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2.3 Measurement process for groundworks using CostX software

2.3.1 Excavation

An early learning centre, comprising a basement, ground floor, and first floor, has been selected to demonstrate the measurement of groundworks items in this chapter. Before measuring the groundwork items, it is important to review the plans and sections of the selected project. Figure 2.10 illustrates the simplified version of the site plan of this project. The site plan is useful when measuring items such as site clearance, removal of trees, topsoil removal and topsoil disposal.

 

Figure 2.10: Simplified site plan of the selected project (Source: Drawn by Dinesh Mataraarachchi)

 

Figure 2.11 shows the basement plan of the selected project. This plan is useful for measuring basement excavation, pit excavation, and trench excavation of the selected project.

 

 

Figure 2.11: Simplified basement plan of the selected project (Source: Drawn by Dinesh Mataraarachchi)

Figure 2.12 highlights the footing details of the selected project. These are useful for identifying the depths of excavation works.

Figure 2.12: Simplified footing details of the selected project (Source: Drawn by Dinesh Mataraarachchi)

The next step is the identification of relevant groundwork items for the selected project. Items such as site clearance, tree removal, topsoil removal, topsoil disposal, basement excavation, pit excavation, trench excavation, disposal of excavated materials, working space, and plastic membrane will be demonstrated in the following section using a step-by-step approach.

Step 1: Open CostX and create a new building (part a of Figure 2.13). Name the building “Early Learning Centre”. Select “Default Project” as the project and set “Meters” for Base UOM as shown in part (b) of Figure 2.13. The building code, building type, and notes can be added if required.

 

Figure 2.13: Screenshots of creating a building using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission

Step 2: Click on the “Drawings” tab and then select “Add Drawings” to import plans into CostX, as illustrated in Figure 2.14.

 

Figure 2.14: Screenshot of inserting the site plan using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 3: Calibrate the drawing using the known X and Y dimensions, as illustrated in the image below. It is recommended to use the longest dimension for calibration to minimise error accumulation. The X-axis was calibrated using the 30,705 mm dimension marked on the site plan (part a), while the Y-axis was calibrated using the 26150 mm dimension indicated on the site plan drawing (part b), as shown in Figure 2.15.

To calibrate the axes separately, make sure to untick “Apply factor to Y axis”; otherwise, the X-axis calibration will also be applied to the Y-axis. Repeat the same process for the Basement Plan.

 

Figure 2.15: Screenshots of calibrating the X and Y axes of the site plan in CostX software using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

After calibration, use the Measure Distance tool in CostX to check a known dimension and confirm that the drawing is calibrated correctly. If it is not, reset the calibration by clicking the Reset Calibration icon, then repeat Step 3 to calibrate the drawing again.

Step 4: Create a dimension group to measure site clearance. Add a dimension group named Site Clearance and set the folder name to Groundworks. Site clearance is measured in square meters; therefore, set both the measurement type and the default display to Area, as shown in Figure 2.16. 

 

Figure 2.16: Screenshot of creating a dimension group to measure site clearance using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 5: Using the Point method, select the boundary of the site clearance area, as illustrated in Figure 2.17.

 

Figure 2.17: Screenshot of measurement of site clearance using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

In this project, the entire site is designated for clearance. As shown in the site plan (Figure 2.9), there are four trees on the site. For demonstration purposes, it is assumed that all four trees will be removed. The girths of the trees are 0.55 m, 0.65 m, 0.85 m, and 0.9 m. According to the standards, these trees fall into the 0.5 m – 1 m category and can be measured together under a single description. 

Step 6: Create a dimension group to measure tree removal. Add a dimension group named “Removal of Trees”. Tree removal is measured by number; therefore, set the measurement type and default display to count as shown in Figure 2.18. 

 

Figure 2.18: Screenshot of creating a dimension group to measure removal of trees using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 7: Using the Point method, select the trees as illustrated in Figure 2.19.

 

Figure 2.19: Screenshot of measurement of tree removal using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 8: Create a dimension group to measure topsoil removal. Add a dimension group named Topsoil removal and set the folder name to Groundworks. Topsoil removal is measured in square meters; therefore, set the measurement type and the default display to Area as shown in Figure 2.20. 

 

Figure 2.20: Screenshot of creating a dimension group to measure topsoil removal using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 9: Using the Point method, select the boundary of topsoil removal as illustrated in Figure 2.21.

 

Figure 2.21: Screenshot of measurement of topsoil removal using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

When measuring the area of topsoil removal, it is important to extend the measurement beyond the building boundary to include any foundation projections that extend past the boundary.

