shovel or spade
Fork
Watering can and water
Hand stamper
Drinking water
COLTO, 1998, Section 1700: Clearing and grubbing

Clearing and grubbing is measured in hectare, to the nearest one-tenth ha, and
encompasses all work necessary for the clearing of the surface, the removal of
boulders, the removal and grubbing of trees and stumps (except large trees as
defined below), cutting branches, backfilling cavities, demolishing and disposal of
structures, and the removal, transporting and disposal of all materials arising.
Large trees are defined as having a girth exceeding one metre. Removal and
grubbing of large trees is paid by individual number of trees, categorised into
girth steps of one metre.
SANS 1200 C, 1982: Site clearance
Clearing and grubbing is measured in hectares, to the nearest one-tenth ha, and
encompasses all work necessary for the clearing of the surface, the removal of
boulders, the removal and grubbing of trees and stumps (except large trees as
defined below), cutting branches, backfilling cavities, demolishing and disposal of
structures, and the removal, transporting and disposal of all materials arising.
Large trees are defined as having a girth exceeding one metre. Removal and
grubbing of large trees is paid by individual number of trees, categorised into
girth steps of one metre. Several options are given for specific items unsuitable
for inclusion in the general clearing pay item, like fences, hedges, pipelines,
transmission lines, cables, structures and buildings. Topsoil is separately scheduled
in m3.
2.3 Practical guidelines for labour-intensive clearing and grubbing

Many of the activities are conventionally carried out by labour teams.
With modest training and good organisation, clearing and grubbing can be
efficiently carried out by labour. The sequence of operations is important [Ntja,
2000]. Team sizes should generally comprise about five people. Once one activity
has progressed to the point where sufficient space has been cleared, the next
activity can be initiated. The numbers of teams engaged should be related to
their productivity and speed. The teams should be in some reasonable balance, so
that no portion of the work delays other activities or progresses too far ahead.
1. Trees within the area to be cleared should be cut first. The tree tops should be
cut, leaving a trunk about five metres high. All side branches should be cut off
using axes and saws. The timber resulting from the trees should be sawn up
into convenient lengths and stacked to one side. Separate piles should be
made for leaves and thin branches.
2. Bush and other tough vegetation should be cut down, to ground level if
possible, cut to convenient lengths and stacked.
3. Grass and remaining vegetation should then be removed at ground level by
means of spades or hoes. The resulting debris should be raked to one side and
added to the piles of thin branches and leaves.
4. Once a large enough portion of ground is clear, a trench should be dug
around the nearest tree and roots chopped through. The trench should be
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guide
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5.
6.
7.
8.
about one metre deep (less if the tree is small) and should attempt to
undermine the tree stump. As soon as one tree has been trenched and all
accessible roots cut through, a rope should be fixed to the top of the trunk
and a team of labourers tasked to pull the tree down. As the tree moves,
further roots may become visible and accessible: these roots should be cut free
at the level of the base of the hole while the pulling team rests. Progressively
the tree trunk is thus brought down, using the leverage of the length of the
trunk to tear out as many roots as possible. Once the tree and stump have
been brought down, they should be rolled away from the hole and cut into
convenient lengths. Depending upon the specification, major roots may need
to be dug out and removed to a specified depth.
Large bushes should be trenched and their root systems removed. The roots
of smaller bushes can be dug out together with the grass roots (see 7 below).
The soil dug out of the trenches around trees and large bushes can then be
returned to the trenches. Roots should be carefully separated from the soil
and only clean soil used for backfill. Some specifications will require the tree
hole backfill to be compacted in thin layers [CSRA, 1987].
Specifications generally require all roots to be removed to a particular depth,
dependant on subsequent operations. To achieve this, the soil should be dug
over to the specified depth and all root material removed. Garden forks are
efficient tools for this activity. If the topsoil has to be removed, this is best
combined with the digging for root removal. It is often advantageous that
topsoil contains a relatively high proportion of vegetable matter.
The debris resulting from the clearing and grubbing should be disposed of as
instructed. Timber will usually be snapped up by the local people for
firewood. If regulations permit, the thin sticks, roots and leaves can be burnt
and the ashes dispersed into the bush adjacent to the works (where it will act
as fertiliser). Otherwise the rubbish may need to be transported to workedout borrow pits and spread.
2.4 Productivities
Typical productivities and task rates for clearing and grubbing are tabulated in
Tables 1 and 2.
Table 1: Productivities for clearing and grubbing (Ntja, 2000)

ACTIVITY
Bush clearing
Grass clearing
Destumping
Grubbing
DESCRIPTION
OPTIMUM PRODUCTION IN
SQUARE METRES PER PERSON-DAY
Medium dense bush (4 - 7 bushes per 100 m2)

Removal of vegetation to ground surface
Removal of stumps and major roots
Root removal to 250 mm depth in soft loamy soil
500
124
85
60
Note: The figures given above are standard productivity rates and should be factored downwards to take account of environmental, social and
other local conditions.
Table 2: Typical Task Rates for clearing and grubbing ( MRP Technical Manual, 1992)
ACTIVITY
TASK RATE IN SQUARE METRES PER PERSON-DAY
Bush clearing
Stripping and grubbing
Tree and stump removal
300 to 1000
200
From experience
3. ELHUS and compaction

3.1 Introduction
Note: SANS 1921-5 requirement for ELHUS activities

Trench excavation
All materials excavatable by hand in trenches that have a depth of less than
that indicated in the specification data (see annex A) shall be excavated by
hand.
The excavation of any material in trenches shall not be performed by hand if
it presents the possibility of danger or injury to workers.
Compaction of backfilling to trenches in areas not subject to traffic
Backfilling to trenches in areas not subjected to traffic shall be placed in
layers of thickness (before compaction) not exceeding 100 mm. Each layer
shall be compacted using hand stampers such that:
a) a Proctor density of 90 % is achieved,
b) more than five blows of a dcp are required to penetrate 100 mm of the
backfill, provided that the backfill does not comprise more than 10 %
gravel of size less than 10 mm and contains no isolated boulder,
c) The density of the compacted trench backfill is not less than that of the
surrounding undisturbed soil when tested comparatively with a dcp.
Excavations other than in trenches
All material excavatable by hand in excavations other than trenches including
topsoil shall be performed by hand. Harder material may be loosened by
mechanical means before excavation by hand.
The excavation of any material in excavations other than trenches shall not
be performed by hand if it presents the possibility of danger or injury to
workers.
Shaping
All shaping in material excavatable by hand shall be undertaken by hand.
Loading
All loading shall be done by hand, regardless of the method of haulage.
Haul
Where the haul distance is not greater than 150 m, excavated material shall
be hauled to its point of placement by means of wheelbarrows.
Offloading
All material, however transported, shall be off-loaded by hand, unless tippertrucks are utilized for haulage.
Spreading
All material shall be spread by hand.
Compaction
Small areas may be compacted by hand provided that the specified
compaction is achieved.
Excavating, Loading, Hauling, Unloading and

Spreading can together be referred to as ELHUS.
These activities are often grouped together because
they usually follow each other during earthworks
construction and involve the same material, i.e. the
material that is excavated is usually also loaded,
hauled, etc. Furthermore, material that is spread, is
usually also compacted again, and the spreading
and compaction activities are also linked as will be
described. The links between these activities, and
how these links affect the planning and execution
of these activities and so create the need for team
balancing, will be described first. After this, these
activities will be dealt with individually focusing on
the specifics of each.
3.2 Team balancing

3.2.1 Description and importance
While the individual activities of ELHUS are
different, they are so interdependent that it is
important that they are considered together,
especially in the planning stages. These activities
seldom occur in isolation on a roads project.
Generally, the material that is excavated needs to be
loaded, hauled, unloaded and spread in an area
where there is a need for fill. As such these activities
should be planned together and the teams of
labourers executing the different activities should
be selected in such a way that the teams
productivities are equal so that no team is delayed
by the subsequent one. This is referred to as team
balancing and is crucial in achieving a productive
labour-intensive construction site. While team
balancing may seem obvious, it is often overlooked
in the planning phase. This is probably due to the
fact that many contractors are unfamiliar with the
different productivity rates for different activities
and often assume that one labourer has the same
productivity for each activity. An example of team
balancing is provided below.
3.2.2 Example Team balancing exercise
Table 3: Team balancing exercise

