Mass haul movement

Construction works, particularly large civil engineering works, can involve very significant movements of material to excavate, fill and generally change the levels of the site or sites.

A mass haul movement is the movement of excavated material from where it arises to where it is to be used, treated or disposed of. This movement may be undertaken by railway, by road or it may be within the construction area of the project itself. Ref The HS2 London-West Midlands Environmental Statement, Glossary of terms and list of abbreviations, DETR 2013.

The term ‘mass haul’ refers to the volume of material moved multiplied by the distance it is moved.

Mass haul diagrams give a graphical view of the material moved, showing balance points (where the cut and fill volumes are equal), free haul and overhaul regions, and grade points (the highest and lowest points). These can be used to compare alternative proposals, and to give a clearer understanding of overall material movements.