Excavation Calculator

Calculate excavation volume for foundations, pools, and trenches. Get bank and loose cubic yards with swell factor by soil type.

⛏️ Excavation Calculator

Results

Bank Volume44.4 cu yd
Swell FactorΓ—1.25
Loose Volume55.6 cu yd
Truck Loads (14 yd)4.0 loads

πŸ’‘ How to Calculate Excavation Volume

Excavation volumes must account for swell β€” soil expands when removed from the ground. Clay swells 35%, common earth 25%, sand 10%, and rock 50%. Bank cubic yards (in ground) Γ— swell factor = loose cubic yards (in truck).

Standard dump trucks hold about 14 cubic yards of loose material. For trenches, add 1–2 feet of extra width for working space around foundations and utilities. Stockpiled soil will also need more space than in-ground volume due to swell.

A 20Γ—15Γ—4 ft foundation excavation in clay: bank volume = 44.4 cu yd Γ— 1.35 swell = 60 cu yd loose. That is about 4.3 truck loads.

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