Using a water pipe trench for soak away

[ringi]

I need to dig (or have dug) a 3 foot trench for a replacement water pipe, this goes next to a new path and a flower bed I would like to drain.

In a solid clay sub soil, what area can I drain get into a 25cm wide trench that is about 3 foot deep filled with gravel (or washed crushed bricks)? I am hoping to get about 8 feet to the side of the trench drained.

If the trench was deeper with gravel under the water pipe as well, would that work a lot better?

What is practical limit to the depth of a trench that a mini digger can dig in solid clay? (I will get the gravel in the same day up to 3 foot, so there will be no issues with supporting the edges)

The trench will run about 9 foot from our bungalow if it makes any difference, with the replacement wastepipe in a duct to product it from the gravel.

[GB_Groundworks]

A 1.5 tonner should dig to 1.7-2m depending on configuration and positioning, however in heavy clay it's slow going even with a special clay bucket that not many ppl have.


Also you are effectively just making a holding trench, you need somewhere to drain the trench to as it won't soak away if the clay is as heavy as you say.

[haggistini]

What's a clay bucket when it's at home watching Eastenders?

[Dave_L]

It's like a toothless 9" bucket with the sides cut out of it so you don't have to rattle the bucket to death to get the claggy shit outta it.

[Dave_L]

Clay Spade

[haggistini]

Nice that wil klac straight on our kubota.... And then be used for ripping up tar and destroyed
:laugh:

[GB_Groundworks]

No they are good for flags and asphalt, seen them using a modified one on an 80 ton machine in the middle of zurich to rip out the tramlines in earthmovers magazine.

And then again same machine pulling 10 tons 450mm thick reinforced concrete slabs out of the run way at Zurich airport.

I'd like one but which machine to get

[Dave_L]

Yeah I could imagine they are good for ripping up asphalt etc.......