Volume equalization method for land grading design: Uniform sloped grading in one direction in rectangular fields

Abstract

Land grading is an important procedure at accomplishing the efficient surface irrigation. This paper presents a new method (volume equalization method-VEM) which has been developed to perform land grading design in designing the uniform sloped grading in one direction. The main goal of this method was to minimize the volumes of earth work required for acceptable smooth surface. The method is based on the assumption that, before and after grading, the soil volumes measured from a reference elevation are equal. The method eliminates the need for trial and error procedures. According to the results of the application of the complete design procedure to a hypothetical area about 2.21 ha, the method was as accurate as the conventional least-squares method in rectangular fields.

Key words: Land grading, land leveling, volume equalization method.