Table of Contents

• What is a transported soil volume management tool?

• Benefits of introducing a transported soil volume management tool

• Steps to introduce it on site

• Tips for successful operation

• Further streamline transported soil volume management by using simplified surveying

• FAQ

To efficiently process and transport the large volumes of spoil and soil generated at construction sites, leveraging a transported soil volume management tool is key. In recent years, DX (digital transformation) has progressed in the construction industry, and the digitization of dump truck operation management and soil volume measurement has accelerated. However, introducing a new tool to a site and getting it to take root requires prior preparation and ingenuity. This article explains in detail how to introduce a transported soil volume management tool on site and the points to ensure its successful operation.

What is a transported soil volume management tool?

A transported soil volume management tool is a system for digitally managing the “amount of soil moved” and the “transport operations” that occur at construction sites. Specifically, it centrally manages the movement of soil on and off site by grasping in real time dump truck positions, the number of trips, and the amount of soil loaded. Traditionally, workers manually counted the number of transport vehicles or coordinated by phone or radio; these tasks are characterized by being “visualized” through dedicated apps and cloud systems.

By introducing this tool, you can automatically record “when, how much soil, and from where to where” soil was transported. For example, if each truck is equipped with a GPS terminal, managers can check vehicle positions and operation histories in real time from a remote site office. By linking loaded amounts with truck weight sensors or on-site soil volume measurement results, accurate soil volume management becomes possible. Such transported soil volume management tools are gaining attention not only for improving site efficiency but also for ensuring legal compliance (preventing overloading and improper spoil disposal) and simplifying reporting tasks. As the construction industry advances ICT-based construction management, exemplified by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s *i-Construction*, soil transport volume management has become an important subfield.

Benefits of introducing a transported soil volume management tool

Introducing a transported soil volume management tool brings various benefits to the site. The main advantages are summarized below.

• Improved work efficiency: By knowing the current location and expected arrival time of dumps, heavy equipment operators can reduce idle time waiting for dump trucks. On sites that have introduced ICT operation management systems, reports exist that heavy equipment operators’ and traffic controllers’ waiting times fell to zero, resulting in about a 20% reduction in labor costs. Making each vehicle’s movement visible also makes it easier to coordinate concurrent tasks and breaks, improving overall site productivity.

• Cost reduction: Improved transport efficiency reduces unnecessary idling and empty runs, leading to fuel cost savings. Proper ordering and dispatch of the required number of dumps prevents wasteful spending from excessive vehicle arrangements. If real-time management leads to shortened construction periods, it will contribute to overall project cost reduction.

• Enhanced safety and compliance: Digital management can prevent overloading. If a vehicle is equipped with a weight sensor, the system can issue alerts when the load exceeds regulations, preventing illegal overloaded runs. Proper loading helps maintain braking performance and reduces road stress, contributing to accident prevention and infrastructure protection. Because operation records are retained, evidence such as “when, where, what, and how many trucks transported material” can be submitted, ensuring legal compliance and robust reporting to the main contractor.

• Smooth coordination between sites and companies: If the client (main contractor) and dump operators (subcontractors) share the same system, communication errors caused by phone or fax are reduced. Being able to request the number of dumps needed via the web when required reduces the workload of the person arranging vehicles. Communication lapses and transmission errors to drivers are almost eliminated, making unnecessary waiting times and troubles less likely.

• Ensured traceability of soil: Logging transport enables you to grasp “when and from where to where removed soil was transported.” This allows tracking whether spoil is being properly disposed of or reused, preventing illegal dumping and contributing to environmental protection. Recently, soil disasters have raised concerns over embankment management deficiencies, but properly managing soil movement histories, including transported volumes, is expected to reduce such risks. Some local governments require submission of transport records for construction-generated soil; system introduction enables reliable data submission.

• Data accumulation and utilization: Digital management automatically accumulates data on transport frequency and soil volumes. Analyzing this big data helps improve the accuracy of future cost estimates and construction planning. For example, knowing the average transport cycle time for soil enables more precise dump count planning on the next site. Accumulated data becomes an internal knowledge asset and valuable material for operational improvement.

In this way, transported soil volume management tools provide a wide range of benefits, from improving site efficiency and safety to environmental measures and future planning. Additionally, using the latest ICT tools demonstrates technical capability and reliability to clients and society, potentially improving corporate image and strengthening competitiveness in procurement.

Steps to introduce it on site

So, what steps should you take to actually introduce a transported soil volume management tool on site? Below are general introduction steps.

• Clarify needs and obtain internal agreement: First, organize what problems your company wants to solve. Identify the current state of the site and clarify the introduction purpose, such as “reducing dump waiting time,” “eliminating overloading,” or “strengthening tracking of spoil destinations.” Involve not only site personnel but also management and related departments to build internal consensus on the need for introduction. If the purpose is shared, the whole site can more readily engage positively.

