Reinforcing/paving a Rodden(i.e. in Peat Moss)

[difflock]

A long title, but I got from a minimum of 600m ( & up to 1500 m ) of undisturbed peat rodden that I wish to improve, for a well shod tractor and trailer(& see the "Yoke" in my Avatar) in dry(er) conditions, or rather be prepared to avoid using when too wet.

Peat about 3m-4m deep, mostly reasonably dry, but undulating, with a good "scraw" of grass, but bare wet patches.(which I will "darn" felled birch into first)

Anyway I can currently get virtually unlimited crushed demolition hardcore, but, as always, at a price.

I was considering hiring a tracked dumper to draw forward to a tracked digger, and first filling the hollows, with crushed hardcore, to leave a relatively flat surface, without removing any "scraw".

Then unrolling 4.0 m wide 20/20 "Geogrid", (@ £200.00/50m roll) before covering with, say 150mm-250mm-300mm more crushed hardcore, again drawn in by tracked dumper.

If needs be doubling up on the Geogrid layers in the softer/wetter places.

Anyone tried anything similar?

mth

[better dayz]

Do a test patch without the geogrid and see how she goes.

 

I did a 2 acre hardstand a good 5 years ago straight on the scraw during summer.

200mm of 3" c run and 100mm of 1.5" c run

Vibrated each layer and she's barely shifted and its gets regular abuse from arctic wood lorries.

[scbk]

Have no experience of it myself, but have heard of tyre bales being used as a base for a road over soft ground.

 

For a while there was a local company offering them for free (maybe just the cost of haulage) as obviously they were making the money on the tyre disposal

[difflock]

(i)better dayz, what sort of ground were you working on?,

I figgered the Geogrid would prevent the hardcore from "punching" through any softer areas, and , by my rough calcs each layer of Geogrid would only pay for 125mm thick of hardcore(without costing in the diggers and dumpers), so sig. less depth when placed.

(ii)scbk, tyre bales would add too much height, with the rodden already being higher than the surrounding moss, and I dont be aware of anybody local offering, though I have successfully used interleaved tractor tyres to revet places in the moss, and filling them with hardcore, tedious but effective and doable on my lonesome with a tractor and linkbox.

[scbk]

Yes you would have to lower the level to then build it back up with tyre bales

 

If you want some bed time reading, this pdf popped up on google, the project was nearly 15 years ago up in Sutherland, but might give you some ideas in general

 

http://timbertransportforum.org.uk/attachments/article/126/Roadscanners%20Publication%202003%20Tyre%20Bales%20on%20the%20B871.pdf

[better dayz]

Clay.

We pumped the water from the dips.

[difflock]

Thanks for the replies guys.

mth

[difflock]

Well!,

the VAST difference 3 or 4 good drying days in March can make!

I decided last Thur, to buy and stockpile the hardcore, while it was available, even though ground was still way too wet.

By Friday afternoon, we had tentetivley started nosing up the Moss Rodden.

I pondered and gambled and stood trucks down for Monday this week, to allow time for the weather to do its magic (and for me to fell Birch to lightly "brash" the Rodden)

With 2 trucks, being filled from a stockpile by a 30 ton digger and a sub 4 mile draw, a load about every 15 minutes, which is quite perfect for my diggerman.

Fingers crossed we will get the last 7 loads (of 50 No.) in this morning, without rehandling.

 

Quite surreal to see fully laden 8 wheeler trucks "up the Moss" on pure unadulterated quivering peat.

 

Two canny "nacky" young drivers though.

 

mth.

Edited March 29, 2017 by difflock

[better dayz]

You didn't bother with the geogrid then?

[matelot]

How deep did you place the birch? Do you place the birch in one direction or lay it criss cross? I'd love to see any pics if you have any?

 

On a peat I'd probably have specified a layer of geo fibre on top of the peat.