compute_ditch
Paid tier only. Calling this without an authenticated CivilQuants account returns TIER_INSUFFICIENT — sign up at https://civilquants.com/pricing or use the free-tier alternative compute_manhole. Linear primary measurement of an open earthwork drainage channel — trapezoidal cross-section, four lin...
This record as markdown: /tools/com-civilquants-civilquants/compute-ditch.md
What compute_ditch does on Civilquants
AI agents invoke compute_ditch to trigger actions in Civilquants. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
params | object | Yes | Parameters for a single open-ditch primary measurement. The geometry is a trapezoidal cross-section run linearly along the ditch alignment. side_slope_h_per_v |
standard | string | — | |
output_mode | string | — | |
deliverables | object | — |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why compute_ditch is rated High
The tool executes a server-side parametric computation (Bills of Quantities estimation) against external standards, triggering authenticated API calls on a paid tier. It is not a simple data retrieval (it actively computes and routes outputs), nor does it write/modify persistent data or perform financial transactions directly.
From the tool's definition 'Calling this without an authenticated CivilQuants account returns TIER_INSUFFICIENT — sign up at https://civilquants.com/pricing' and 'Linear primary measurement of an open earthwork drainage channel' — the tool runs a parametric estimating computation…
Risk signalsHigh parameter count (11 properties)
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs compute_ditch safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Civilquants, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For compute_ditch, this is the rule to start with:
compute_ditch stays usable, but rate-capped: a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Civilquants, apply this rule, and every compute_ditch call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about compute_ditch
Paid tier only. Calling this without an authenticated CivilQuants account returns TIER_INSUFFICIENT — sign up at https://civilquants.com/pricing or use the free-tier alternative compute_manhole. Linear primary measurement of an open earthwork drainage channel — trapezoidal cross-section, four lining variants (unlined / geotextile / granular / concrete). Routes via CESMM4 Class E.4 (excavation for cuttings), NRM2 Group 34.10 (site works: open drains and ditches), MMHW Series 500.4 (SHW Cl. 514 Earthwork ditches and drains), SMM7 R13.4 (Land Drainage — ditches). Eight variant presets cover all four lining types x two characteristic size scenarios each. Unit: M. Second member of the drainage_ancillaries L2 leaf (opened at S32 with connection_to_existing). 20th use of the classed-then-legacy attribute discrimination pattern via the lining_type discriminator. The four standards genuinely diverge on which work-section heading owns ditches (Class E vs Group 34 vs Series 500 vs R13) — the platform renders all four honestly from one source WorkItem. Example params: run_length_m=100 m (1–1000), top_width_mm=1700 mm (200–10000), bottom_width_mm=500 mm (100–5000). Example call: {"params": {"run_length_m": 100, "top_width_mm": 1700, "bottom_width_mm": 500}, "standard": "MMHW"}. Omitted parameters use sensible engineering defaults. Pass deliverables=["xlsx","dxf","pdf"] (any subset) to also receive one-shot download URLs in the same call: Excel BoQ (both tiers, watermarked free) plus the dimensioned DXF (CAD) and PDF drawing sheets (paid tier). It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Civilquants MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
compute_ditch accepts 4 parameters: params, standard, output_mode, deliverables. Required: params. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Civilquants MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for compute_ditch: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Civilquants. Nothing to install.
compute_ditch is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the compute_ditch rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for compute_ditch. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
compute_ditch is provided by the Civilquants MCP server (https://api.civilquants.com/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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