• Select a tool and formulate a plan: Next, select a transported soil volume management tool that fits your objectives. Compare functions and introduction forms of various products (cloud service vs. on-premises, rental equipment vs. purchase, etc.). List priority functional requirements such as “real-time position tracking,” “automatic aggregation of soil volume,” and “operability manageable by site staff.” Also plan the introduction scope (which site or work type to start with), schedule, and budget.

• Prepare necessary equipment and environment: Prepare the equipment and communication environment required for tool introduction. Specifically, GPS terminals to be mounted on dump trucks, smartphones for drivers, and PCs for monitoring in the site office. Recent systems may obtain location information simply by plugging a dedicated terminal into the truck’s cigarette lighter socket, or by having drivers install an app on their smartphones. For communication, if the site is in a mountainous area with weak signal, consider pocket Wi‑Fi or relay antenna installation. Check signal conditions in advance and prepare an environment for smooth data communication.

• Design on-site operation flows: To avoid panic when actually using the tool, design operation flows in advance. Decide “who,” “when,” and “what to input/check,” and clarify role assignments. For example, input the day’s planned removal volume into the system during the morning meeting; the driver presses a button on a smartphone when departing and arriving; the site supervisor exports and checks the daily report from the system in the evening—assume concrete procedures like these. To avoid double management with paper slips or daily reports, integrate and simplify existing workflows and system operation as much as possible.

• Pilot operation (pilot introduction): Rather than introducing it across all sites at once, first pilot it on a small site or within a limited scope. Using it in practice reveals on-site reactions and operational issues. During the trial period, adjust settings (e.g., change the radius of notification areas or alert thresholds), revise operation rules, and prepare manuals based on feedback. Actively incorporating input from site staff reduces resistance at full introduction and polishes the system to be more user-friendly.

• Training and thorough dissemination: Before full introduction, provide training to stakeholders. Explain the required operations for drivers, heavy equipment operators, site supervisors, and security guards, and have them practice with actual devices. Give one-on-one follow-up to veteran employees unfamiliar with digital tools so they can feel “it was easy to use” or “this will make work easier.” Also reiterate the purpose and expected effects of the introduction so the whole site can cooperate.

• Full introduction and institutionalization: When preparations are complete, start full operation of the transported soil volume management tool. In the early stages of introduction, assigning a support person on site to quickly respond to operational questions or troubles provides reassurance. For the first few weeks after starting operation, closely follow whether data are being collected as planned and whether there are any on-site issues. Regularly verify effectiveness using collected data (for example, “waiting time decreased by ◯%” or “confirm that the amount removed matches the amount received”). Seeing results increases site motivation and helps the tool take root in site operations.

Tips for successful operation

To master an introduced tool and make it stick on site, there are several points to consider. Introducing a system is meaningless if it is not used. Keep the following tips in mind to successfully operate a transported soil volume management tool.

• Re-share purpose and benefits: Keep everyone on site aware of the tool’s purpose and benefits even after introduction. If the introduction purpose becomes vague, people will not understand “why they should bother entering data,” and usage will decline. Regularly provide feedback in morning meetings or conferences—such as “thanks to this system, waiting time decreased by ◯ hours”—so site staff can experience the benefits.

• Incorporate on-site feedback: Actively listen to opinions and requests from site staff who actually use the system. Don’t ignore comments like “this operation is a hassle on site” or “we want this feature”; improve operation rules where possible or consult the vendor about feature enhancements. When site voices are reflected, a sense of “this tool is for us” develops and staff will use it proactively.

• Demonstrate leadership: It is important that leaders such as site supervisors or foremen take the lead in using the tool. If leaders are negative, saying “it’s a bother” or “we can stick with the old way,” others will follow. Conversely, if managers themselves check daily reports via the system and issue instructions based on numerical progress, the whole site will adopt an “it’s normal to use it” atmosphere. Top-down drive is also important.

• Start with simple operations: Don’t aim for advanced use from the start; begin with simple utilization. For example, initially focus on “position tracking and vehicle counting” or “entering only key items.” Once the site gets used to the tool and feels its effects, gradually expand its use. Avoid overloading the site at once to reduce burden and achieve smoother adoption.

• Integrate into routines: Make the tool part of daily on-site routines. For example, “report the number of departed dumps in a mid-morning report at 10:00” or “confirm today’s removal volume on the system screen before wrapping up.” Once habitual, it’s harder to forget and continued use becomes normal.

• Use support systems: Ensure you can receive appropriate support from the vendor or internal IT after introduction. If system troubles are left unattended for long, site distrust increases, so decide fast response contact routes. Also provide ongoing follow-up such as additional training for new staff and handling software updates.

