The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Sun May 08, 2005 11:20 am**

Yesterday I moved 5 tonne of 50mm subbase to the back of my house, raked it level and compacted it with a hired whacker machine.

Problem is, after only 2 complete passes with the whacker the heavens opened with an unforecast and fairly torrential hail storm and some rain chucked in for good measure. I didn't think that was a big deal but the drains in all the local roads were pretty full meaning quite a volume of water was falling.

As you'd expect I had to give up for the day because of the weather (it only stopped just before dusk).

Anyway, this morning I thought I would complete another 5 or 6 passes with the whacker, but the surface of the subbase has become very soft with all the water. All the dusty small particles have become soggy and when I tried the whacker, it simply sank about 1/2" to 1" and left 'lanes' all over my subbase

Should I simply give up until we get some heat & sun and hopefully that will dry out the subbase, at which point I could hire a whacker again and finish compacting?... or should I carry on compacting this soggy mess whilst I have the whacker on hire?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Hopefully I can salvage this situation as it was back breaking work getting all the subbase into place.

Posted: **Sun May 08, 2005 11:50 am**

If i was you i would wait until it dries out it, i sometimes spray water on the final pass to help bind it all together, so i reckon you should be ok see what it is like once it has had the sun on it for a couple of days.

if we ever get any sun that is

Posted: **Sun May 08, 2005 10:39 pm**

Let it dry out - all that happen when the sub-base is saturated is that the vibration from the plate compactor causes 'fluidisation': the sub-base material turns to mush and squirts about here, there and everywhere, instead of staying put and being compacted as desired.

In most cases, it should be fine after 24 rain-free hours.

Posted: **Mon May 09, 2005 8:31 am**

Thanks for the prompt replies guys... I can breath a sigh of relief

The law of Sod is at it again... after a weekend of torrential rain, today (when I'm back work) is bright sunshine without a cloud in the sky

.

I'm gonna give the subbase a couple of days to dry out and wait for the next dry weekend.

Posted: **Mon May 09, 2005 11:50 am**

It's supposed to be a good week, weather-wise, so you might be able to make a bit of progress during the evenings.

The Brew Cabin

Subbase : it was all going so well... - Until the torrential hail storm!