ACTIVITY
1
2
3&4
5
Excavation of soft material

Loading of soft material
Hauling & Unloading (100 m)
Spreading
Productivity
(worker/day) Quantity
3m3
5m3
6 m3
15m3
150
150
150
150
Man days
required
50
30
25
10
In this example, 150 m3 of soft soil needs to be cut

(excavated) and used for fill on a section which is on
average 100 m further. The overall planning
demands that this activity is completed within one
week.
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Since this activity needs to be completed in one week, which has five working
days, the teams would have to be as follows in order for each worker to work
optimally:
Excavation team:
50 person-days /5 days = 10 labourers
Loading team:
30 person-days / 5 days = 6 labourers
Hauling and unloading team
Spreading team
Every team is now balanced and no workers should be idle, waiting for other
workers to finish their tasks. In general productivities can vary and often one
needs to do a trial in which the assumed productivities are tested and the team
adjusted if the productivities assumed are not accurate. This must be done at the
beginning of the project so that the measured productivities can be used.
While this may seem a very simple planning exercise, unfortunately it is often not
done and it is not common to find construction sites where the teams for each
ELHUS activity are of the same size. The principle of team balancing does only
apply to ELHUS activities of course but applies to most roadwork activities to be
executed using labour-intensive methods.
Together the ELHUS activities form the bulk of the earthworks in most road
construction. If they are not planned properly and the productivities are low,
costs will escalate and it is likely that the client will be pressured into bringing in
equipment for speeding up productivity. This does not mean that labourintensive earthworks are not economically feasible, it just means that it was
poorly planned.
The ELHUS activities will now be described individually, as their specifications are
different and they are usually separate items in a Bill of Quantities. Nonetheless,
the team-balancing requirements described above must be kept in mind.
3.3 Classification of material and effect on productivity for each activity

One very important aspect influencing productivity is the type of material in
which ELHUS activities take place. Harder materials are more difficult to excavate
by hand and so the productivities will be lower. It is therefore important to
distinguish between the different materials with which one works and to adjust
the productivities and team sizes accordingly.
It is not simple, however, to distinguish between different kinds of materials and
it is often difficult to accurately classify a material and thus predict the
productivity. It is therefore necessary to have a trial and /or work study done to
be able to accurate measure the productivity. In many cases though, existing
standards and guidelines can provide a classification that will enable sufficiently
accurate predictions for the purposes of initial team planning.
The classification of materials can be profoundly affected by the season during
which excavation is carried out. Relatively hard material can be significantly
softened during the wet season and conversely, very soft materials (particularly
heavy clays) can be extremely hard during the dry season. Slow but sustained
application of water can thus change the consistency/excavatability of a material
significantly. It should be remembered that the material classification at the time
of planning a project may thus differ significantly from that at the time of
construction, and the capacity to modify team balance/compositions and tasks or
expected rates of production on site must thus be available.
Materials for layer works should not contain large particles; a maximum size of
less than two-thirds of the compacted layer thickness is usually specified for
support layers and a maximum size of wearing course materials for unsealed
roads should be restricted to 40 mm. In order to minimise unnecessary haulage
costs and material spoiled during construction, oversize material should be
removed during the excavation/loading process. This can be effectively done
using screens or small grizzlies. The material removed during this process should
be stockpiled separately in the borrow area as it is often a potentially useful
source of concrete stone, rip-rap, erosion protection material, material for gabion
baskets or even stone packing or grouted stone pitching.
3.4 Tools and plant

3.4.1 Quality of tools
Under no circumstances should tools ever be bought only on the basis of lowest
price. The quality of tools is of prime importance. Tools can influence productivity
positively or negatively. As the cost of tools rarely exceeds 1% to 2% of project
costs, it is not worth saving on part of one percent and as a consequence reduce
productivity by perhaps 40%, which has a much larger influence on project costs.
In South Africa with unrestricted imports, it is easy to buy poor tools when buying
only on price. Tools must be made from appropriate steels, properly tempered.
Handles must be of good quality: steel, timber or reinforced rubber can all be
acceptable if made to high standards. Tool to handle fastening must also have
had sufficient attention: e.g. round-eyed hoes will spin around the handle, where
oval eyes provide fixity. Guidance in this regard can be obtained from
publications such as the ILO's "Guide to tools and equipment for labour-based
road construction" [Howe, 1981] and the many South African National Standards
with regard to specific tools. If in doubt about quality, it is good practice to obtain
a sample of each tool needed and to test the tool against the relevant South
African National Standards.
Appropriate tools must be chosen. The productivity of labour and the quality of
the job depends strongly on the provision of the
correct tools. For example, as a roads engineer you
Different kinds of tools (i.e. many kinds of shovels,
would not choose a bulldozer to cut basecourse
wheelbarrows, etc.)
levels, you would insist on a grader in good
condition.
Typical types of tool that are needed are:
Excavation:
Soft: Shovel
Medium: Pick and shovel
Hard: Pick, crowbar and shovel
Material processing:
Screen
Grizzly
Loading:
Shovel
Haul:
Wheelbarrow: Typically 50 to 70 litres

Donkey Cart
Unload:
Wheelbarrow
Shovel/ rake
Tools also require regular sharpening, failing which

productivity will drop.
Spread:
Shovel
Rake
Leveling beam
3.4.2 Tools and equipment for measuring and

quality control
Mechanical compaction equipment and pneumatic and rock-breaking

equipment may also be required to complement manual activities. Apparatus
for carrying out a Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) test should also be
available.
Training in the use of hand tools is also important.

Unskilled labour, with a passing knowledge of
agriculture, need to be taught the correct way to
handle unfamiliar tools. For example, people who
know only the use of a hoe will not know how to
swing a pick. The increase in productivity after being
shown the proper use of a pick will be considerable.
It is important that equipment for measuring and

quality control is not neglected on employmentintensive projects.
They are as essential for
achieving the required quality as is the case with
equipment-based construction. As always, as the
a
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guide
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size of the project decreases, less spending in real terms (not in relation to the size
of the project) is available for quality control. However, it is important that the
same proportion if not more is spent on quality control and measurements than
in the case of equipment-based projects.
3.5 Practical guidelines for excavation

3.5.1 Methods of classifying earthworks
Excavation is normally classified for purposes of payment. SANS 1200 D, for
example, classifies plant-based earthworks as being soft, intermediate, hard rock,
boulder class A and boulder class B. Boulder class excavation is classified in terms
of the size and volume of boulders contained in the soil matrix whereas the
classifications for soft, intermediate and hard rock are in terms of the capabilities
SANS 1921-5 classifies material excavated by hand as follows:
Material excavatable by hand: cohesive and granular material

the properties of which are such that it can be efficiently
removed by hand.
Unless otherwise stated in the scope of work or in the
specification data, all materials that have the following
characteristics shall be deemed to be materials excavatable by
hand:
a) Granular materials:
1) where the consistency of the material, when profiled
in terms of table 1, is classified as very loose, loose,
medium dense, or dense,
2) where the material is a gravel that has a maximum
particle size of 10 mm and contains no cobbles or
isolated boulders, no more than 15 blows of a dcp
are required to penetrate 100 mm.
b) Cohesive materials:
1) where the consistency of the material, when profiled
in terms of table A, is classified as very soft, soft,
firm, stiff or stiff to very stiff,
2) where the material is a gravel that has a maximum
particle size of 10 mm and contains no cobbles or
isolated boulders, no more than 8 blows of a dcp are
required to penetrate 100 mm.
Note:
In some instances it may be appropriate to modify the
definition for materials excavatable by hand (see annex B).
Table A Consistency of materials

