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The work covered by this section consists of placing in embankments, backfills, earth berms, suitable material excavated under Section 225, Section 226, Section 230, and Section 240 of these specifications in conformity with the lines, grades, and typical cross sections shown on the plans or established by the Engineer. It shall include the preparation of the areas upon which the embankment is to be constructed; the formation of benches in existing ground with less than 60 inch rises; the compaction; stability, and maintenance of the embankment; the placing and compacting of approved material within roadway areas where unsuitable material has been removed; and the placing and compaction of embankment materials in holes, pits, and other depressions within the roadway area.
235-2 COORDINATION WITH SEEDING OPERATIONS.
The Contractor shall coordinate the work covered by this section with the excavation operations so that the requirements of Article 2252 are met.
Only suitable materials shall be used in the construction of embankments and backfills. No frozen material, roots, sod, or other objectionable material shall be incorporated or placed in the embankments or backfills.
The top 12 inches of any embankment shall not contain any material larger than will pass a 2 inch sieve except where written permission is granted by the Engineer.
All subsurface drainage materials shall meet the requirements of Division 10 shown below:
Subdrain fine aggregate Article 1044-1
Stone, No. 78M Section 1005
(A) Preparation for Embankment:
Before embankment construction is begun, all vegetation and rubbish shall be removed from the area within the limits of the embankment. This material shall be disposed of as directed by the Engineer. Mowed sod may be plowed and left in place where the height of the embankment to be constructed is greater than 6 feet measured under the roadbed.
Where embankments are to be placed and compacted on hillsides, or when new embankment is to be compacted against existing embankments, or when embankments
are built in part widths, the slopes that are steeper than 4:1, as measured at right angles to the roadway shall be continuously benched in not less than 12 nor greater than 60 inch rises as the work is brought up in layers. Benching shall be of sufficient width to permit the operation of placing and compacting equipment. Each successive cut shall begin at the intersection of the original ground and the vertical side of the previous cut. Benching greater than 60 inches will be as indicated on the plans and paid for in accordance with the project special provisions.
The excavated material removed in the formation of benches, to increase the proposed embankment bond, shall be used where practical in the formation of embankments. No excavation shall be wasted unless unsuitable and permitted by the Engineer.
All portions of the surface of an existing road upon which an embankment is to be placed shall be thoroughly plowed or scarified and all cleavage planes broken up before beginning the embankment. Pavement shall be removed as provided in Section 250 prior to beginning the embankment. Where existing pavement is located where embankment is to be constructed, and the depth of the embankment is greater than 1 foot exclusive of base and pavement, removal of the existing pavement will not be required but the existing pavement shall be broken up into pieces no larger than approximately 1 square foot in area.
(B) Embankment Formation:
The material shall be deposited and spread in successive, uniform, approximately horizontal layers of not more than 10 inches in depth, loose measurement, for the full width of the cross section, and shall be kept approximately level by the use of effective spreading equipment. Each layer of the embankment shall be thoroughly compacted as hereinafter specified. Hauling shall be distributed over the full width of the embankment. The embankment shall be shaped and properly drained at all times and in no case will deep ruts be allowed to form during the construction of the embankment. Each layer shall be in a firm and stable condition without excessive movement or displacement of surface material or the underlying embankment before the next lift is permitted to be placed.
When lime stabilized embankment is being constructed, the provisions of Section 501 shall also apply to the construction of the stabilized embankment in addition to all applicable provisions of this article.
Where embankments are to be constructed across ground which will not support the weight of trucks or other hauling equipment, the first layer of the embankment may be constructed by dumping successive truck or other equipment loads in a uniform distributed layer of a thickness not greater than that necessary to support the trucks or hauling equipment while placing subsequent layers. The remainder of such embankments shall then be constructed in layers as above specified.
Where it is necessary to place embankment material in a swamp or in water, unsuitable surge material shall be kept in a fluid state or removed to prevent any of these material from being trapped in or under the embankment.
