Calculators
Excavation Volume Calculator
Calculate excavation volume, loose volume after swell and the number of truckloads to haul it away.
- Runs in your browser
- Nothing uploaded
The tool
Enter your numbers below. Results update as you type, and nothing leaves your browser.
Everything you enter stays on your own machine. Nothing is sent to us or to anyone else, which you can confirm in your browser network tab.
What people use it for
- Quoting excavation and haul-off
- Planning foundations and pools
- Scheduling trucks
- Estimating disposal costs
About this tool
What the Excavation Volume Calculator does
Soil measured in the ground (bank volume) expands when dug out, a property called swell, so there is more to haul than the hole’s volume. Multiply length, width and depth, apply the swell factor for your soil, and divide by truck capacity to plan haulage.
Formula
- Bank volume = length × width × depth (÷ 27 for cubic yards)
- Loose volume = bank volume × (1 + swell)
- Truckloads = loose volume ÷ truck capacity
Worked example
Using the starting values in the calculator above:
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Units | Feet and inches |
| Length | 30 |
| Width | 20 |
| Depth | 4 |
| Swell factor | 25% |
| Truck capacity | 12 |
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Bank volume (in place) | 88.9 |
| Loose volume to haul | 111.1 |
| Truckloads | 10 |
How to read the result
Sloped sides for safety or benching increase the volume beyond a simple box; add them for deep trenches.
Compacted fill shrinks, so backfill needs more loose material than the space it fills.
Quantities are estimates. Check product data sheets and local codes, and confirm with your supplier before ordering.
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Questions
Questions about this tool
The things clients actually want to know — costs, timelines, ownership and what happens after launch.
The increase in volume when soil is dug out and loosened.
Divide by 27.
Commonly 10 to 16 cubic yards for a standard dump truck, depending on size.
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