By keeping these points in mind, the transported soil volume management tool will continue to function not merely as a “monitoring system” but as a trusted “improvement tool” on site. Position the tool as a means to improve work practices and encourage everyone to use it—that is the shortcut to success.

Further streamline transported soil volume management by using simplified surveying

Finally, to manage site soil volumes more smartly, consider using simplified surveying. Traditionally, measuring spoil volume required surveyors to set out stakes on site, or to shape piles with heavy equipment and measure with a total station, which took time and effort. Recently, however, tools that use smartphones or drones to easily perform 3D measurements and calculate soil volumes have emerged.

For example, scanning a spoil pile with a smartphone immediately calculates the volume on the spot and tells you “how many dump trucks’ worth of soil” it is. Tasks that used to take half a day or more for field surveying and office calculations can be completed with a few minutes of scanning. Quickly grasping daily progress (soil volume) dramatically speeds up decision-making for the next day’s heavy equipment operation plan and dump dispatch numbers.

A representative smart tool that enables such simplified surveying is LRTK (El-Arr-Tee-Kay). LRTK attaches a small high‑precision GNSS receiver to a smartphone and, using a dedicated app, allows anyone to easily perform 3D surveying on site. By simply walking around the site you can acquire high-density point cloud data, and immediately perform volume calculations and planar measurements in the cloud. For example, scanning embankments or spoil piles instantly yields the volume or the excess/deficit relative to a reference elevation. The major benefit is that you can grasp required quantities with just your smartphone—no specialized surveying knowledge or expensive equipment required. There are reports where surveying tasks that used to require two people were completed by one person, and where reshaping piles with heavy equipment became unnecessary, reducing fuel costs. LRTK is a solution compatible with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s *i-Construction* and strongly supports site DX.

If you feel “I want daily soil volume calculations to be easier and more accurate,” consider using smart surveying tools like LRTK. If site staff themselves can quickly grasp quantities, the accuracy and efficiency of transported soil volume management will improve dramatically.

FAQ

Q: How much does it cost to introduce a transported soil volume management tool? A: Introduction costs vary widely depending on the system type and site scale. Cloud service models charge monthly fees, while dedicated-equipment types incur equipment purchase and initial setup costs. Some services offer low-cost plans for small sites. There may also be municipal or national subsidies (such as ICT utilization promotion subsidies), so check available support measures at the time of introduction. The important point is to assess whether the benefits—labor cost reduction and cost savings from shortened construction periods—justify the expense; in many cases, the investment pays off in the long run.

Q: Is it worth introducing even on small construction sites? A: Yes, there are sufficient benefits even for small sites. Even with a small number of dump trucks, you can gain effects such as preventing overloading and recording transport history. Getting accustomed to digital management at a small scale makes it easier to respond when the site scale expands in the future. Recently, easy-to-use tools that operate only with a smartphone have appeared, making introduction feasible even for small sites.

Q: Can older staff or people weak at IT use it effectively? A: Many tools feature intuitive user interfaces, so if users can perform basic smartphone operations, they can usually use the system without problems. Some may be confused at first, but with training and on-site follow-up, they gradually become accustomed. There are veteran workers who say, “I was anxious at first, but it was easy to use.” The important thing is to help them understand that the tool reduces their burden and brings benefits. If someone on site acts as a support person to help when problems arise, people weak at IT can gradually become proficient.

Q: Can real-time management be done in areas without signal? A: In completely signal-less areas, real-time data communication is difficult, but there are countermeasures. Many systems record data on the device while offline and automatically transmit it when the signal returns. Therefore, recording is accumulated even at temporarily out-of-coverage sites and later reflected in the cloud. For sites that are continuously out of range, options include installing a communication antenna at the site office or using satellite communication-capable equipment. By checking signal conditions in advance and securing temporary communication means as needed, you can approach real-time management as much as possible even in out-of-range environments.

Q: How is the transported volume of soil measured? A: Generally, soil volume is calculated from the truck’s loading capacity or weight per truck. Some systems link with onboard load sensors to automatically record loaded weight. Another method is to scan piled soil using drones or tools like LRTK to measure volume and then convert that into the number of dump trucks. Using measured values rather than just estimating by truck count × nominal capacity allows more accurate soil volume management. Combine these methods as appropriate to ensure accurate accounting of shortages and surpluses.

Q: Is installing equipment on trucks and heavy machinery difficult? A: Modern transport management systems are designed to minimize the effort needed for installation and setup. GPS transmitters have become compact and can often be installed by plugging into a dump’s cigarette lighter socket or attaching with a magnet to the body. Systems that only require drivers to run a dedicated app on a smartphone are also available. Major modifications to heavy equipment or trucks are unnecessary in most cases; installation typically takes from several minutes to several tens of minutes. Vendors often support initial setup, so the site does not need to perform difficult construction work.