Bank Volume
Volume of soil or rock measured in its undisturbed natural state before digging. Excavation pay quantities are usually bank measure; the same material occupies more space loose and less when recompacted. The bank–loose–compacted chain governs every earthwork estimate.
Where this appears in real estimates
This term isn't trivia — it's a working variable. These tools use it directly:
- excavation calculator — Dig volume in bank and loose cubic yards, with swell and truckload counts.…
- cut and fill calculator — Earthwork balance: surplus to export or deficit to import, shrinkage included.…
- swell factor calculator — Compute swell percentage from bank and loose volumes, or convert between them.…
Go deeper
- Gravel vs Asphalt Driveway — head-to-head decision guide
- Basement Finishing Chain — full project walkthrough
- Paver in Texas — local pricing & climate
- Read the field guide on the blog — practitioner-level detail
- Related engineering article — from our licensed engineer
Reviewed: · Part of the CalculatorAsphalt Construction Glossary · Sources: see methodology & standards.