Free earthwork volume calculator.
This free earthwork volume calculator computes cubic-yard quantities for four common geometries: rectangular cut or fill areas, trenches, building pads, and stockpiles (cone or rectangular). Each volume comes with a swell-adjusted hauled figure for trucking capacity and an approximate mass from default soil density. Imperial or Metric, switchable in one click.
Volume
Want this from the actual grading plan? SiteWorx/OS reads contours from a PDF or DWG, builds a triangulated surface, and computes cut-and-fill to bid-grade accuracy.
Volume = area × depth.
Rectangular cut/fill and pad volumes are length × width × depth in cubic feet, divided by 27 for cubic yards. In metric, the same dimensions in meters give cubic meters directly.
A sloped trench uses the cross-section of a trapezoid (or a vertical rectangle plus a trapezoid above it for a benched profile). With bottom width b, depth d, side slope s (H:V), and vertical wall height v, the cross-section area works out to b × d + s × (d − v)², and the volume is that times the trench length.
Cone stockpile volume is π × radius² × height / 3. Rectangular stockpile volume is length × width × average height. Stockpiles are measured as-piled, so the calculator does not apply a swell factor to those geometries (the loose state is what was measured).
Approximate mass uses a default soil density of about 1,660 kg/m³ (~2,800 lb/yd³). Real density varies materially by soil type. Compacted clay can hit 2,100 kg/m³; loose sand can be 1,400 kg/m³ or less.
For OSHA slope categories, bid line-item translation, and trucking verification, see the in-depth guide How to calculate earthwork volume.
Frequently asked
What's the difference between bank and loose volume?
Bank volume is the undisturbed in-place soil volume. Loose volume is the same soil after excavation, which expands by 15-30% depending on soil type. Trucks haul the loose volume, so use that figure for trucking capacity.
How do I calculate a sloped trench?
Set the side slope as a horizontal-to-vertical ratio. A 1:1 slope (OSHA Type B max) means the wall runs out 1 ft horizontal for every 1 ft of depth. 1.5:1 is OSHA Type C max for unstable soils. Leave vertical wall height at 0 to slope the full depth, or set it to a positive value to keep the lower portion of the wall vertical (a benched profile). The top opening width is shown so you can plan the surface footprint.
What soil density should I use?
The 1,660 kg/m³ default (about 2,800 lb per cubic yard) is the midpoint for compacted earth. Compact clay is heavier (1,900-2,100 kg/m³). Loose sand is lighter (1,400-1,600 kg/m³). For mass-critical loads, use site-specific testing.
How do I calculate a stockpile volume from drone imagery?
This calculator approximates a stockpile as a cone or a rectangular wedge. For drone-derived surveys with irregular shapes, your survey software processes the point cloud into a PDF or DWG contour drawing; SiteWorx/OS then computes pile volume from the drawing against a reference plane.
Does this handle multi-layer cuts?
Not directly. For a layered cut (topsoil strip, then structural fill, then subgrade), run the calculator for each layer separately and sum the volumes.
How do I convert volume to tonnage for trucking?
Multiply loose volume by soil density. The calculator shows approximate mass using the default density; for more precise tonnage, override the density mentally based on your soil type or pull a tested value into the result.
SiteWorx/OS does the full takeoff.
Skip the geometry primitives. SiteWorx/OS pulls real volumes from your existing-grade contours and proposed-grade design lines in PDF or DWG, with soil-type-specific shrink and swell, multiple cut layers, and machine-control-ready export.