Asphalt Paving @ 30% Grade

[ClemsonVet]

I have a unique project where we are designing ramps for vehicle testing purposes. The steepest is 30% for a length of 50' and a width of 12'. A contractor has mentioned issues with paving at that grade. What are the typical limits of asphalt paving machines? Is the constraint also in the dump trucks feeding the machines? I figure they do it on mountain roads routinely and perhaps I need a specialized contractor here. Thanks for any[li][/li] knowledge you can share on this.

 

[Ron]

Think Daytona International Speedway! Steeper grades, asphalt, high temperatures.....can be done!

 

[bimr]

Look for a Contractor with experience in that type of paving.

 

[cvg]

typical range of maximum slopes for roads are
5% for parking
8% for firetruck
12% for public Road
15-21% for driveway (should be heated if you expect to drive on it in winter conditions)

Filbert Street and 22nd Street in San Francisco have a maximum gradient of 31.5% (17.5°).

30% road grades are not commonly done anywhere

I would think it will be difficult finding an experienced paving contractor for this project

 

[ClemsonVet]

Yep, I bet we could find contractors in the Blue Ridge Mountain area, but doubt they'll take on something this small. Thanks for replies! I'll have to design it and let the GC figure it out, but man this is hard to place an estimated cost on.

 

[bimr]

Have you considered concrete instead of asphalt?

 

[ClemsonVet]

I have not yet. Our requirement is a coefficient of friction of 0.8.

 

[BUGGAR]

I like bimr's idea of using concrete. Use a cross broom finish and make the asphalt an overlay. There must be feeder trucks that can pull that grade with an asphalt placer behind it. Lessen the quantity of asphalt the truck has to carry?
The concrete base might be nice to have if you can't get your friction and have to strip and re-do?

 

[BridgeEI]

On grades like that usually the contractor will use a bull dozer to drag the paving machine. It can be done, it’s just not very often.

Find a contractor who’s willing to make it work, they’re creative at what they do.

 

[ClemsonVet]

Thanks, ill try and follow up and share what we end up with

 

[beej67]

Think Daytona International Speedway! Steeper grades, asphalt, high temperatures.....can be done!

When I was at APAC in my formative years, we had some jobs paving NASCAR tracks. Might have included Daytona. The rumor I heard was that they would weld an I beam to the paving equipment up the bank, and then weld the other end to another piece of equipment at the bottom, to prevent them from rolling. Not sure how true that is, as I never saw it in person.



Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com

 

[BUGGAR]

beej, probably true. That's similar to how they pulled roller compactors across dam embankments. Which made me think, what about the roller compactor on the 30% slope? Possible, but not easy.