I'm not an experienced grader operator by any means, but I'm pretty much having to build a gravel detour road myself because my operator left me and I haven't found another finish man yet. I've got a long straight stretch in pretty good shape using hubs and whiskers on the lane edges and letting the BladePro system slope sensor carry the 2% crown down the middle of the road. My problem is that the last 56 feet makes a 90 degree turn to join the existing highway and climbs 4.75 feet in elevation in that distance. There is no super in this turn. It calls for the same 2% crown. (Lanes are 11 feet wide or 22 feet total width.). The slope sensor seems to lose itself as I make the turn and start climbing the hill. Any tips on how to carry this grade up the vertical curve and around the 90 degree turn without making a mess?
A good Eyeometer helps.
Yep, but I'm afraid he doesn't have time to develop that. Sorry ETMF, I have no words of wisdom. Anxious to hear your solution though.
Fill the turn high and turn around and set the grade coming down the hill.
Yep, thanks, that makes sense. We got it filled level with the existing highway shoulder today so I can finally grade all the way to the end. Before today, I was bumping into the 12 inch shoulder cut with my front tires. Now, I can dump an extra load up there at the top, stick the grader's rear out into the traffic, set the grade at existing asphalt level and follow the hubs down the hill and around the turn. I will let you know how it turns out.
Pictures would be great also!!!!
I built the Subgrade with the GPS dozer I had rented, but it didn't do a perfect job in this vertical curve. My month of rent was up before I got all the gravel down, so that's why I had to spread the gravel lifts with my motor grader. Grader is better anyway.
Nice work!!!!! Looks professional!!!!
How do you
Whoops how do you look at attached pics? Trying to learn some grading lingo but looking at what is talked about would help! Thanks
Looking good!
Hmmmmm.... On my Computer they simply show up below the typed message.
Thanks you helped me figure it out. I use a smart phone and the mobile format doesnt show them just clicked full site icon and thers the pictures!
The finished product. Finished it up last week and the state approved it for grade and density. I'm still not sure why my BladePro system goes bonkers when I'm pointed uphill or downhill, but it works so well when there is very longitudinal fall. Do you call that "mainfall? I'm thinking it has a sensor for that.
I meant to say "very little longitudinal fall". Also, thanks to all who gave some good tips on how to do this vertical curve.
Also thought I might post this pic of the bluetop hub for razorsedge and others who may not be familiar with it. (It's the square peg with the blue whiskers attached to it.) I'm still learning myself, obviously, but if you can just clip the top of that hub with the blade, without knocking it out of the ground, you are on grade. In my case, I only had to concentrate on blading over the top of the hubs on the side of each lane, because the BladePro system put the crown in the road. I didn't even have the surveyor set the centerline hubs, because I didn't need them.
Nice work!!!! This stuff is so beyond my intellectual level. Never ran a machine with such gadgetry. I've built several miles of gravel roads over the years by eyesite. Get out of the machine once in awhile and walk the roadbed to get a different perspective. When down to the finish work it's blade a little, stop and walk the site, blade more, walk more. Final inspection is to go home and get my pickup and drive the road with a critical eye. Come back a couple days later and drive it again just to make sure.