Masonry Magazine December 1994 Page. 20
The thickness for a paving stone installation is based on specific traffic applications. The following are accepted granular base thicknesses for northern climates which experience frequent freeze thaw cycles and could be used throughout North America:
Application:
Pedestrian (Patios, walkways, pool areas, etc. no vehicular traffic) - 4"-6" base
Light Traffic (Residential driveways. Municipal sidewalks. Commercial pedestrian walkways etc.) - 8"-12" base
Sound Soils Well Drained
For heavy traffic projects, such as municipal streets, port yards, airport areas, and other commercial applications, the base design must be prepared by a registered professional engineer who is familiar with all project requirements and the physical condition of the job site. In addition, should you discover unstable soil conditions or unfamiliar conditions, it's prudent to hire a registered professional engineer to evaluate and assist you in your project design.
Segmental retaining wall systems have varying base requirements depending on the specific type of wall system. There must be a clarification of two distinct types of wall installations for each individual wall system. When a wall system is installed as a non-engineered installation, simply put, it is built according to printed literature from the designer which will instruct you to build the wall on their recommended base thickness and tell you the maximum height it can be safely built. This completed non-engineered wall is a non-load bearing structure.
The engineered wall system on the other hand is a wall design that was created by an engineer which is a load-bearing structure and has specified design features that require many more steps and different base considerations. The base thickness on a non-engineered wall system typically can be 6 to 8 inches thick and can vary on a engineered wall design. All wall systems can be built as a non-engineered structure, but not all wall systems can be designed and built as an engineered wall structure.
Many contractors, as added insurance, will routinely install a geotextile filter fabric between the sub-soil and their base material. The advantage of the filter fabric is that it envelopes the road base, allows proper water drainage and precludes the unwanted migration of your road mix should a void or problem situation arise in your sub-soil. The filter fabric is extremely helpful along poured curbs and foundation areas where you physically have had no control over any of the area preparation around or beneath them.
Once you have excavated, prepared the sub-soil, optionally installed the filter fabric and begun to install the base material, you must keep several things in mind.
When putting down base it must be installed in maximum lifts of 2 to 3 inches and thoroughly compacted between lifts.
When brought to final grade the base material must be smooth and without bumps or voids. You should not attempt to forgive inconsistencies in base contour with varying thicknesses of bedding sand. If you can lay a ten foot straight edge and see no Continued on Page 35
WHERE ALL OTHERS FAIL USE SUPER STRENGTH PAVER BOND SB-10 THAT'S STRONGER THAN CONCRETE ITSELF FOR RETAINING WALLS AND PAVERS! INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED TESTS SHOW SB-10 ADHESIVE IS STRONGER THAN CONCRETE!
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SUREBOND 800 S. REMINGTON ROAD SCHAUMBURG IL 60123 PHONE: 708-813-1818-5AX-708-813-0765
20 MASONRY-NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 1994