How do highway departments do this?

[Midniteoyl]

a 6/12 roof pitch is hard to walk on even with shingles. And is pretty steep. Yet it is still under 30 degrees.

Get a cheap angle finder gauge from harbor freight for $2, and measure the slope and take a picture:thumbsup:

Yep..

As a point of reference, heres a 6/12 pitch. Without googling, try to figure out what the slope is by eye.. :thumbsup:

 

[Bigfoot62]

I've worked in and around the dirt construction business all of my life. The standard ditch slope on any state or federal highway is a 3:1. That is 1' rise for every 3' run. The slopes just look steeper, especially from the operator's seat! :laughing:

 

[Timm250]

I think a 6/12 pitch is 22.5 degrees.

 

[DT86]

I think a 6/12 pitch is 22.5 degrees.

You would think but nope, thanks to trig (which is above my pay scale) it's actually 26.5*.

 

[LD1]

You would think but nope, thanks to trig (which is above my pay scale) it's actually 26.5*.

Correct

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

ok i might have looked pretty silly to passerbys but i stopped and measured one incline that was shocking to see them mow. Now i dont have an angle finder and i havent looked this up as far as the degrees, but using a 2 foot level and a tape measure to find the pitch, the level is set on the ground one one end, its raised up to achieve a level status, measuring the distance from the end to the ground is an exact 18" drop, which translates into roofing terms as an 9/12 pitch. Thats pretty darn step, i had probs just standing on it but they mowed this back and forth, not up and down. Amazing if you ask me, no way i would do that, so the operators must have mighty big golf balls or something.

 

[RoyJackson]

Yep..

As a point of reference, heres a 6/12 pitch. Without googling, try to figure out what the slope is by eye.. :thumbsup:


View attachment 330701

Between 30 degrees and 35 degrees from the horizontal would be my estimate

 

[SPYDERLK]

ok i might have looked pretty silly to passerbys but i stopped and measured one incline that was shocking to see them mow. Now i dont have an angle finder and i havent looked this up as far as the degrees, but using a 2 foot level and a tape measure to find the pitch, the level is set on the ground one one end, its raised up to achieve a level status, measuring the distance from the end to the ground is an exact 18" drop, which translates into roofing terms as an 9/12 pitch. Thats pretty darn step, i had probs just standing on it but they mowed this back and forth, not up and down. Amazing if you ask me, no way i would do that, so the operators must have mighty big golf balls or something.

Thats almost 37 degrees. Were they using chains on the rear tires? Were they going directly across or angled slightly uphill?

 

[LD1]

Yep. Almost 37 degrees. Pretty steep, but still do-able with the tractors I normally see mow.

Most highway tractors around here "look" normal from the side. But they sit really low and really wide. I would venture a guess that their tipping point would be past 45 degrees.

I have mowed some steep pond banks probably pushing 35-40 degrees with an 8n and set wide. But I wouldnt attempt it on my kubota, cause even at its widest, its still pretty narrow.

 

[Midniteoyl]

You would think but nope, thanks to trig (which is above my pay scale) it's actually 26.5*.

Correct... And less than 30, but still fairly steep when your on it