Step 10: Create a dimension group to measure the disposal of topsoil. This can be done either by adding a new dimension group named Disposal of Topsoil or by copying the Topsoil Removal dimension group and renaming it Disposal of Topsoil, as shown in Figure 2.22. Make sure to tick the Copy Dimension box to transfer the measured quantities from the topsoil removal group to the disposal of topsoil dimension group.

 

Figure 2.22: Screenshots of creating a dimension group to measure disposal of topsoil removal using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Disposal of excavated materials is measured in cubic meters. Double-click on the Disposal of Topsoil dimension group, set the measurement type to Area, and the default display to Volume. Set the height to 0.15 m, as we are considering the removal of a 150 mm topsoil layer before other excavation works, as illustrated in Figure 2.23. 

 

Figure 2.23: Screenshots of measurement of disposal of topsoil excavation using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Since the topsoil removal dimension group was copied to create the disposal of topsoil dimension group, the final quantity for topsoil disposal will be displayed in the dimension group once its properties are completed as shown in Figure 2.23.

The proposed project is located on sloping land; therefore, the average height has been used for the basement excavation to present it in a simplified manner in this book. The bottom of the basement slab level is taken as 98.68, while the existing ground level is 101.73. Accordingly, the excavation depth is 3.05 m, calculated as the difference between these two points. Next, add the basement plan to CostX and calibrate the drawing by following the instructions in Steps 2 and 3.

Step 11: Create a dimension group to measure the basement excavation. Add a folder named “Basement Excavation”. Basement excavation is measured in cubic meters; therefore, set the measurement type to Area and the default display to Volume. Enter the excavation height of 3.05 m in the Height box, as shown in Figure 2.24. 

 

Figure 2.24: Screenshot of creating a dimension group to measure basement excavation using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 12: Using the Point method, select the boundary of the basement as illustrated in Figure 2.25.

 

Figure 2.25: Screenshot of measurement of basement excavation using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Pit and trench excavations are carried out after the basement excavation. As shown in Figure 2.12, the height from the top of the slab to the bottom of the pad footings and ground beams is 400 mm, while the slab thickness is 120 mm, as indicated in Figure 2.11. In addition, Figure 2.12 shows a blinding concrete layer beneath the footings, taken as 50 mm. Therefore, the excavation height for both pad footings and ground beams is calculated as 400 + 50 − 120 = 330 mm.

Step 13: Create a dimension group to measure pad footing excavation. Add a folder named “Pad footing”. Pad footing is measured in cubic meters; therefore, set the measurement type to Area and the default display to Volume. Enter the excavation height of 0.33 m in the Height box, as shown in Figure 2.26. 

 

Figure 2.26: Screenshot of creating a dimension group to measure pit excavation using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 14: Using the Point method, select the boundary of pad footings as illustrated in Figure 2.27. In this example, all pad footings are measured together, as they share the same height.

 

Figure 2.27: Screenshot of measurement of pad footings excavation using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 15: Create a dimension group to measure trench excavation. Add a folder named “Trench excavation for ground beams”. Trench excavation is measured in cubic meters; therefore, set the measurement type to Area and the default display to Volume. Enter the excavation height of 0.33 m in the Height box, as shown in Figure 2.28. 

 

Figure 2.28: Screenshot of creating a dimension group to measure trench excavation for ground beams using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 16: Using the Point method, select the boundary of ground beams as illustrated in Figure 2.29.

 

Figure 2.29: Screenshot of measurement of trench excavation for ground beams using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 17: Create a dimension group to measure the disposal of excavated materials. Add a folder named Disposal of Excavated Materials. Disposal of excavated materials is measured in cubic meters; therefore, set the measurement type to Area and the default display to Volume as shown in Figure 2.30. 

 

Figure 2.30: Screenshot of creating a dimension group to measure disposal of excavated materials using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

In this example, excavated materials from the basement, pad footings, and ground beams need to be disposed of. Instead of measuring them again, the already measured quantities from these three-dimension groups can be transferred to the Disposal of Excavated Materials dimension group. The following example demonstrates this process for the basement excavation; repeat the same steps for the pad footings and ground beam excavations.

Step 18: Right-click on the measured quantity of the basement excavation and select Copy Dimensions to Another Dimension Group. In the popup box, choose the Disposal of Excavated Materials folder and click OK. Then, open the dimension group, right-click on the quantity related to the basement excavation, and change the height to 3.05 m as shown in Figure 2.31.

 

Figure 2.31: Screenshots of measurement of disposal of excavated materials using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

The working space for pad footings and trenches is measured together, as their excavation heights are the same. Working space is measured in square meters by multiplying the girth on the outside line of the footing by the depth of the excavation. 

