clay problems

[JimMorrissey]

This clay is killing me. It's by far the worst "material" I've ever come into contact with....especailly if you are forced to buid a road over it. I'll post some pics of the project soon. I'd excavate down to dry "base" which is basically modeling clay (you could package it and sell it for making pots and such) and then it wicks up moisture and quicky becomes unsettled. After driving over it a few times it turns into jelly. NIGHTMARE!

My solution is to quickly throw down some huge crushed stone in the 5"+ range to stablilze it. That seems to be working well. I'll bring it up to grade with 1.5" crushed and cap it next year with some nice gray 3/4". I just hope the 5" doesn't get forced down into the clay over time. There was no way for me to get fabric under the 5" the way it all worked out (trial and error) and I was concerned the 5" would cut through the fabric. It's not razor sharp, but it's got a lot of pointy but smooth edges and each chunk is the size of your fist and bigger. The hoe is the only way to move it around. The loader basically bounces off. I'll use the fabric once I get beyond this bad section. The other currently more stable sections I'll cover with 3" and then cap with the gray 3/4".

I've put 67 hours on my L39 in the last four weeks. You are not going to believe how much material I moved with it. The beast is certainly getting broken-in. In hind sight I sould have rented an excavator. Oh well I don't think I did a lot of permanent damage to it. The digging is rough, but not horrible. -Lots of rocks and small boulders in the extremely heavy wet clay. I've got to try and get the clay off it before it freezes for the winter. I've been greasing the hoe and loader once a day. After about six hours of continuous hoe use and 2500 rpm it needs more. You can hear the squeeks start. I've gone through a case of grease recently. Anyway, more soon when I have some time to deal with the pictures.

Good thing winter is on the way so she can take some nice long naps between snow storms /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[PBinWA]

I feel your pain. Clay sucks. I'm putting up some fencing and if I step in some of the wet clay from the post holes it seems like five pounds sticks to my boots.

I actually spent some time digging week old wet clay from the treads in my tractor. Heavy rain and driving around in the field hadn't washed it off.

 

[JimMorrissey]

I'd estimate that there's over 100 cubic yards of it piled up on the sides of this road cut! When I stand at the top of the pile I'm probably 15-20' above the current road base and the pile is approximately 60' in diameter. When I look out at "the mess" in the morning I can't believe how much I've got to move out. It's scary. I'm going to rent an excavtor and hire a dump truck to move it to the back for fill.

 

[PBinWA]

Try and find some free horse poo and mix it all together. You might get some useful dirt. That's what I do. I get my neigbors horse poo and mix it with the clay dirt I've dug up.

Seems to work pretty good and I get lots of nice dirt for use in other projects.

 

[Toiyabe]

It may be too late, but one of the best ways to deal with clay is to stabilize it with lime (quick lime, not ag lime). The lime association website has lots of good info. Basically the lime reacts with the clay particles and makes them better behaved.

I think it's more likely that the 5"+ will work its way to the surface then beat down into the clay.

 

[Toiyabe]

If you're curious, what you're making is simmilar to what used to be called a "Telford Pavement".

From my 1906 book on road construction:

"A Telford pavement consists of an underpinning or bottoming of large, usually not less than 6 ins. nor more than 12 ins. deep, set on edge like a rough block pavement and supporting a layer of macadam or broken stone.

Telford seems to be especially adapted to wet soils, not easily drained, where small broken stone would be pushed down into the soft soil, becoming mixed therewith. Wherever a cut is made, especially where the grade is flat and in a clay soil, or one of a quick-sand nature, it is always advisable to use the telford construction instead of macadam, for the large underpinning stone form an excellent drain and one that does not easily clog up, like pipes or side ditches, in freezing weather."

And in case you are wondering, "The average price paid in Massachusetts in 1898 for some 10,000 sq. yds., 6 ins. thick, was 31 cts. per sq. yd. for this underpinning or bottoming."

The book doesn't mention any problems with the blocks working their way to the surface.

 

[JimMorrissey]

Excellent. Thanks for the reference.

Wish it was that cheap now! That wouldn't even pay for the diesel to get it here all else being free.

 

[JimMorrissey]

I'll have a descent layer of 1.5" on top, so I'm really hoping the won't migrate up over time.

It's not too late, so I wonder if I should put down a layer of fabric over the 5" before I place the mid layer. Not what I want to do, but it might be worth it.

 

[EddieWalker]

All I have on my land is red clay. At first, I was like you, and hated it. But now I really like it.

A few things to remember is how well it holds water. Even when it's dry and cracking on the surface, just few feet down and it's still moist. A puddle will remain mushy and impossible to do anything with long after everything else is dried up.

The big secret is drainage and letting it dry out. When you get the water flowing off and away, it works great for roads and building pads.

But until you get it dried out and correct the drainage, you will have a sinkhole that will always give you issues.

Eddie

 

[JimMorrissey]

I tried to drain it with perforated pipe with a sock over it. The water just sits on the surface and can't get through to the pipe. There is little to no water movement. I'm figuring the stone combo will keep the water at least 16" away from my road surface.

I'm used to gravel / top soil and gravely topsoil mixes. I have never seen or dealt with this level of pure clay before and I never want to again. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Unfortunately I will see more as this project continues. It will make for good fill behind my retaining wall though.