How to Calculate Pipe Slope & Invert Elevations Getting pipe from Point A to Point B isn’t difficult on paper. Getting it there at the right line and grade, while maintaining slope through structures, crossings, changing depths, and real field conditions, is where the work begins. A foreman doesn’t need to be a surveyor or engineer. But if you’re responsible for installing pipe, you should understand the math well enough to answer three basic questions: Where am I starting? W

A grade stake can look like nothing more than a piece of wood covered with numbers and abbreviations. But to a civil construction crew, that stake can tell you where the work belongs, how far you are from it, what elevation you’re trying to reach, and whether you need to cut or fill to get there. You don’t need to be a surveyor to understand grade stakes. You do need to understand enough to know what the information is telling you—and recognize when something doesn’t make sen