Understand Calculations

Use the Calculation tab to perform a precise calculation of the production process. The quantity, work rate, and duration parameters are connected, e.g., duration = quantity/ work rate. This is the simplest equation. To model real site conditions with changing quantities or changing work rates along the distance axis, many parameters can be used.

Ways to access


The most important parameter is the Calculate field. This sets the base for all further entries. The value you select from this combo defines, which parameter of the equation above is calculated. E. g. If the work rate is selected, then this value is calculated and can not be entered.

The field: Calculate

The entry <none> indicates that no calculation is done to set the duration of the Activity.

The entry Quantity | work rate | Duration is based on a simple equation: Duration = Quantity/work rate.

The entry Length can only be set in combination with the distance-based calculation of Quantity. In this case, a Quantity factor unit is set. Length = Duration * work rate / Quantity factor. The value Set Quantity by needed to set to Distance.

The advanced models, that are described below, are not based on a linear Activity. The Activity gets split into segments.

The entry Duration (Data From Profile) means that the duration is calculated based on the quantity of the Activity and the work rate.  Select a profile that contains the information for the Activity calculation. Both quantity and work rate can be derived from the profile, but must not.

Option: Use Apply only total quantity. This option is visible if the Calculation Duration (Data from profile) is selected and the work rate is constant along the whole Activity (Set work rate by is "Plan work rate" or "Resource calculation"). The result of this option: The Activity gets no longer cut into segments based on the profile stations and a straight Activity line is built from the start to the end of the Activity. The quantity is still calculated based on the start and end location points. Use this option for example on earth movements, where you have many measurement points, but only the sum of quantity is important. This may speed up the calculation.

The entry Duration (Speed From Sector Types) means the duration is calculated based on the length of the Activity and the speed of the process set in the field planned speed. A Sector Profiles, which contains hindrances, can be set. In addition, a base speed needs to be set; this is the default speed if not specified at the sector level. For each Sector Type a different speed can be set. This is ideal for railway work, where crossing forces a speed reduction and setup time. The Calculate Activity Speed button allows you to recalculate the speed based on an entered end date/time or duration.

The entry Duration (With Setup Times) means, the duration is calculated based in the same way as it would be = Duration, but a Setup time at start and end can be added.

In the advanced models based on work rate, also a Seasonal Profile can be applied. This sets based on periods of different Quantity rate percentage values.

In the advanced models, a setup time at the start and end can be applied.

See further detailed information in the Getting Started: Calculate Activities.

Set working speed based on a sector

Note:  You can no longer define speed in a sector profile. The Speed token (now obsolete) and Speed column have been removed from the Sector Profile Properties dialog. If you have an earlier project in which sector speed was defined in this way, the column and values will remain visible in that project.

The fields: Length, work rate, and duration

In advanced calculation, the Quantity field shows the total of the Activity, which is the sum of all Activities segments and can then not be edited. It is mainly controlled by the option Set Quantity by. The Unit refers to the list in Units in the library.

The field work rate shows the average work rate along the activity; it is not edited. The work rate time unit refers to the list in Units in the library. It is mainly controlled by the option Set work rate by.

The duration is displayed in the select duration time unit set in Option/Setting.

Based on the value of the field Calculate further dialogue edit fields are presented. These options are described in the chapter Activity calculation.

The field: Set quantity by

There are different ways to calculate the quantity of an Activity.

The field work rate can be set in different modes.

The following options can only be set if the field Calculate has been set to Duration (Data from Profile).

The average work rate for the whole Activity is shown on the left side of the Quantity field.

Seasonal profile

During the rainy periods, it might be smaller than in other periods. For the advanced calculation models, a seasonal profile can be assigned. The seasonal profile line contains a date and a percentage value that should be applied to the work rate after this date.

Activity segment description

For each activity calculated in advance calculation mode where the Activity is split in segments, each segment can have an individual text description. This gets set in the Activity description properties.

A start and end setup time can be edited.

Activity summary

The activity summary is printed In the right area. This is a read-only text field representing activity data. The content of these fields can be set in Dialog > Options > Activity. Tokens can be used to set the content of that field.

Train calculation

Click the icon  'Enable railway features. These features are used to calculate the setup of the train performing the Activity Quantity. This feature allows one to calculate the train setup: The number of wagons used, the lengths, and also the weight of the train. The shape of the train can be calculated based on the lengths of the train using the display type parallelogram distance.

Note:  The icon is only visible if train setup is set to  'Ballast train' or 'Spoil train'.

Note:  The options are only evaluated, as the Activity display type is set to parallelogram distance in the tab display.

How far can I go? Calculate end distance

If Activity Length x  Quantity Factor is set up for quantity a button appears:

With the following dialog you may calculate the distance you may go from a given end date.