How do you calculate the load factor for excavation with a 25% swell?

To calculate the load factor for excavation with a swell percentage, you start with the understanding that swell refers to the increase in volume that occurs when soil is excavated. For example, if the soil swells by 25%, it means that for every unit of volume of compacted soil, the volume increases to 1.25 units when excavated.

The load factor is used to account for this increase in volume when determining how much material needs to be moved and how it will affect overall project costs and logistics. To find the load factor, you can use the formula:

Load Factor = 1 / (1 + Swell Percentage)

In this scenario, a 25% swell translates to a decimal of 0.25 when expressing the percentage. Thus, the calculation becomes:

Load Factor = 1 / (1 + 0.25) = 1 / 1.25 = 0.80.

Therefore, the load factor of 0.80 accurately represents the volume adjustment needed when excavating soil that will swell by 25%. This calculation is important for contractors to ensure they are considering the correct quantities of materials in their project planning and budgeting.