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Calcimator

Soil Compaction Calculator

Calculate bank, loose, and compacted soil volumes with swell/shrink factors, moisture requirements, and lift thickness recommendations.

Inputs

cu yd
%
%
%

Results

Loose Volume

625 cu yd

≈ 10 backyard pools

Compacted Volume

450 cu yd

≈ 7 backyard pools

Bank Volume500 cu yd
Water Needed0 gal
Recommended Lift12 in
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter In-Place Volume in cu yd — the bank volume of soil you are moving.
  2. Select Soil Type (Sand/Gravel, Clay, or Topsoil/Loam) to apply the correct swell, shrink, and moisture defaults.
  3. Adjust Swell Factor %, Shrink Factor %, and Current Moisture % if your site conditions differ from the defaults.
  4. Review Loose Volume (what to haul) and Compacted Volume (what you'll end up with in place).
  5. Use Water Needed in gallons and Recommended Lift Thickness in inches to plan compaction equipment passes.

How the result changes with In-Place Volume

In-Place VolumeLoose VolumeCompacted Volume
10,00012,500 cu yd9,000 cu yd
35,00043,750 cu yd31,500 cu yd
65,00081,250 cu yd58,500 cu yd
90,000112,500 cu yd81,000 cu yd

What each input means

In-Place Volume
Volume of soil in its natural (bank) state.
Soil Type
Soil classification affects swell, shrink, and compaction characteristics.
Swell Factor
Volume increase when soil is excavated (sand: 10-15%, clay: 25-40%).
Shrink Factor
Volume decrease when soil is compacted below bank state.
Current Moisture
Current moisture content of the soil as a percentage of dry weight.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    In-Place Volume = 500, Soil Type = 1, Swell Factor = 25, Shrink Factor = 10 = 5 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Loose Volume
    Loose Volume
    625 = 625
  3. Calculate Compacted Volume
    Compacted Volume
    450 = 450
  4. Calculate Bank Volume
    Bank Volume
    500 = 500
  5. Calculate Water Needed
    Water Needed
    0 = 0

Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.

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