Material Density Tables To Help Estimate Earthwork Volumes

VOLUME

Calculating appropriate volumes is critical to accuracy. In-bank soil, loose soil that has been excavated and fill soil that has been compacted, have different volumes and resulting load factors.

Definitions:

Bank Cubic Yards (BCY)/Bank Cubic Meters (BCM): Material as it lies in its natural bank state.

Loose Cubic Yards (LCY)/Loose Cubic Meters (LCM): Material which has been excavated in some way and swelled as a result of the space that now exist between its elements.

Compact Cubic Yards (CCY)/Compact Cubic Meters (CCM): Material which has been compacted and become more dense as a result.

 

COMMON MATERIALS LOOSE & BANK TABLE

Material description*

Loose (kg/m3)

Loose (lb/yd3)

Bank (kg/m3)

Bank (lb/yd3)

Load Factor

CLAY, NATURAL BED

1660

2800

2020

3400

0.82

Clay, Dry

1480

2500

1840

3100

0.81

Clay, wet

1660

2800

2080

3500

0.80

Clay & gravel, dry

1420

2400

1660

2800

0.85

Clay & gravel, wet

1540

2600

1840

3100

0.85

EARTH, DRY PACKED

1510

2550

1900

3200

0.80

Earth, wet excavated

1600

2700

2020

3400

0.79

Earth, Loam

1250

2100

1540

2600

0.81

GRAVEL, PITRUN

1930

3250

2170

3650

0.89

Gravel, dry

1510

2550

1690

2850

0.89

Gravel, dry (1/4 - 2”)

1690

2850

1900

3200

0.89

Gravel, wet (1/4 - 2”)

2020

3400

2260

3800

0.89

SAND, DRY LOOSE

1420

2400

1600

2700

0.89

Sand, damp

1690

2850

1900

3200

0.89

Sand, wet

1840

3100

2080

3500

0.89

SAND & CLAY, LOOSE

1600

2700

2020

3400

0.79

Sand & Clay, compacted

2400

4050

 

 

 

Sand & Gravel, dry

1720

2900

1930

3250

0.89

Sand & Gravel, wet

2020

3400

2230

3750

0.91

CRUSHED STONE

1600

2700

2670

4500

0.60

TOP SOIL

950

1600

1370

2300

0.70

*Weight of material varies with moisture content, grain size, degreee of compaction, etc. Tests must be made to determine exact material characteristics. Consult your Cat dealer for more information.

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