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Pancyprian TS Qty Measurement practice questions

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Question 1Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

In a bill of quantities prepared under a standard method of measurement, what is the primary function of the 'description' column?

  1. To specify the work item fully enough that its cost can be priced without reference to drawings Correct answer.
  2. To list the names of subcontractors proposed for each work section
  3. To state the contract completion date for each element of the works
  4. To record the tenderer's proposed unit rate for each measured item

Explanation

The description column must define the item so completely that a contractor can price it from the bill alone, together with the stated measurement rules. Rates belong in the rate column and programme information belongs in the preliminaries or contract documents. A description that forces the tenderer back to the drawings is defective.

Question 2Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

Which document traditionally accompanies a bill of quantities to define how items have been measured and what is deemed included in each rate?

  1. The tender addendum schedule
  2. The architect's instruction register
  3. The priced bill
  4. The preamble and preambles to trade sections Correct answer.

Explanation

Preambles state the measurement conventions, the scope of what each item is deemed to include, and any special rules adopted for the project. They bind the contractor's pricing to the stated assumptions. The priced bill is the completed tender, not the rule set.

Question 3Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

Under most standard methods of measurement, how is the length of a linear member such as a lintel measured for billing purposes?

  1. The clear span plus half the depth of the member at each end
  2. The net length between supports only
  3. The overall length including any specified laps or end bearings Correct answer.
  4. The centre-line length reduced by the width of one bearing

Explanation

Linear items are normally measured the overall length as fixed, including bearings, laps and returns that the specification requires. Deducting bearings or adding fractions of depth would misstate the material actually supplied. The method statement in the preamble should confirm the convention used.

Question 4Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

A bill item describes 'Excavation to reduce level, not exceeding 2 m deep'. What does the stated depth limit govern?

  1. The depth to which the contractor may stockpile spoil on site
  2. The depth of the water table assumed by the employer
  3. The maximum depth of the excavation below the reduced level actually formed
  4. The depth band within which the item's rate applies, deeper work being measured separately Correct answer.

Explanation

Depth bands in excavation items define the range of working depth for which the stated rate is deemed to cover the work. Work outside the band is measured under a separate item at a different rate. They do not set water-table assumptions or stockpile limits.

Question 5Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

When measuring concrete work, why are items for formwork to soffits of suspended slabs normally given separately from the concrete volume item?

  1. Because formwork is priced by mass rather than by area
  2. Because concrete volume items never include any labour content
  3. Because the labour and temporary works cost of formwork differs in nature from the concrete supply and placing cost Correct answer.
  4. Because formwork is always executed by the employer's own workforce

Explanation

Formwork is measured by area of contact face and priced separately because its cost drivers, labour and temporary support, differ from those of concrete. Combining them would obscure the pricing of a substantial cost element. Concrete items themselves normally include placing labour.

Question 6Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

In a bill of quantities, what is the purpose of a 'provisional sum'?

  1. To allow for work that cannot be measured precisely at tender stage but is required to be executed Correct answer.
  2. To record the value of variations already instructed before tender
  3. To provide a contingency held solely by the contractor for its own profit
  4. To cover the contractor's head office overheads during the defects liability period

Explanation

A provisional sum is an allowance for work that cannot be detailed or measured with certainty when the bill is prepared. It is expended only as instructed and adjusted against actual cost. It is not a contractor's profit allowance or an overheads fund.

Question 7Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

Which of the following best describes a 'prime cost sum' as used in bills of quantities?

  1. The total cost of the main contractor's site management team
  2. The cost of the contractor's site establishment and temporary facilities
  3. A sum inserted by the tenderer to cover anticipated price inflation
  4. An allowance for the cost of materials or services supplied by a nominated supplier or specialist, excluding the contractor's profit and attendance Correct answer.

Explanation

A prime cost sum covers the estimated cost of goods or services from a named or nominated source, with the contractor's profit and attendance added separately. It is not a general overhead or inflation allowance. The distinction from provisional sums lies in the known source and defined supply.

