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Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:09 am
by SelfBuilder
Yesterday, our shared drive collapsed under the weight of a concrete lorry that I had ordered for my foundations.
This drive is made of clay, with a gravel top.
It sits (sat!) about 800mm above my ground level, directly adjacent to where my Utility Room extension will be going.
It abuts my property for about 6500mm.
What is the best way to reinforce this driveway permanently, and to stop it collapsing again?
I had thought about interlocking trench sheets?
Does anyone know of any suppliers/ fitters in/ around NW London?
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:46 am
by 118-1187271617
hmmm...trench sheets would look ugly..not really easy to disguise. Also they would need to be braced at the top in clayish soil, and greased or jointed to stop water.
A suggestion would be something like a blockwork or possibley precast wall, like stepoc blocks maybe?... also need to consider drainage...run of land drain beside it may not be best idea if soil is really claggy.
What will be the gap between the edge that needs to be held up and the new extension?
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:03 pm
by SelfBuilder
The gap between the edge and the new extension is not wide - around 360mm at its narrowest.
Originally, we had specified a steel-reinforced concrete wall (200mm) with drainage holes at 500mm centres.
Between the wall and the extension (approx 160mm) would be a drainage gully (sloping back-to-front) that drains into a new BTIG.
This wall was only supposed to be placed immediately adjacent to the extension.
The rest of the drive was supposed to be supported by an existing brick wall (now collapsed).
Thought about the trench sheeting after a contractor said that he was surprised that we hadn't gone down this route in the first place.
I agree that it looks ugly, but most would be hidden by extension and a raised car-port.
What do you think? Should we now aim to continue the steel-reinforced wall throughout the length of the driveway? What is the cheaper option (importantly)?
Thanks in advance.
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:28 pm
by 118-1187271617
cheap...trench sheets. If you are on a really tight budget, you could do them hit & miss. Only real cost would be the sheets and brace struts plus hire of a excavator & driver + g/w to drive them in. They can be treated, painted etc to make them look a bit better. However, don't let water through, may cause it to build up where you don't want it e.g under neighbours garden for example.
The conc wall is more likely to be a better bet. More expensive, but if done properly more likely to last and more likely to resist movement of clayey ground, also better from drainage point of view. Like i said, if you dont want a shutterd ret wall, you could try forticrete who supply sectional wall panels which go onto a concrete base with starter bars for alignment.
if you're dead set on trench sheets give marwood or mabey hire a call.
That's my 2p worth, i'd advise you to consult a proper civil engineer...not a tupenny hapenny groundworker
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:05 am
by seanandruby
HI selfbuilder. Its not as simple as driving sheet piles as you will still have sideways stresses on them. you could dig down and place a reinforced beam with starter bars for a wall , allow about 600 of re bar sticking up out of wall ( assuming you use concrete ). shutter and pore concrete, strike shutter after 24 hours. dig out behind wall sufficient clay and place terran, crusher run or similar as a sub base for a concrete slab. Bend re-bar in to splice with mesh for slab . Place a 100/200ml slab. you can then top with your choice of paving and face with bricks. the slab beam etc; will spread the loading on your drive. This is just briefing, obviously you would need to consult a structural engineer.
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:11 am
by seanandruby
Guest, us " tuppenny hapenny ground workers " are worth more now due to inflation. :;):
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 2:25 pm
by Tony McC
"Guest" is actually a Brew Cabin Irregular whose membership has gone awol since the weekend. He's an experienced civil engineering contractor.
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 4:00 pm
by very simple simon
"Guest" is actually a Brew Cabin Irregular whose membership has gone awol since the weekend. He's an experienced civil engineering contractor.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the gleaming accolade Tony, but...
1 i am only a youngster (20), 5 years experince tops
2 i am of the hairy-arsed, tuppeny ha'penny variety (Cheers sean!)
3 i am not on £18/hour or wotever the going rate is...more like £6.80/hour!
wonder what i'll be doing for a living tomorrow?
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 5:02 pm
by lutonlagerlout
ground workers i know are feeling the immigration pinch right now,
whereas 2 years ago they were getting 130 a shift (7.30-5.00) now every job they go to is talking " 10 quid an hour == take it or leave it" the general way things are going is you have 1 or 2 experienced lads and a rake of poles or EE who generally are on 50-60 pound a day.
i wonder were it will end?
LLL ???
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 5:13 pm
by very simple simon
too right Mr. LLL, polski can be heard almost everywhere nowadays. I work 7:00 to 5:30, always out the house by 5:45 usually good hour's drive to work...a lot of engilsh fellas my age don't want that. 10-11 per hour down here is the going rate for a g/w who knows what he's doing...I have seen a pole back a 6t dumper into a scaffold tower, and a machine driver knocked a guy over the edge on a cofferdam for a petrol interceptor..broken ribs the lot. The trouble comes when you don't distinfguish between G/workers, and just labourers...everyone gets the shitey end of the deal that way
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 8:46 am
by seanandruby
so is "guest" simple simons alter ego? as the old joke goes... " I'll pay you what your worth". "I'm not working for that kinda money".
simon accidents happen, even with experienced ops' ( English ones to). safety training is available, but a lot of contractors find it expensive, so rely on the older guys to show you younger lads. although i don't mind doing that ( its beneficial to me to have you working safely) you still have the old dinosaurs who haven't learned anything except the " quickest way". construction manager was on my case in the week doing a walk round with the top boss, he asked me how long i was going to be doing my task. i said "it depends if you want it to my standards, or yours, because mine will be done once and look quality". he didn't see the wink i got off the boss. :;):
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 10:11 am
by lutonlagerlout
you still on T5 sean?
it would do me in being on the same job for that length of time,i get cabin fever after 6 weeks on a job
LLL
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 10:59 am
by seanandruby
yes. hoping to get transferred in the next 2 months, hopefully nearer home, fed up in caravan all week. Its the last push so its very intense and flat out. think we have a multi million £ job in Brighton that would do me. i used to hate big long jobs but got used to em now, be away from home does me ed in now.
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:37 pm
by Dave_L
We've been on the same job for 3 weeks, we got pissed off being there after about a week!!!
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:45 pm
by seanandruby
same shit different job a Dave? 