Ways to thaw frozen material

[Matt_H]

Well due to awesome weather conidtions here work hasn't slowed down much at all and am running into problems I have never dealt with. We aren currently sitting at 5 degrees celius but by the time the job starts it will probally be around -15 celius. So heres the question is there anyway to thaw the frozen ground that will be getting ripped up so we can use it as backfill? I must also mention that right now there is no snow cover so the frost is already down 4'.

 

[Digging It Inc]

How much digging are you doing? I dig graves and during the winter we have to cook the ground to dig through everything and we use 4-5 bags of charcoal and then put a lid on it thats the size of a grave. It thaws everything out over night and its eaiser to dig in than during the summer. I'm sure that it takes alot of the moisture content out of the soil which makes it easier. I've been around a couple companies that use straw and that works pretty good if you have some sun to actually warm it up. I've also seen concrete frost blankets use but they didnt work nearly as well. Good luck!

 

[tuney443]

Well due to awesome weather conidtions here work hasn't slowed down much at all and am running into problems I have never dealt with. We aren currently sitting at 5 degrees celius but by the time the job starts it will probally be around -15 celius. So heres the question is there anyway to thaw the frozen ground that will be getting ripped up so we can use it as backfill? I must also mention that right now there is no snow cover so the frost is already down 4'.

You should have hayed or concrete blanketed all proposed excavated areas before the frost set in.4' of frost is serious azz stuff--short of somehow enclosing the area and heating it,I don't think this is going to happen.

 

[Dualie]

fire?

 

[joispoi]

Did you mean that the frost is down 4 inches or is it really down 4 feet? Insulation blankets work well if it's a small area. You can put down a thick layer of hay- fluff it up as much as you can. Put a tarp or plastic over it if you can. This will help draw the frost out of the ground if it's only down 4". If it's down 4', it won't make a dent.

 

[tuney443]

Did you mean that the frost is down 4 inches or is it really down 4 feet? Insulation blankets work well if it's a small area. You can put down a thick layer of hay- fluff it up as much as you can. Put a tarp or plastic over it if you can. This will help draw the frost out of the ground if it's only down 4". If it's down 4', it won't make a dent.

NO,I'm quite certain he did mean 4',as he originally stated.4'' would just be from overnite or more with the temps. he's claiming.

 

[curbside]

In the Saskatoon area the frost could easily be 4 feet deep. This has been a mild year in the western provinces and often goes deeper especially if travelled on.

 

[joispoi]

NO,I'm quite certain he did mean 4',as he originally stated.4'' would just be from overnite or more with the temps. he's claiming.

5 degrees C is mild.:beatsme

 

[curbside]

Compared to -30C yes 5c is real mild........lol

 

[buckfever]

4 feet:jawdrop get out the breaker or go find a warm barstool to sit on till it warms up.

 

[OldandWorn]

Hmmmm, hair dryers. Lets start a HEF collection and ship a couple-O-thousand up to Saskatoon.

 

[tuney443]

I just came up with a good answer,all joking aside and this probably would work,but it will cost boo-coo dinerne of those vertical flame tractor trailer mounted asphalt reheaters.It would suck up an ungodly amount of propane but when you're desperate..........

 

[OldandWorn]

Hmmmm, hair dryers. Lets start a HEF collection and ship a couple-O-thousand up to Saskatoon.

My apologies to the OP....no disrespect intended. I was having some fun with a strange post 2 up from mine that mentioned hair dryers. That post has disappeared.

 

[bigshow]

Assuming that preventing the ground from freezing is not going to happen in your situation, could you use a Vermeer terrain leveler or a large trencher, your end product would still be frozen but in manageable smaller pieces for backfill. The smaller surface area of the material would be easier to thaw out if you chose to cover and heat the area, allowing you to "turn" the material as it thaws enabling a more efficient use of your heat source. Best of luck 4' of frost is a lot to contend with. We have used Vermeer road saws to cut our trench outline and dug it out with a BIG hoe, much like removal of slabs of concrete, BUT we weren't putting it back........

 

[bigshow]

Also stay away from straw, as it does have insulating properties, it also retains moisture, shades the soil from the sun it needs, and makes a damned mess. Blankets are much easier to deal with, they can be drug off in the event of sunshine and put back at night.