Question 8Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

How are openings in walls normally treated when measuring wall finishes such as plaster or paint?

  1. Openings above a stated size are deducted, and the method statement defines the threshold Correct answer.
  2. Only openings with glazing are deducted
  3. All openings are deducted regardless of size and no addition is made for reveals
  4. The full wall area is measured with no deduction for any opening

Explanation

Standard methods set a size threshold below which openings are not deducted, to avoid excessive itemisation for small holes. Larger openings are deducted and the reveals measured separately. The threshold must be stated so both parties price on the same basis.

Question 9Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

What is the principal role of a dimension paper (taking-off sheet) in quantity surveying practice?

  1. To certify interim payments to the contractor
  2. To capture the measured dimensions in a structured grid from which quantities are later abstracted Correct answer.
  3. To log requests for information issued to the design team
  4. To record the priced rates agreed with subcontractors

Explanation

Dimension paper provides the audit trail from drawn dimensions to computed quantities, using timed, squaring and description columns. Quantities are then abstracted and billed from these sheets. Payment certification and RFI logging are separate processes.

Question 10Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

A quantity surveyor takes off 24.0 m, 3.5 m and 2.0 m in the timed and squaring columns. What does the squaring column record?

  1. The running total of all dimensions on the sheet
  2. The product of the dimensions taken, giving an area or volume Correct answer.
  3. The description of the item being measured
  4. The waste allowance applied to the item

Explanation

The squaring column multiplies the entered dimensions to produce the area or volume used in the quantity. The timed column holds individual dimensions and the description column holds the item wording. Waste allowances are a pricing matter, not a squaring function.

Question 11Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

Why does a standard method of measurement prescribe a consistent order of measurement within each trade section?

  1. To reduce the number of drawings required for tender
  2. To fix the contractor's programme sequence on site
  3. To ensure every tenderer prices the same items in the same sequence, allowing like-for-like comparison Correct answer.
  4. To determine the contract's payment terms

Explanation

A uniform order of measurement makes bills comparable between tenderers and between projects, supporting fair evaluation. It does not dictate construction sequencing or payment terms, and drawings remain necessary regardless.

Question 12Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

When measuring steel reinforcement, on what basis is the quantity normally expressed?

  1. By the surface area of the concrete it reinforces
  2. By the volume of steel divided by the concrete volume
  3. By mass in kilograms or tonnes, including specified laps and hooks Correct answer.
  4. By number of bars of each diameter

Explanation

Reinforcement is measured by mass, derived from bar lengths and unit weights, with laps and hooks included as the method prescribes. Counting bars alone would not capture differing diameters and lengths. Area and volumetric ratios are design indicators, not billing quantities.

Question 13Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

A bill item reads 'Half-round gutter, 150 mm diameter, fixed to fascia'. Which measurement rule most likely explains the inclusion of the fixing words in the description?

  1. The description must state the fixing method so the rate covers the labour and materials involved Correct answer.
  2. Fixings are always measured as a separate item by number
  3. Fixing is excluded from the rate and paid as a variation
  4. The fixing words indicate that the gutter is temporary

Explanation

Descriptions must convey the fixing method because it materially affects the cost of labour and accessories. The rate is deemed to include the stated fixing. Separate fixing items or variation treatment would contradict the wording of the item.

Question 14Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

In the context of a bill of quantities, what does 'attendance' mean when referring to a nominated subcontractor?

  1. The employer's inspection of the specialist's workmanship
  2. The main contractor's provision of site facilities, services and supervision to support the specialist's work Correct answer.
  3. The specialist's obligation to attend site meetings
  4. The retention deducted from the specialist's payments

Explanation

Attendance covers the main contractor's provision of access, scaffolding, power, water, storage and similar support to a specialist. It is priced separately from the specialist's own work. It is not meeting attendance, inspection or retention.

Question 15Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

Which statement best describes the treatment of 'dayworks' in a bill of quantities?

