⛏️ Excavation Calculator PRO
Volume, compaction, equipment, hauling, backfill, benching & cost — all in one.
Pit Cross-Section — updates as you type
Dig profile with sloped sides. Bank volume converts to loose yards for hauling.
1 Excavation Type
2 Dimensions
3 Soil Type
4 Compaction
5 Equipment
6 Hauling
7 Backfill
8 Benching / Sloping
OSHA Table D-1 (Sloping/Benching):
- Stable rock: Vertical (90°)
- Type A (clay): ¾:1 (53°)
- Type B (sand/gravel): 1:1 (45°)
- Type C (loose): 1½:1 (34°)
9 Labour & Cost
Results
Volume
Compaction
Equipment
Hauling
Backfill
Cost Breakdown
⚠️ Pre-Export Checklist
- Dimensions verified on-site
- Soil composition tested (geotechnical report)
- Underground utilities located (Call 811)
- Access road for trucks confirmed
- Disposal site identified and permitted
- OSHA excavation permit obtained (depth >5 ft)
- Sloping/benching plan reviewed
- Dewatering plan (if water table nearby)
- Environmental permits obtained
- Safety barriers and signage arranged
Professional Excavation Estimation Guide
Show formulas, worked examples & pro tips ▼
Formulas
Bank Volume= Length × Width × Depth (cubic feet ÷ 27 = cubic yards)
Loose Volume= Bank Volume × (1 + Swell Factor / 100)
Compacted Volume= Bank Volume × (1 − Shrinkage Factor / 100)
Equipment Hours= Volume ÷ Production Rate (cu yd/hr)
Truck Trips = Loose Volume ÷ Truck Capacity
Haul Duration= Trips × Round-Trip Time ÷ (60 × Number of Trucks)
Trench (trapezoidal)= ((Bottom Width + Top Width) ÷ 2) × Depth × Length
Top Width= Bottom Width + 2 × (Depth × Slope Ratio)
Soil Types & Factors
| Soil | Density (lb/cu yd) | Swell % | Shrinkage % | OSHA Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay | 2,700 | 25-40% | 10-15% | Type A (53°) |
| Sand | 2,400 | 10-15% | 5-10% | Type B (45°) |
| Gravel | 2,500 | 12-20% | 5-8% | Type B (45°) |
| Rock | 2,800 | 30-50% | 2-5% | Vertical |
| Mixed | 2,600 | 20-30% | 8-12% | Type B (45°) |
Worked Example — Foundation Excavation
30 ft × 20 ft × 4 ft deep, Clay soil, Standard excavator, 10 cu yd trucks:
- Bank Volume: 30 × 20 × 4 = 2,400 cu ft = 88.9 cu yd
- Loose Volume (clay 30% swell): 88.9 × 1.30 = 115.6 cu yd
- Weight: 88.9 × 2,700 lb = 240,030 lbs = 120 tons
- Equipment (std excavator ~80 cu yd/hr): 88.9 ÷ 80 = 1.1 hours
- Truck trips: 115.6 ÷ 10 = 12 trips
- Haul (45 min round trip, 2 trucks): 12 × 45 ÷ (60 × 2) = 4.5 hours
- Backfill: 88.9 − 12 (structure) = 76.9 cu yd needed
- Layers (12" each, 4 ft depth): 4 layers of 12" lifts
Equipment Selection Guide
- Mini Excavator (1-3 cu yd/hr): Trenches, tight access, light grading
- Standard Excavator (50-120 cu yd/hr): Foundations, basements, pools
- Backhoe (30-80 cu yd/hr): Utility trenches, small foundations
- Dozer (100-300 cu yd/hr): Large grading, bulk earthmoving
- Skid Steer (10-30 cu yd/hr): Backfill, compaction, tight areas
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not accounting for swell — loose clay takes 30-40% more truck space
- Ignoring OSHA sloping — depths over 5 ft require sloping or shoring
- Not testing soil composition — wrong assumptions lead to wrong costs
- Forgetting compaction shrinkage — backfill needs 10-15% more material
- Underestimating hauling — round-trip time is often 30-60 minutes
- Not calling 811 (Call Before You Dig) — underground utilities are common
- Skiping dewatering planning — water table issues can double costs
Pro Tips
- Keep topsoil separate — it is valuable for landscaping restoration
- Stockpile excavated material on-site if space allows for backfill savings
- Use geotextile fabric between backfill layers to prevent soil migration
- Compact in 8-12 inch lifts — thicker lifts won't achieve required density
- Wet soil during compaction for optimal density (but not over-saturated)
- Always have a spotter when working near utilities or structures
- Check weather — rain can flood open excavations and destabilize walls
- Document everything — photos of conditions protect against disputes
Drag to rotate — Scroll to zoom
Kalkulator Terkait
Frequently used together on the same project.
