{"id":3375,"date":"2026-04-01T09:55:44","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T07:55:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/biblus.accasoftware.com\/en\/?p=3375"},"modified":"2026-04-01T09:56:30","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T07:56:30","slug":"earthwork-modelling-with-a-bim-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biblus.accasoftware.com\/en\/earthwork-modelling-with-a-bim-software\/","title":{"rendered":"Earthmoving with BIM Software: Excavation and Volume Calculation"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to excavate and how to calculate earthmoving volumes with BIM software during the design phase? Let’s discover all the steps to make this operation easy<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Among all the operations that precede the construction of a building, we want to focus particularly on excavation<\/strong> and the calculation of quantities related to earth movements (excavations, backfills, etc.), using software.<\/p>\n

Specifically, we will see how to model earth movement with Edificius<\/a>, BIM software for architectural design, and what aspects to consider during planning.<\/p>\n

Common use cases of earth movements in architectural and site projects<\/h2>\n

In architectural and site development projects, earth movements represent a fundamental preliminary phase to adapt the morphology of the land to the functional, structural, and infrastructural needs of the intervention. The modeling and management of earth movements allow for precise analysis and control of excavation, filling, and leveling operations, ensuring proper preparation of the project area.<\/p>\n

One of the most frequent use cases concerns the preparation of foundation platforms for buildings and infrastructures. During this phase, the existing ground is modeled to create flat surfaces or slopes, necessary for the realization of foundations, underground floors, or structural slabs. This process often includes excavation operations to remove excess soil and filling to achieve the planned elevation.<\/p>\n

A second application area relates to the modeling of terrain for external infrastructures, such as access roads, parking lots, walkways, and ramps. In these cases, earth movements allow for accurate definition of slopes, management of stormwater drainage, and ensure the safety and accessibility of surfaces.<\/p>\n

Earth movements are also essential in landscaping and green design, where the land is shaped to create embankments, slopes, terraces, or water catchment basins. These interventions integrate architecture with the natural context, enhancing both the aesthetic appearance and the environmental performance of the site.<\/p>\n

Another use case concerns the construction of underground works, such as underground parking, technical rooms, utility networks, or storage tanks. In these situations, modeling earth movements allows for accurate estimation of excavation volumes, planning of construction phases, and assessment of the economic impact of operations.<\/p>\n

Finally, in BIM-based workflows and digital terrain modeling, earth movements are used to compare the model of the existing terrain with the project model, allowing for automatic calculation of excavation and fill volumes. This approach supports more informed design decisions, optimizes the balance between excavated and reused materials, and helps reduce costs and construction times.<\/p>\n

Difference between excavation, cut, and fill in BIM workflows<\/h2>\n

In BIM (Building Information Modeling) workflows, correctly distinguishing between excavation, cut, and fill is essential for accurately modeling land transformations and calculating earthmoving volumes. Although these terms are sometimes used interchangeably in common language, in technical contexts they represent different operations and results within the design and digital modeling process.<\/p>\n

Excavation is the general term that indicates the set of operations involved in removing existing soil to allow for the construction of foundations, underground infrastructures, or morphological modifications of the site. In the BIM context, excavation is often modeled through specific elements or by modifying the topographical surface, generating a new land configuration necessary to accommodate the project. Excavation can include both localized operations, such as those for foundations and utility trenches, and large-scale interventions, like preparing building platforms.<\/p>\n

The cut<\/strong> specifically represents the amount of soil removed when the existing ground is at a higher elevation compared to the project ground. In BIM models, cut is calculated by comparing the model of the existing ground with the designed terrain model. The result is a volume of material that needs to be excavated and, depending on the construction strategies, can be transported off-site or reused as backfill material.<\/p>\n

The fill<\/strong> operation is the opposite of cut and represents the volume of material needed to fill areas where the project ground is at a higher elevation than the existing ground. Essentially, fill indicates the amount of material that must be added to achieve the elevations specified in the project. In BIM workflows, filling can come from reusing material from cut operations or may require sourcing additional material.<\/p>\n

Within a BIM model, distinguishing between cut and fill allows for precise volumetric analyses, often through comparison tools between topographical surfaces or digital terrain models (DTMs). These analyses enable earthwork balances, useful for optimizing material management and reducing transport and disposal costs.<\/p>\n

Understanding and correctly modeling these three components thus improves the accuracy of quantitative estimates, supports the planning of construction phases, and ensures more efficient resource management throughout the entire project lifecycle.<\/p>\n

How to perform earth movement with Edificius<\/h2>\n

In a BIM model, before proceeding with the building modeling, it is necessary to prepare the terrain that will host it.<\/p>\n

With Edificius, it is possible to insert the terrain in various ways:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • importing the terrain from Google Maps<\/a>;<\/li>\n
  • modeling contour lines, elevation points, etc., with the entities provided in the software;<\/li>\n
  • importing a dwg\/dxf with contour lines to use as a basis for modeling.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    For more in-depth reading, also read How to create a 3D terrain with contour lines.<\/a><\/p>\n

    Once the terrain model is created, it is possible to proceed with excavations and backfills.<\/p>\n

    From the Project Management<\/strong> sidebar of the Terrain Environment<\/strong> in Edificius<\/strong>, we start by creating a project level<\/strong> for each of the interventions to be carried out on the Terrain<\/strong>. We create each level in the software tab in the order they will be executed.<\/p>\n

    Each intervention must be carried out using the Earth Movement<\/strong> object.<\/p>\n

    We begin the excavation by defining the perimeter of the intervention area. Once the input is completed, we can modify the perimeter by acting on the handles<\/strong> or by defining an offset<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    We can modify the perimeter by adding or removing nodes. By using the Change to Arc<\/strong> function, we can transform a segment into a curved path.<\/p>\n

    With the Slopes<\/strong> function, we can insert a slope into the project.<\/p>\n

    In the Properties<\/strong> editor of the Earth Movement<\/strong> object, we can modify the elevation of the entire earth movement, one of its sides, or a vertex of its perimeter. We can verify everything with the 3D View<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    In the 3D View<\/strong>, we can also modify the elevation graphically.<\/p>\n