Compacted Material Converter
The Compacted Material Converter changes kilograms into liters with a compacted density, so fills, bases and trenches get the right volume.
Interactive Compacted Material Converter Engine
Result = Value × Factor
How Compacted Material Converter Works?
The Compacted Material Converter works in 3 steps.
- 1
Enter the mass in kilograms (kg) of soil, gravel, sand or other fill.
- 2
Set the compacted density, for example 1.85 kg/L for compacted gravel or 1.60 kg/L for compacted topsoil.
- 3
Read the compacted liters (L) and compare with the loose volume in the table to plan extra material.
Compacted Material Converter Formula
The Compacted Material Converter formula is:
Compacted volume (L) = Mass (kg) ÷ Compacted density (kg/L)Volume reduction (%) = 1 − Loose density ÷ Compacted density. Compaction factor = Compacted density ÷ Loose density.
Worked example
3,000 kg of gravel at a compacted 1.85 kg/L = 1,621.6 L (1.62 m³); the same mass loose at 1.50 kg/L fills 2,000 L.
Order fill by compacted volume plus a margin. Gravel loses about 19% of loose volume under a plate compactor, and topsoil loses about 31%.
Compacted Material Converter Conversion Table
The Compacted Material Converter table compares loose and compacted density for 8 materials and shows the volume of one tonne (1,000 kg) in each state.
| Material | Loose (kg/L) | Compacted (kg/L) | 1 t loose (m³) | 1 t compacted (m³) | Volume reduction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topsoil | 1.1 | 1.6 | 0.909 | 0.625 | 31.3% |
| Dry sand | 1.45 | 1.7 | 0.69 | 0.588 | 14.7% |
| Gravel | 1.5 | 1.85 | 0.667 | 0.541 | 18.9% |
| Crushed stone | 1.45 | 1.75 | 0.69 | 0.571 | 17.1% |
| Clay | 1.3 | 1.9 | 0.769 | 0.526 | 31.6% |
| Compost | 0.5 | 0.75 | 2 | 1.333 | 33.3% |
| Wood chips | 0.3 | 0.45 | 3.333 | 2.222 | 33.3% |
| Snow | 0.1 | 0.4 | 10 | 2.5 | 75% |
Compaction values are typical field figures; a plate compactor, roller or vibration table produces different final densities.
What is Compacted Material Converter?
The Compacted Material Converter is a calculator that converts mass to volume for material pressed to a specified compaction level. Compaction pushes air out of a loose material and packs more kilograms into each liter.
Civil engineers describe compaction as a percentage of maximum dry density from a Proctor test. A road base specified at 95% Proctor density reaches a much higher kg/L value than the same aggregate tipped from a truck.
What are the uses of Compacted Material Converter?
There are 4 main uses of the Compacted Material Converter: sub-base orders, trench backfill, snow loads and landfill planning.
Sub-base orders
Contractors convert a compacted volume of MOT Type 1 or crushed rock into tonnes to buy.
Trench backfill
Utility crews estimate the mass of sand needed to fill a pipe trench after compaction.
Snow loads
Building inspectors convert packed snow mass to depth using densities near 0.4 kg/L.
Landfill planning
Site managers estimate the compacted volume that a year of waste occupies.
Compacted Material Converter FAQ
How much does gravel shrink when compacted?
Gravel shrinks by about 15% to 20% when compacted. Loose gravel near 1.50 kg/L reaches roughly 1.85 kg/L under a plate compactor.
Should I order material by loose or compacted volume?
Order by mass or by loose volume, sized from the compacted volume you need. Divide the compacted volume by the loose-to-compacted ratio to get the loose amount.
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