What is the term for the distance between successive cross sections in volume calculations?

• A. Distance from grade stake to alignment.
• B. Spacing between cross sections.
• C. Width of the trench.
• D. Height of the cut.

Answer: (B)

In earthwork volume work, you estimate volume by taking cross sections at regular intervals along the alignment and calculating their areas. The distance you space these sections apart is called the spacing between cross sections. This spacing determines how detailed the volume estimate is—the smaller the spacing, the more accurate the result, since more of the ground profile is captured. The other terms describe different aspects (layout distances or physical dimensions like trench width or cut height) rather than the sampling interval used for volume calculations.