farmer2009
Elite Member
Around here after compaction they still figure an inch of settle per foot of fill.
New Driveway Construction
- Thread starter FF117
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vtsnowedin
Elite Member
If your asking how much a loose layer will compact it varies too much from one material to another to give you a good answer. The tighter the better so if it comes out low add on more and compact it again.
Assuming your aerial map is orientated North up I think you should add a drive pipe where the 680 contour line crosses your drive. The sooner you dump collected water into the gully to the south the better. Yes it would go along that 680 line north to the culvert under the county road but you would be diverting water that now goes to the gully and might overwhelm that culvert.
Another culvert up mid drive near where 710 crosses would also be a good idea to reduce the amount you collect between culverts.
As to the fabric question. In my experience (40 years of road construction) a geotextile does about the same job as an eight inch layer of clean sand and usually costs as much installed as the sand would.
If your over wet mucky mud you can't dig out you might go with fabric but if you are on firm subsoil and want a thicker frost resistant layer go with the sand.
The one inch minus stone is fine and if any thing I'd go a little thicker and chink it with some clean sand to tighten up the top surface.
Looks like a very good start on your project. Enjoy!
Assuming your aerial map is orientated North up I think you should add a drive pipe where the 680 contour line crosses your drive. The sooner you dump collected water into the gully to the south the better. Yes it would go along that 680 line north to the culvert under the county road but you would be diverting water that now goes to the gully and might overwhelm that culvert.
Another culvert up mid drive near where 710 crosses would also be a good idea to reduce the amount you collect between culverts.
As to the fabric question. In my experience (40 years of road construction) a geotextile does about the same job as an eight inch layer of clean sand and usually costs as much installed as the sand would.
If your over wet mucky mud you can't dig out you might go with fabric but if you are on firm subsoil and want a thicker frost resistant layer go with the sand.
The one inch minus stone is fine and if any thing I'd go a little thicker and chink it with some clean sand to tighten up the top surface.
Looks like a very good start on your project. Enjoy!
I was taking a break today and looking at the driveway about where the 710 contour line crosses and was thinking the same thing you mentioned. The ditch on the north side of the road doesn't have any place to empty until it reaches the county road and by that time it could flood my driveway during a good rainstorm. Maybe another option is to cut a small ditch near the top of the hill to direct water over the north side of the hill? It wouldn't have to be very long because the driveway is pretty much on the ridgeline. I made another picture to show what I mean. As for the pipe near the county road I am planning on calling the county Monday to have the road commissioner meet me out there sometime this week to voice my concerns.
I've already purchased the geotextile fabric, so I'm pretty much committed to using it. I did a lot of research before deciding to use it. Most of the negative feedback I found regarding the fabric revolved around the fact that it is expensive. I shopped around and got what I feel was a pretty good price and I figure that I'll never be able to add it later, so it seems worth a try. I'll have to let you know in a year or two if I have trouble. The reason for the 1 inch minus rock with 10-15% fines is because that's what the salesman recommended. He said to use 6-8 inches, but I figure on having 8-10 to be safe. If you guys have other suggestions for aggregate over fabric please let me know.
Hopefully the dirt doesn't compact a bunch because I don't want to have to go back and move a bunch more. I could probably live with an inch per foot, thanks for the suggestion.
Got about another 8 hours in today and had a couple of setbacks. Pretty much working on the top of the hill now and there is a LOT of topsoil. I really struggled with the first section on top of the hill due to the topsoil depth of 12 inches in some places. It seems like I have to move 3 times as much dirt as I should. My wife came out late today and we were looking at the area we have staked out for the house. Of course, we started thinking of some other options and we ended up moving the stakes. Hopefully I haven't gone too far with the driveway yet....
Struggled so much with the topsoil today that I'm going to try a different method for the next section, hence the picture where I started cutting on the sides with grass in the middle.
I've already purchased the geotextile fabric, so I'm pretty much committed to using it. I did a lot of research before deciding to use it. Most of the negative feedback I found regarding the fabric revolved around the fact that it is expensive. I shopped around and got what I feel was a pretty good price and I figure that I'll never be able to add it later, so it seems worth a try. I'll have to let you know in a year or two if I have trouble. The reason for the 1 inch minus rock with 10-15% fines is because that's what the salesman recommended. He said to use 6-8 inches, but I figure on having 8-10 to be safe. If you guys have other suggestions for aggregate over fabric please let me know.
Hopefully the dirt doesn't compact a bunch because I don't want to have to go back and move a bunch more. I could probably live with an inch per foot, thanks for the suggestion.
