Batter Slope Volume Calculator
Estimate the earthworks volume of a batter — the sloped face of a cut or fill — treated as a triangular prism running along a length. Enter the batter height, slope ratio and length to get the volume of material in the sloped wedge, plus the cross-section area and horizontal run.
Enter Values
How to use this calculator
- Enter the vertical batter height (the rise of the sloped face).
- Enter the batter ratio as horizontal run to vertical rise (H:V), then the length the batter runs along.
- Read the batter volume in cubic metres, with the triangular cross-section area and horizontal run shown alongside.
How it works
The horizontal run of the batter is the height multiplied by the H:V ratio: run = height × ratio. The sloped wedge has a right-triangle cross-section, so its area is A = 0.5 × height × run. Multiplying by the length along the batter gives the volume: V = A × length.
Worked example
Worked example. A 6 m high batter at a 1.5:1 slope, running 50 m: run = 6 × 1.5 = 9 m; area = 0.5 × 6 × 9 = 27 m²; volume = 27 × 50 = 1,350 m³.
Common mistakes
- Entering the sloped face length as the height — use the true vertical rise for the height input.
- Reading the batter ratio upside down; enter the horizontal run per unit of vertical rise (H:V), so a 1.5:1 batter is 1.5.
- Applying it where the batter height or slope changes along its length; this assumes a constant triangular profile.
Frequently asked questions
What is a batter?
A batter is the sloped face left when you cut into or build up ground, such as the side of an embankment, road cutting or excavation wall. It is described by its slope ratio, for example 1.5:1 (1.5 m horizontal for every 1 m vertical).
How is this different from the embankment calculator?
This tool measures the volume of a single sloped triangular wedge. The embankment calculator handles a full trapezoidal shape with a flat crest and two battered sides at once.
Related tools
- Embankment Volume Calculator
- Pit Volume from Dimensions Calculator
- Mound Volume Calculator
- Tank Volume Calculator
- Average End Area Volume Calculator
- Trench Volume Calculator
Explore more in Geometry, Shape, Area & Volume.
Tip: Enter any known values to calculate the remaining results.
All calculations run in your browser. Your inputs are never saved or transmitted.