On the plot, what does a single lift correspond to?

• A. One unit on the y-axis
• B. A grade of soil
• C. One box
• D. A measure of density

Answer: (C)

In this plotting method for earthwork, the work is shown in discrete lifts, each represented as a box on the chart. A single lift corresponds to one box because the vertical thickness of that lift is drawn as the height of that box, and the amount of earth moved in that lift is shown by the box’s presence and size within the grid. So counting boxes (one box per lift) gives you the number of lifts and the total volume for that lift. The other options don’t fit because a unit on the y-axis is just the vertical scale, a grade of soil is a qualitative category, and a density measure is a physical property, not a plotted unit representing a lift.