Excavation Volume Calculator
Estimate straight trench volume or a sloped pit/frustum, then convert volume into approximate truck loads.
Calculate excavation volume
Estimate straight trench volume or a sloped pit/frustum, then convert volume into approximate truck loads.
How the excavation volume calculator works
A rectangular trench uses length × width × depth. A sloped rectangular pit uses the rectangular-frustum formula from top and bottom areas. An editable swell allowance converts in-situ bank volume into a loose-haul volume before truck-load rounding.
Where this construction calculation helps
Use it for preliminary earthwork, spoil-haul planning and comparing trench or pit quantities.
Measurements and assumptions
Soil bulking/swell is highly material-dependent. Groundwater, overbreak, working space, batter slopes and shoring can dominate actual excavation. This calculator is a quantity estimator, not excavation-safety guidance.
Worked example
A 20 m × 1 m × 1.5 m trench contains 30 m³ bank volume. At 20% swell, loose spoil is about 36 m³.
Bank volume, loose volume and haul planning
Keep bank and loose quantities separate when comparing excavation takeoffs with transport capacity. Truck body ratings are usually loose-volume values, while drawings describe in-place geometry. Actual loads may be limited by weight before volume, especially for dense or wet material, so verify vehicle payload limits and disposal-site rules before using the truck count operationally.