3 Times to Use Cut-and-Fill Excavation
Different jobs need different excavation techniques. In some situations, a cut-and-fill process is a good solution.
Here, you excavate earth from one area of land and use it to fill another. When might you use this type of excavation?
1. You Want Level Ground
If the land on a construction job isn't level or at the right height for your build, then cut-and-fill is a good solution. Here, you reduce the height of some of the land by excavating the earth from that area. You then use that earth to build up other parts of the plot to make them more level.
This type of excavation works well if you need to level a construction plot before building on it. It is also often used in road-building projects on uneven land. You can use earth from around the road area to ensure that the finished road has the right alignment, grade and level.
2. You Want to Landscape the Ground
You can also use cut-and-fill excavation to reshape land during a landscaping project. In some cases, this excavation technique will level out lawns or patios.
However, cut-and-fill landscaping really comes into its own when you want to change the grading of a landscaped plot. Here, you can take earth from one part of the land and use it to create sculpted areas.
For example, you can use cut-and-fill to create sloped areas or raised terraces. You can create higher areas of ground in a garden or green space. You can also move excavated earth to create levelled ground and backfill support for retaining walls.
3. You Want to Manage Contaminated Soil
While you can fix some soil problems, contamination can make soil hazardous. For example, you shouldn't build on soil that has become contaminated with some types of chemical waste. The waste makes the earth dangerous.
If you have a plot with an area of contamination, then cut-and-fill excavation gives you a simple fix. You can excavate out all the contaminated soil and dispose of it safely offsite. Once the soil is removed, the plot loses its hazardous status.
You then fill the area with clean and safe soil from an uncontaminated area on the plot. If this isn't possible, then you can use a clean fill from another site. At the end of the job, you've restored the ground and made it safe to build on.
To find out more about how cut-and-fill works, talk to excavation companies.