  1. Dayworks are a fixed percentage added to every measured rate
  2. Dayworks are used to price measured items where quantities are known in advance
  3. Dayworks provide a basis for valuing small or unforeseen items of work at agreed labour, plant and material rates Correct answer.
  4. Dayworks replace the need for a bill of quantities entirely

Explanation

Daywork schedules give pre-agreed rates for labour, plant and materials, used to value work that cannot be measured under normal rules. They are a fallback valuation method, not a substitute for measured items or a percentage uplift.

Question 16Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

Why does a standard method typically require that work below a stated depth in excavation be measured in a separate item from shallower work?

  1. Because depth affects the contract's liquidated damages rate
  2. Because deeper excavation is always classified as rock
  3. Because deeper excavation carries materially higher cost from support, dewatering and handling Correct answer.
  4. Because shallow excavation is never measured

Explanation

Deeper excavation typically needs more support, lifting and possibly dewatering, so its cost per cubic metre differs. Separate depth bands let tenderers price each realistically. Depth does not determine material classification or damages.

Question 17Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

When measuring a pitched roof covering, which area is normally taken?

  1. The vertical height of the ridge above eaves
  2. The horizontal projection of the eaves line
  3. The plan area of the building footprint
  4. The inclined surface area of the covering measured over the rafters Correct answer.

Explanation

Roof coverings are measured on the inclined surface actually covered, because that is the area of material required. Plan area would understate the quantity on a pitched roof. Eaves projection and ridge height are linear or vertical dimensions, not covering areas.

Question 18Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

A measured item is described as 'extra over' a base item. What does this convention achieve?

  1. It records the contractor's additional profit margin
  2. It replaces the base item entirely
  3. It indicates that the work is outside the contract scope
  4. It prices only the additional cost of a superior or more complex specification relative to the base item already measured Correct answer.

Explanation

'Extra over' items capture the differential cost between a base specification and a higher one, avoiding duplication of the base cost. The base item remains priced in its own right. The convention is about specification difference, not profit or scope.

Question 19Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

Which of the following is the most appropriate unit of measurement for a bill item covering damp-proof membrane laid horizontally under a floor slab?

  1. Square metre Correct answer.
  2. Number
  3. Linear metre
  4. Cubic metre

Explanation

Sheet membranes are measured by the area covered, so square metre is the appropriate unit. Cubic metre would suit volume work such as concrete, and linear metre suits narrow strips or edging. Number suits discrete components such as fittings.

Question 20Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

What is the purpose of a query sheet (or taking-off query list) during the measurement process?

  1. To record the contractor's requests for extension of time
  2. To record unresolved information gaps so they can be raised with the designer before quantities are finalised Correct answer.
  3. To list the quantities already billed for each trade
  4. To summarise the contractor's tender price

Explanation

Query sheets capture missing or ambiguous information encountered while taking off, so it can be resolved before the bill is issued. They protect against assumptions being baked into quantities. Billed quantities, tender prices and time claims are recorded elsewhere.

Question 21Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

A wall is 6.0 m long and 2.7 m high and contains a door opening 0.9 m wide by 2.1 m high. If the method deducts openings over 0.5 m², what net area of plaster is measured, to one decimal place?

  1. 15.3 m²
  2. 16.2 m²
  3. 14.3 m² Correct answer.
  4. 13.5 m²

Explanation

The gross wall area is 6.0 × 2.7 = 16.2 m². The door area is 0.9 × 2.1 = 1.89 m², which exceeds the 0.5 m² threshold and must be deducted, giving 14.31 m², or 14.3 m² to one decimal place. Reveals would be measured separately.

Question 22Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

A bill preamble states that all rates are deemed to include for working in confined spaces. A contractor prices an item without allowing for this. What is the contractual position?

  1. The preamble is void because it conflicts with the measured item description
  2. The item must be re-measured and re-rated by the employer
  3. The contractor may claim the additional cost as a variation
  4. The rate stands as priced, because the preamble made the requirement clear at tender Correct answer.

Explanation

Preambles form part of the tender documents, so a risk clearly stated there is deemed priced within the rates. A tenderer who under-allowances bears the consequence. This is not a variation, and the preamble is not overridden by a silent description.

