CHAPTER 7
EXCAVATION AND BACKFILL FOR PIPELINES
SECTION 7.01 GENERAL
A. Coordinate all interruptions of utility services with the Owner. Notify affected users
twelve hours in advance of, and restore service within four hours after, any interruption.
City valves shall only be operated by city personnel or under their direction. Protect
from damage any underground pipes, utilities or structures encountered. If such is
damaged, restore to original condition.
SECTION 7.02 CONTROL OF GROUNDWATER
A, All trenches shall be kept free from water during excavation, fine grading, pipe laying,
jointing, and embedment operations. Where the trench bottom is mucky or otherwise
unstable because of the presence of groundwater, and in cases where the static
groundwater elevation is above the bottom of any trench or bell holed excavation, such
groundwater shall be lowered to the extent necessary to keep the trench free from water
and the trench bottom stable when the work within the trench is in progress. Surface
water shall be prevented from entering trenches.
B. All water pumped from the trenches shall be conveyed to existing drainage channels.
Any conflicts and costs incurred by the improper disposal of this water shall be borne
by the Contractor. No surface or subsurface water shall be allowed to enter the existing
City sewer system.
SECTION 7.03 EXCAVATION FOR PIPELINE
A. All sewer lines shall be constructed starting at the existing facilities and proceeding
continuously up stream with no interim segments left unconstructed. No variance
therefrom shall be allowed except upon written approval by the City Engineer.
B. Excavation for pipelines shall follow lines parallel to and equidistant from the location
of the pipe centerline. Provide neat cut on asphalt surfaces to be removed during trench
work to prevent excessive asphalt damage. Sawcuts or excavations adjacent to or within
three feet of other existing patches shall include removal of existing pavement between
excavation and existing patch. Trenches shall be excavated to the depths and widths
required accommodating the construction of the pipelines, as follows:
1. Except in ledge rock, cobble rock, stones or water-saturated earth, mechanical
excavation of trenches shall not extend below an elevation of 4 inches above the
bottom of the pipe after placement in its final position. All additional excavation
necessary for preparation of the trench bottom shall be made manually. Any
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unauthorized excavation made below grade for any reason shall be backfilled as
specified under "Foundation Stabilization."
2. Excavation for trenches in ledge rock, cobble rock, stones, mud or other material
unsatisfactory for pipe foundation, shall extend to a depth of at least 4 inches
below the bottom of the pipe. A bedding of special material shall be placed and
thoroughly compacted with pneumatic tampers in 4 inch lifts to provide a smooth,
stable foundation. Special bedding material shall consist of suitable earth
materials free from roots, sod, or vegetative matter. Trench bottoms shall be hand
shaped.
3. Where unstable earth or mud is encountered in the excavation at the grade of the
pipe, a stable foundation must be created by removing the unsuitable material and
backfilling with foundation stabilization material (depth 6 inches to 24 inches as
required).
4. The unsuitable wet material or muck shall be hauled off and disposed of by the
Contractor. The Contractor shall take whatever measures are necessary to prevent
the dry and wet trench materials from being commingled.
5. The maximum width of trench, measured at the top of the pipe, shall be as narrow
as possible but, not wider than 12 inches on each side of the pipe.
SECTION 7.04 FOUNDATION STABILIZATION
A. Wherever the subgrade material does not afford a sufficiently solid foundation to
support the pipe and super-imposed load, where water must be drained to maintain a
dry bottom for pipe installation and at other locations as previously defined, the
subgrade shall be excavated to the specified depth and replaced with crushed rock or
gravel.
B. Gravel for pipe foundations shall be clean crushed rock or gravel conforming to the
following gradation:
Screen % Passing
1 ½" 100
3/4" 5
C. Gravel material shall be deposited over the entire trench width in 6 inch maximum
layers; each layer shall be compacted by tamping, rolling, vibrating, spading, slicing,
rodding or by combination of one or more of these methods. In addition the material
shall be graded to produce a uniform and continuous support for the installed pipe.
