house pad moisture content question?

[ns_in_tex]

We hope to build a pad for a doublewide mobile home for a friend.
Is there a simple method of checking the moisture content of sand for compacting a house pad?
This sand is what we have heard referred to as sugar sand. Fairly course in my opinion.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Talk to a dump truck guy or dozer man. You want select fill.

Brett

 

[ns_in_tex]

Talk to a dump truck guy or dozer man. You want select fill.

Brett

The sand is there and free. Do you think it would be doable?

 

[Western]

We used the native sand for the shop no problems. I have a friend building a 40x60 East of Dallas and he is using the sand he has in his coastal field.

If it's fairly clean of woody stuff, I dont see why you would have a problem. If I order sand, it would come from local anyway, probably from near the Brazos river here.

 

[SandburRanch]

Yes, there is a simple way to determine moisture content of most materials that will contain moisture, whether it be sand, dirt, wood or other. For soil structure you can do that test yourself also. Shake sample with water and leave set for a few hours.

http://www.deldot.gov/information/pubs_forms/manuals/mat_research/pdfs/doh_2.pdf

Sugar sand would be difficult to compact. Fill material for construction should be free of any organic material. Ideally builders sand would be a good choice, similar to foundry sand. If you have a soils person connected with your county extension service he/she may be of assistance or if not they could point you to someone that works in that field.

As mentioned, truckers that work with it daily could be a good resource.

 

[Egon]

How well your sand packs depends on the grain size distribution and fractured surface of the sand grains.

For water content take a handful of sand and squeeze it. When you open your hand and the sand remains in a sort of a ball it may compact. Use a vibratory packer.

 

[ns_in_tex]

Several years ago, we did a 40x60, 5' fill pad for my son, out of similar sand and it seems to be doing fine. This was for a slab & metal building.
The one we want to do now is for a double wide mobile home and will be set on blocks. Probably 3' fill on one end.

If we can pack it by driving over each 6" layer, with a loaded 5 yard dump truck, to the point it doesn't leave ruts, would that be considered sufficient?
Also, we were just wondering how to recognize if we needed more moisture, or less?

Thanks to everyone for their info.

 

[EddieWalker]

What are you needing to know this for? Moisture content has no bearing on the load bearing of sand unless you are in a marsh. Sand is considered one of the weakest materials to build on, but for a mobile that is sitting on blocks, it doesn't really matter.

Eddie

 

[ns_in_tex]

What are you needing to know this for? Moisture content has no bearing on the load bearing of sand unless you are in a marsh. Sand is considered one of the weakest materials to build on, but for a mobile that is sitting on blocks, it doesn't really matter.

Eddie

Since this is not my line of expertise and we are just trying to help someone out that we think needs some help, I do not want to do a less than satisfactory job.
I would consider it BAD, if we did the job and it was not up to snuff. That's the reason for asking for advise, and at least learning all we can.

We have seen a Louisiana site preparation requirements that says new fill should be compacted to 95% density. Also, I find, Texas passed some new requirements for site preparation last Nov.

Just trying to cover the bases, as much as we can.

 

[Egon]

[video]http://construction.about.com/od/Earthwork/a/Compacting-Granular-Soils.htm[/video]

Just a little more information.