Question 23Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

Which situation most clearly justifies the use of a provisional sum rather than a measured item in a bill of quantities?

  1. The contractor's site office accommodation
  2. Specialist ground treatment whose extent depends on ground conditions to be investigated after tender Correct answer.
  3. The contractor's profit and overheads
  4. A standard brick wall whose dimensions are fully detailed on the drawings

Explanation

A provisional sum suits work whose extent or nature cannot be determined at tender, such as ground-dependent treatment. Fully detailed work should be measured as an item. Site accommodation belongs in preliminaries, and profit is recovered within rates.

Question 24Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

Two tenderers price the same bill differently solely because one measured a particular item on a gross basis and the other on a net basis. Which feature of the tender documents should have prevented this?

  1. The schedule of rates for dayworks
  2. The form of tender
  3. The retention clause in the contract conditions
  4. The measurement rules and preambles stating the basis of measurement Correct answer.

Explanation

The method of measurement and preambles fix how each item is measured, so all tenderers price on the same basis. Without them, bills are not comparable and evaluation is distorted. The form of tender, daywork rates and retention do not define measurement.

Question 25Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

When measuring plumbing pipework, why is pipe diameter usually stated in the item description?

  1. Because diameter determines the pipe's colour coding
  2. Because pipework is measured by mass and diameter determines weight
  3. Because diameter materially affects material cost and labour for jointing and fixing Correct answer.
  4. Because diameter fixes the pipe's design pressure rating

Explanation

Pipe diameter is a primary cost driver for both material and installation labour, so it must be stated for the rate to be meaningful. Pipework is normally measured by length, not mass. Colour coding and pressure rating are separate specification matters.

Question 26Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

Under a standard method of measurement, which unit is normally used to quantify a bill item for excavating trenches for foundations, where the item is described by depth ranges and width?

  1. Cubic metre Correct answer.
  2. Tonne
  3. Square metre
  4. Linear metre

Explanation

Bulk excavation and trench excavation are volumetric operations, so a standard method measures them in cubic metres, taking length multiplied by width multiplied by depth. Depth is then dealt with by splitting the work into successive depth bands, each with its own rate. Square metres are used for surface-related work such as formwork or finishes.

Question 27Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

A standard method of measurement requires that where a bill item is described as 'including all labours, materials and plant', the contractor's rate for that item is deemed to cover which of the following?

  1. The complete cost of the work described, with no separate claim for incidental costs Correct answer.
  2. The cost of the work plus any variations instructed later by the architect
  3. Only the permanent materials incorporated into the finished work
  4. Only the labour directly employed on the operation described

Explanation

A fully inclusive description means the rate is deemed to cover labour, materials, plant and incidental costs of the described work, so the contractor cannot later claim separately for items already included. Future variations are dealt with under the contract's variation provisions and are outside the item rate.

Question 28Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

A bill item covers a precast concrete lintel 1.8 m long, described as 'built in at ends'. How does the measurement convention normally treat the ends?

  1. The lintel length is increased by 225 mm at each end to cover the bearings
  2. The item is measured over its overall length, with building in deemed included in the rate Correct answer.
  3. The lintel is measured by its cross-sectional area in square metres
  4. A separate cubic metre item is added for each end bearing

Explanation

Standard practice is to measure a lintel by its overall length and to describe the building in at ends, so the work of forming bearings is deemed included in the rate. No addition to length and no separate item is made. This keeps the item description and the quantity aligned with the physical unit supplied.

Question 29Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

A bill item is described as 'Extra over concrete work for forming a rebate'. Which statement best explains how this item is measured and priced?

  1. The rebate is described and priced in the concrete item itself, with no separate bill line
  2. The rebate is measured in square metres and priced as a deduction from the concrete rate
  3. The rebate is measured in linear metres and priced as an addition to the rate for the concrete in which it occurs Correct answer.
  4. The rebate is measured in cubic metres and added to the concrete quantity

Explanation

An extra over item is measured and priced separately but is additional to the rate for the base work, so the contractor is paid the base rate plus the extra for forming the feature. The quantity is taken in the unit appropriate to the feature, here linear metres of rebate. This avoids distorting the base quantity while still pricing the additional labour.

