Road Construction Details

[CM1995]

Come to ND and show me how to build a road on our soils like you're describing.

You will head back to Virginia with your tail tucked all the way up.

8" of gravel will not carry a single load over some of the ground we have to build on. TWO feet of 4-8" may get you started, but sometimes that isn't enough.

Well it's a good thing that OP is in Ohio and not ND.

 

[Shimmy1]

Regardless of the materials available, you need a good base of heavy rock topped with something that will pack. The goal is a cohesive mat of rock that will support the load, drain properly and not get pushed around and spun out by tires.

And this is why without actually being there, none of us have a clue what might actually be the best fix. We don't know the OP's site at all, it could be next to a swamp or on top of a hill. Chances are, if he's coming on an internet forum to get advice on building a driveway, it might be a tough site. Your recommendation might work perfectly, or not at all. I've had sites that required 6 feet of excavation, fabric, 3/4" minus rock with drain tile on top of that, and praying to the dirt gods that we could get proper compaction on the second layer of fill over all that.

Truth is, the only real answer to the OP's question is get a reputable local guy to tell him what to do, and follow his advice to a T. Conversations like this are why I try not to give opinions on road building on this forum. Sorry if I was too blunt.

 

[superwofy95]

I personally hate road fabric, I only use it as a last resort. Its just burying plastic crap in the ground that will be a nightmare for years to come. Ever try to trench through it at a later date? Or have an area that had it put down, plans change and you have to do further excavation there? Regrade a road or driveway where it was installed too shallow and starts coming through the surface? It is a disastrous mess trying to grade around it, dig through it or remove it.

A base of heavy gravel/rock will do the same thing as road fabric, you just have to size the material accordingly. I'd start by stripping the topsoil/organic material, then put down 6-8" of heavy gravel, around here that'd be something like #1 to #3, which will be about the size of your fist or a little smaller. Then top with 4" of Crusher Run to lock it all together. That will be good for most farm/access/construction roads. If the ground is really soft step up to a larger base rock, around here the next size bigger than #1 would be called ESC (erosion/sediment control) and would be about grapefruit sized. For soft areas and/or extra load carrying capacity bump up the thickness of the base rock Home Builders, but stick to no more than 4" Crusher Run to top it.

What are the grapefruit sized?

 

[HarleyHappy]

5” minus or Rip Rap, depends on where you live, OR go to the grocery store and look at a grapefruit.
LOL!

 

[dayexco]

when i was in biz, my shop was adjoining a river, sandy/clay soils. static water table was down 6 feet. even after dozing all the top soil back, running front end loader over it, it would ribbon out in front of the tires with an unloaded bucket. got the excavator in there, took 2' out, put down fabric...placed nice clay from another jobsite on top of that, rolled it in the front end loader. 8 inches of class 5 on top of that. was like a rock, didn't budge a bit.

fabric has it's places, my shop area was definitely one of them.

 

[Coaldust]

My neighbor is building a new road. It’s fascinating to watch. They move the topsoil, mine the gravel underneath, build the road and put the top soil in the trenches they mined the gravel from. Then, it’s compacted. Not a single yard of material is hauled to the site.

The topsoil is chunky because it’s still frozen. It froze down down about 10’ this year.

 

[DDoug]

If RG was still around......He would probably make a giant train all connected
together to do it all in one pass.

Conveyors swung out on each side to windrow the topsoil, screeners classifying, putting the
proper sized gravel in the proper places, etc.

All powered with 14 screaming Deetroits......

 

[materthegreater]

My neighbor is building a new road. It’s fascinating to watch. They move the topsoil, mine the gravel underneath, build the road and put the top soil in the trenches they mined the gravel from. Then, it’s compacted. Not a single yard of material is hauled to the site.

The topsoil is chunky because it’s still frozen. It froze down down about 10’ this year.

View attachment 358305

That gravel is just hiding under the topsoil, ready to use?

 

[DDoug]

That gravel is just hiding under the topsoil, ready to use?

They are breeding over the winter, under cover of snow......

 

[Coaldust]

That gravel is just hiding under the topsoil, ready to use?

Pretty much. I’m trying to remember what the official soil designation is called, but this entire MatSu Valley is a giant gravel pit.

Well, there is plenty of muskeg and a few ice lenses, the Matanuska River bottom land has some incredible farmable topsoil.

 

[Shimmy1]

Matanuska River bottom land has some incredible farmable topsoil.

Yeah, if you were only looking to grow radishes or weeds lol. Kinda hard to farm with only about 40 days in the growing season lolol.

 

[materthegreater]

Yeah, if you were only looking to grow radishes or weeds lol. Kinda hard to farm with only about 40 days in the growing season lolol.

40 days of 24 hour light is equivalent to 80 days of 12 hour light.

 

[Coaldust]

But, Dale’s 2,000 lbs pumpkins. This is the land of giant vegetables.
Pumpkin is a fruit, maybe. IDK ?

I’m well known in the local ladies gardening club for the girth of my zucchini.

 

[Shimmy1]

I’m well known in the local ladies gardening club for the girth of my zucchini.