GRANULAR MATERIALS
CONSISTENCY
DESCRIPTION
COHESIVE MATERIALS
CONSISTENCY
DESCRIPTION
Very loose
Crumbles very easily when

scraped with a geological pick
Very soft
Geological pick head can easily be pushed

in as far as the shaft of the handle
Loose
Small resistance to penetration

by sharp end of a geological
pick.
Soft
Easily indented by thumb; sharp end of a

geological pick can be pushed in 30 mm
to 40 mm; can be moulded by fingers
with some pressure
Medium dense
Considerable resistance to
penetration by sharp end of a
geological pick
Firm
Indented by thumb with effort; sharp end

of geological pick can be pushed in up
to 10mm; very difficult to mould with
fingers; can just be penetrated with an
ordinary hand spade
Dense
Very high resistance to penetration

by the sharp end of geological pick;
requires many blows for excavation
Stiff
Can be indented by thumb-nail; slight

indentation produced by pushing geological
pick point into soil; cannot be moulded
by fingers
Very dense
High resistance to repeated

blows of a geological pick
Very stiff
Indented by thumb-nail with difficulty;

slight indentation produced by blow
of a geological pick point
of specific items of plant. The classification system for labour-based methods is,
however, frequently coupled to the equipment or tools needed in the excavation
operations. Early earthworks classifications (Croukis, 1983) required materials to
be classified initially as being cohesive or non-cohesive and thereafter to be
codified in terms of a field recognition test (i.e. in terms of moulding in fingers or
excavation with a specified tool), unconfined compressive strength, relative
density and liquidity index. (The liquidity index equals the quotient of the natural
water content minus the plastic limit and the liquid limit minus the plastic limit).
Expected rates of production were then coupled to earthworks classifications.
Several labour-based excavation classifications evolved in South Africa to enable
not only expected productivities to be estimated, but also to facilitate payment
to contractors in a number of contracting strategies.
Standardised specifications for community-based construction,
S100 D: Earthworks [Soderlund and Schutte, 1993]
"The Engineer will classify excavated materials as soft Class 1, soft Class 2, soft
Class 3, firm, intermediate or rock".
"In the first instance, the classification shall be based on the descriptions given in
Table 4. In the event of disagreement between the Contractor and the Engineer,
the Engineer shall classify the material in accordance with Tables 5 and 6. The
decision of the Engineer on the classification shall then, subject to the provisions
of the Contract, be final and binding.
The Contractor shall notify the Engineer of the presence of what he considers to
be rock or intermediate material immediately upon discovery thereof. The
Engineer will inspect the material and decide whether it warrants the use of
pneumatic tools or rock breaking equipment. In the case of isolated boulders set
in a soil matrix, the Engineer may order the Contractor to either widen the
excavation and roll the boulders sideways or lift the boulders out from the
trenches.
In the event that the Engineer decides that the use of pneumatic tools, rock
breaking equipment, or blasting is necessary, he will classify the material
accordingly and arrange for the quantity thereof to be measured. The
Construction Manager will supply all necessary pneumatic equipment and
arrange for others to break up rock into manageable pieces".
Table 4: Classification of excavated materials
10
CLASSIFICATION
DESCRIPTION
SOFT Class 1
Material which can be excavated by means of a suitable shovel without the use of a pick or other hand
swung tool
SOFT Class 2
Material which can be readily excavated with the aid of a pick or other hand swung tool
SOFT Class 3
Material which can be excavated with difficulty with the aid of a hand swung tool
INTERMEDIATE
Material which is difficult to excavate by hand even with the aid of a crow bar and requires the assistance
of pneumatic tools for economic removal
ROCK
Material which cannot be economically fragmented and loosened by hand implements and pneumatic
tools except by drilling and blasting or the use of rock breaking equipment
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Table 5: Classification of materials in terms of consistency and shear strength

MATERIALS
NUMBER OF DCP BLOWS
CLASSIFICATION
CONSISTENCY (as defined in Table 6)
TO PENETRATE 100 mm+
GRANULAR SOIL
COHESIVE SOIL
GRANULAR SOIL
COHESIVE SOIL++
SOFT Class 1
SOFT Class 2
SOFT Class 3
INTERMEDIATE
ROCK
Very loose to loose

Loose to medium dense
Dense
Very dense
Very soft to soft

Soft to stiff
Stiff to very stiff
Very stiff
<2
26
7 15
16 50
<1
15
68
>8
Only applicable to materials comprising not more than 10% gravel (particles having dimensions > 2 mm) of size less than 10 mm and
materials containing no isolated small boulders.
++ This could be subjective depending on the moisture content of the cohesive material
Table 6: Consistency of materials

GRANULAR MATERIALS
CONSISTENCY
DESCRIPTION
COHESIVE MATERIALS
CONSISTENCY
DESCRIPTION
Very loose
Crumbles very easily when

scraped with a geological pick
Very soft
Geological pick head can easily be pushed

in as far as the shaft of the handle
Loose
Small resistance to penetration

by sharp end of a geological pick
Soft
Easily indented by thumb; sharp end of a

geological pick can be pushed in 30-40 mm;
can be moulded by fingers with some
pressure
Medium dense
Considerable resistance to penetration by sharp end of a

geological pick
Firm
Indented by thumb with effort; sharp end

of geological pick can be pushed in
up to 10mm; very difficult to mould with
fingers; can just be penetrated with an
ordinary hand spade
Dense
Very high resistance to penetration by the sharp end of

geological pick; requires many
blows for excavation
Stiff
Can be indented by thumb-nail; slight

pick point into blows for excavation
soil; cannot be molded by fingers
Very dense
High resistance to repeated

blows of a geological pick
Very stiff
Indented by thumb-nail with

difficulty; slight indentation
produced by blow of a geological
pick point
The Soderlund and Schutte classification contains three classes of excavation

relating to excavation by means of hand tools. As is the current practice when
using SANS 1200 D, the Engineer will classify the material on the basis of a visual
inspection and his knowledge of expected productivity rates in terms of Table 4.
In practice, however, the establishment of the boundaries between soft Class 2
and soft Class 3, and soft Class 3 and intermediate can be highly subjective and
the Engineer requires a less subjective means of determining the classification of
a particular material in the event of a dispute arising. In the event of a
disagreement on the classification between the Contractor and the Engineer, the
Engineer can be called upon to classify the material in accordance with Tables 5
and 6. The methodology also permits labour-based contractors to classify material
themselves should they be in possession of a dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP)
and the profile does not have more than 10% gravel particles (Watermeyer,
1997).
11
VARIATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO SANS 1200 DM EARTHWORKS (ROADS,

SUBGRADE) FOR LABOUR-INTENSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF LIGHTLY TRAFFICKED
ROADS
[WPC van Steenderen MSc project report: 1995]
VA-DM 3
VA-DM 3.1
VA-DM 3.1.1
VA-DM 3.1.2
VA-DM 3.1.3
VA-DM 3.1.4
VA-DM 3.1.5
VA-DM 3.1.6
MATERIALS
CLASSIFICATION FOR EXCAVATION PURPOSES
Delete this clause entirely and replace with:
Excavation will be classified for payment as follows:
Soft
Soft material shall be loose soil which can be efficiently excavated
with a flat spade not exceeding 250 mm in width.
Firm
Firm material shall be soil which can be efficiently loosened with a
fork or a forked hoe.
Hard
Hard material shall be soil which can only be loosened with many
blows of a sharp pickaxe or mattock.
Soft Rock
Soft rock shall be material which is too hard to pick loose by hand
and requires pneumatic tools to loosen it sufficiently for
subsequent excavation with hand tools.
Hard Rock
Hard rock shall be rock which cannot be efficiently loosened with
pneumatic tools and normally requires blasting.
Boulders
Boulders shall be hard rocks over 0.01 cubic metre and up to 0.20
cubic metre in volume. Larger boulders shall be classified as hard
rock.
ANNEX G OF SANS 10396: IMPLEMENTING PREFERENTIAL PROCUREMENT

POLICIES USING TARGETED PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES
A suitable mechanism to enable contractors to define portions of excavation
work which may be carried out by hand methods is to permit contractors during
the tender stage to nominate the quantity of materials which they wish to
excavate using hand methods. The approach outlined below is suggested.
The initial classification of material to be excavated should be in accordance with
the relevant provisions of a standard system of measurement. However, soft
excavation to be undertaken by hand labour, using hand tools, can be further
broken down by the introduction of an additional class of material, viz., soft
excavation Class A, in accordance with the provisions of the Contract Prices as set
out in Table 7.
The total estimated quantity of excavation, as classified in terms of a standard
system of measurement, should be indicated in the Contract Prices. The
contractor should be permitted to sub-divide this quantity into two components,
viz., the quantity of material to be excavated by the use of powered, mechanical
equipment and the quantity to be excavated by hand labour using hand tools.
One-third (1/3) of every quantity of excavation to be undertaken by hand labour
should be entered against the appropriate extra-over items provided in the
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Contract Prices, but left blank, for soft excavation

