Category
Earthwork & Site calculators
The work that happens before any concrete is poured: figuring out how much fill dirt, gravel or topsoil to bring in, how many truckloads it adds up to, and how compaction changes the answer. Volumes for rectangular, circular and triangular footprints, with built-in densities and a configurable compaction factor.
All Earthwork & Site calculators
Why volume isn’t the same as what you order
The volume of a hole is not the volume of material to order. Loose material settles when compacted; trucks deliver less effective volume when the load is not fully consolidated. We apply a default compaction factor of 1.25 (order 25 % more than the hole), which you can tune up or down depending on your contractor and material — uniform sand may need 10 – 15 %, structural fill on a wet site may need 30 % or more.
Material densities we use
- Fill dirt, loose: 2,200 lb/yd³ (1,306 kg/m³)
- Fill dirt, compacted: 2,800 lb/yd³ (1,661 kg/m³)
- Topsoil: 2,000 lb/yd³
- Sand: 2,700 lb/yd³
- Gravel: 2,800 lb/yd³
- Crushed stone: 2,700 lb/yd³
Densities vary with moisture, gradation and source. Our values are reasonable defaults; for any sizable order, ask your supplier for the actual density of the product they’ll deliver.
Truckloads
A standard tri-axle dump truck carries roughly 14 cubic yards. The calculator uses 14 yd³ as the default and rounds up — a partial truckload usually costs the same as a full one. Adjust the capacity to match your local fleet (10-yd single-axle, 16-yd dump trailer, etc.).