Cement Bag Retaining Wall

[Wakey]

Nice job!

 

[EddieWalker]

I guess I've been doing it wrong. My understanding is that gravel allows water to pass through it and compacted clay was water proof, especially when it's forced into the ribs of the pipe. The challenge, or hard part is getting it compacted on the bottom. That's where mixed concrete works well. You pour the concrete and then set the pipe on top of it so it spreads into every rib of the pipe.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I will put gravel around about 40 feet that sits in the middle, then clay on the front end to keep the water out, and the cement bag head wall in front of that. I'm pretty happy about the way it is going. I just wish I had the whole week to do it and just get it done. Although my body would probably be wrecked if I didn't take a couple days off.

 

[s219]

Looks like a great project and I can't wait to see how everything turns out. I don't know if it's available in your area, but #78 or #8 is much easier to work with in situations like that. I still use a lot of #57, especially for drainage where I want water to flow, but for backfilling or bedding stuff I love #78 or #8. It flows into crevices and self compacts very easily. A bonus is that it's easier to shovel too.

 

[s219]

BTW, I hear you on the heat. Has been heat index of 107-111 here lately, and brutal to be outside, even doing light work. Hope it ends soon -- I have a lot to catch up on.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I have a bridge. I still have a lot of work to do. I'll be be doing more fill and cover work next weekend. But I have a bridge. I had two more trucks of stone delivered Friday. And then two more today. I was able to get the last one dropped right on the job site. Saved me at least 4 hours of picking at it with the tractor. So far that is 136 tons of crushed stone for backfill. Ive driven the excavator back and forth over it 30 times packing down the dirt. I feel confident that it can handle day to day traffic with no problem.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I was able to send that first picture from the mountain, but couldn't follow it up. Let me back up a bit. this weekend, I made good progress. I started early moving stone for an hour or so and then My wife showed up and was moving stone for about 7 hours on Saturday. I would wait till she had delivered 5-10 loads before I would mess with it. I had plenty of work to do because my son and I were putting clay at the start of the drain pipes, Tamping down inch or two layers of dirt by hand. Plenty of cardio Saturday. We got a lot of backfill in there.

Sunday we did ok, but it started to rain around 2:30...some big dark storm clouds and enough rain to turn the dry clay into a mess. I pulled the plug before we could tear up the soil.
Today I went back alone and did some maintenance while the sun finished drying out the roads and work area. This morning, at 8 I went into the quarry office and ordered two more truck loads of stone. I asked if the could deliver them to the pond. ....I was in town getting diesel when the first load came and it was dropped by the road...I pained a big sign on the ground with utility marking paint asking that they deliver the next load to the pond. I was tightening longest on the tractor when I heard them a truck so I ran up to tell them to come down. The driver walked down with me and checked it out and back the truck all the way to the bridge and dumped the stone. Made me happy as could be.
I spread the stone that was dumped at the bridge, then ferried more stone for an hour. I got things spread outing started to put some dirt down. Then I drove the tractor for another hour, getting more stone. I thought I had moved enough....

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I would spread out 5 or so buckets of dirt then pick thru it to remove sticks, roots, and large rocks. When there was about 6 inches I drove on it to compact it. When there was a foot of dirt I stopped worrying about the larger rocks unless they were larger than a bowling ball. I am amazed at how much material I have put in that hole. I put all that pipe, 250,000 lbs of crushed stone and most of the clay back in it, and I still need more stone and will need more clay. Changing the contour of the land and joining tow pieces together is more than I thought it would be.

I was able to drive up to the home site. I kicked back in the bed of the truck for about half an hour to enjoy the sun setting behind the mountain......then I drove back down, and sprayed my trees. The work don't end.

 

[cat fever]

Great job WoodChuck. It looks great, looking forward to more post as you progress towards the home building. I am sure jealous of the pond and trees!

As far as the work never ending; I tell my wife, I can rest when I die.:laughing:

 

[bikerdib]

Lots of. Work going on there. Placing gravel around a culvert is a total new one to me, never seen that done before. What is the reasoning? Is it so water will seep through without washing out around the culverts?