Class A. This will ensure that material which can be
picked with difficulty is catered for and the
transition from hand excavation to machine
excavation is graded.
Should the contractor fail to indicate a quantity of
excavation to be undertaken by hand labour,
notwithstanding that he would find it necessary to
utilize hand labour, it will be assumed that all
excavation, whether undertaken by machine, or by
hand labour, is to be paid for at the rates tendered
for machine excavation.
The contractor, should be required to undertake at
least the quantities of excavation by hand labour
which he tendered, unless the total quantity of
excavation proves to be less than scheduled, in
which case the minimum quantity to be undertaken
by hand labour will be reduced pro-rata by the
Employers Representative. This procedure will also
provide a basis for reducing contract participation
goals should such adjustments be necessary.
Table 7: Criteria for classifying material as soft

excavation Class A *
Dynamic cone penetrometer minimum
number of blows
required to penetrate
100 mm
Material
7-15 +
Granular materials
Dense consistency high resistance to
penetration by the point of a geological pick;
several blows required for removal of material
6 to 8 +, ++
Cohesive materials
Stiff / Very stiff consistency
Stiff can be indented by thumb-nail; slight
pick point into soil; cannot be moulded by fingers.
Very stiff indented by thumb-nail with difficulty;
slight penetration of point produced by blow of
geological pick
*
+
Soft excavation Class A is material which, using a pick or equivalent hand

swing tool, can only be excavated with difficulty.
Only applicable to materials comprising not more than 10% gravel
(particles having dimensions > 2, mm) of size less than 10 mm and
materials containing no isolated small boulders.
Cohesive materials with a DCP penetration rate of 6 to 8 blows/100 mm
when wetter than Optimum Moisture Content would still be diggable with
a spade and pick.
Should the total quantity of excavation prove to be

++
greater than that scheduled, the contractor may
choose the method of excavation for the excess
quantity, unless the rates for excavation by machine
would result in lower costs than for hand
excavation, in which case the Employers Representative will have the right to
instruct the contractor to undertake the excavation by machine.
3.5.2 Excavating to level
When excavating to level, approach the final level with care: do not overexcavate. Instruct the workers how to measure the depth of the excavation. It
may be necessary to dig a small hole to the correct depth to show the worker
where the final level is. These demonstration holes should be set out with
boning rods or string-lines.
Each worker should be instructed in the importance of obtaining the right level.
Properly instructed workers take a pride in their work. The team leader must also
carry out quality control regularly. It is not good enough to check the depth and
level when the work is finished, as this is always too late. Regular checking is
important, as it shows the worker the importance of
achieving the correct level.
Excavating bedrock and boulders
The excavatability of a material is seldom consistent
over wide areas, with isolated areas or thin layers of
harder (or drier material). The use of controlled
applications of water in these areas to make the
material easier to excavate should not be ignored.
This is particularly relevant to clayey materials,
which can become very hard when dry. In these
cases, however, they should not be over watered as
it is almost equally difficult working with excessively
sticky materials.
Bedrock or large residual boulders are frequently encountered in the sub

grade. If these are localised or sporadic, it is not always necessary to use
explosives for their removal during excavation to level. Considerable success
has been achieved using fires and water. In this process, scrub and dry wood
removed during the clearing and grubbing is placed directly on the exposed
rock and burnt. Once the rock is at a high temperature, relatively large
amounts of cold water are thrown onto the rock. The rapid cooling effect
results in effective fracturing and comminution of the material for relatively
easy removal and disposal. The fractured rock is usually relatively fresh and
can often be used as a construction material for other activities.
13
3.5.3 Excavating to shape

Most excavations must be made to a specific shape. The hole for a foundation
must be wide enough and long enough to fit the foundation. If the hole is too
large, then more concrete may have to be used to fill it, which is a waste of
concrete and money and time.
For foundation excavations, set up profiles to show exactly where the sides of the
excavations need to be. String-lines and spirit levels or plumb bobs may be
needed to transfer the lines of the excavation to the floor of the hole.
Ditches need the outer edges to be set out by means of pegs, joined by string.
Alternatively, powdered lime or coloured sand can be used to mark edges of the
ditches. Ditch templates are then useful to control the width and side slopes.
Templates are made up of a few wooden planks to the shape or slope desired.
Templates must be used with a spirit level. Workers should be instructed in the
correct use of ditch templates and the team leader must regularly check on the
quality and accuracy of the work and the condition of any templates being used.
3.5.4 Excavating to stockpile
Testing stockpiled materials
Stockpiled materials should be tested to
ensure the correct quality for their
intended purpose. Generally four
samples per 1 000 m3 are adequate:
these samples should be randomly
collected and be representative of the
full thickness of the stockpile.
Material being excavated in borrow pits for use as unsealed road wearing course
or structural layers in sealed roads must be stockpiled to ensure homogeneity and
consistency of quality during placing. This requires a careful design of the borrow
area such that a continuity of material movement is possible and the need for
double handling is minimised. In borrow pits where the material quality is
variable, a dedicated stockpile area away from the excavation area is preferable.
Material should be excavated into wheelbarrows and dumped nearby. This
should be spread in layers about 200 mm thick over an area of about 2 000 m2 (45
by 45 m). A second and third layer of excavated material should be placed above
this resulting in a layer some 600 mm thick. This would generally provide
adequate material for construction of one kilometre of wearing course with a
width of 6 metres and a compacted thickness of 150 mm. Depending on the
materials involved, difficulties may be encountered during the movement of
wheelbarrows on the uncompacted stockpile surface, in which case wooden
boards or planks should be placed to facilitate this movement. Plank ramps are
also necessary for the wheelbarrows to access the top of the stockpile for the
second and third layers.
Where material removed from cut or adjacent to the road is to be used for
pavement or wearing course layers, this needs to be relatively homogeneous.
Variable materials will need to be stockpiled along the road and tested prior to
use. Homogeneous materials can be placed directly on the road but will require
more testing than is generally specified.
3.5.5 Productivities
Productivities can be linked to earthworks classifications and specific activities as
illustrated in Tables 8 and 9.
Table 8: Trench excavation rates (Watermeyer and Band, 1994)

Excavation type*
Typical production per 6 hour task for depth range (m3)

0 1,0 m
1,0 1,5 m
1,5 2,0 m
2,0 2,5 m
Soft class 1
Soft class 2
Soft class 3
3,5
2,8
1,7
3,0
2,4
1,5
2,4
1,9
1,2
1,6
1,3
0,8
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Excavation classified in accordance with Soderlund and Schuttes classification

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Table 9: Excavation, measured in place

EXCAVATION
TOOLS
TASKS IN M3/M-D
THROWING DISTANCE
UP TO 4 M
4 TO 6 M
Loose soil
Shovel
5 to 6
4,5 to 5
Sticky soil
Spade, fork, forked hoe
2 to 3
1,5 to 2
Firm soil
Pick, shovel, spade, hoe
3 to 4,5
2,5 to 4
Hard stony gravel
Pick, shovel, crowbar
1,5 to 2
1 to 1,5
3.5.6 Quality control

Excavation quality control comprises essentially correct setting out and
subsequent checking that the excavation complies with the geometric
requirements. In the case of borrow pit excavation, the geometry is irrelevant and
the material quality is crucial. This requires materials quality control, usually
exercised by a qualified technician, as described above.
Comprehensive guidance on the selection of materials and quality assurance can
be found in the ILO publication Material selection and quality assurance for
labour-based unsealed road projects (1998). A comprehensive field test kit
containing all of the equipment necessary to carry out the specified tests has been
developed to complement the ILO document.
3.6 Practical guidelines for loading

3.6.1 Practical tips
Several possibilities exist for loading. Wheelbarrows may be loaded directly from
an excavation and wheeled away when full. Other, more costly forms of transport
require rapid loading in order to contain costs. Therefore, loading from a
stockpile becomes important. This is also recommended for materials where the
quality is closely specified, e.g. unsealed road wearing coarse and structural
pavement layers.
Tipper trucks, flatbed trucks and tractors and trailers can all be used for
transportation. As they are expensive machines, the economics of loading and
offloading can strongly influence the choice of machine for a project. Each
machine must earn its cost. A prime mover that stands for most of the day is not
earning: these machines must travel.
Tipper trucks have the advantage that they are able to discharge their load
quickly and without assistance, but have the disadvantage that they are high and
difficult to load by hand. Flatbed trucks are lower than tippers and can therefore
be more easily loaded, but have to be offloaded by hand. Tractors must be used
with more than one trailer, so that one trailer can be loaded while the other
trailer is being towed away with gravel for the works. When the tractor returns
with an empty trailer, the next must already be loaded and ready to be hitched
up to the tractor in the place of the empty trailer. One tractor with two or three
trailers can be quite efficient. However, if only one trailer is available, then the
efficiency drops and the transport will be more costly.
The loading area must be carefully planned so that the transport can enter, be
loaded quickly and leave again. Loading by throwing materials upwards takes
much effort and is slow. Loading at the same level is quicker and does not need
as much effort. Loading downwards is easy and therefore quick. It is accordingly
15
Table 10: Loading productivities

