If cut and fill are equal, the earthwork volume is said to be:

• A. Unbalanced
• B. Balanced
• C. Zeroed
• D. Equalized

Answer: (B)

When evaluating earthwork, you compare the volume of material to be cut from the existing ground with the volume needed to fill to the proposed grade. If these two quantities are identical, there is no net surplus or deficit of material. This situation is called balanced earthwork, meaning the project requires no net import or export of soil—the same amount cut is used to fill elsewhere on site. In Civil 3D practice, this corresponds to a net volume of zero between the existing ground surface and the proposed design surface. Other terms like unbalanced describe a mismatch between cut and fill, and terms such as equalized or zeroed are not the standard way to describe this condition.