Cut & fill calculator

Estimate earthwork volumes for site grading and excavation

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The Cut & Fill Calculator helps contractors, civil engineers, and site planners estimate earthwork volumes required for site grading projects. Calculate the amount of soil to be excavated (cut) and the volume needed for fill to achieve desired site elevations.

Accurate cut and fill calculations are essential for project budgeting, equipment planning, and minimizing material transport costs. The calculator uses the average end area method, one of the most common techniques for earthwork volume estimation.

Enter existing and proposed elevations at multiple points across your site to calculate total cut and fill volumes. The tool helps identify whether you'll have excess material to export or need to import fill, enabling better cost planning and environmental impact assessment.

Features

Everything you need

Average end area method calculation
Multiple station point support
Net cut/fill volume determination
Material balance analysis
Export/import volume identification
Visual elevation comparison
Imperial and metric unit support

How it works

Simple workflow

1
Enter existing ground elevations at multiple stations
2
Input proposed finish elevations
3
Specify station spacing
4
Review calculated cut and fill volumes
5
See net material balance and export/import needs

Use cases

Built for real-world scenarios

Site grading design

Estimate earthwork volumes during preliminary design to optimize grading plans and minimize cut/fill imbalance.

Construction cost estimation

Calculate earthwork quantities for accurate project budgeting and equipment planning.

Material balance analysis

Determine whether excess cut material can be used as fill or needs to be exported from the site.

Environmental impact assessment

Estimate material import/export volumes for environmental permitting and sustainability planning.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The average end area method calculates volume between two cross-sections by averaging their areas and multiplying by the distance between them. It's the most common method for earthwork estimation: V = (A1 + A2)/2 × L.

Accuracy depends on survey point density and site complexity. Typical accuracy is ±10-15% for preliminary estimates. Final quantities should be verified with detailed surveys and actual measurements during construction.

Shrink factor accounts for soil compaction (typically 0.85-0.95), meaning 1 cubic yard of cut becomes 0.85-0.95 cubic yards of compacted fill. Swell factor accounts for soil expansion when excavated (typically 1.1-1.3).

Adjust proposed elevations to balance cut and fill volumes. Consider using cut material for fill areas, adjusting building pad elevations, or designing terraced slopes to reduce net export/import.

Have a suggestion?

We're always looking to improve our calculators. If you have ideas for new features, improvements, or found something that could work better, we'd love to hear from you.

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