Earthwork volume check.
Calculate bank volume for vertical or sloped trench cuts, then apply an editable swell factor and truck capacity for an indicative haulage count.
Describe the excavation.
Use average dimensions for a uniform trench. Break changing ground or formation levels into separate calculations.
Separate bank and loose volumes.
A vertical cut uses bottom width × depth. A sloped cut uses the trapezoidal cross-section: (bottom width + top width) ÷ 2 × depth.
Cross-sectional area is multiplied by length and the number of identical cuts to obtain bank volume. The entered swell percentage converts bank volume to an indicative loose volume for handling and haulage.
Swell varies materially by soil, rock, moisture, excavation method, and compaction. Use a project-specific value and reconcile truck counts with payload, legal load limits, and actual bulking.