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Bank + loose volumeSwell factorFree

Excavation
Volume

Estimate the volume to excavate (bank / in-place) and the loose volume to haul after bulking. Enter the pit dimensions and the soil swell factor to size dig and disposal.

Who it's for: site engineers, quantity surveyors, and contractors who need bank volume and loose (haul) volume before construction mobilization to size earthwork disposal and schedule trucks.

Loose = bank × (1 + swell)
Bank volume = L × W × D. Loose volume applies the swell percentage entered by the user. Confirm that project-specific assumption from the geotechnical or earthwork information.
Excavation
Bank · loose volume

How to use this calculator

1
Choose your units
Select metres (results in m³) or feet (results in ft³ and yd³) to match your site drawings.
2
Enter the pit length
The longest horizontal dimension of the rectangular excavation footprint.
3
Enter the pit width
The shorter horizontal dimension of the excavation footprint, perpendicular to the length.
4
Enter the excavation depth
The vertical cut depth from existing grade to the bottom of the pit.
5
Enter the swell percentage
Use the project-specific expansion assumption for the excavated material. Check the geotechnical or earthwork information for the site.
6
Read the results
The calculator shows bank (in-place) volume and the loose volume produced by the entered swell percentage.

The formula

The calculator first finds rectangular in-place volume, then increases it by the swell percentage entered by the user.

Bank volume = L × W × D
Loose volume = Bank × (1 + Swell / 100)

L — pit length (m or ft)
W — pit width (m or ft)
D — pit depth (m or ft)
Swell % — user-entered percentage expansion; 25 means loose volume is 1.25 × bank volume

Worked example

Example
A rectangular pit 12 m × 8 m at 2.5 m deep contains 240 m³ of in-place (bank) material. With an entered swell assumption of 25%, the loose volume to haul is 300 m³ — 60 m³ more than was dug.

When this estimate will be off

  • Assumes a rectangular pit with vertical sides — sloped or battered excavations need a separate volume calculation for each side-slope wedge.
  • Swell is a user-entered, site-specific assumption rather than a value determined by this calculator; confirm it from project geotechnical or earthwork information.
  • Does not account for over-excavation tolerance, working-space allowances around the neat line, or compaction of fill material returned to the pit.
  • Stepped or compound excavations (varying depth across the footprint) must be split into separate rectangular sections and summed.

Frequently asked questions

A common mistake: Assumes a rectangular pit with vertical sides — sloped or battered excavations need a separate volume calculation for each side-slope wedge.

Bank volume is the undisturbed, in-place volume before excavation. Loose volume is the result after applying the user-entered swell percentage. A positive swell input makes loose volume larger than bank volume; a zero input makes them equal. The calculator does not determine the correct swell assumption for the material.

Use a project-specific swell assumption from the geotechnical investigation or earthwork plan. The calculator intentionally does not prescribe a percentage because expansion varies with material condition, moisture, excavation method, and handling. If no verified project value exists, treat any entered factor as an estimating assumption and test the result as a range.

Divide loose volume by the usable volume capacity of one truck and round up to a whole trip. A 10 m³ truck carrying 300 m³ of loose material requires at least 30 full-capacity loads. Confirm whether the project limits loads by volume, payload mass, access, or local hauling rules before scheduling.

No. Excavation dimensions can include working space, side slopes, over-excavation, or other allowances that are not part of the concrete geometry. This calculator reports only the rectangular excavation and entered swell assumption. Compare the excavation model with the foundation and backfill quantities separately when estimating disposal or imported fill.

Sources

  • Implemented calculation basis — The page script calculates bank volume as length × width × depth and loose volume as bank volume × (1 + user-entered swell percentage / 100). These are elementary volume and percentage calculations; no controlling code standard is applied.
  • Project-specific swell input — The calculator does not prescribe a material swell factor. The entered percentage must be checked against the project geotechnical or earthwork information before haul planning or procurement.

This free Excavation Volume Calculator is built and maintained by DataDrivenAEC, using the relevant codes and standards. It does not substitute for professional judgment.