Today, I was repairing a pond levy hich had a muscrat hole in it. The hole was completely thru the levy and it was washed out on the backside. I took and removed all of the grass and cleaned out the washout. Took and refilled with clay dirt. To pack the dirt I used the backhoe after I put about a 1' of dirt in it at a time to pack. I put the boom down and picked up the rear of the machine to pack the dirt. Is this the standard way to compact the dirt? I could not drive the backhoe over the washout it was on the backside of the levy and the slope was to steep. Just seeing if anybody else has any thoughts. Thanks
NO this is not the standard way to compact dirt. If there would have been an inspector on the job he would not have passed the job. You should have used a jumping jack or whacker (that's what we call them here in PA) With out proper compaction you risk a blowout. Plus if you had an inpector to sign off on it, some of the heat would be taken off of you if a failure occurs.
jake is right you got to dig out the hole thru the levy and compact it the way jake was saying
yes, you need to completely excavate and re-fill the effected areas. You need to dig to just below the bottom of the hole, then switch the bucket for a hoe pack if your plumbed for one and pack the bottom down good, add no more than a foot of clay, and pack down again, continuing the process until your back to grade. then topsoil and seed / mat. Thats what should be done. Is this a personal project on your land?
Stumpjumper, I did exactly what you described with the exception of the hoe pack attachment. I did use clay in rebuilding the levy with the exception of the last 8" to 1' of fill, I then used topsoil. The hole was about 1' below the spillway level, water level was 1' below the hole due to summer conditions. I have built ponds using a dozer before and dug the key way or core trench with a backhoe and packed the core with the method described above and the ponds have not been leakers. I am not aware of any contractors around my part of the country that utilizes a hoe pack for this. Thanks again
hey, results are what matters. And as long as to holds and doesnt leak, your good to go.
Do you have any pic's of a hoepack, I am not sure what you guys are talking about and I would like to see one.
Here is one that cat markets, and there are many other makers. http://www.cat.com/cda/layout?m=37901&x=7 I think the proper name is vibratory plate compactor.
Thanks for the information. I assume they are a one way circuit, just like a hammer as far as hyd requirements. Thanks again.
Can't say that I have not used the bucket for packing as I have many times in the past. On the flat areas I like to use a jumping jack or either a rammax compactor, but I have been able to get 95% compactions just using the bucket and tracking over it with the excavator. Atleast that what the soil guy said. For steep pond dam slopes I just use the bucket to pack as long as you already have a good solid core you'll be good to go.