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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:30 pm
by HayDown
Hello all
The garage, drains, etc have now been passed by the BO and my sub-base has been put down on my driveway, I am at the moment wackering, when will I know if I have wackered it enough? Can you wacker it too much!
Sub -base is type 1 stone
Would be grateful for any advise. Thank you
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:45 pm
by IanMelb
I've been told (and discovered) that the compactor plate will jump around like billy-o when there's no compaction left in whatever it's jumping on.
I'll let the experts confirm or refute that ... 
Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:38 am
by seanandruby
compact to refusal thats when it jumps. you cant wacker to much, but you can wack needlessly.
Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 2:39 pm
by Tony McC
You can't over-compact a sub-base, but it's quite difficult to achieve "compaction to refusal" using a typical plate compactor because most of those used by driveway contractors or supplied by hire shops are too lightweight. BS7533:3 requires a plate to have a minimum effective force of 1400kg/m². This is why I always recommend use of a roller for sub-base compaction.
Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 6:35 pm
by lutonlagerlout
so in laymans terms is a 1 ton wacker ok for drives?
yay or nay?
LLL ???
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 8:48 am
by Rich H
hmmm. Used a 1 ton for block paving before but it's a lot of passes to be sure it's compacted. On that gravel drive the MOT is 120-170mm deep (although generally no more than 150mm over 90%) and I knew the wacker wouldn't be enough so hired a roller instead.
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:45 am
by Tony McC
A 1 tonne plate is fine: the problem is that most plates used in the residential paving trade are around 80-100kg and even with the centrifugal force, don't come anywhere near the required 1400kg/m² required for effective sub-base compaction. While they're absolutely fine for compaction of the laying course and final consolidation of the blocks, they just don't hack it with a sub-base.
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 11:36 am
by Rich H
Sorry - thought you meant 1t/m2 rather than a 1t machine :p
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 6:59 pm
by lutonlagerlout
hmmm i was given to understand that our wacker= a bomag 450 mm wide ,had a 1 tonne wacking capacity
the plate itself weighs about 80kg,i can just about heave it on the back of the pick up on my own.
saying that i always make at least 4 passes over the area in as many different directions as is possible,and thats each for the sub-base,bedding layer and final compaction
we keep getting pikeys comng round trying to flog us those little weenie ones,but not interested.
LLL ???
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 1:00 pm
by Rich H
Is that the one with the fold down wheels? Bloody heavy bugger but I still can't get to the 'compaction to refusal' that Tony refers to with much more than about 120mm MOT.
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:54 pm
by seanandruby
then do 120 layers, 
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 6:30 pm
by Rich H
silly sod