Question 30Measurement conventions, standard methods of measurement and quantity surveying documentation

A bill preamble states that quantities are 'measured net as fixed in position' and that no allowance is to be made for cutting and waste. A contractor intends to price a tiling item. What is the correct interpretation?

  1. Cutting and waste is a matter for a separate bill item measured in square metres
  2. The contractor may add a claim for waste after the contract is awarded
  3. The quantity is the finished net area, and cutting and waste must be recovered within the rate Correct answer.
  4. The quantity includes an allowance for cutting and waste, so the rate should be reduced accordingly

Explanation

Net measurement means quantities represent the finished work in place, without additions for laps, cutting or waste. The contractor must therefore build the cost of cutting and waste into the unit rate, because no separate item or later claim exists for it. This is a common preamble provision and must be read before pricing.

Question 31Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

Under the standard method of measurement for excavation, how is the volume of bulk excavation to reduce level generally measured when the sides are battered for stability?

  1. Net volume within the permanent faces, with the batter taken as part of the working space
  2. Volume of excavated material after bulking and settlement
  3. Gross volume of the void including the battered slopes Correct answer.
  4. Volume measured at the base level only, ignoring depth

Explanation

Bulk excavation is measured as the actual void created, so the battered slopes form part of the measured volume. The batter is a construction necessity, not a separate item, and is included in the gross excavated volume. Working space, by contrast, is measured separately where the rules allow.

Question 32Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

In excavation measurement, what does the term 'working space' denote?

  1. The volume of excavation needed to install a temporary access ramp
  2. The additional excavation allowed alongside permanent work to give room for formwork, fixing and inspection Correct answer.
  3. The depth of frost-susceptible material removed before founding
  4. The temporary site area reserved for storing excavated spoil

Explanation

Working space is the extra excavation permitted adjacent to permanent construction so that formwork can be erected, fixed and struck, and so that work can be inspected. It is measured as a distinct item from the permanent excavation. It is not a storage area and not a ramp allowance.

Question 33Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

A trench for a buried drain is excavated in firm clay with vertical sides, average depth 1.80 m and average width 0.60 m over a length of 40 m. Using the standard practice of measuring trench excavation by the void, what is the excavation volume?

  1. 25.92 m³
  2. 43.20 m³ Correct answer.
  3. 36.00 m³
  4. 72.00 m³

Explanation

Volume equals length times width times depth: 40 × 0.60 × 1.80 = 43.20 m³. Trench excavation is measured as the actual void formed by the specified dimensions. No separate deduction is made for the pipe itself.

Question 34Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

Which statement correctly describes how excavated material that is retained on site for later use as fill is treated in the measurement?

  1. It is measured as disposal to tip and separately re-measured as imported fill
  2. It is measured as excavation, with no disposal item, because the material never leaves the site Correct answer.
  3. It is measured as excavation plus a return-fill item only where the specification requires selected fill
  4. It is excluded from excavation measurement because it is reused

Explanation

Where spoil is kept on site and reused as fill, no disposal item applies to that quantity, since disposal covers material removed from site. The excavation itself is still measured in full. A separate fill item is only needed where material is imported or specially selected and placed to a specification.

Question 35Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

What is the purpose of a 'dead' or 'blind' allowance when measuring excavation to receive a concrete blinding layer?

  1. To allow for the extra depth of excavation needed to accommodate the blinding beneath the permanent foundation Correct answer.
  2. To cover the cost of dewatering during the excavation period
  3. To account for the settlement of spoil in the haulage vehicle
  4. To provide a margin for inaccuracy in the setting out of the structure

Explanation

Blinding is placed beneath the permanent foundation, so the excavation must extend below the underside of the foundation to receive it. This additional depth is measured as part of the excavation. It is not a setting-out tolerance, a haulage adjustment or a dewatering item.

