Construction/ CALCULATOR
Estimate in-place and loosened spoil volumes for a straight trapezoidal excavation.
FROM ESTIMATE TO ACTION
Use horizontal length, top and bottom excavation widths, and vertical depth, all in metres. Pipe diameter or cover above a pipe is not trench width or total depth. Split the route where dimensions change; calculate non-overlapping segments separately and add their volumes instead of multiplying unrelated average dimensions.
Enter 25 for 25% swell, not 0.25. The example gives 27 m³ in place and 33.75 m³ loose; 25% is not a soil standard. Obtain a project-specific swell estimate for handling. Loose spoil is not compacted backfill, and not all excavated soil necessarily needs disposal: record planned reuse separately.
Volume is not mass: agree loose-soil bulk density, truck payload, body capacity and disposal acceptance with the haulier. The formula excludes ramps, benches and overbreak; estimate these separately without overlap. Follow the local utility-location and competent safety-assessment process before work; this result does not select a safe slope or shoring, or permit entering the trench.