Estimate bank and loose excavation volume for rectangular pits, trenches, sloped excavations, or a known in-place volume. Add project-specific swell, density, truck capacity, and pricing when available.
Rectangular pits and trenches reuse rectangular-prism geometry. Sloped excavations use a centered rectangular-frustum formula from bottom dimensions, depth, and a user-entered horizontal-to-vertical slope.
Dimensions are normalized before calculation. Sections are multiplied by quantity, swell is applied once to bank volume, and optional mass uses bank volume with in-place density.
bank volume = length × width × depth × quantityV = h ÷ 3 × (A₁ + A₂ + √(A₁ × A₂)) × quantitybank volume × (1 + swell % ÷ 100)bank volume × in-place densityceiling(loose volume ÷ volume capacity), or ceiling(mass ÷ weight capacity)A 20 × 10 × 6 ft pit contains 1,200 ft³, or about 44.444 yd³ bank volume. With 20% swell, loose volume is about 53.333 yd³.
A 100 × 2 × 4 ft trench contains 800 ft³, or about 29.630 yd³ bank volume. With 15% swell, loose volume is about 34.074 yd³.
A sloped pit with a 10 × 8 ft bottom, 4 ft depth, and 1H:1V slope has an 18 × 16 ft top and uses the rectangular-frustum formula.
A 121 yd³ loose volume divided by a 15 yd³ truck capacity is 8.07 exact loads, rounded upward to 9 planning loads.
Soils bulk differently. Confirm a planning factor from project information rather than assuming a universal percentage.
Truck loading can be limited by volume and legal weight. When both are entered, the calculator uses the larger load count.
Compacted-fill shrinkage is a different concept and is not calculated here.
Bank volume is material in place before excavation. Loose volume is the expanded haul volume after the user-entered swell factor.
Swell changes volume, not material mass. Weight is calculated from bank volume and in-place density, never from loose volume using unchanged bank density.
Density, truck capacity, and price are optional user inputs. Volume truckloads use loose volume; weight truckloads require density. Cost can use bank volume, loose volume, or the calculated truckload count.
Do not use this calculator to select a safe trench or excavation slope. It does not determine soil classification, shoring, trench boxes, groundwater controls, or regulatory compliance.
Multiply length, width, and depth for vertical-sided excavations, or use the frustum calculation for centered uniform side slopes.
The calculator converts bank volume to cubic yards and separately shows loose cubic yards after your swell input.
Bank volume is the volume of soil in place before it is disturbed.
Swell or bulking is the volume increase after excavation. It varies by material and conditions.
No. Swell changes occupied volume, not mass; this calculator preserves mass across swell.
Enter loose-volume capacity, weight capacity with density, or both. Results round upward to whole planning loads.
No. Never use it to select slopes or protective systems.
No. Only a user-entered volume or truckload price is included.