LOADING
TOOLS
TASKS m3/m-d
Volume measured loose
Wheelbarrow
Trailer
Truck
Shovels
12 to 15
7 to 10
4 to 6
Table 11: Influence of loading height (Coukis, 1983)

Loading height m
Loading productivity per man-day, m3
Below
Level
0.5 m above ground level
1.0 m above
1.5 m above
2.0 m above
5.88
5.26
4.55
3.85
3.23
2.70
preferable to arrange the loading area so that the

vehicles are below and the loaders work from
above. If a U-shaped recess can be used as loading
bay, then more workers can cluster around each
vehicle and load it rapidly from pre-arranged
stockpiles.
3.6.2 Productivities
Tables 10 and 11 provide typical productivities. As
can be seen the productivity rates in each vary
considerably. This is not untypical though, because
of the many factors affecting the productivity in
labour.
3.7 Practical guidelines for hauling

Transportation is an essential part of roadworks.
Soils and gravels need to be excavated and moved,
placed and compacted. Transportation ranges from throwing soil with a shovel a
few metres to carrying it in a truck for several kilometres. Each kind of
transportation has different characteristics and gives different problems.
Different countries use different methods. For example, in India, head-baskets are
widely used for transporting soils, gravels and other materials like concrete.
The volume of the vehicle transporting the material is frequently used for
payment. Therefore, it is important to make sure that all vehicles are fully loaded:
wheelbarrows, trailers, trucks, etc.
Shovels: Shovels can be used to throw soil up to about 4 m. If a longer distance
is needed, only a very strong worker will be able to throw soil further than 4 m,
perhaps up to 6 m or 7 m. Less strong workers will have to carry the shovel with
soil until near enough to throw it. Excavation productivity is lower if the soil has
to be thrown or carried over a distance. A point is quickly reached where
productivity will increase when wheelbarrows are used instead of carrying and
throwing from a shovel. This distance is between 6 m and 10 m.
Table 12: Wheelbarrow productivity

Haul distance m
Trips per day: wheelbarrow loaded by pusher
Up to 20
20 40
40 60
60 80
80 - 100
270 trips @ 50 litre =13,5 m3

220 trips = 11,0 m3
160 trips = 8,0 m3
130 trips = 6,5 m3
110 trips = 5,5 m3
Wheelbarrows: Wheelbarrows are used for haulage

up to 100 m, and in certain circumstances, up to
200 m. Good quality wheelbarrows with rubber tyres
on steel wheels with roller bearings are best. Solid
rubber tyres are preferred to pneumatic tyres, to
avoid problems with punctures. Most wheelbarrows
made for concrete work have a capacity of 50 litres
to 65 litres. Larger wheelbarrows are also available.
Excavation classified in accordance with Soderlund and Schuttes

classification
Wheelbarrows function best when a smooth path or

runway is available for travel. It improves productivity to spend some effort in providing a better pathway. One way traffic or
a circular route should be chosen whereever possible to speed up the
transportation of soils, as waiting is reduced or eliminated and as it reduces time
lost in turning the wheelbarrow around after tipping or loading. The productivity
and time taken for a wheelbarrow trip depends not only on the length of the
haul, but also on the rise. Pushing a loaded barrow uphill takes more effort and
time than if the path were level. If steep slopes have to be negotiated, a helper
with a hook can greatly speed the passage of the wheelbarrow up the slope, by
hooking onto the front and pulling the load up the slope.
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If wheelbarrows are to be used to transport loads up scaffolding, care must be

given to making the scaffolding runways wide enough and to providing
substantial handrails to the runways. If a worker pushing a heavily loaded
wheelbarrow looses his balance, he must be supported by the handrailing and
must not be able to fall through and off the scaffold.
Donkey carts: Donkey carts are efficient transportation for distances of up to
about 2 or 3 kilometres. Carts have a capacity of between 0.50 m3 and 2.0 m3. This
is a large variation, so every cart should be measured to ascertain its volume.
The care of the donkeys must be good, as they can easily be overworked. Donkeys
need regular water and fodder. Fresh clean water must be provided at the
loading and the offloading points. In order to perform their function correctly,
donkey carts must be kept in good condition. Well lubricated wheels lighten the
load. If steep gradients are to be negotiated by donkey carts, it is essential that
they be fitted with brakes. Punctures must be mended immediately.
Tractor-trailer combinations: Trailer volumes vary from about 1,0 m3 up to 5 m3
and sometimes larger. This is a large variation so every trailer should be measured
up and its volume calculated.
Tractors must be used with more than one trailer, so that one trailer can be
loaded while the other trailer is being towed away with gravel for the works.
When the tractor returns with an empty trailer, the
next must already be loaded and ready to be
Minimising load vibration and segregation of particle sizes
hitched up to the tractor in the place of the empty
trailer. One tractor with two or three trailers can be
Whatever the mode of hauling, the haul road should be as smooth as
quite efficient. However, if only one trailer is
possible to minimise vibration of the load and segregation of the particle
available, then the efficiency drops to low levels and
sizes. Where particularly rough sections of the haul road exist, travel speeds
should be reduced. This problem applies more to larger loads than smaller
the transport will be costly.
ones such as wheelbarrows. The application of moisture to the material in
the stockpile reduces its propensity to segregate during transport. This water
Trucks: Tipper trucks have several advantages over
has the added benefit of providing a more uniform distribution of moisture
tractors. They travel faster and are able to discharge
than can usually be obtained by applying water on the road.
their load quickly, and so are more economical on
longer haul routes. However, tippers have high sides
and can be slow to hand-load. Loading from ground level requires every shovelfull to be heaved upwards to a height of at least two metres. Accordingly, the
loading area should be so arranged that the truck is below the loaders so that
they can work from above. Flatbed trucks are lower than tippers and can
therefore be more easily loaded.
3.8 Practical guidelines for unloading

Unloading of construction materials requires planning to eliminate excessive
double handling. Road gravels should be offloaded down the middle of the
roadway, unless the layer work is being constructed under traffic, in which case,
the material should be offloaded down the middle of a lane.
Wheelbarrows can be tipped across the width of the layer, at the spacing required
by the quantity requirement of the layer. This will reduce later handling.
Offloading a trailer from a tractor-trailer combination, should be done quickly, in
order to keep the tractor from idling. Some trailers are fitted with a tipping
mechanism, which, when released, allows the load to tip backwards onto the
road. Other trailers have hinged sides that can be flapped down to facilitate
offloading with shovels. Others still have a fixed body and simply have to be
17
Table 13: Donkey cart haulage productivity (based on

0,5 m3 carts) (McCutcheon and Marshall, 1996)
Haul distance m
Trips per donkey cart per day
UP TO 200
200 300
300 400
400 500
500 650
650 800
800 900
900 1050
1050 1150
1150 1500
1500 2000
19
16
14
13
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
emptied with shovels. Sufficient workers must be

allocated to offloading, but no more. Too many
workers will either get in each others way and slow
down the offloading, or will distract the offloaders
with chatting and joking. When the trailer is empty
and the tractor tows it back to the borrow pit, the
workers should spread the loads while waiting for
the next tractor to arrive.
If large four-wheeled trailers are used, thought

should be given to possible increases in productivity
if a fully loaded trailer could be unhitched at the
offloading point, to be cleared at leisure, while an
empty trailer is hitched up to the tractor to be taken
back to the borrow pit for reloading. This system
Note: The figures include loading and offloading by team members (not the
therefore has full and empty trailers at both the
donkey cart driver).
borrow pit and at the road, while the tractor travels
between, towing trailers each way. Obviously several trailers are needed.
Offloading a truck must, likewise, be done quickly, in order to keep the truck
from idling. Tipper trucks can offload the material quickly onto the road and do
not need workers to help. Flatbed trucks have hinged sides that can be flapped
down to facilitate offloading with shovels.
Productivities
For use of wheelbarrows, the unloading
is usually included in the haulage
productivity rate. Furthermore other
haulage equipment has a means for
unloading that requires negligible labour
input. The notable exception is the
offloading of a flatbed truck where a
productivity of 15 m3/m-d can be
assumed.
Care must be taken during loading and offloading of material that segregation
of the particles does not occur. This is usually minimised during tipping but can
be a problem if material is unloaded using shovels, particularly if the material is
thrown some distance: the larger heavier particles travel further resulting in most
of the fines being near the truck/trailer and the coarser materials lying separately
some distance away. This is particularly common when the labour attempts to use
the unloading phase of the operation to spread the material. Unloaded material
should be dumped over as small an area as practically possible to avoid
segregation.
3.9 Practical guidelines and productivities for spreading

