How to use it
- Enter the Load Time, Haul Time, Dump Time and Return Time in minutes. Measure them with a stopwatch on site if you can.
- Enter the Bucket Capacity in m³, meaning the payload per trip (the truck body or scraper bowl).
- Set the Fill Factor, from 0 to 1, for how full the body is on average.
- Set Efficiency, from 0 to 1, for the share of each hour the unit is actually working. Enter the Hours per Day, and the Hourly Cost if you want a cost per m³.
- Read Cycle Time (minutes), Hourly Production (m³/hr) and Cost per Unit.
The formula
Cycle time (min) = load time + haul time + dump time + return time. Trips per hour = 60 ÷ cycle time. Hourly production = payload × fill factor × trips per hour × efficiency. Cost per unit = hourly cost ÷ hourly production.
What changes the result
Haul and return times grow with distance and fall with a better haul road, so a longer route lowers output for each truck and means you need more trucks to keep the loader busy. Load time depends on the loader or excavator and the material, and dump time on the tipping area. Queuing at the face or at the dump is not in the four times, so reduce Efficiency to account for it.
Using it on UAE sites
Use it to decide how many tipper trucks one excavator or loader can keep busy: divide the loader’s hourly output by the output of one truck. Long hauls on desert sites, speed limits on public roads and heat-related shorter shifts all push the cycle time up, so enter the times you measure, not the ones you hope for. For disposal off site, include the time at the tipping facility.
Worked examples
- Load 0.6, haul 2.4, dump 0.4 and return 2.2 minutes make a cycle of 5.6 min and an output of 8.004 m³/hr.
- A 15 m³ tipper on a long desert haul (12 minutes out, 10 back) has a 24.5 min cycle and moves 26.449 m³/hr.
- On a shorter 6 minute haul, the same tipper hired at AED 120 an hour has a 13.5 min cycle, moves 48 m³/hr and costs AED 2.50 per cubic metre.
Truck output by haul time
Printable chart| Haul time (min) | Cycle (min) | Per hour (m³) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4.2 min | 10.671 m³/hr |
| 2 | 5.2 min | 8.619 m³/hr |
| 3 | 6.2 min | 7.229 m³/hr |
| 5 | 8.2 min | 5.466 m³/hr |
| 8 | 11.2 min | 4.002 m³/hr |
| 10 | 13.2 min | 3.395 m³/hr |
| 15 | 18.2 min | 2.463 m³/hr |
For a 1 m³ payload at fill factor 0.9, efficiency 0.83, a 0.6 minute load, 0.4 minute dump and a return trip equal to the haul. Enter your own times above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cycle time for earthmoving?
Add the load, haul, dump and return times in minutes. Dividing 60 by that total gives the number of trips per hour.
How do I work out how many trucks I need?
Divide the hourly output of the loader or excavator by the hourly production of one truck, and round up. Queuing time lowers the real output, so add a margin.
What payload do I enter as Bucket Capacity?
Enter the volume carried on each trip, such as the truck body or scraper bowl, in cubic metres. Use the fill factor for how full it really is.
Is this calculator for excavators or trucks?
Any cycle-based operation with four time stages, including trucks, scrapers and dozers pushing material. For an excavator’s own digging cycle in seconds, use the excavator productivity calculator.
How does haul distance change the output?
A longer haul adds to both the haul and return times, which lengthens the cycle and lowers the m³ per hour for each truck. The table above shows the effect.
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<iframe src="https://www.equipmentsfinder.com/embed/field-tools/earthwork-cycle-time-calculator" title="Earthwork cycle time calculator" width="100%" height="620" style="border:0;max-width:720px" loading="lazy"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px"><a href="https://www.equipmentsfinder.com/en-us/field-tools/earthwork-cycle-time-calculator">Earthwork cycle time calculator</a> by <a href="https://www.equipmentsfinder.com">EquipmentsFinder</a></p>