Ask what is above and below the dividing line
A compaction figure is incomplete until the supplier defines the quantities being compared. Loose volume divided by compacted volume expresses something differently from the fraction of the original volume remaining. Read the definition before comparing the numbers.
Moisture, composition, packaging and loading affect how waste compresses. A result obtained with one material cannot simply be assigned to another route. Keep the test conditions beside the ratio and use weighed route data when estimating what the truck can actually collect.
Separate the ratio from the collection-capacity claim
Compressing waste changes the volume it occupies, not the truck’s permitted mass. A body can reach its payload limit before a volume calculation suggests it is full. The useful comparison therefore needs the definition, material and measurement method as well as the vehicle limits.
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| Decision | What to establish | Condition or limit |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Identify exactly what two quantities are compared. | Different definitions cannot be compared directly. |
| Material | Match test waste to the intended stream. | Mixed, wet and bulky waste behave differently. |
| Method | Review loading, cycle and measurement conditions. | An unstated method makes the claim unverifiable. |
| Vehicle limit | Check payload and axle loads alongside volume. | More compaction can reach the mass limit sooner. |
Calculate the observed ratio from one defined test
The ratio is meaningful only when loose and compacted volumes refer to the same measured waste sample and method.
This defined sample produced an observed 2:1 volume ratio. It does not establish the result for a different waste stream, moisture condition or loading practice.
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| Step | Calculation or condition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Observed ratio | 12 ÷ 6 | 2:1 |
| Payload check | Measured compacted mass ≤ completed-vehicle payload | Required |
| Repeatability check | Repeat representative route samples | Use a range, not one headline figure |
- Measured loose sample volume: 12 m³
- Measured compacted volume: 6 m³
- Test record: Waste stream, moisture, loading method and date identified
Illustrative calculation only. Never use the example as a body rating or route promise. Preserve the test method and the legal mass limits.
What does one-third to one-half mean?
If the supplier defines the value as compacted volume divided by loose volume, one-third means the waste occupies one-third of its original volume, while one-half means half remains. Written as loose-to-compacted ratios, those same cases are 3:1 and 2:1. Confirm the definition before converting the notation.
This arithmetic does not establish how the truck performs with your waste. Request the test material and measurement record. Wet or dense waste can reach the payload limit well before a body-volume calculation suggests another load will fit.
Packing time and compaction ratio measure different things
The 2025 Heil DuraPack 5000 brochure gives a 16 to 18 second packing cycle and a 6 to 8 second reload time with the fast cycle pump option. These measure actions on that model; neither states a compaction ratio, a discharge time or KEEYAK truck performance. Heil DuraPack 5000 brochure
For a cycle-time comparison, request the action and its start and end points. The record also needs the material and load, pump option, drive speed and test repetitions. Check collection method and usable volume separately, with the legal payload for the proposed truck.
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| Requirement | Buyer input | Record required |
|---|---|---|
| Collection method | Bins, lifter interface, stop spacing and crew access | Matched lifter drawing and route review |
| Capacity | Waste type, mass, density and collection schedule | Usable volume, completed mass and axle calculation |
| Cycle time | Packing, reload or full discharge | Timed record for the selected model and conditions |
Request the test record behind the ratio
Ask for the waste description, loading and measurement conditions, and the quantities used in the calculation. Keep packing time, reload time and discharge time under their own definitions. If the supplier cannot establish the basis of a ratio, leave it out of the route-capacity estimate.
Information to prepare for this review
- Supplier definition of the ratio
- Waste stream and condition
- Measurement or test method
- Body volume and loading system
- Completed-vehicle legal payload
- Route sampling and operating cycle
Records to request and keep
- Written compaction-ratio definition
- Test material and condition record
- Measurement and cycle description
- Payload and axle-load calculation for intended waste
Common mistakes and what to check instead
- Comparing two ratios with different definitions: Normalize the definition and method first.
- Converting ratio directly into route payload: Model both mass and volume with route data.
- Treating a test result as guaranteed daily performance: State the test conditions and operational variability.
Scope of this guide
No universal ratio applies to every waste stream.
This guide does not validate a supplier value without its test record.
Reject or narrow any claim whose definition, material or method cannot be established.
Sources and applicability
Heil DuraPack 5000 with the fast cycle pump option only; not a KEEYAK performance specification.
Page 4, performance specifications and footnote
Document date:
Sources checked:
Controls the project-input, quotation, approval and inspection workflow described in this guide.
Provides public checklists and worksheets; the signed project documents remain controlling.
Defines the relevant product family and published configuration boundaries. Project-specific ratings require the selected OEM documents.
Official U.S. reference distinguishing roll-on/roll-off and hook-lift containers and requiring suitable securement. Destination rules may differ.