# How to Build RoadBed



## JohnnySea (Dec 11, 2006)

I am trying to build a roadbed at work. We are going to build a road that will be able to support forklift traffic and tractor trailer traffic for storage purposes. We have a acre of land next to our building and are looking to create a road down the center of the property.

The road we are trying to build will be 30' wide x 400' long. I already have quotes for the truckloads of Crushed Concrete and rental of bobcat to spread it all out, but I realize it is not as simple as dumping twenty trucks in a row and spreading it out and making road bed.

So. please help.

What do I need to do to prepare ground? It is grass now. Level ground. I have large forklifts on site to help push the crushed concrete down, but what else is needed?

The road bed (in my head) will be to support the weight of our 60-ton crane. we will drive the crane down the road, shoot out outriggers, and then fly various machines and gear we store for people and set on grass (on timbers). The outriggers are 23' when setup. We will also be placing several 40' containers perpendicular to road bed and will have access to them via forklifts with a piece of plate.

Thanks 

Johnny Sea


Thanks,

JohnnySea


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## Bayman (Oct 18, 2004)

Crushed concrete should be Ok as long as it's packed well. It wouldn't hurt to rent a roller to pack it. We used it at the plant for a few roads. Your still going to have some pot holes show up with all the heavy equipment traffic. Especially on the edges. Make sure your drainage for your property doesn't get messed up by putting a road in the middle. Most lots drain to the front or the back, but some drain to one side or the other. A road in the middle will mess that up. If I remember right, when they put the stuff down, they scraped it, rolled it and put down some lime before they put the crushed concrete down and rolled it again. They drove cranes, forklifts, etc. on it and it was fine.


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## captMike (Jan 30, 2006)

*road bed*

Down here in the sand crushed concrete does not work. In dry weather it works into the sand and has no bindings to hold it together. Road base has clay that makes it bind and hold up. You will need it at least 6'' thick finished to hold traffic. Good luck. Also crushed concrete has wire and rebar in it, Mine has been down 8 years and we have just about got it all picked out, hopefully.


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## crvbs (Jul 5, 2004)

http://www.first-materials.com/prodsvcs/ shape your road bed with ditches ,till this in , then put the the base on.


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## rancher (Mar 27, 2013)

Having built several roads on my ranch and for neighbors I have made the mistakes with my money so I will tell you what I have learned. First put a good base down. I like a clay base that will shed water. Here in Austin County I use what they call post oak, it is red clay with rock in it. I shape the road with a crown so water runs to the sides. Make sure of your drainage and if culverts are needed put them in. I let the base sit for a while and then come back over it with what I get called wash out. It is from concerte companies and makes the ground very hard and stable. After this sits a while, I then come back with crushed concrete as a topping. Using this approach, I will take anything down my roads without fear of getting stuck.


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

Here's the City of Houston Standard Details for Concrete Paving. Maybe it will help.

http://documents.publicworks.housto...ils/230-street-paving-a-sidewalk-details.html


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

Depending on soils, I would recommend clear and grub down to 8" or so, stabilize the sub-base (existing materials) with a lime slurry (this means to basically till the soil down 8" deep and then add a lime slurry and till again to mix it, then compact to a 95% or better density), then add back 8 or 10" of flexible road base (limestone). 

The loads that you are going to be putting on the road are extreme for a non-concrete road and need to be built to a very high standard. Just the crane outriggers alone are an extreme condition. 

400 ft of 30' wide road is a LOT of road to just fly by the seat of your pants with the loads you are talking about. IME, I would hire geotechnical samples and report, then a civil engineer to design a road that will last and hold the loads. At $10/sq ft for the 12k sq ft of road you are talking about it is going to be $120k. An engineer and soils testing will cost less than $10k. Pretty cheap insurance IMO. Just my 2 cents.


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