BCM LCM Tonnes Converter
Converts between bank cubic metres, loose cubic metres and tonnes for earthworks production.
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Before you rely on this: First-pass guide only. Verify safety-critical or regulated work against the relevant standards, your project requirements and a qualified professional.
How to use this calculator
- Enter any ONE of bank volume (BCM), loose volume (LCM) or mass in tonnes.
- Enter the swell (bulking) factor as a percentage and the in-situ (bank) density in tonnes per cubic metre.
- Press Calculate to see all three figures — bank volume, loose volume and mass.
How it works
Material expands when it is dug. Bank Cubic Metres (BCM) is the in-situ, undisturbed volume; Loose Cubic Metres (LCM) is the bulked-up volume after excavation. The swell (bulking) factor links them: LCM = BCM × (1 + swell% ÷ 100).
Mass is conserved — digging changes volume, not weight — so tonnes are calculated from the in-situ bank volume and the bank density: tonnes = BCM × bank density. From any one input the converter solves back to BCM first, then derives the other two.
Worked example
1,000 BCM at 25% swell and 2.4 t/m³. Loose volume = 1,000 × 1.25 = 1,250 LCM. Mass = 1,000 × 2.4 = 2,400 tonnes.
Tips
- Swell only changes loose volume — it never changes the tonnes.
- Always confirm swell and density against material testing for production and reconciliation work.
Frequently asked questions
What is a typical swell factor?
It depends on the material — sand and gravel often swell 10–15%, common soils 20–30%, and blasted hard rock 40–60%. Use site-tested figures where you have them.
Which density should I use?
Use the in-situ (bank) density of the undisturbed material, since mass is tied to the bank volume. Loose density is lower because of the added voids.
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Cite this tool
Zerdly. (2026). BCM LCM Tonnes Converter. Retrieved from https://www.zerdly.com/tools/bcm-lcm-tonnes-converter/
Volume conversion table
How much one of each unit equals in the others — read each row as “1 [row unit] = …”. All values are exact conversions.
| 1 unit = | mm³ | cm³ | mL | litres | m³ | in³ | ft³ | yd³ | km³ | US gallons | UK gallons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mm³ | 1 | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.000001 | 1e-9 | 0.000061 | 3.53e-8 | 1.31e-9 | 1e-18 | 2.64e-7 | 2.2e-7 |
| 1 cm³ | 1,000 | 1 | 1 | 0.001 | 0.000001 | 0.061024 | 0.000035 | 0.000001 | 1e-15 | 0.000264 | 0.00022 |
| 1 mL | 1,000 | 1 | 1 | 0.001 | 0.000001 | 0.061024 | 0.000035 | 0.000001 | 1e-15 | 0.000264 | 0.00022 |
| 1 litres | 1,000,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1 | 0.001 | 61.023744 | 0.035315 | 0.001308 | 1e-12 | 0.264172 | 0.219969 |
| 1 m³ | 1,000,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000 | 1 | 61,023.744095 | 35.314667 | 1.307951 | 1e-9 | 264.172052 | 219.969248 |
| 1 in³ | 16,387.064 | 16.387064 | 16.387064 | 0.016387 | 0.000016 | 1 | 0.000579 | 0.000021 | 1.64e-14 | 0.004329 | 0.003605 |
| 1 ft³ | 28,316,846.592 | 28,316.846592 | 28,316.846592 | 28.316847 | 0.028317 | 1,728 | 1 | 0.037037 | 2.83e-11 | 7.480519 | 6.228835 |
| 1 yd³ | 764,554,857.984 | 764,554.857984 | 764,554.857984 | 764.554858 | 0.764555 | 46,656 | 27 | 1 | 7.65e-10 | 201.974026 | 168.178557 |
| 1 km³ | 1e+18 | 1,000,000,000,000,000 | 1,000,000,000,000,000 | 1,000,000,000,000 | 1,000,000,000 | 61,023,744,094,732.29 | 35,314,666,721.48859 | 1,307,950,619.314392 | 1 | 264,172,052,358.1484 | 219,969,248,299.0878 |
| 1 US gallons | 3,785,411.784 | 3,785.411784 | 3,785.411784 | 3.785412 | 0.003785 | 231 | 0.133681 | 0.004951 | 3.79e-12 | 1 | 0.832674 |
| 1 UK gallons | 4,546,090 | 4,546.09 | 4,546.09 | 4.54609 | 0.004546 | 277.419433 | 0.160544 | 0.005946 | 4.55e-12 | 1.20095 | 1 |
Tip: Enter any known values to calculate the remaining results.
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