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Customer wants steep gravel, I don't believe it will work

RenoHuskerDu

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
359
Location
Texas
I have a customer whose steep driveway was built with Caliche (crushed limestone). It's in bad shape and its slope is 10% or more. Caliche will hold up on this grade for a few years if it was compacted and traffic is light. But that quarry closed down a couple years ago and the nearest Caliche is too far for hauling here. Now most of us use granite road base, or hire Super Dumps to bring in Caliche, but that's expensive, or just process Caliche from a local private pit. Laborious.

Granite base is a much longer-lasting road. But for this customer I'm afraid it won't last on that grade, then my business will be associated with a failed driveway. I'd rather say no thank you. But try to educate the customer.

I'm looking for a document I can quote to the customer showing that gravel (road base) isn't appropriate for such a steep grade. Does anybody know of a source? I found this one but it's BS, trying to sell their stupid plastic crap that might last 2 months in Texas https://www.truegridpaver.com/gravel-driveway-on-a-slope/

I have a cat guy lined up to cut them a new road with a switchback, if they agree.
 

RenoHuskerDu

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
359
Location
Texas
I'm sure you have reasons, but the obvious answer is to pave the steep part.

Yes that would be ideal. Paved driveways are rare around here in Texas. I don't build them.

Anybody got a technical paper on this issue? So far I found a bunch of gubbmint docs but they don't mention steep grades.
 

ovrszd

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2008
Messages
1,523
Location
Missouri
Occupation
Retired Army
Good luck with your search. Hard to get good data. Mostly opinions. Here in Northern Missouri it's crushed limestone or pavement. Following.
 

ippielb

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Messages
695
Location
Saskatchewan
Get reclaimed asphalt hot off the Miller. Lay it down hot and roll it immediately then let it sit for a day. You’ll need a ripper to take it off. This driveway I did isn’t steep, but it’s done with millings right off the machine. Looks just as hood today as it did last year when I built it.
0DC0B59F-1780-4E9D-8319-1E422ABC69DB.jpeg
 

cuttin edge

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
2,691
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
Get reclaimed asphalt hot off the Miller. Lay it down hot and roll it immediately then let it sit for a day. You’ll need a ripper to take it off. This driveway I did isn’t steep, but it’s done with millings right off the machine. Looks just as hood today as it did last year when I built it.
View attachment 248575
We did a paving job a couple years ago. There was a section that didn't pass, to much dust in the mix. They made us mill up about 300 tonnes on one lane. It had only been down, less than a week, so it was beautiful material. I put it down on a short street with the grader. It rolled out like it came off the back of the spreader. After one winter it was rough as heck, but it can't be re graded. Only option would be pulverizing, or just dig it up. Rap is great as long as it stays smooth, but hard to do anything with afterwards.
 

skyking1

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
7,465
Location
washington
Just like paving or the fly ash amendment jobs, you have to get it right the first time. No do-overs.
Recycled concrete is like that, at least the stuff I get. heaven help you if you put it in high and walk away a year or two.
 

ippielb

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Messages
695
Location
Saskatchewan
We did a paving job a couple years ago. There was a section that didn't pass, to much dust in the mix. They made us mill up about 300 tonnes on one lane. It had only been down, less than a week, so it was beautiful material. I put it down on a short street with the grader. It rolled out like it came off the back of the spreader. After one winter it was rough as heck, but it can't be re graded. Only option would be pulverizing, or just dig it up. Rap is great as long as it stays smooth, but hard to do anything with afterwards.

we had that issue once when the sub grade wasn’t compacted. To remedy that we did a job where we would oil it and it seems to be holding now
 

cuttin edge

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
2,691
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
we had that issue once when the sub grade wasn’t compacted. To remedy that we did a job where we would oil it and it seems to be holding now
Subgrade was well prepped, but it was just one of those things. I guess the point was, that once it's down and rolled, it's hard to regrade. I did a mill in place job last fall. The miller leaves the rear gate open, and leaves the material on the ground. You get one shot to grade it, even your tires compact it and make it un gradable. They compact it and pave over top again. Another waste of time. Don't know why they don't just pad the wheel ruts, and pave . Any way, to the OP, I find that on a hill, a good crossfall turns water to the ditch, and avoids wash outs. Spinning ruts on the other hand....
 

cuttin edge

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
2,691
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
Just like paving or the fly ash amendment jobs, you have to get it right the first time. No do-overs.
Recycled concrete is like that, at least the stuff I get. heaven help you if you put it in high and walk away a year or two.
That's why I hate paving. Our guys know what they're doing. One thing to sit down on the road, and let the automatics control the mat, but to do someone's driveway, with angles, curves and multipal joints, and not just the spreader work, but the roller. The roller man makes the job. If grading is slow, or the small paving jobs are piling up, they send me with some guys to do some hand work. I don't mind doing some patching, but I hate raking out a walk that some guy is paying good money for the real pavers, and gets me.
 

uadlam

New Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2021
Messages
1
Location
Lahore
That's why I hate paving. Our guys know what they're doing. One thing to sit down on the road, and let the automatics control the mat, but to do someone's driveway, with angles, curves and multipal joints, and not just the spreader work, but the roller. The roller man makes the job. If grading is slow, or the small paving jobs are piling up, they send me with some guys to do some hand work. I don't mind doing some patching, but I hate raking out a walk that some guy is paying good money for the real pavers, and gets me.
You are right.
 
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