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How to Convert Cubic Yards of Woody Debris to Tons

Woody debris includes dead, cut or fallen tree branches, twigs, logs, stumps and roots. If you have to remove and dispose of debris, you need to know its weight to estimate costs. The metric ton corresponds to 1,000 kilograms. A short ton often used in the United States is slightly lighter and equals approximately 907 kilograms. To calculate the weight, you need to use the density of woody debris.

Things You'll Need

Calculator

Instructions

- 1
  Multiply cubic yards of dirt by 0.76456 to calculate the volume of dirt in cubic meters. For example, 3 cubic yards correspond to 2.294 cubic meters (3 x 0.76456).
- 2
  Multiply the density of woody debris in grams per cubic centimeter by 1,000 to convert it to kilograms per cubic meter; the average density of woody debris is 0.73 g/cubic centimeters or 730 kg/cubic meters (see Resources).
- 3
  Multiply the density of debris by the volume to calculate the weight in kilograms. In this example, the mass of woody debris is 1,674.62 kilograms (730 x 2.294).
- 4
  Divide the weight in kilograms by 1,000 to calculate the debris mass in metric tons. In this example, the weight is 1.675 metric tons (1,674.62 / 1,000).
- 5
  Divide the weight in kilograms by 907.18 to calculate the debris mass in short tons. In this example, the wood weight is 1.846 short tons (1,674.62 / 907.18).

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