Earthwork and Paving (C-12) · Lesson 3 of 6

Balancing Cut and Fill: Bank, Loose, and Compacted Yards

"Balancing Cut and Fill: Bank, Loose, and Compacted Yards" is lesson 3 of 6 in the Earthwork and Paving (C-12) Learning Hub. It opens with "One Pile of Dirt, Three Different Volumes" and works through 5 short steps, then a worked example you can check yourself against.

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Steps in this lesson

  1. One Pile of Dirt, Three Different Volumes
  2. Measuring the Cut: Average End Area
  3. Swell and Shrinkage Factors - Example Values Only
  4. Run the Balance in Compacted Yards
  5. Count Truckloads in Loose Yards

The worked example in the course applies this lesson to a realistic job in 7 steps, from "Fill needed, compacted" through "Count trucks".

What you'll be able to do

  • Explain the main idea of "Balancing Cut and Fill: Bank, Loose, and Compacted Yards" in plain language you can use on the exam.
  • Apply this step with confidence: "Swell and Shrinkage Factors - Example Values Only".
  • Apply this step with confidence: "Run the Balance in Compacted Yards".
  • Apply this step with confidence: "Count Truckloads in Loose Yards".
  • Test yourself on the worked example and the quick-check quiz inside the classroom.
Balancing Cut and FillCUT END AREAS (100 ft apart)108 sq ftSta 0+00162 sq ftSta 1+00216 sq ftSta 2+00500 BCY700 BCYTotal cut = 1,200 BCYPad fill = 108 x 81 x 3 ft = 972 CCYBCY bank, LCY loose, CCY compactedCUT / FILL BALANCE(108 + 162) / 2 x 100 / 27 = 500 BCY(162 + 216) / 2 x 100 / 27 = 700 BCYShrink 0.90: 1,200 x 0.90 = 1,080 CCYNeed 972 CCY, so surplus = 108 CCYBack to bank: 108 / 0.90 = 120 BCYSwell 25%: 120 x 1.25 = 150 LCY10-LCY trucks: 150 / 10 = 15 loadsShrink 0.90 and swell 25% are examplevalues only - measure them on the real job1,200 BCY of cut makes only 1,080 CCY of fillSurplus 108 CCY = 120 BCY = 150 LCY to exportHaul 15 truckloads of 10 loose yards eachMethod: average end area (2025 Caltrans Std. Specs 19-2.04); shrink and swell are example valuesCC
The diagram for this lesson, exactly as it appears in the Learning Hub.

The first steps of this lesson

Step 1: One Pile of Dirt, Three Different Volumes

Earthwork estimating treats the same soil in three states. Bank cubic yards (BCY) is the soil in its natural, undisturbed state - the way plans and surveyors measure it. Loose cubic yards (LCY) is the soil after it is dug, fluffed up with air. Compacted cubic yards (CCY) is the soil after it has been rolled into a fill. The same dirt is a different number of yards in each state, so you must convert before you compare cut to fill or count trucks. The 2025 Caltrans Standard Specifications measure roadway excavation in place (section 19-2.04) and pay embankment from planned cross sections (section 19-6.04); they do not print swell or shrink factors.

Step 2: Measuring the Cut: Average End Area

Section 19-2.04 says the volume of material for roadway excavation is determined from the average end areas and the distances between them. So: volume (BCY) = (A1 + A2) / 2 x L / 27, where A1 and A2 are the cross-section areas in square feet at two stations and L is the distance between them in feet. Dividing by 27 turns cubic feet into cubic yards. Do each pair of stations separately and add the segments.

The remaining 3 steps, the worked example and the quiz are in the course. This is a preview. The full lesson, with the step-by-step explanations, a worked example and a quick-check quiz, is inside the classroom.

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