Client & Quote (prints on PDF & Excel)
Adjustments (applies to exports)
Contingency is added as a separate line on the exported cost summary. Waste % is printed as an advisory reminder.
Project notes (prints on PDF & Excel)
Result compare (A/B)
| Item | Pinned | Current | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Saved rates auto-apply from your Price Library. Advanced details stay in your browser — nothing is uploaded except inside your own PDF/Excel exports.
Every construction project begins with earthwork, and miscalculating excavation volume leads to either paying for unnecessary trucking or running short and halting work. Our free online excavation calculator computes the exact volume of earth to be removed from trenches, footings, basements, and pools.
Enter the length, width, and depth of your excavation area, and the calculator provides the volume in both cubic feet and cubic yards. It accounts for the swell factor — the fact that excavated soil occupies 20 to 30 percent more volume than it did in its compacted state.
📖 Cara Menggunakan Kalkulator Galian Ini
Step 1: Enter Excavation Dimensions
Type the length, width, and depth of the area to be excavated in feet.
Step 2: Select Soil Type
Choose clay, loam, sand, or rocky soil. The soil type affects the swell factor.
Step 3: Enter Haul Distance
Specify how far the excavated material needs to be transported.
Step 4: Choose Truck Size
Select 10-yard, 15-yard, or 20-yard dump trucks.
Step 5: Enter Cost Rates
Input excavation cost per cubic yard, hauling cost per truck load.
Step 6: Review Results
The output shows bank volume, loose volume, truck loads, total weight, and cost.
📐 Rumus Volume Galian
The basic excavation formula is Volume = Length × Width × Depth. For a foundation trench 50 ft long, 3 ft wide, and 4 ft deep: Volume = 50 × 3 × 4 = 600 cubic feet, which is 600 / 27 = 22.2 cubic yards.
When soil is excavated, it swells. Clay swells approximately 30%, loam about 25%, sand about 20%, and rock up to 50%. For our trench in loam: loose volume = 22.2 × 1.25 = 27.8 loose cubic yards.
Standard dump trucks carry 10 to 15 cubic yards. For 27.8 loose cubic yards, you need 3 loads. Soil weight averages 2,000 to 2,500 pounds per bank cubic yard, so 22.2 cubic yards weighs approximately 44,400 to 55,500 pounds.
⚠️ Kesalahan Umum yang Dihindari
Ignoring the swell factor
✓ Excavated soil occupies 20 to 50% more volume. Ignoring this means ordering too few truck loads.
Not checking for underground utilities
✓ Call 811 before digging. Hitting a gas line is dangerous and expensive.
Underestimating disposal costs
✓ Tipping fees at landfills range from 30 to 75 dollars per ton.
Not accounting for dewatering
✓ High water tables require pumping during excavation, adding 10 to 30% to costs.
💡 Tips Profesional
Stage your stockpile away from the edge of the excavation.
Use a spotter when the operator cannot see the full excavation area.
Install trench boxes or shoring for any excavation deeper than 5 feet.
Track daily excavation volumes to stay on budget.
Compact backfill in 6-inch lifts.
❓ Pertanyaan Umum
A standard 10-yard dump truck carries 10 cubic yards of loose material. A 15-yard truck carries 15 cubic yards.
Excavation costs range from 10 to 30 dollars per cubic yard depending on soil type and depth.
Yes, foundation excavation requires a building permit in virtually all jurisdictions.
Clay swells about 30%, loam 25%, sand 20%, and rock up to 50%.
🏗️ Aplikasi Nyata
Excavation estimation is the foundation of project budgeting. A typical residential foundation excavation for a 24 ft by 36 ft house removes approximately 128 cubic yards of soil, requiring 13 truck loads in a 10-yard dump truck.
Swelling is the factor most underestimated. That 128 cubic yards of in-place soil becomes 160 to 190 cubic yards when loaded in trucks.
Our free excavation calculator is the most accurate online tool for estimating earth volume, truck loads, and excavation costs. Get accurate volumes and truck counts before calling the excavator.
✅Method, Sources & Review
Maintained by theBuildingCalc methods desk· Last reviewedSeptember 23, 2026. This calculator implements the standards and references below; every figure can be rechecked against the formulas and worked example on this page.
Results are estimates, not engineering advice. Verify against local codes and licensed professionals for structural, electrical, and gas work. See ourTerms. Spotted an error? Report it— corrections ship with the next review.