Reduce Element

The Reduce element is used to remove a fixed thickness of material from an area of the site. This element is most commonly used for stripping topsoil at the start of a project, and for making subgrade adjustments.

The properties that are exposed for the Reduce element are summarised below.

	Boundary Boundary button provides access to the editor wherein the definition points can be defined for the outline of the Reduce area. Depth This is the depth of material that you wish to remove from the Reduce area. Depths From This setting dictates from what surface the specified depths are relative to. ‘Ground’ can be selected or you can select the ‘Previous Element’ if you want the depths to be relative to the surface when the previous element in the calculation order is built. You can also select a named element. When the ‘Auto’ option is active ‘Depths From’ is dynamically set to the first absolute element above it in the calculation order. If there aren’t any, it is set to ground. The behaviour when ‘Auto’ is active is desirable in most circumstances. Side Batter The Reduce boundary is joined to the ground by side slopes. The side batter (set as a ratio of vertical to horizontal) dictates the angle of these slopes. Turning side batter off will result in the Reduce being joined to the ground with vertical sides.

Boundary
Boundary button provides access to the editor wherein the definition points can be defined for the outline of the Reduce area.
Depth
This is the depth of material that you wish to remove from the Reduce area.
Depths From
This setting dictates from what surface the specified depths are relative to. ‘Ground’ can be selected or you can select the ‘Previous Element’ if you want the depths to be relative to the surface when the previous element in the calculation order is built. You can also select a named element. When the ‘Auto’ option is active ‘Depths From’ is dynamically set to the first absolute element above it in the calculation order. If there aren’t any, it is set to ground. The behaviour when ‘Auto’ is active is desirable in most circumstances.
Side Batter
The Reduce boundary is joined to the ground by side slopes. The side batter (set as a ratio of vertical to horizontal) dictates the angle of these slopes. Turning side batter off will result in the Reduce being joined to the ground with vertical sides.

Topsoil Stripping looks at using the Reduce element to complete topsoil stripping operations and explains the importance of always having the strip depths defined on a different phase to subsequent earthwork elevations.