Technical University of Mombasa
DCE 2310: TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING II
Lecturer : Jackson Muruda
Email :
[email protected]Road Earthworks
Earthworks involve the removal of topsoil, along with any vegetation, before scraping
and grading the area to the finished ‘formation level’. This is usually done using a tractor
shovel, grader or bulldozer. Below the formation level, the soil is known as the
‘subgrade’. It is essential that the strength of the subgrade is tested prior
to earthworks beginning.
Most earthworks are formed by cut-and-fill, and the type of ‘fill’ material must be
considered, not only in terms of its physical properties, but on the conditions in which it
is to be used, and the methods of compaction.
Depending on its quality, compressible subsoil may be removed or stabilised. If
the cost of full or partial excavation of subsoil is uneconomical and would be likely to
result in consolidation, sand wicks or sand drains may be used. Sand wicks are sand-
filled boreholes beneath the road embankment that give greater stability to the soil by
decreasing the length that water has to travel in a drainage path, so dissipating water
pressure. Sand drains alongside the road are used to intercept ground water.
Subsoil drainage should be provided to deal with seepage
through pavements and verges, from higher ground and a result of the seasonal rise
and fall of the water table.
Clearing and Grubbing
The stage of development in which vegetation is cleared from land (clearing) and a root
rake or similar device employed to remove roots remaining in the soil (grubbing)
Preparing the road right-of-way or construction area is referred to as clearing and
grubbing. During the clearing phase, trees are felled. Grubbing refers to the clearing
and removal of stumps and organic debris. Trees should be felled and cleared a
minimum of 1 to 3 m from the top of the cut or toe of the fill (Figure 105). The logs can
be decked outside the construction area (Figure 105, B to E) or skidded away.
Clearing limits in relation to road bed widths. Significant quantities of organic
Figure 105.
materials are removed between B and E. Stumps are removed between B and D.
Stumps may be left between D and E. Organic debris and removed stumps are placed
in windrows at F to serve as filter strips (see Section 6.3.1).
This additional width between construction width and forest edge ensures that space is
available to deposit organic debris outside the road construction width and that there is
no overlap between forest edge and construction area.
A good construction practice to follow is to remove stumps that are within the
construction width (Figure 105, B to E). Trees should be felled to leave a stump 0.8 to
1.2 m high. This helps bulldozers in stump removal by providing added leverage.
Organic overburden or topsoil typically has to be removed over the full construction
width (Figure 105, B to D). This is especially true where organic layers are deep or
considerable sidecast embankment or fills are planned. Organic material will
decompose and result in uneven settlement and potential sidecast failure. Organic
material should be deposited at the lower edge of the road (Figure 105, E to F). This
material can serve as a sediment filter strip and catch wall (see Section 6.3.1), however
care should be taken that this material is not incorporated into the base of the fill. Past
road failures show that fill slope failures have been much more frequent than cut slope
failures (70 percent and 30 percent, respectively). In most cases, poorly constructed fills
over organic side cast debris was the reason for the failures.
During the grubbing phase, or preparation phase, a pioneer road is often constructed to
facilitate equipment access, logging equipment movement, and delivery of construction
materials, such as culverts. This is often the case when construction activities are under
way at several locations. If pioneer roads are constructed, they are often built at the top
of the construction width and are usually nothing more than a bull dozer trail. When
considerable side hill fill construction is planned, however, the dozer trail should be
located at the toe or base of the proposed fill. The trail will serve as a bench and provide
a catch for the fill to hold on (Figure 106).
Figure 106. Pioneer road location at bottom of proposed fill provides a bench for holding
fill material of completed road.
—Clearing and Grubbing inclusive of backfilling holes and trenches caused by removal
of stumps
—Removal of trees
—Removal of overhanging branches of girth
—Removal of Structures and obstruction
Machineries
—Excavator or JCB
—Tipper
Road way Excavation
Road way Excavation would be carried out according to the designed cross sections
and this work shall consists the excavation of soil, hard rock and also soft rock.
Why Sub Grade Preparation is Important ?
The overall strength and performance of a pavement is dependent not only upon its
design but also on the load-bearing capacity of the sub-grade soil. Thus, anything that
can be done to increase the load-bearing capacity (or structural support) of the sub-
grade soil will most likely improve the pavement load-bearing capacity and thus,
pavement strength and performance.
Excavation Method
1.Clearing and grabbing ,road way excavation & Embankment cutting was done
simultaneously.
2.Excavated sub-grade surface was leveled end sealed.
3. Surface was wetted using water bowser.
4.Compaction was done when the surface is ready.
5.Sub-grade top levels were taken jointly with consultant
Machineries
1.Excavator
2.Roller
3.Tipper
Embankment Filling
An embankment usually refers to an earthen structure that is used to raise the elevation
of a roadway or railway above the elevation of the surrounding area
