The 1992 edition of IS 1200 Part 1 establishes uniform procedures for quantifying earthwork in construction and civil engineering projects throughout India. It encompasses comprehensive instructions on soil and rock categorization, excavation and filling measurement, lead and lift calculations, as well as the assessment of support structures and vegetation removal. This standard promotes precise volume calculations and transparent communication for equitable contractor-client transactions.
Overview
The 1992 edition of IS 1200 Part 1 establishes uniform procedures for quantifying earthwork in construction and civil engineering projects throughout India. It encompasses comprehensive instructions on soil and rock categorization, excavation and filling measurement, lead and lift calculations, as well as the assessment of support structures and vegetation removal. This standard promotes precise volume calculations and transparent communication for equitable contractor-client transactions.
Audience
Contents
Structure
IS 1200 Part 1 outlines standardized measurement methods for earthwork in construction and civil engineering, excluding river valley projects. It covers excavation, pumping, and classification of materials with detailed categorization of soil and rock types, measurement of excavation depths using instruments such as tell-tales, rules for pumping energy quantification, and rounding off protocols as per IS 2:1960.
This section defines measurement units in the decimal system with precision requirements: linear dimensions to 0.01 m, areas to 0.01 m², and volumes to 0.01 m³. It also prescribes rounding rules aligned with IS 2:1960 to ensure consistency and accuracy in recording earthwork quantities.
Materials are classified into categories such as soft/loose soil, hard/dense soil, mud, soft/disintegrated rock, and hard rock with or without blasting requirements. Definitions include size limits for cobblestones and boulders and guidelines for excavation methods based on these types.
Describes measurement methods for uniform and non-uniform grounds, use of tell-tales for average depth in trenches and borrow pits, handling of mixed materials through stacking and void deduction, and special cases like excavation with formwork or protective coverings. Also specifies measurement of small trenches and shafts in cubic meters.
Defines lead as the horizontal transportation distance of excavated material and lift as the vertical elevation moved. The section details measurement increments, block division for lead calculation, rules for including or excluding slope-related lifts, and handling lifts caused by obstructions.
Planking and strutting are measured in square meters of supported face and categorized by 1.5 m lift increments. This includes timber usage and wastage, separate measurement for permanent supports, and coverage of special structures such as shafts and manholes.
Provides measurement guidelines for clearing shrubs, small trees (girth up to 300 mm), hedges, fences, and root extraction. Specifies units of measurement—square meters or running meters—and includes disposal as part of the process.
Covers trimming of natural or excavated surfaces (surface dressing) up to 150 mm depth and shallow excavation up to 300 mm depth with specified width and area limits. Also includes classification of materials involved and notes on inclusion of dressing in excavation items.
Explains volume measurement of fills and embankments including slopes, layering with maximum 200 mm thickness, compaction processes, and settlement allowances for special soils. Emphasizes level recording intervals and calculation methods.
Details measurement for trenches and shafts with width constraints, adjustments for depths over 1 m, cross-sectional measurement methods, and material classification affecting excavation approaches.
Specifies sequence for booking dimensions (length, breadth, height), rounding precision for lengths, areas, and volumes, and adherence to IS 2:1960 rounding rules. Provides examples related to filling and layer thickness.
Addresses measurement in scenarios lacking defined authorized working space, emphasizing case-by-case decisions for safety and practicality. Covers measurement of work involving formwork, damp proofing, protective masonry, and special external operations, always taking the lesser of authorized or actual excavation quantities.
Frequently Asked
IS 1200 Part 1 classifies excavation materials into categories such as soft or loose soil (easily excavated with hand tools), hard or dense soil (requiring picks or jumpers), mud (soil-water mixture), soft or disintegrated rock (quarried with crowbars, no blasting), hard rock needing blasting (including large boulders), and hard rock where blasting is prohibited (excavated by chiselling or wedging). This classification guides excavation techniques and measurement approaches.
For uniform ground, excavation in trenches and borrow pits is measured using instruments like 'dead men' or 'tell-tales' to determine average depth. In non-uniform terrain, levels are taken before, during, and after excavation to compute volumes from differences. Excavation is recorded in 1.5 m lifts, and mixed materials are separated by stacking hard rock and applying void deductions to ensure accurate measurement.
Lead is the horizontal distance from the excavation site to the deposit location, measured by dividing the area into blocks and calculating the distance between centers. Lift is the vertical height the material is raised, measured from ground level. Excavation up to 1.5 m depth is included in base earthwork; additional lifts are measured in 1.5 m increments. Lifts caused by slope are excluded except for short leads, and lifts above obstructions are measured from the center of gravity of excavated material to the obstruction top.
Planking and strutting are measured in square meters of the supported face and grouped in 1.5 m depth stages. Separate measurements are made for permanent supports and special structures like shafts and manholes. Timber usage and wastage are included. Battering and benching are measured with excavation, not as part of planking or strutting.
Removal of shrubs, brushwood, and small trees with girth up to 300 mm is measured in square meters of cleared area, including disposal. Hedges and fences are measured in running meters, also including removal and disposal. Trees with girth between 300 mm and 1000 mm are counted individually, while trees over 1000 mm girth are enumerated by size. Girth is measured at 1 m above ground in all cases.
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