Earthwork Estimation: Cut & Fill
In civil engineering and construction, "Earthwork" refers to the movement of soil or rock. Our Earthwork Calculator helps you plan site grading by estimating three critical volumes: the in-place soil to be removed (Cut/Bank), the expanded volume to be hauled away (Loose), and the potential volume this soil could fill if compacted elsewhere (Backfill/Fill).
For specific foundation trenching, you might also find our Excavation Calculator useful.
The Three States of Soil
Soil volume changes depending on its state. This tool calculates all three:
- Bank Volume (BCY): The soil in its natural state before digging. This is the "Cut" volume.
- Loose Volume (LCY): The soil after digging. It expands due to air voids ("Swell"). This determines trucking requirements.
- Compacted Volume (CCY): The soil after it has been placed and compacted with rollers. It usually occupies less space than the original bank due to "Shrinkage".
Formulas Used
We use industry standard factors for estimation:
- Cut (Bank): Length × Width × Depth / 27 (to get Cubic Yards)
- Haul (Loose): Bank Volume × (1 + Swell %)
- Fill (Compacted): Bank Volume × (1 - Shrinkage %). We use a standard 15% shrinkage estimate.
Learn more about Earthworks Engineering on Wikipedia.