Question 36Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

Excavation for a foundation is required in water-bearing sand, and the contractor proposes to lower the groundwater by a wellpoint system during construction. How is this dewatering normally dealt with in the measurement?

  1. As part of the disposal item for the excavated material
  2. As a provisional sum that the contractor prices at completion
  3. As an item of temporary works described and measured separately from the excavation Correct answer.
  4. Included within the excavation rate with no separate item

Explanation

Dewatering by wellpoints is temporary works and is normally described and measured as its own item, separate from the excavation. It is not absorbed silently into the excavation rate. Nor is it part of disposal, which concerns removal of material.

Question 37Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

When measuring rock excavation separately from ordinary excavation, which property is the usual basis for distinguishing the two?

  1. The presence of groundwater within the excavation
  2. Whether the material requires blasting, wedging or special plant to remove it Correct answer.
  3. The depth below ground at which the material is found
  4. The colour and weathering grade of the material encountered

Explanation

Rock is distinguished by the difficulty of removal, generally requiring blasting, wedging, splitting or heavy plant rather than normal digging. Colour, weathering grade, depth and groundwater may be described but are not the defining test. The distinction matters because rock excavation is measured and priced separately.

Question 38Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

How is the volume of excavation for a basement measured when the permanent walls are to be constructed against the battered sides in a cut-and-cover operation?

  1. Volume bounded by the vertical plane of the finished wall only
  2. Volume to the batter, with the whole void measured as bulk excavation Correct answer.
  3. Volume of the finished basement internal space only
  4. Volume to the batter, with the excess over the wall face measured as working space

Explanation

In cut-and-cover, the batter is part of the excavation actually carried out, so the whole void to the battered profile is measured as bulk excavation. The batter is not reclassified as working space. The internal finished space is a building dimension, not an excavation quantity.

Question 39Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

What does the term 'bulking factor' describe in earthworks measurement?

  1. The increase in volume when excavated material is loosened compared with its in-situ volume Correct answer.
  2. The ratio of excavation depth to trench width
  3. The proportion of oversize material rejected from selected fill
  4. The loss of volume when fill is compacted into place

Explanation

Bulking is the increase in volume when material is disturbed and loosened, which matters for vehicle capacity and spoil volumes. It is not the same as compaction, which reduces volume. Excavation itself is measured in situ, before bulking.

Question 40Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

A contractor must dispose of 500 m³ of excavated clay off site. The clay has a bulking factor of 1.25. What loose volume must be transported?

  1. 750 m³
  2. 400 m³
  3. 500 m³
  4. 625 m³ Correct answer.

Explanation

Loose volume equals in-situ volume multiplied by the bulking factor: 500 × 1.25 = 625 m³. Bulking increases the volume to be carried. Dividing by the factor would wrongly reduce the volume.

Question 41Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

In the measurement of excavation, how is the depth of an excavation normally described when the sides are stepped or battered rather than vertical?

  1. By the depth of the permanent structure above formation level
  2. By the maximum depth from the original ground level to the lowest formation level Correct answer.
  3. By the average depth of the four corners of the excavation
  4. By the depth at the centre of the excavation only

Explanation

Depth is described as the maximum depth from original ground level down to the lowest formation level, so that the full extent of the work is captured. Stepped or battered sides do not change that descriptive depth. Corner averages and centre depths would understate the deepest point.

Question 42Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

Why is excavation in stages or lifts sometimes described separately in a bill of quantities for a deep basement?

  1. Because disposal is only permitted from the final lift
  2. Because the method of working and support requirements differ with depth and sequence Correct answer.
  3. Because each lift is priced at a different rate by statute
  4. Because the bulking factor changes with each lift

Explanation

Deep excavation is often carried out in stages with differing support, access and working conditions at each level, so the work is described to reflect that sequence. There is no statutory rate differentiation by lift. Bulking is a property of the material, not of the lift.

Question 43Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

Which item would normally be measured separately from the general excavation rather than included within it?

  1. Excavation for the foundation trenches of the permanent structure
  2. Excavation to reduce level over the whole site
  3. Excavation for the basement slab formation
  4. Excavation for a temporary site access road that will be removed Correct answer.

