Any Excavation Professionals Feel Like Giving Advice?

[ovrszd]

For those of us that don't work in the excavation or road building fields, what is #57s and what is 304? (The #1 and #2 stone is defined in post #9.) I've heard of "3/4 minus" being used for "road base" which I've found out there is a particular percentage of sizes from 3/4" down to "fines" and that there are 3 or 4 different screen sizes involved.

Good mention. These terms are geographic. Nothing like that around here.

Gravel is named by it's largest size in inches. Then a term added to define it's cleanliness. I.E., 2" clean (no fines), 2" down (fines in percentages allowed down to dust).

 

[dodge man]

I wouldn’t mess with leveling the pad unless there is a specific reason. The slope you have will let the water runoff.

 

[paulsharvey]

#57 is "The number “57” is a number that refers to the size sieve that was used to screen and sort the stone. It means that the stone was put through the #57 sieve which produces gravel stones of about 1” to 1.5” in size" in real world turns; when you hear gravel, that's 57, or 83, or whatever. It's no smaller then X and no larger then Y. It's washed, cracked limestone or other rock. It has no fines, no large rocks. It lacks the material between the stones, and doesn't really form a monolithic base. It's often used to make concrete, or to backfill very wet areas that can't be compacted. It also will freely allow water to run through it, making it good foe Kelly wells, French drains, ect, allowing water to travel through the voids.

 

[Rockbadchild]

so what is 304 ?

 

[paulsharvey]

Road base, in my area, limerock base, is every thing from powder upto maybe 2 or 3", and is suppost to be basicly be evenly spread between they sizes. Sure, one load might be "bony" and another a bit less so, but it comes down to "the theory of minium voids"..
Think a 1 cubic foot bucket; it will hold say; 0.66 cf volume of basket balls; it would also hold 0.66 cf of bbs or marbles; But; you could put 0.66 cf of basket balls; then add more marbles, then more BBs, and then water, and eventually get as close as possible to a true displacement of 1.0 CF of volume. Also; think of all of these sizes (grades) of material kinda locking each other into place. Just marbles would freely pour out; as would just base balls; but stuff BBs, marbles, and baseballs in, they kinda key each other in.

 

[paulsharvey]

For those of us that don't work in the excavation or road building fields, what is #57s and what is 304? (The #1 and #2 stone is defined in post #9.) I've heard of "3/4 minus" being used for "road base" which I've found out there is a particular percentage of sizes from 3/4" down to "fines" and that there are 3 or 4 different screen sizes involved.

so what is 304 ?

Never heard of it; road base terms are crazy regional. We probably have a similar material, but we might call it screenings; #83; crusher run; rail rock; ect, and I just don't know of 304.

Add to this; asphalt, the number is the size, in mm, of the largest aggregate size; (Sp-12.5=super pave, 12.5mm/0.5" or FC-9.5=friction coarse, 9.5mm/0.375") But old Marshall mix a S-1 is 1/2" and a S-3 is 3/8"....

 

[Rockbadchild]

Never heard of it; road base terms are crazy regional. We probably have a similar material, but we might call it screenings; #83; crusher run; rail rock; ect, and I just don't know of 304.

Add to this; asphalt, the number is the size, in mm, of the largest aggregate size; (Sp-12.5=super pave, 12.5mm/0.5" or FC-9.5=friction coarse, 9.5mm/0.375") But old Marshall mix a S-1 is 1/2" and a S-3 is 3/8"....

yes i see this myself out here it be describe as granular A, B, the B2, B3 ectera … I think 304 it’s granular A (1” minus) but not sure.

 

[paulsharvey]

Now; let's face it; we aren't building an interstate here; and in reality; your 30x30 parking area could be as simple as Round up the area, paint your outline with marking paint, and dump 25-30 tons of asphalt millings, spread evenly, smooth, and then slope to the finished parking level with fill or top soil. It Will work is the area isn't really wet.

"Perfect is the enemy of good enough."; meaning, don't be too held up on making a space shuttle launch pad, when your really wanting to park a truck on it. It's not a perfect world, and the "best option" might not be what you need/want.

My personal parking area is 22 tons of asphalt millings on sandy soil, probably about 4" thick and after 10 years, it's still good, with no grass growing through. The edges still loose rock into the yard, but I don't have snow, and once I graded it, I left it alone. Regrading a drive/parking area regularly can make a mess.

 

[ning]

 

[Rockbadchild]

i agree but I will say this again … nobody creat base with pure stone regardless of its size … the only time pure stone is used during road construction is when you are 6” in mud and water … then you would put pure stone to get out of the water then put any granular from 0 inch to what ever they call for … in water you can’t put any fine since it will turn to soupe … pure stone is describe as self compacted, therefore is dosent hold any compaction you need fines to be able to achieve any sord of compaction.