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Earthwork Cut and Fill Calculator
Estimate average-grade cut or fill, loose hauled cut, required imported fill, whole truck trips, daily hauling, and disposal cost from site area and soil adjustment factors.
Existing minus proposed average elevation (m)-
Bank cut volume (m³)-
Compacted fill volume (m³)-
Loose cut after swell (m³)-
Loose-equivalent fill import (m³)-
Whole truck trips for larger movement-
Average trips per planned day (trips/day)-
Disposal cost for loose cut-
Decision view
Terrain cut-fill section and haul plan
Terrain cut-fill section and haul planExisting and proposed grade lines shade the cut or fill zone before soil-state conversion and whole-truck planning.
Exact scenario comparisonProposed average elevation (m) changes while all other entered assumptions remain constant.
| Proposed average elevation (m) | Existing minus proposed average elevation (m) | Bank cut volume (m³) | Compacted fill volume (m³) | Loose cut after swell (m³) | Loose-equivalent fill import (m³) | Whole truck trips for larger movement | Average trips per planned day (trips/day) | Disposal cost for loose cut |
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How to use Earthwork Cut and Fill Calculator
- Enter plan area and comparable existing and proposed average elevations.
- Enter swell and compaction allowances for the material.
- Enter truck capacity, haul days, and unit disposal cost.
- Use the terrain section to confirm whether the case is cut or fill.
Calculator guide
Understanding Earthwork Cut and Fill Calculator
Earthwork quantities change depending on whether material is measured in place, loose in trucks, or compacted as fill. This calculator keeps those states separate and shows how a proposed grade creates either cut or fill.
Calculation method
How the calculation works
Use plan area and average elevation difference to separate cut from fill, then apply distinct swell and compaction allowances and trucking capacity. Multiply site area by signed existing-minus-proposed grade, separate positive cut from fill, apply swell or compaction conversion, and round transport to whole trucks.
Detailed calculation process
Translate a grade difference into bank, loose, and compacted volumes
The defaults lower 5,000 m² from elevation 102.4 m to 101.8 m, with 18% swell and 12% compaction allowance.
General formula: Δz = z_exist - z_prop; V_cut = A max(Δz,0); V_fill = A max(-Δz,0); V_loose = V_cut(1+s); V_import = V_fill(1+c); N = ceil[max(V_loose,V_import)/V_truck] A positive existing-minus-proposed elevation means cut; a negative difference means fill. Cut swells for haul volume, while compacted fill needs extra imported loose volume.
What each symbol means
Worked substitution with the default inputs
The default average-grade model produces about 3,000 m³ bank cut, 3,540 m³ loose haul volume, 295 whole trips, and 31,860 of entered disposal cost.
Ground profile
See cut and fill before reading haul quantities
The cross-section shades the volume between existing and proposed grades.
Worked situations
Practical examples
- Lowering the default site by 0.600 m creates cut.
- An 18% swell converts 3,000 bank m³ to 3,540 loose m³.
- The whole-trip rule produces 295 modeled trips.
Better inputs
Useful tips
- Use surveyed surfaces or grid volumes for real sites with variable terrain.
- Confirm whether quoted trucking capacity is loose or bank volume.
- Keep reuse, unsuitable material, and topsoil in separate balances.
Before relying on the result
Limitations and common mistakes
- Average elevations cannot reproduce complex grading surfaces.
- Shrink-swell behavior, soil types, stripping, bulking variability, balancing zones, and haul routes are simplified.
- Survey, geotechnical, environmental, and civil design controls remain necessary.
Reference
Key terms
- Bank volume
- Soil volume before excavation.
- Loose volume
- Expanded material volume after excavation.
- Compacted fill
- Placed volume after achieving specified density.
Important note
Calculated from the entered measurements and stated coverage or quantity rules. Confirm field dimensions, waste, product requirements, structural conditions, and local codes before purchasing or building.
Frequently asked questions
Why are bank and loose volumes different?
Excavated soil usually expands, represented by the entered swell percentage.
What if proposed grade is higher?
The model switches to compacted fill and applies the compaction allowance.
Why use whole truck trips?
A fractional final load still requires a trip.
Can this replace a surface model?
No. It is an average-grade planning calculation.