Explanation

Temporary works such as a removable access road are measured as their own item because they are not part of the permanent works. Permanent trench, reduce-to-level and slab formation excavation are all measured under the main excavation items. Separating temporary from permanent work keeps the bill transparent.

Question 44Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

What is meant by 'disposal of surplus material' as distinct from 'excavation'?

  1. The trimming of the formation to level after excavation
  2. The compaction of material placed as fill
  3. The stockpiling of material on site for later reuse
  4. The removal from site of material not required for fill or permanent work Correct answer.

Explanation

Disposal covers removal from site of material that is surplus to requirements. Stockpiling for reuse is not disposal, because the material stays. Compaction and trimming are separate operations carried out on material that remains.

Question 45Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

A site requires 800 m³ of compacted fill. The selected granular material has a compaction factor such that 1.15 m³ of loose material yields 1.00 m³ of compacted fill. How much loose material must be brought in?

  1. 800 m³
  2. 696 m³
  3. 1,150 m³
  4. 920 m³ Correct answer.

Explanation

Loose volume equals compacted volume multiplied by the factor: 800 × 1.15 = 920 m³. More loose material is needed than the finished fill volume because compaction reduces volume. Dividing by the factor would give too little.

Question 46Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

When a bill describes excavation 'to receive foundations', what is normally excluded from that item and measured elsewhere?

  1. The excavation to the formation level of the foundation
  2. Working space alongside the foundation for formwork Correct answer.
  3. The excavation for the foundation sides
  4. The excavation directly beneath the foundation base

Explanation

Working space is measured as a separate item where the rules provide for it, rather than being absorbed into the foundation excavation. The excavation directly beneath and beside the foundation is part of the foundation excavation item. Formation-level excavation is likewise included.

Question 47Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

In the context of ground treatment measurement, what does 'dynamic compaction' normally involve?

  1. Dropping a heavy weight repeatedly on the ground to densify loose granular fill Correct answer.
  2. Installing vertical drains to accelerate consolidation
  3. Injecting cement grout under pressure to form columns
  4. Mixing soil with lime in situ using a rotary tool

Explanation

Dynamic compaction densifies loose granular soils by repeatedly dropping a heavy tamper onto the surface. Grout injection, lime mixing and vertical drains are different ground treatment techniques. Each is measured under its own description.

Question 48Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

A ground improvement scheme specifies stone columns. Which quantity is normally measured for payment?

  1. The total length of column installed, described by diameter and depth Correct answer.
  2. The number of passes made by the piling rig
  3. The plan area covered by the treatment only
  4. The weight of stone delivered to site

Explanation

Stone columns are commonly measured by total installed length, with the diameter and depth range described. Plan area alone would not capture the depth of treatment. Delivered stone weight and rig passes are commercial or operational records, not the measured quantity.

Question 49Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

How should excavation in an existing hardstanding be described when the hardstanding must be broken out before digging?

  1. As a separate item for breaking out the hardstanding, measured by area or volume, followed by the excavation item Correct answer.
  2. As a single excavation item with the hardstanding noted in the description
  3. As a provisional sum for unforeseen ground conditions
  4. As disposal of surplus material only

Explanation

Breaking out an existing hardstanding is a distinct operation and is measured separately, typically by area or volume, before the underlying excavation. Folding it into the excavation description obscures a significant item. It is neither disposal nor an unforeseen-conditions allowance.

Question 50Excavation, earthworks and ground treatment measurement

What is the standard treatment of excavation below the water table when the contractor is responsible for keeping the excavation dry?

  1. The water level is ignored and the excavation measured as if dry
  2. The excavation is measured to the actual depth, with dewatering described and measured separately Correct answer.
  3. The excavation volume is reduced by the volume of water removed
  4. The work is measured as a provisional sum until the water is controlled

Explanation

Excavation below the water table is measured to its actual depth, and the means of keeping the excavation dry are described and measured as separate temporary works. Ignoring the water would misprice the work. Reducing volume by water quantity has no basis in measurement rules.