×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Commercial Site Surface Tolerances

Commercial Site Surface Tolerances

Commercial Site Surface Tolerances

(OP)
Does anyone specify the tolerance for final paving elevations for a typical commercial site (internal parking and drives)

I was discussing it with our survey department, and indicated I would like to specify finished pavement elevations to within 0.03'.  They indicated that was too precise, and 0.05' would be more reasonable.

Undoubtedly the FF elevation of the building should be spot on, but parking lot grading could probably fluctuate a bit without causing too much problem (except in particularly flat areas, where precision to meet minimum slope might be needed).

Anyone have an opinion on that?

RE: Commercial Site Surface Tolerances

We specify +/- .05' on our parking lots.
But in most cases you'll get much larger fluctuations.

The paving contractor has to spend time looking at your plans trying to find your drainage intent based on the few spot grades you give. And I guarantee no one puts as many spot grades as a contractor would like or your plans would be illegible.

Once the curb is in, the agg. base will be placed to grade based on the contractors evaluation of your plans. The real trick is having a good paving contractor to make sure the lot drains. A good contractor can evaluate better than you what field adjustments are needed based on as-built shots of curbs and structures.

I would place the +/-.05' on your plans, for your own liability. But you should keep in mind that it probably wont be met, and that the goal is to make this thing drain.

Even the FF should have a small tolerance or youll get bids for an exhorbitant amount seeing how the contractor will have to price an extra amount of liability.

 

RE: Commercial Site Surface Tolerances

I usually use 0.10' with a note to the effect that it has to drain.  I also show drainage arrows.

Dik

RE: Commercial Site Surface Tolerances

better bet is to specify minimum 2% and preferably 4% slopes for areas which must drain.  Anything flatter than that will end up with bird baths due to inaccuracy in the grading and paving and staking

RE: Commercial Site Surface Tolerances

You need published data from a reliable/conventional source. The US DOT and USACE have dimensional quality control for all sorts of items/materials.

RE: Commercial Site Surface Tolerances

0.5% for PC Concrete and 1.5% for HMA are the lower limits of accuracy without paying a premium.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources