Cut and fill earthwork is the process of reshaping a site to the design grade by excavating high spots and using that material to fill low spots. Getting the volumes right before you mobilize equipment can save thousands of dollars in hauling and borrow costs — and prevent the delays that come from running out of fill or trucking away usable soil.

Bank, Loose, and Compacted: Why All Three Volumes Matter

Earthwork involves three different measurements of the same soil, and confusing them leads to costly over- or under-ordering on every project. Bank cubic yards (BCY) measure soil in its undisturbed, in-ground state — this is how most earthwork contracts are written and how surveyors report quantities. Loose cubic yards (LCY) measure soil after excavation, when the particles separate and air pockets form — common earth expands 20–25% from bank to loose state, so 100 BCY fills 120–125 LCY in your dump trucks. Compacted cubic yards (CCY) measure soil after it has been placed and compacted to specification — common earth shrinks 8–12% from bank volume, so 100 BCY only fills 88–92 CCY in the finished embankment. If you bid a fill job using BCY quantities but order material in LCY (truck loads), you will receive less compacted fill than you calculated. Always convert consistently and track all three measures throughout the project.

Selecting Swell and Shrink Factors for Your Soil Type

Using the wrong swell and shrink factors is one of the most common estimating errors in earthwork, leading to surplus truck loads or insufficient fill material at the end of the project. Common earth (topsoil, loam, mixed soils): swell 20–25%, shrink 10–15%. Sandy soil: swell 10–15%, shrink 5–8% — it compacts with relatively little effort and has less expansion during excavation. Clay: swell 20–30%, shrink 12–20% — clay expands more during excavation than sandy soils and compresses significantly more when wetted and dried repeatedly during placement. Blasted rock: swell 30–50%, shrink near zero — once broken up, rock essentially never compacts further under normal roller compaction effort. Wet or saturated soils often have higher effective swell factors than dry-state values suggest, so adjust upward for any wet-season excavation conditions. For preliminary estimates on projects where the soil type has not yet been confirmed by a geotech report, the calculator's default values of 25% swell and 10% shrink provide a conservative middle-ground estimate suitable for budget pricing.

Achieving a Balanced Site to Minimize Haul Cost

A balanced site — where cut volume equals fill volume — eliminates both export haul cost and borrow material import cost. Civil engineers optimize grading designs specifically to achieve site balance whenever the terrain allows it. Even if perfect balance is not achievable, reducing the imbalance by a few hundred cubic yards can save thousands of dollars in trucking. On residential lots, this often means slightly adjusting the finish grade elevation to shift more soil from high-cut areas to low-fill areas. On commercial sites, the civil engineer uses a mass haul diagram to graphically optimize the direction and distance of soil movement across the site, minimizing total haul distance (and therefore cost). This calculator's Balance Analysis tab shows the net surplus or deficit in BCY so you can evaluate whether a minor grade change would tip the site toward balance. Always calculate the break-even haul distance — the point at which it is cheaper to waste on-site material and import fresh borrow than to haul cut material across the site.

Compaction Requirements and Testing

Fill placed without proper compaction will settle under load, causing pavement failures, foundation cracking, and utility line breaks that can cost far more than the compaction testing they could have prevented. Most project specifications require engineered fill to be compacted to 90–95% of Modified Proctor maximum dry density (ASTM D1557) at a moisture content within 2% of optimum. Compaction is verified by nuclear density gauge tests (ASTM D6938) or sand cone tests (ASTM D1556) taken at each lift of fill — most jurisdictions require one test per 2,500 sq ft of fill area per lift. Lift thickness directly affects compaction quality: specifications typically limit loose lift thickness to 8 inches for vibratory rollers and 6 inches for hand-operated plate compactors in confined areas or near structures. Overcompacting cohesive clay soils by adding too much moisture before rolling will soften them and reduce bearing capacity — always test moisture content before compacting clay fills. For residential projects not requiring a formal engineering report, compact fill in 6-inch lifts and verify density before placing the next lift.

Estimating Haul Costs and Truck Loads

Hauling costs dominate earthwork budgets whenever a site is out of balance. A standard tandem-axle dump truck carries 12–14 loose cubic yards (LCY) per load — this calculator uses 14 LCY as the default. A tri-axle truck carries up to 18 LCY. Always confirm capacity with your hauler before calculating truck loads, because overweight trucks face state highway fines that increase your effective cost per load. Export haul rates (your cost to truck away surplus soil) typically run $15–$35 per LCY for short local hauls (under 5 miles) and $35–$60/LCY for longer regional hauls, depending on fuel costs, disposal fees, and market conditions. Import borrow rates (delivered, spread, and compacted) typically run $30–$60 per BCY for granular fill, but can reach $80–$120/BCY for engineered structural fill in high-cost markets. For any project over 500 BCY, get competitive bids from at least three haulers and material suppliers rather than using default rate estimates.