A common problem in the construction of earthworks is the control of moisture
content. In conventional road construction, the material is spread and watered
and then windrowed by a grader from one side of the road to the other. During
this process all the material in the layer is gathered together and mixed. The
process ensures uniformity of material and of moisture. Once mixed, the material
is placed and compacted.
Using labour the above process cannot easily be duplicated. Particularly when in
situ soils are being used, the material characteristics can change within the space
of a few metres. Usually the material is spread to level, watered and mixed by
being turned over a few times by a team of labourers with shovels. The material
is not mixed from side to side or longitudinally, as would be the case with a
grader. The resulting material and its moisture content are non-uniform across
the width and length of the section.
Most water bowsers throw water unevenly: more in the centre and less at the
sides. If water is applied by hand using a hose, the application is probably even
more non-uniform.
To solve the problems enumerated above, the following method is proposed:
The material to be compacted in the layer should be placed along the middle
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of the road, in the correct quantity to produce a compacted layer at the

correct level.
The material should be opened out to form a flattened heap about 2 to 2.5 m
wide, roughly levelled across the top.
This windrow should then be watered, preferably with a water bowser. If a
hose is used, particular care must be taken to obtain an even application of
water.
The material should then be mixed by a labour team, using shovels or forks
which best suit the soil. The material will probably need additional
applications of water, which should be done as above. The extra water should
be mixed into the soil to produce uniform moisture throughout the flattened
heap.
Once uniform and at a moisture content somewhat higher than optimum, the
heap should be spread across the road width and levelled using string-lines
from profiles for level control, making allowance for bulking (33% to 50%).
The soil should be above OMC to allow for evaporation during placing and
levelling. It should be noted that the Modified AASHTO OMC (Method A7 in
TMH1) is generally applicable to plant used on conventional road projects.
OMC determined at Proctor compaction effort (Test ASTM D698) is probably
more appropriate for labour-based projects, where pedestrian rollers are
employed. This is usually two or three per cent higher than the Mod AASHTO
OMC, with a concomitantly lower maximum dry density.
Rolling should commence, working from the sides towards the middle to
preserve the camber, or from the low side to the high side to preserve the
cross fall. The first pass of the roller should be without vibration, to press the
soil into shape without much compaction. The shape and level must
immediately be carefully checked and corrected, with all hollows being filled
and all bumps being skimmed, by a small skilled labour team. Compaction
then continues, using vibration. The shape and level must be continually
checked and corrected during the first few compaction passes, as, unlike with
conventional plant construction, it is practically impossible to use labour to
provide a smooth final cut.
Productivities
Typical productivities for spreading and
related activities are:
Spreading only
12 m3 per worker per day
Water, mix, spread and level
3 m3 per worker per day
3.10 Practical guidelines for compaction

3.10.1 General considerations
Compaction by hand in earthworks activities can at
best only reduce settlements to within acceptable
limits as the compactive effort is insufficient to
provide satisfactory engineering properties required
in most applications. Accordingly, in practice, hand
compaction can only be contemplated in trench
excavations in untrafficked areas where a level of
compaction in excess of 87 to 88% of modified
AASHTO density is likely to contain trench
settlements to within acceptable limits. Higher
compaction levels can only be achieved by using
mechanical compaction equipment and not by
means of hand methods with any degree of
consistency.
Note: SANS 1921-5 requirements for compaction of backfilling to

trenches in areas not subject to traffic
Backfilling to trenches in areas not subjected to traffic shall be placed in
layers of thickness (before compaction) not exceeding 100 mm. Each layer
shall be compacted using hand stampers such that:
a) a Proctor density of 90% is achieved,
b) more than five blows of a dcp are required to penetrate 100 mm of the
backfill, provided that the backfill does not comprise more than 10%
gravel of size less than 10 mm and contains no isolated boulder,
c) The density of the compacted trench backfill is not less than that of the
surrounding undisturbed soil when tested comparatively with a dcp.
Tests to provide compaction characteristics of soil were first introduced by Proctor

in the USA as a means of controlling the degree of compaction during
construction. Proctor's test represented in the laboratory the state of compaction
that could be reasonably achieved in the field using plant available at the time.
However, with the subsequent introduction of heavier earth moving and
19
compaction equipment higher densities became obtainable in practice. As

laboratory test using increased energy of compaction was then introduced to
reproduce higher compacted densities viz modified AASHTO test. Accordingly,
density requirements where light equipment or hand stamping is used should
rather be measured in terms of Proctor densities and a value of 90% Proctor
density should suffice for untrafficked areas. This is achievable by means of hand
stamping.
DCPs can be readily used to control compaction in trenches in untrafficked
trenches. Material with a medium dense / stiff consistency (refer to Table 6) are
unlikely to settle under conventional loads. A value of not less than five blows /
100 mm of material at compaction moisture content can be used to specify the
compaction requirements.
3.10.2 Existing standards for compaction
Compaction is normally classified for purposes of payment. The classification
system is usually coupled to the equipment or tools used for compaction
operations.
Conventionally, compaction operations are classified as follows:
COLTO, 1998, Section 3300, Mass earthworks
Three classes of compaction are specified. These are given below. The engineer is
given considerable authority in terms of the specification to order the contractor
to use specific items of plant in various combinations.
Compaction to a minimum percentage of modified AASHTO density, where
"the contractor shall be at liberty to employ any type of compaction
equipment he may choose so as to achieve such density over the full specified
depth of the layer",
Eight-pass roller compaction comprises eight passes of any combination "of
the following items of plant: heavy grid rollers, sheep's-foot rollers, tamping
rollers, flat wheel rollers and vibratory rollers or any other item of plant
deemed by the engineer to be suitable". The rollers are described in terms of
size, mass, speed and frequency of vibration,
Three-pass roller compaction comprises three passes of a heavy roller, as
described under the 8-pass roller compaction clause, or with an impact roller
(which is described in some detail).
SANS 1200 D, 1988, Earthworks
Compaction requirements are given in terms of percentage of modified AASHTO
maximum density.
SANS 1200 DM, 1981, Earthworks (roads, subgrade)
Compaction requirements are given in terms of percentage of modified AASHTO
maximum density.
Labour-based specifications: Soderlund and Schutte, 1993: Standardised
specifications for community-based construction, S100 DB: Earthworks (service
trenches).
Clause 5.7.2 Compaction (areas not subject to traffic).
Each trench shall be backfilled in layers of thickness (before compaction) not
exceeding 100mm and the material shall be compacted, using hand stampers, to
95% Proctor density. Where in terms of the Project Specifications, hand stamping
is not permitted, trenches shall be backfilled in layers of thickness (before
20
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guide
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compaction) not exceeding 150 mm and the material shall be compacted by

means of mechanical equipment to 90% of mod AASHTO density.
3.10.3 Compaction equipment
For roadworks, mechanical compaction is needed to ensure that compaction is
achieved throughout the depth and over the area of the layerworks. The problem
is actually one of plant selection. The compactor
must be massive enough to achieve the specified
The problem in perspective
performance, but should be small enough to keep
up with the production of teams of labourers.
The problem is put into perspective when one realizes that a large selfWithin limits, more labour teams can be allocated to
propelled vibrating roller can compact up to 300 m3 per hour, which is
earthworks in order to balance the compactor
approximately the weekly output of one labour team. Small walk-behind
output.
pedestrian rollers are often too light and therefore too slow, as multiple
Many projects have been successfully carried out
using small pedestrian or sit-on rollers. It is, however
essential that compaction is carried out at the
correct moisture content for the effort.
passes of the roller are required to achieve the soil densities. These small
rollers quickly become costly, particularly when the layer thickness is reduced
and multiple layers are required to make up the total thickness. This practice,
is however, not recommended as layers less than about 50 mm often
delaminate under traffic.
It is not good practice to restrict the use of mechanical compaction plant on a

labour-based project. The contractor should be allowed unfettered use of his
hard-won expertise in the selection and use of compaction plant.
3.10.4 Practical tips
Labour-based compaction of large areas is generally a slow and tedious process,
difficult to control with any accuracy. Hand stampers should not be used for
compaction of large areas, but can be quite successful in narrow or restricted
areas like trenches in untrafficked areas.
For compaction around pipes and cables, hand
stampers are probably the safest and most reliable
method of ensuring adequate soil support. Before
enough soil cover has been achieved, machine
compaction to pipes and cables will almost
guarantee damage or overstressing of the pipe or
cable materials. Adequate soil cover is generally
accepted to be about 300 mm for small mechanical
compactors (SANS 1200 LB, 1983). Greater
precautions (and therefore greater soil cover)
should be taken for larger mechanical compactors.
The control of moisture content

