swell (bulking)
In French: foisonnement
Definition
The increase in volume of soil once it is dug: one cubic metre in place becomes more than one cubic metre in the truck, because the grains are no longer packed. Clay swells more than sand or gravel. Truck trips and containers are sized on the swollen (loose) volume.
Also called
- bulking factor
- swell factor
- bank to loose
Other names in French
- facteur de foisonnement
- gonflement
Sources
FM 5-434 gives bank to loose factors of 1.11 (sand or gravel), 1.25 (loam), 1.43 (clay) and 1.50 (blasted rock). (Table 1-1)
Estimating for Mission Requirements (reproduces FM 5-434 Earthmoving Operations, Table 1-1) · United States Marine Corps, TECOM