Got about another 8 hours in today and had a couple of setbacks. Pretty much working on the top of the hill now and there is a LOT of topsoil. I really struggled with the first section on top of the hill due to the topsoil depth of 12 inches in some places. It seems like I have to move 3 times as much dirt as I should. My wife came out late today and we were looking at the area we have staked out for the house. Of course, we started thinking of some other options and we ended up moving the stakes. Hopefully I haven't gone too far with the driveway yet....
Struggled so much with the topsoil today that I'm going to try a different method for the next section, hence the picture where I started cutting on the sides with grass in the middle.
vtsnowedin
Elite Member
If you move your ditch back to the 710 crossing you can direct it to the small gully north of where you placed your arrow and use that already established vegetated water way. If you ditch where you have the arrow you will get a new unnecessary gully. Is the white area in the center of the picture a dry pond?
vtsnowedin
Elite Member
What do the snow drifts look like on that field in the winter?
Well I found out why it doesn't pay to do things yourself. I was using the box blade to scrape dirt from the high side to build up a portion of the driveway. I was pulling the dirt down the hill and dropping it in the middle of the driveway, then backing up the hill. When I went from forward to reverse I heard a pop and the tractor stopped moving. The transmission will start to whine (hydrostat), but the tractor will move about a half inch then stop and make a popping/grinding sound. It won't move in forward or reverse and it won't even roll while in neutral. I was able to jack up the rear end and the rear tires will turn while off the ground, but it sounds like something is broke off in the rear end. I used the loader to lift the front tires and they turn also. I'm pretty confident working on a vehicle, but a hydrostat tractor is over my head, especially with something that sounds this serious. Of course it happened in a really bad spot and I'm not going to be able to get it loaded, so guess it's a call to the dealer in the morning. To add insult to injury the drivetrain warranty ran out less than two months ago. Looks like I'll probably have to hire the rest out.
As for the driveway progress, I spent most of the day on the top of the hill removing sod, then I worked on the ditch further down the hill. A friend stopped by to check my progress. He built our pond a few years ago, so I was looking forward to getting his opinion. He said some of the same things you guys already mentioned. He also suggested making the ditch a little wider so that there isn't as much erosion. After working on this for a few days now I have a new appreciation for those who move dirt for a living.
As for the driveway progress, I spent most of the day on the top of the hill removing sod, then I worked on the ditch further down the hill. A friend stopped by to check my progress. He built our pond a few years ago, so I was looking forward to getting his opinion. He said some of the same things you guys already mentioned. He also suggested making the ditch a little wider so that there isn't as much erosion. After working on this for a few days now I have a new appreciation for those who move dirt for a living.
vtsnowedin
Elite Member
Your tractor breaking down really bites. I can't see how doing that work should have over stressed anything.
As to the snow drifts. Take care that the finished drive is above the grade of the old ground on either side so the wind sweeps snow off the drive, not dumps it into the drive. Also sense your so flat and in good dirt I'd make your ditches twelve feet wide and one foot deep so you could mow both slopes right along with your haying operation and plow snow right over them without getting stuck in a hard winter when you need to push or blow banks back.
You might have to narrow them up some in the cut sections where your changing the grade a lot but even then a four to one side slope to your ditch bottom is desirable as that allows mowing and maintaining a stable erosion resistant grass lined channel.
As to the snow drifts. Take care that the finished drive is above the grade of the old ground on either side so the wind sweeps snow off the drive, not dumps it into the drive. Also sense your so flat and in good dirt I'd make your ditches twelve feet wide and one foot deep so you could mow both slopes right along with your haying operation and plow snow right over them without getting stuck in a hard winter when you need to push or blow banks back.
You might have to narrow them up some in the cut sections where your changing the grade a lot but even then a four to one side slope to your ditch bottom is desirable as that allows mowing and maintaining a stable erosion resistant grass lined channel.
Got2BTru
Silver Member
We went 1300 feet for our driveway and I had originally thought about "trying" it myself, but glad I didn't! For the sub base, they dug down roughly 8-12" scraping off top soil to get down to a clay substrate. Then they laid geotextile fabric. After that, they added a "bony" mix that's not supposed to allow any water, etc. to drain through. Next year, we'll add a #3 Crusher Run material...I believe 6" thick.
Digging out the driveway 1300', laying the fabric and adding the sub base was $14k. Here are some pics:
Digging out the driveway 1300', laying the fabric and adding the sub base was $14k. Here are some pics:
