Excavated Soil Truck Calculator
Estimate the number of truck loads required to haul excavated soil by converting in-place excavation volume to an estimated loose haul volume and comparing it with truck capacity.
Excavation and haul inputs
Excavated soil haul estimate
Why excavated soil volume changes
Excavation disturbs the original soil structure. The resulting loose material can occupy more space than the original in-place volume, which matters for haulage and temporary stockpiling.
Volume-limited trips = ceiling(loose volume ÷ truck volume)
Loose mass = loose volume × loose density
Weight-limited trips = ceiling(loose mass ÷ payload)
Worked example
For 500 m³ in place and 20% swell, the estimated loose haul volume is 600 m³. At 12 m³ per truck, a volume-limited plan requires 50 loaded trips.
Why payload can override body volume
A truck may have physical body capacity that exceeds what can legally or safely be carried by mass. The calculator therefore lets you select the governing basis when a project has suitable density and payload data.
Truck fleet planning
Total trips and simultaneous truck availability are different. Five trucks do not reduce the total number of loads; they allow more of those loads to be performed during each haul cycle.
Limitations
Swell varies with soil type, excavation method and moisture. This tool does not determine legal road limits, haul routes, cycle times or site traffic requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why use loose volume?
Because hauled excavated soil is generally disturbed rather than in its original compacted state.
Can weight limit the truck?
Yes.
Does truck availability change total loads?
No; it changes how the work can be distributed over time.
Is swell universal?
No.