A common problem in the compaction of earthworks is the control of
moisture content. (see 3.9). In labour-based roadworks, much effort must go
into achieving some uniformity of both material and moisture content across
a layer. This will ensure better compaction.
The following is recommended:
After the moist material has been spread and levelled, rolling should
commence, working from the sides towards the middle to preserve the
camber, or from the low side to the high side to preserve the cross fall. The
first pass of the roller must be without vibration, to press the soil into
shape without much compaction. The shape and level must immediately
be carefully checked and corrected, with all hollows being filled and all
bumps being skimmed, by a small skilled labour team. Compaction then
continues, using vibration, until the planned number of passes is reached.
The shape and level must be continually checked and corrected during
compaction.
After compaction the density should be checked, before the layer dries
out. A nuclear density probe with parallel gravimetric moisture
determination is preferred, but is rarely justified in terms of cost. A DCP
can be used, but calibration will be needed. If the density is not as
specified, the roller must continue with a few more passes. Additional
water may be required.
Service trenches can be adequately compacted over

their full depth by hand, using stampers. Because the
energy input is relatively low, the layer thickness needs
to be restricted. 100 mm (compacted) is generally the
maximum thickness that can be compacted by hand.
Attention must be given to achieving soil moisture
conditions close to optimum moisture content. The
preferred standard is the Proctor test, with its optimum moisture requirement. The Proctor optimum,
which is wetter than the modified AASHTO optimum,
lends itself to hand compaction.
It is recommended that all structural pavement layers and unsealed wearing
courses are compacted to refusal for the plant available. This requires proof rolling
where after each roller pass, a DCP test is carried out through the layer. It will be
found that at a certain number of passes the DCP penetration rate will become
21
Productivities
As in general, on labour-based projects, compaction equipment is used, the
productivities can be obtained from the relevant manuals for the type of
equipment used. As mentioned earlier, crucial to achieving cost-effectiveness
is to select the type of equipment that has comparable productivities with
that of the labour team that uses it (i.e. the compactor needs to be
incorporated in the team planning exercise). Important when doing this is to
ensure the availability of the compactor, as improper planning when sharing
a compactor can lead to unavailability when required.
constant and additional passes may even result in

decreased density. This allows a method specification to be employed for that material as well as
providing a target penetration rate for quality
control purposes.
3.10.6 Quality control
Quality control is required at different stages of the

work. Material quality is the first essential one.
Geometrical compliance of the finished layerwork
is the second requirement and only then compliance with the density specification. Geometrical requirements should be
checked carefully and adjusted, during the rolling.
Quality assurance guidance

Comprehensive guidance on the
selection of materials and quality
assurance can be found in the ILO
publication Material selection and
quality assurance for labour-based
unsealed road projects (1998) and the
Roads Directorate of the Johannesburg
City Councils Technical note on the
backfilling and reinstatement of
trenches (Horak, 1993).
22
Quality control of the finished layer requires that the material thickness is correct
and the density has been achieved. Using the proof rolling method described
above, the refusal density (in terms of the DCP penetration rate) for the
prevailing conditions and a method specification is identified. These are
generally sufficient to control compaction of labour-based projects. Their
simplicity and ease of testing allow significantly more testing than would
normally be carried out for quality assurance, even on large projects using
conventional construction methods.
In trenches across trafficked areas, the DCPs and Rapid Compaction Control
Devices (a spring loaded steel rod with a 32 degree cone shaped point complete
with trigger mechanism) should be used to confirm the adequacy of the
compaction.
cidb
guide
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4. Safety
4.1 Introduction
The provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act 85 of 1993) have
to be met. Employment-intensive sites are sometimes more informal than
conventional construction sites, and either ignore the OHS Act or make the
application of strict safety regulations more difficult. Safety is not a matter that
can be neglected, so whatever shape or form the management of employmentintensive sites may take, it must be aware of safety and all its implications.
Employment-intensive construction, as an industry, is more likely than the
conventional construction industry to employ people that have no previous
employment experience at all. These people are most vulnerable to becoming
involved in accidents, because they have not learned the potential dangers.
Induction into safety on site is essential for all newly recruited workers, but even
more important for the first-time employees.
Few employers in the construction industry have a vision of an injury-free and
damage-free workplace (Strydom, 1999). However, this vision may be workable
on employment-intensive construction sites, largely due to the absence of large
machines. Because of this, employment-intensive construction sites should be
inherently safer than conventional construction sites. Even so, a proactive
approach to safety is the only possible way to achieve an injury-free workplace
(Strydom, 1999 and Smallwood, 1999a). If employers realise that one of their
most important resources are people, then the goals of health and safety in the
workplace are logical and cost effective. The vision of an injury-free workplace
then leads to sharp focus of management (Smallwood, 1999a). Injury free means
zero injuries. Any lesser goal would imply that injuries are acceptable.
4.2 Management of safety

Start with a financial budget. Implementing a safety programme costs money and
takes time. Once a safety culture has been established, the ongoing costs of safety
are very much less than the costs of accidents. The budget must make provision
for: planning, training, implementation, measuring, feedback to top
management and to the work force, and retraining.
The management plan demonstrates how the company will fulfil OHS policy by
setting objectives and targets. It will note the resources, particularly the people,
needed to implement safety systems. Site specific safety plans include safety of
the chosen method of construction, by risk identification followed by risk
minimisation and management of the remaining hazards. Contingency planning
is essential. Emergency procedures must be established. Communication systems
may have to be set up, as the construction site may impose its own limitations on
conventional communication.
Keep safety planning as simple as possible within the complexity imposed by the
work being undertaken. Address the culture, allocate enough resources and set
up a user-friendly system.
4.3 Safety in any operation

Below are some of the steps necessary to achieve an injury-free workplace:
Implement the Occupational Health and Safety Act provisions, rules and
regulations,
Talk about safety,
Implement Behaviour-Based Safety or pro-active control of safety
[Strydom, 1999],
Hold toolbox talks [Smallwood, 1999, b].
23
Implement the Occupational Health and Safety Act

This Act defines the legal framework within which every employer and employee
has to conduct business. Implementing the Act includes the identification of all
hazardous and unsafe conditions and then taking all possible measures to
improve these conditions. Training of the management, supervisors and workers
must be included in the measures used to mitigate unsafe conditions.
Implementing the rules, regulations and the spirit of the Act must be the starting
point and the basis upon which a culture of safety at work can be built.
Talk about safety
Talk about safety at every meeting (on site and off site). Safety MUST be on the
agenda of every planning and construction meeting. People have to be made
aware of safety and the part they can play to enhance safety.
Implement Behaviour-Based Safety
Behaviour-Based Safety or pro-active control of safety [Strydom, 1999] can be
introduced by saying that accident statistics show only the tip of the unsafe
iceberg. For every reported accident there are many near misses and probably
also many small-damage incidents (which are not reported). Each near miss was
almost a severe accident. Luck played a major role in keeping the statistics of
accidents down. All these near misses and low-damage incidents need to be
recorded so that the accident profile of the construction site can be assessed and
the true magnitude of the risks evaluated. Once the frequency of the accidents
waiting to happen has been assessed, then management is in a position to take
remedial action. This is a relatively new approach but is probably the only proactive approach to safety that can be implemented [Strydom, 1999].
Toolbox talks
Toolbox talks should be given by first line supervisors. Toolbox talks should take
no more than 10 to 15 minutes and can be used to introduce a new activity or to
discuss generic health and safety issues. If held at the start of a workday, they
have less impact on work time than when presented during the day. Toolbox talks
should encourage worker participation and engender teamwork. They provide
the opportunity to discuss quality, productivity and safety issues [Smallwood,
1999b] or any other matters. Toolbox talks are the ideal way in which behaviourbased safety principles can be communicated to the work teams. Site Managers
should attend these talks as frequently as they can, to indicate that safety is part
of the job and has their full support.
24
cidb
guide
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5. Specialist literature
1
IBRD. "The study of the substitution of labour and equipment in civil

construction: a research and implementation project completion report"
(IBRD, Operations Policy Staff, Transportation), Washington, DC, April 1986.
Horak E. (1993) Improved backfill and reinstatement control of trenches.

