Base Course Thickness and Geotextiles

[pmour]

Does anyone have any resources on the proper design of crushed stone driveways/roads; including thickness requirements based on tire loads, subsurface conditions, the use of geotextiles (geomembranes and geogrids) as a replacement to additional stone thickness, construction issues, etc. I have been having difficulty lately with rutting of our sites, and I would like to see the numbers end rather the historical.

I have been using 6 inches of 1-1/4 inch dense graded base course (WISDOT) covered with 6 inches of 3/4 inch clear crushed aggregate (this is for electrical resistivity requirements). I would like to more accurately define when either additional aggregate or a geotextile is necessary.

 

[jdonville]

pmour,

Suggest you contact Tensar/Contech. They distribute a "slide rule" calculator that should offer you a good idea of the improvement using one of their grids can make.

Download their free SpectraPave software here:

http://www.tensarcorp.com/index.asp?id=81

Have a rep contact you about how to use the software, as there are a few tricky wrinkles, if I recall.

Jeff

 

[GabionGuy]

Do yourself a favour and contact Synteen, Maccaferri, or Tenax as well.

There are many other suppliers - do not limit yourself to only one venfor.

 

[VAD]

Along with advice provided by others it is well worthwhile to examine your specific sites to first understand why the problem is occuring. Too often we are programmed to take pills when all that is needed is a rest for a while. Be careful that you relate what can be done with geotextiles to actually what your symptom actually is.

 

[GabionGuy]

VAD,

You are bang on with your comment.

I have worked on numerous projects where a woven geotextile was a more suitable and economic solution than a biaxial geogrid.