When embankments are being constructed principally of rock or broken pavement, the depth of each layer shall be no greater than 36 inches. The rock or broken pavement shall be carefully distributed throughout the embankment and all voids shall be filled with fine material. No rock lifts shall be placed within 2 feet of the finished grade. No rock greater than 2 inches in diameter shall be placed within 12 inches of subgrade. Scarifying of this 12 inches may be required by the Engineer in accordance with Article 10511.
No rock or broken pavement shall be placed in embankments where piles are to be placed or driven.
In valleys, ravines, and at the foot of slopes on side hills a limited amount of end or side dumping will be allowed, when permitted by the Engineer, to form a satisfactory base in the formation of the embankment, after which the layers shall be constructed parallel with the finished grade as hereinbefore specified.
Embankment materials placed around and over pipe culverts, box culverts, and arch culverts, and embankment materials placed around other structures, shall be clean select material. The material shall be placed and compacted in a manner which will avoid unbalanced loading and will not produce undue stress on the structure. Such embankments shall be placed in loose layers not to exceed 6 inches in depth and each layer shall be thoroughly compacted as hereinafter specified. All pipe culverts, box culverts, and arch culverts, after being backfilled as specified in this subarticle, shall be protected by a 3 foot cover or fill (3 feet of cover above top of loose material for Type-B installation) at any time that heavy hauling equipment is permitted to cross during construction of the roadway. Any damage or displacement to culverts or other structures due to the Contractor's operations shall be corrected or repaired by the Contractor prior to the final acceptance at no cost to the Department.
During embankment construction the Contractor shall construct subsurface drains adjacent to structures as required by Article 4149 for box culverts and Article 41010 for other structures, except for that portion of the drain which is located below the elevation of the original ground.
Where it is necessary for utility poles or guy wires to remain in their original location, and where such poles are within the project construction limits, the Contractor shall conduct his earthwork operations in a manner which will not disturb these facilities.
(C) Embankment Compaction:
All embankment material shall be compacted as specified herein unless otherwise provided in the contract or directed by the Engineer. Compaction equipment used by the Contractor shall be adequate to produce the required compaction and produce a uniformly constructed embankment with all layers uniformly bound to all preceding layers. On embankments constructed principally of soils, slopes flatter than 1 1/2:1 shall be compacted using tracked equipment or other methods approved by the Engineer.
The embankment material where tested shall have been compacted to a density equal to at least 95% of that obtained by compacting a sample of the material in accordance with AASHTO T99 as modified by the Department. Copies of these modified testing procedures are available upon request from the Materials and Tests Unit.
Embankment materials shall be compacted at a moisture content satisfactory to the Engineer, which shall be approximately that required to produce the maximum density. The Contractor shall dry or add moisture to the embankment material when required to provide a uniformly compacted and stable environment.
When embankments are constructed principally of rock, the above density requirements will not apply but the formation of such rock embankments shall be in accordance with Subarticle 2354(B).
(D) Maintenance
The Contractor shall be responsible during construction and until final acceptance for the maintenance of all embankments made under the contract.
During construction and until final acceptance the Contractor shall construct temporary or permanent earth berms along the outer edges of the top surface of the embankment, construct temporary ditches, shape the embankment surface to provide for the drainage of surface runoff along and throughout the length of the embankments, and use any other methods necessary to maintain the work covered by this section so that the work will not contribute to excessive soil erosion.
When required by the special provisions, the Contractor shall construct brush dikes, or install temporary or permanent slope drains or other drainage features to assist in controlling erosion.
The Contractor shall replace, at no cost to the Department, any portion of embankments which have become displaced or damaged due to carelessness or neglect on the part of the Contractor. Where the work has been properly constructed, completely drained, andproperly maintained, and damage occurs due to natural causes, the Contractor will be paid at the contract unit price for the excavated material required to make necessary repairs to such damage.
All embankments shall be brought to the grade and cross section shown on the plans, or established by the Engineer, prior to final inspection and acceptance by the Engineer.
A tolerance of plus or minus 0.10 foot from the established grade will be permitted in the roadbed after it has been graded to a uniform surface.
There will be no direct payment for the work covered by this section.
Payment at the contract unit prices for the various items covered
by Sections 225, 226, 230, 240 and 501 will
be full compensation for all work covered by this section.