Step 19: Create a dimension group to measure the working space. Add a folder named Working Space. Set the measurement type to Length and the default display to Wall Area. Enter 0.33 m in the Height box, as shown in Figure 2.32.

 

Figure 2.32: Screenshot of creating a dimension group to measure working space using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 20: Using the Point method, select the boundary of the pad footings and trenches as illustrated in Figure 2.33.

 

Figure 2.33: Screenshot of measurement of working space for a pad footings and ground beams using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 21: Create a dimension group to measure the damp proof membrane (DPM). Add a folder named DPM. DPM is measured in square meters. Set the measurement type and the default display to Area, as shown in Figure 2.34. 

 

Figure 2.34: Screenshot of creating a Dimension Group to Measure DPM using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 22: Using the Point method, select the boundary of the DPM as illustrated in Figure 2.35.

 

Figure 2.35: Screenshot of measurement of DPM using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

 

Step 23: In CostX, create a workbook by clicking Add on the Workbook tab, and name it as Early Learning Centre (part a of Figure 2.36).

At the first level of the workbook, set the heading as “Groundworks”, as shown in part b of Figure 2.36.

 

Figure 2.36: Screenshots of creating a workbook using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 24: Double-click the number associated with the “Groundworks” heading, then include the descriptions and UOM as specified in Table 2.1.

Table 2.1: Descriptions of measured groundwork items
Item Description UOM Notes
1 Preamble note Tenderers shall refer to the Introduction, General Rules and Recommendations section of the ANZSMM. Note N/A
2 Preamble note Tenderers shall refer to relevant specification sections containing particulars of groundworks. Note N/A
3 Preamble note Tenderers shall refer to the measurement and prices clauses of the groundworks section in ANZSMM. Note N/A
4 Preamble item Allow for samples of ground materials as specified. Item N/A
5 Preamble item Allow for testing of groundwork materials and similar as required. Item N/A
6 Preamble item Keeping excavations free from rain and percolating water by pumping or other means. Item N/A
7 Site clearance Clearing the site, including the trees girth not exceeding 500 mm, complete with stumps and roots. Square metres N/A
8 Removal of trees Removal of trees complete with stumps and roots, girth 0.5 m – 1 m. Numbers N/A
9 Topsoil excavation Excavating topsoil to be stockpiled, an average depth of 150 mm from existing ground levels. Square metres Specify the average depth.
10 Topsoil disposal Disposal of topsoil stockpiled offsite 1 km away from the excavation. Cubic metres State approximate distance from the site.
11 Basement excavation Basement excavation commencing at bottom of topsoil excavation total depth exceeding 3m but not exceeding 4 m. Cubic metres State the commencing level and depth category.
12 Pit excavation for pad footings Pit excavation for pad footings commencing at the bottom of basement excavation, total depth is less than 1 m, working space 0.5m. Cubic metres N/A
13 Trench excavation for ground beams Trench excavation for ground beams commencing at the bottom of basement excavation, total depth is less than 1 m, working space 0.5m Cubic metres N/A
14 Disposal of excavated materials Disposal of excavated materials offsite 10 km away from the excavation. Cubic metres State approximate distance from the site.
15 Working space Working space for pit and trench excavation, total depth is less than 1 m. Square metres State the depth range and purpose.
16 Plastic membrane 0.2 mm gauge UPVC (unplasticised polyvinyl chloride) waterproof membrane to underside of concrete floor slab, horizontal lapped 150 mm joints sealed with pressure sensitive tape, including turns-ups ≤ 500 mm. Square metres State the laps and jointing required. Quantity includes turnups less than or equal 500 mm.

Figure 2.37 illustrates the descriptions and units of measurement (UOM) of the groundworks items measured in the selected project.

 

Figure 2.37: Screenshot of transferring the descriptions and UOM to the Workbook using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 25: By double-clicking each quantity cell, transfer the measured quantities by dragging them from the dimension groups, as shown in Figure 2.38.

 

Figure 2.38: Screenshot of transferring the measured quantities to the workbook using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

Step 26: Generate the BQs using CostX software by selecting “Report” and then clicking “Print Workbook to Report”, as shown in Figure 2.39.

 

Figure 2.39: Screenshot of generating the BQ using CostX software used with permission from RIB Software (Source: Created by Authors). Any modifications or re-use beyond the context of the handbook requires permission.

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Digital approaches to building measurement: Standards, tools and techniques Copyright © 2025 by Deakin University (Argaw Gurmu, Nilupa Udawatta, Gayani Karunasena, and Reza Taban) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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