Technical note issued by the Roads Directorate of the Johannesburg City
Council.
Howe, JDGF (1981) Guide to tools and equipment for labour-based road
construction, (hand cart and bowser, page 9.27) Geneva, International
Labour Office, 1981.
Minor Roads Programme (MRP): Technical Manual, Volume 1. Republic of

Kenya, Ministry of Public Works, Roads Department. Nairobi, January 1992.
Ntja, M M. MSc thesis, University of the Witwatersrand, 2000
Phillips, S D, McCutcheon, R T, Emery, S J, Little, R, and Kwesiga, M B. (1995).

"Technical analysis of the employment creation potential of a National
Public Works Programme". Journal of the South African Institution of Civil
Engineers, Volume 37, number 3, third quarter.
SANS 1200 C: Standardized specification for civil engineering construction:

Site Clearance. SA Bureau of Standards, Pretoria, 1982.
SANS 1200 D: Standardized specification for civil engineering construction:

Earthworks. SA Bureau of Standards, Pretoria, 1988.
SANS 1200 LB: Standardized specification for civil engineering construction:

Bedding (pipes). SA Bureau of Standards, Pretoria, 1983.
10 SANS 1200 DM, Standardized specification for civil engineering construction:

Earthworks (roads, subgrade). SA Bureau of Standards, Pretoria, 1981.
11 Strydom, L; Behaviour-based safety. Construction World, Feb 1999, p 53.
12 Smallwood, J; The seven features of a world-class SHE contractor. The Civil
Engineering and Building Contractor, January 1999, p 44.
13 Smallwood, J; Toolbox talks. Construction World, March 1999.
14 NOSA: Occupational Health and Safety Act, abridged version. National
Publishing (Pty) Ltd, 1998.
15 Soderlund and Schutte, 1993: Standardised specifications for communitybased construction, S 100 D: Earthworks
16 Watermeyer, RB. Mobilising the private sector to engage in labour-based
infrastructure works: a South African Perspective. Sixth regional seminar for
labour-based practioners, Jinja, Uganda. 1997.
17 Coukis, B et al. labour-based construction programs: - a practical guide for
planning and management. Oxford University Press for the World Bank,
1983.
18 MCCutcheon, RT and Marshall, J. Labour-intensive construction and
25
maintenance of rural roads: Guidelines for the training of road builders.

Construction Development Series, Number 14. Development Bank of
Southern Africa. Development Paper Number 60. November 1996.
19 Antoniou J, Guthrie P and de Veen J. Building roads by hand. International
Labour Organisation, Longman. 1990.
20 Intech Associates. Technical Manual . Volume 1. Ministry of Public Works.
Roads Department. Minor Roads Programme. Republic of Kenya. January
1992.
21 Page-Green, P. 1998. Material selection and quality assurance for labourbased unsealed road projects. Technical Brief No 9, ILO/ASIST, Nairobi.
22 SANS 1921-5, Construction and management requirements for works
contracts, Part 5: Earthworks activities which are to be performed by hand
(2004).
23 Watermeyer RB and Band NG. The Development of Small Scale Enterprises,
Skills, Enntrepreneurship and Employment Opportunities through the
Provision of Housing. Working Group 3, National Housing Forum, November
1994.
26
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guide
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Notes
27
Notes
28
cidb
guide
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practice
Acknowledgements
This guide to best practice would not have been possible
without the contribution of all sectors of SA Construction
and its stakeholders, a contribution of time and leadership
made in the interests of a better industry.
Major contributing organisations

Department of Public Works
Department of Transport
It is impossible to list all those who have made an input to

this product since the 1996 initiative between the Minister
of Public Works and Captains of Industry. The Captains
Initiative kick-started a number of key interventions
towards a transforming industry including a focus on
labour-based construction.
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry

Gautrans
South African National Roads Agency Limited
Soweto City Council
Johannesburg City Council
eThekwini Metro
Initial conceptual work was taken forward by the Interministerial Task on Construction Industry Development,
which established a focus group under the leadership of
Graham Power. The Focus Group built on the experience
of pilot public works projects to develop a preliminary set
of guidelines.
Building on the work of the Task Team, the cidb has
expanded the application of technologies and methods to
increase the employment generated per unit of expenditure. A focus group of industry specialists and stakeholders has further reviewed and refined these guidelines,
which are now recommended by the Expanded Public
Works Programme in the delivery of national, provincial
and municipal infrastructure,
cidb wishes to thank the many individuals whose passion,
commitment and knowledge has enabled the development of this publication as a common resource in the fight
against poverty and joblessness, both in South Africa and
globally.
Tshwane Metro
South African Federation of Civil Engineering
Contractors
South African Association of Consulting Engineers
South African Institution of Civil Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand
University of Pretoria
International Labour Organisation (Asist Programme)
CSIR Boutek and Transportek
Development Bank of Southern Africa
The South African Roads Board
Agrment South Africa
Standards South Africa
Cement and Concrete Institute
South African Bitumen Association
South African Black Technical and Allied Careers
Organisation
Concrete Manufacturing Association
Building Industries Federation of South Africa
National Economic Forum
A special thanks is due to Ron Watermeyer (past President

of the SA Institution of Civil Engineers) whose involvement has ensured a continuity of focus throughout the
process.
National Housing Forum

Congress of South African Trade Unions
Plus many individuals from construction companies
Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is

man made and it can be overcome and eradicated by
the actions of human beings.
Nelson Mandela, 2005 Global Campaign for Action against Poverty

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Labour-based methods and

technologies for employmentintensive construction works

Best Practice Guideline Part 2-1

Labour-based construction methods

These best practice guidelines are supported by

Labour-based methods and technologies for

The guidelines draw on international experience

Labour-based methods and technologies

Best Practice Guideline Part 2-1

Labour-based construction methods

2. Clearing and grubbing

3. ELHUS and compaction

cidb is a public entity established in terms of the CIDB

Printed March, 2005

Construction Industry Development Board

Part 2 Labour-based construction methods for Earthworks

Overview of the best practice labour-based guidelines

he South African White Paper Creating an Enabling Environment for

Part 2 Labour-based construction methods for Earthworks

Note: Earthworks traditionally a labour-based activity

1.2 Common general difficulties

labour-based methods and technologies

Part 2 Labour-based construction methods for Earthworks

2. Clearing and grubbing

COLTO, 1998, Section 1700: Clearing and grubbing

2.3 Practical guidelines for labour-intensive clearing and grubbing

Part 2 Labour-based construction methods for Earthworks

Table 1: Productivities for clearing and grubbing (Ntja, 2000)

Medium dense bush (4 - 7 bushes per 100 m2)

TASK RATE IN SQUARE METRES PER PERSON-DAY

labour-based methods and technologies

Part 2 Labour-based construction methods for Earthworks

3. ELHUS and compaction

Note: SANS 1921-5 requirement for ELHUS activities

Excavating, Loading, Hauling, Unloading and

3.2 Team balancing

Table 3: Team balancing exercise

Excavation of soft material

In this example, 150 m3 of soft soil needs to be cut

Part 2 Labour-based construction methods for Earthworks

3.3 Classification of material and effect on productivity for each activity

labour-based methods and technologies

Part 2 Labour-based construction methods for Earthworks

3.4 Tools and plant

Wheelbarrow: Typically 50 to 70 litres

Tools also require regular sharpening, failing which

3.4.2 Tools and equipment for measuring and

Mechanical compaction equipment and pneumatic and rock-breaking

Training in the use of hand tools is also important.

It is important that equipment for measuring and

Part 2 Labour-based construction methods for Earthworks

3.5 Practical guidelines for excavation

SANS 1921-5 classifies material excavated by hand as follows:

Material excavatable by hand: cohesive and granular material

Table A Consistency of materials

Crumbles very easily when

Geological pick head can easily be pushed

Small resistance to penetration

Easily indented by thumb; sharp end of a