Earthwork
Cut and Fill
The earthwork process of excavating (cutting) high areas and using that material to build up (fill) low areas to achieve a desired grade.
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In the Field
A balanced cut-fill job saves money by eliminating import or export of material. Swell and shrinkage factors mean cut volumes don't equal fill volumes — always run the numbers with a civil engineer or earthwork estimator before bidding.
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Rule of Thumb
When soil is cut and recompacted as fill, it typically shrinks 10–15% in volume. A yard of cut may only give you 0.85–0.90 yards of compacted fill.