How to Demo a Concrete Driveway with a 3 axle dump truck

[ultrarunner]

I got some fill last summer from a neighbor... good stuff, almost like crushed gravel.

About a month ago, I asked him if he had anymore and learned he was going to do some grading and had about 200 yards available.

His contractor dropped off a large bobcat with an operator to move the dirt to area I wanted to build up at the far corner of my land.

The road to my home is on a ridge and my secondary concrete drive to the shop is at a 90 degree to the road and a moderate to steep down-slope.

This morning, I got an unexpected call to come into work just as the first 3 axle dump load arrived.

When I returned a few hours later my driveway looked like it had been professionally demolished... not cracks, but like it had been jackhammered into 1' x 1' squares. Driveway is 40 years old and no re-bar that I can see.

Wasn't expected any problems since last summer there were none... what I failed to take into account was 24 days of rain last month and the ground was soft under the concrete.

Lessened learned.

On the bright side, the dirt was moved and layered perfectly, exactly the way I had wanted it.

The worst section is the first 8' of concrete next to the road.

Since I now have a driveway project in my future... what steps or design to make it near bullet proof... at least a very strong apron where the concrete meets the asphalt?

Maybe concrete is not ideal... what about pavers or going asphalt for the secondary drive?

 

[arsenix2001]

Reinforced concrete, with rebar... Not wire or road mesh, 6 inches on the road, 8-10 on the apron, set on a properly compacted gravel base. Pavers will get destroyed with truck traffic and asphalt will rut. I am saying this assuming you may want large trucks up there again in the future.

 

[moored4]

Check into the tax laws, asphalt is considered a temporary road where cement is permanent. Different tax rate! Asphalt is used for a lot of highway and they see a lot of heavy use.

 

[ultrarunner]

Reinforced concrete, with rebar... Not wire or road mesh, 6 inches on the road, 8-10 on the apron, set on a properly compacted gravel base. Pavers will get destroyed with truck traffic and asphalt will rut. I am saying this assuming you may want large trucks up there again in the future.

Eventually, I do want to build my barn in back and that will require heave equipment.

Any specs to call out for the concrete?

 

[Dargo]

I have a 1/4 mile concrete driveway that crosses a creek and I've had a few dozen totally loaded "super 10" (that's what the guy called his truck) bring #11's for fill at one end of my larger barn. When I saw his tare weight per trip was between 22 and 23 tons I just about had a cow! He was running 70,000+ down my driveway each trip!! He cracked one corner when he dropped off the edge, but otherwise, I didn't receive any damage. I had just over 250 yards of concrete hauled down it after that too. I got a couple of chips at expansion joints but otherwise was fine. Now it's just my own personal equipment which will be less than 40,000 pounds at absolute max.

I've posted pics and process of the large concrete contractor I had do the work several times before on here, so I won't bore you with repeating myself and posting the same ole pictures. I am pretty firm in believing that a guy ought to spend the bit extra when he's doing the job so it will, hopefully, be mostly finished for life. I just ripped out an old parking area at my inlaws place earlier this week with my 6 ton excavator and dump truck. I didn't see anything that resembled rebar or any steel in the concrete. It was all a mess and had 2" drops and rises in the slabs everywhere. They swear that when they poured it in the late 60's that they used rolls of wire. If they did, that just reinforces my belief that using that thin gauge wire that comes in a roll is pretty worthless. I bought a semi load of the heavier wire matting. There are pics of it too on here. It's basically 1/4" rebar in large mats that make 6"X6" squares between the 'wire'. I also used several tons of #5 rebar in places that would receive more stress. Good luck!

 

[Dargo]

Eventually, I do want to build my barn in back and that will require heave equipment.

Any specs to call out for the concrete?

For a driveway, I'd want a contractor who could do at least an FF35 pour using 4500psi concrete with the wire matting and rebar I just mentioned. You'll want a higher F rating inside your barn or you'll have puddles to deal with. Same with your driveway if they can't do an F 35 or better pour.

 

[slowzuki]

Wire in the roll is good, but it has to be sized for the job. All it does is keeps the cracks locked together so the pieces won't heave relative to each other. It wouldn't just disappear so their memory is poor or the contractor took advantage.

 

[Highbeam]

For a driveway, I'd want a contractor who could do at least an FF35 pour using 4500psi concrete with the wire matting and rebar I just mentioned. You'll want a higher F rating inside your barn or you'll have puddles to deal with. Same with your driveway if they can't do an F 35 or better pour.

I'm a civil engineer and have never heard of this F35 or FF35. Is that an Indiana thing? If you say that to a contractor in the NW he won't know what you're talking about.

You get a permit for all that Fill Ultra?

 

[arsenix2001]

I'm a civil engineer and have never heard of this F35 or FF35. Is that an Indiana thing? If you say that to a contractor in the NW he won't know what you're talking about.

You get a permit for all that Fill Ultra?

Same here, do tell what the heck is Ff35, did concrete for 8 years and never heard of that??

 

[moored4]

I have been in construction a few years myself and never heard of " F numbers". So I went looking and it took me awhile! Here is what I found!

The Face Companies - The 40 Most Asked Questions about F-Numbers

has nothing to do with strength but smoothness and flatness!