Sonotube concrete calculator

Sonotube Concrete Calculator

Sonotube Concrete Calculator

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How the calculator works

The calculator uses standard volume formulas for cylinders, which is the shape of a Sonotube. Let me explain the calculation process step by step:

  1. Basic Cylinder Volume Formula:
    • Volume = π × r² × h
    • Where:
      • π (pi) is approximately 3.14159
      • r is the radius (half of the diameter)
      • h is the height
  2. Unit Conversions:
    • For imperial measurements:
      • Diameter and height are entered in inches but converted to feet for calculations
      • Radius (in feet) = (Diameter in inches ÷ 2) ÷ 12
      • Height (in feet) = Height in inches ÷ 12
    • For metric measurements:
      • Diameter and height are entered in centimeters but converted to meters
      • Radius (in meters) = (Diameter in cm ÷ 2) ÷ 100
      • Height (in meters) = Height in cm ÷ 100
  3. Volume Calculation:
    • Single Sonotube volume = π × r² × h
    • Total volume = Single Sonotube volume × Quantity
    • Volume with waste factor = Total volume × 1.1 (adding 10% extra)
  4. Concrete Bag Calculation:
    • Standard 60 lb bag of concrete yields approximately 0.45 cubic feet
    • Number of bags = Volume with waste factor (in cubic feet) ÷ 0.45
    • The result is rounded up to the nearest whole bag
  5. Unit Conversion for Display:
    • For imperial: Results shown in cubic feet
    • For metric: Results shown in cubic meters (calculated using the conversion factor 1 cubic foot = 0.0283168 cubic meters)