Sandy Drive project

[smiley]

I've done miles of asphalt stabilized soil cement, which is simply asphalt sprayed on top of the sand/gravel, then mixed with a giant rototiller or, scarified in with a grader or, in more modern procedures, ground up, picked up with mobile elevator that looks like a hay elevator, dropped in a pug mill (mixer where asphalt is added) on the front of a paver and layed back down behind the paver. Sometimes we would tailgate spread extra #2 stoe on top before mixing for a more stable base. For all but the lightest duty road like a driveway, this is considered a base and needs to be topped or it will "ravel" (come apart eventualy from weathering or traffic) One advatage of it is that it can be easily redone years later by shooting more oil on top and remixing. Unfortunately this all takes some pretty heavy machinery and experience. I've also done a little portland soil cement and if I remember correctly, a mix of 12 sand/gravel to 1 portland worked best. Again it was dry mixed with the rototiller, graded and rolled and ground moisture did the wetting. This could probably be done on a small scale with a garden tractor tiller. I didn't like the portland mix as it wasn't flexible like the oil mix and would break up under heavy load and turn back to sand. Probably ok for a driveway. I've also done clay liners in dumps, which is the same process only with clay. It has to be covered or will turn to mush if standing in water but like concrete when dry.
What I did with my own 1100 ft. sugar sand driveway in Florida was just tailgate spread # 2 crushed stone on top of the sand and drive on it. It worked into the sand and stabilized it very well. The biggest problem was getting people to vary their wheel tracks and not run in one path, so it didn't eventualy work into 2 ruts. When that did happen, we'd just order another load of stone and spread a new thin layer and box blade it into the tracks. We did this for about 30 years with good results, until we sold the place. Since that, it's rutted and has washes on the 2 hills from lack of maintenance.
Hope this gives you some ideas.

 

[JohninCT]

Here is an entertaining video showing use of lightweight product called Geogrid from Tensar Corp. Looks like amazing stuff.

YouTube - Geogrid for Soft Soil Stabilisation

 

[smiley]

Here is an entertaining video showing use of lightweight product called Geogrid from Tensar Corp. Looks like amazing stuff.

YouTube - Geogrid for Soft Soil Stabilisation

We've used miles of the geogrid and geotextile for road bed and slope stabilization, on various projects and both perform exactly as shown in the presentation. One thing that is not made clear though is the fact that for permanent applications, your top layer still has to be a granulated material such as gravel or crushed stone/sand, millings etc. If you just fill over it with sand, the sand still has no stability of it's own and will blow out the side and rut under the weight of vehicles. If you use just crushed stone without the sand, it's just as bad. The stone provides the stability, but the sand fills the voids and binds it together to prevent you sinking in. The geogrid/textile itself is reasonably cheap and might be worthwhile in the longrun.
Smiley

 

[Redbug]

I live on a county maintained sand road, too. The easiest, cheapest thing to do is to add clay or clay/sand to your road. The clay will bind the sand and hold things in place once it gets mixed in and driven on, (packed). When working on your road it's best to have some moisture in the dirt. Too dry...and it will not pack. To wet...and it will leave ruts. Whenever you get those washboards...it's a sign you need more clay on that area. It's most important to put a crown on the road after that. The water needs to run off or else you will get standing puddles of water. That invites pot holes and ruts. You can even slope the road to one side only, (with your runoff ditch on the lower side), and not worry about a crown. Long as the water has a place to go.

 

[KennyV]

Redbug has it down right...
Around here when the sand pits are pumping they will get into good veins of sand/clay... they call it mudball road gravel, that is the best cap you can put on a good limestone base. Keep the crown in shape, don't incorporate vegetation into the road and it will last a long time... KennyV