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SECTION 7.05 BLASTING
A. Blasting will not be allowed except by permission from the City Engineer and the Fire
Chief. The Contractor shall comply with all laws, ordinances, and applicable safety
code requirements (including IFC 33) and regulations relative to the handling, storage,
and use of explosives and protection of life and property. The Contractor shall be fully
responsible for all damage attributable to blasting operations. Excessive blasting or
over-shooting will not be permitted and any material outside the authorized cross-
section which may be shattered or loosened by blasting shall be removed by the
Contractor.
SECTION 7.06 SHEETING, BRACING AND SHORING OF EXCAVATIONS
A. Excavation shall be sheeted, braced, and shored as required to support the walls of the
excavations to eliminate sliding and settling and as may be required to protect the
workmen, the work in progress, and existing utilities and improvements. All such
sheeting, bracing, and shoring shall comply with the requirements of the Utah State
Industrial Commission.
B. All damage resulting from lack of adequate sheeting, bracing, and shoring shall be the
responsibility of the Contractor, and the Contractor shall be responsible for all
necessary repairs or reconstruction resulting from such damage.
SECTION 7.07 ACCESS TO TRENCHES
A. Safe and suitable ladders, which project 2 feet above the top of the trench, shall be
provided for all trenches over 5 feet in depth. One ladder shall be provided for each
100 feet of open trench, or fraction thereof, and be so located that workmen in the
trench need not move more than 50 feet to a ladder.
SECTION 7.08 BACKFILLING
A. The Contractor shall not proceed to backfill until each section of line has been
inspected by the City. Backfill shall be carefully placed around and over pipes and
shall not be permitted to fall directly on a pipe from such a height as to cause damage.
In these Specifications, the process of preparing the trench bottom to receive the pipe to
a level at the pipe center line is defined as bedding except for plastic in which case the
bedding is considered to extend to 12 inches above the top of the pipe. Where the
excavated material has rocks over ½ inch in diameter or the material is unstable making
it unsuitable for bedding material, the zone shall be backfilled with approved pit-run
gravel, crushed rock, sand, or other approved material (½ inch minus), or as
recommended by the pipe manufacturer and accepted by the City Water and Waste
Water Department. The contractor is to refer to R309-550(3)(a) and R309-550-8(3)(b)
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of the Administrative Rules for Public Drinking Water Systems for suitable materials to
be used for pipe backfill around PVC and DIP pipe. 100% import material may be
required by City Inspector based upon existing field/moisture conditions.
B. Bedding material shall first be placed so that the pipe is supported for the full length of
the barrel with full bearing on the bottom segment of the pipe equal to a minimum of
0.4 of the outside diameter of the barrel, then the remainder of the bedding shall be
placed. Alternative methods of pipe laying which are recommended by the pipe
manufacturer may be used if approved by the Engineer.
C. Trench backfilling above the level of the pipe bedding shall normally be accomplished
with native excavated materials and shall be free from frozen earth, rocks and solid
objects larger than 8 inches in diameter, except as required to protect pipe as per
manufacturers’ specifications.
D. The backfill in all utility trenches shall be either compacted or consolidated according
to the requirements of the materials being placed, as follows:
1. The in-place density shall be a minimum of 95% of the maximum dry density as
determined by ASTM D-698 (Standard) for all A-2 thru A-7 soils within the
AASHTO classification system.
2. The in-place density shall be a minimum of 95% of the maximum dry density as
determined by ASTM D-1557 (Modified) for A-1 soils within the AASHTO
classification system.
Perform a minimum of 1 test per 500 lineal feet of trench per 2 foot depth of trench to
assure overall compliance. In the event that testing indicates additional compaction is
required, perform additional testing as needed to assure compliance.
SECTION 7.09 CONSOLIDATION OF BACKFILL
A. Consolidation of backfill to within 4 feet of the ground surface, shall be mechanically
compacted by means of tamping rollers, sheep foot rollers, pneumatic tire rollers,
vibrating rollers, or other mechanical tampers.
