Trench Compaction

dayexco

7' trench for water main installation, what do you find most productive? keep trench as narrow as possible with trench box and backfill compact with sheepsfoot or vibratory plate on another excavator? or widen the ditch out and use a ride on roller in the excavation?

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jmic

I really don't get envolved in that kind of trenching to often, but wouldn't the amount of lin. footage be somewhat of a factor in deciding this?BTW how ya doing Day?

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Joe

Bob Kovacs

Most of the site contractors around here would use a trenchbox and then compact with either a walk-behind or one of the remote-controlled rollers depending on the width and total length of the trench.

Bob

denick

day,

You don't say what you need to repair at the end? Soil type? Hauling in backfill or reuse existing? Any obstructions?

Like Joe, we don't get into that much of that type of fun. With the conditions here we would probably go tight trench and trench box. I didn't vote but thats the way I would have to go. Unless it was right through the middle of Joe's property then it would just be dig, dig, dig!

From what you've said in the past all you need to do is move the buffalo out of the way and go to it. When was the last time you saw a rock?

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Nick

"Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving" Albert Einstein

dayexco

we "might" dig up a basketball sized rock up 3-4 times a year. and this poll deals with the city water main project we just picked up. all of it will be out in new undeveloped areas. currently we pull a box, keep it narrow, minimize the amount of soil to excavate/compact. but in my travels, i see contractors opening the ditch wide open, and using ride on rollers. i'm all for increasing my production and change if it will save us time. so far, what we use now has been best for us. i'm just waiting to see how everybody else responds, how they go at it.

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someday, i'll be as patient as Nick.

denick

Sheeesh day, We put in a 1,000 tons of rock just to make it to the bottom of the job we're in. Just so we could get started.

It's all about cost though. Do you need bigger equipment to move more material out and the back in? More volume and reach?

I voted for narrow and plate.

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Nick

"Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving" Albert Einstein

rino1494

For a water main I would use a narrow trench and bench off the sides. No need for a ride on roller. We use a remote controlled trench roller. I would just make a couple passes with that.

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