Chain link integrated into gravel road on grade

[marks]

Four years ago I contracted for the installation of a gravel road that services a remote portion of my lot, and is only accessed several times a month. The road is 600' x 12', of which the last 200' is impacted by sharp bend and a grade of 10-15%. Four inches of Class 2 base was properly installed, and has performed well. The problem is the area with the steep grade, in that the R1 tires are chewing up the base and the supplemental 3/4" gravel placed on the top. Since the rains are upon us, I'm in need of making repairs.

At the recommendation of other TBN posts, I've researched various ideas and products such as geo-blocks, and poly compounds. The geo-blocks are more expensive than asphalt, and the addition of poly compounds don't appear to have the properties necessary to with stand the impact of the R1s on the steep grade.

However the thought of regrading the base, and then stapling a geo-fabric and chain link, and covering it with gravel seems to make sense. In that the chain link, will provide a type of physical binding (similar to that of geo-blocks) with the gravel while protecting the underlying base.

So what do you guys think???

 

[PILOON]

The idea of chain link sounds like it should work.

Around here we use recycled asphalt that has been shredded or also the stuf they 'chew' when they resurface roads with a monster machine.

Our gravel and asphalt pit/quarry types sell it for a mere couple of $$ more than gravel/ton.

My drive was done that way about 10 yrs ago and I can highly reccomend it.(i am steep enough that rains would wash down the gravel)
Compaction was merely done with a loaded dump truck driving back and forth.
The chewed/shredded recycled stuff still contains enough bitumous material to make it re-bind with sun and compaction.

 

[Egon]

Think you would end up driving on chain link and have a hard time trying to regrade the road.

Egon

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

Marks:

I know very little about road construction but my bones tell me Egon is right on. I can see you ending up driving on the chain link, which I bet would be more slippery than one might think, especially when wet. I bet you'd end up yanking it out. Sorry if I'm talking about things I shouldn't, couldn't resist. You've got me curious though, I'll see if I can find out anything truly helpful, I might be in the same boat someday.

 

[Toiyabe]

I don't think chainlink or any fabric out there will help you.

I think your options are to put a bound surface layer on it, or live with it as it is.

If you've got loose 3/4" stone in the steep grade area, that's not helping you either. You'd be best off with something with a uniform gradation (i.e. all the sizes of gravel, sand and some fines) - your Class 2 road base (not sure exactly what that is, specs vary from region to region) is better than stone, but probably has too few fines to bind up tight. Usually road bases are speced with less than 10% fines, while an unpaved surface needs about 15% fines.

 

[rambler]

I would not want metal wires inbedded in my road surface. I think that will get real ugly in a few years, as others mention and for the reasons they mention. If the current gravel washes away, the wires will stick out sooner or later, and then you have a mess. As well any broken wire is a flat tire waiting to happen.

--->Paul

 

[Darren]

I would rule out water causing the problem first.

 

[marks]

You bring up some good points, and recycled asphalt sounds like the best bet. Moreover the chainlink idea, probably won't meet my needs, and will also become problematic once it looses its cover and/or rusts.

Thx guys,

 

[slowzuki]

Some places will spread a light layer of cement powder over the surface and the moisture in the ground will let it set up and provide a bit of binding. Need a gravel type road for this though.

 

[djradz]

I can't believe your current stone is not holding up. We've got a 500'+ drive, with about a 15% grade that has been in over 7 years. First and only time we've done anything was a year ago, when we lightly raked it to just redistribute the stone. Base is what we call roadmix, essentially what the county puts on the roads, which is a mix of clay, sand and stone. On top is about 2" of stone. Stone is a little largermaybe than yours, probably in the 3/4" to 1-1/4" size, and CRUSHED. I couldn't tell if yours was crushed, but this makes all the difference in the world. Round stone just rolls around. Crushed bites in and stays put.