B. Compaction by jetting will be permitted under the following conditions: (1) Backfill
consists of sand material which does not contain clay or other expansive material which
prevents complete water penetration and material is totally free draining, and (2) the
Contractor shall submit proposed procedures for review and approval to the City
Engineer, at least 48 hours in advance of commencing work.
C. All precautions necessary shall be taken by the Contractor to prevent damage and
movement (including floating) of the pipeline, structures, and existing adjacent
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improvements and utilities. The allowance of the use of consolidation methods shall
not be construed as guaranteeing or implying that the use of such methods will not
result in damage to adjacent ground. The Contractor shall make his own determination
in this regard and shall assume all risks and liability for settlement or lateral movement
of adjacent ground, or improvements, or utilities, either on the surface of the ground or
underground.
SECTION 7.10 COMPACTION OF BACKFILL (TOP 4 FEET OF TRENCH)
A. Backfill shall be compacted by means of sheepsfoot rollers, pneumatic tire rollers,
vibrating rollers, or other mechanical tampers of a size and type approved by the City
Engineer or City Inspector.
B. The backfill in all utility trenches shall be either compacted or consolidated according
to the requirements of the materials being placed. Flowable fill may be used as
approved by the City. Under pavements, or other surface improvements, and within 3
feet of finished grade the in-place density shall be a minimum of 95% of laboratory
standard maximum dry density as determined by AASHTO T-99 (Standard). In
shoulders the in-place density shall be a minimum of 90% of the maximum dry density
as determined by the same laboratory method. Perform a minimum of 1 test per 500
lineal feet of trench per 2 foot depth of trench to assure overall compliance. In the
event that testing indicates additional compaction is required, perform additional testing
as needed to assure compliance.
C. Where compaction methods are used, the material shall be placed at a moisture content
such that after compaction, the required relative densities will be produced; also, the
material shall be placed in lifts which, prior to the compaction, shall not exceed 12
inches.
D. Prior to compaction each layer shall be evenly spread, moistened, and worked by disk
harrowing, or other means approved by the City Engineer or City Inspector.
E. If the required relative density is not attained, test sections will be required to determine
any adjustments in compacting equipment, thickness of layers, moisture content, and
compactive effort necessary to attain the specified minimum relative density.
F. Approval of equipment, thickness of layers, moisture content, and compactive effort
shall not be deemed to relieve the Contractor of the responsibility for attaining the
specified minimum relative densities. The Contractor in planning his work shall allow
sufficient time to perform the work connected with test sections, and to permit tests for
relative densities.
G. If, in the judgment of the City Engineer or City Inspector, the trench shows signs of
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being improperly backfilled, or if settlement occurs, the trenches will be reopened to a
depth required for proper compaction, refilled, and recompacted, all in accordance with
these specifications and to the satisfaction of the City Engineer or City Inspector.
SECTION 7.11 IMPORTED SELECT BACKFILL MATERIAL
A. In the event the native excavated material is not satisfactory for backfilling as
determined by the City Engineer or City Inspector, the Contractor shall provide
imported granular material. This granular material shall (as a minimum) conform to
AASHTO designation A-1, and shall be free from sod, vegetation, and other organic or
deleterious materials. The depth of material herein required may be up to 3 feet as
determined by the City Engineer.
SECTION 7.12 RESTORATION OF SURFACE IMPROVEMENTS
A. Contractor shall restore all existing roadway surfaces in compliance with Section 11.
SECTION 7.13 DISPOSAL OF EXCESS MATERIALS
A. All excess materials shall be hauled away from the construction site and disposed of by
the Contractor.
SECTION 7.14 LOCATION OF STUB PIPES
A. The location of each water and sewer stub shall be marked by placing a 2 x 4 marker at
the end of the pipe and extending vertically from the end of the pipe to approximately
15 inches above the ground surface. Further, the portion of the 2 x 4 extending above
ground shall be painted as follows:
Green …..indicating sewer stub
Purple .....indicating irrigation stub
Blue.........indicating culinary water stub
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