Masonry Magazine December 1994 Page. 35
MOST CRITICAL FACTOR
Continued from Page 20 more than a 14 variance you have an acceptable base contour, although there is nothing wrong with having no variances. When building retaining walls you will find that your base must be perfectly flat so that your wall units fit evenly together.
When compacting your base it is helpful to hydrate the base material with a small amount of water. The small amount of water on the base acts as a lubricant between the particles and helps to facilitate better consolidation. Care should be given not to over-hydrate the base material, as over saturation can be harmful and create pumping of the base materials rather than consolidation.
When compacting the base material insure that you take the necessary time to adequately cover the entire area and insure you make multiple compactor passes in both directions.
Throughout this article we have repeatedly referred to compaction of materials. There are many different methods of compaction, but I intend to provide information on vibratory plate compactors, which is most appropriate for our needs. There are many plate compactors available today, but rather than go into the different brands I will give you industry accepted standards which you should look for in any machine you use or purchase. The following compactor specifications are recommended by industry experts:
Compactive 3,000 to 5,000 pounds force:
of force
Frequency: 80-90 Hertz
(4800-5400 VPM)
On a personal basis I prefer the higher compressive force on base material and look for a machine with a hydrator tank. While looking for a machine that meets these requirements, I would seriously consider the rate of travel. You can have a machine that fits the above requirements and only travels at sixty feet per minute while another may meet the requirements and travel at ninety feet per minute. The faster machine will be more productive.
Most commercial jobs will require that your base be compacted to what is called a 95 percent Modified Proctor density. This density reading on a commercial project is obtained by using a nuclear gauge method or a static load bearing test. When you are doing a smaller non-commercial proj-
THE MASON'S CHOICE IS PRODUCTIVITY, AFFORDABILITY & LESS LABOR
* INCREASE PRODUCTION 20-35%
Keep masons working at most productive level all day.
No stopping to move mason's brackets and planks.
Provide masons with better visibility of work being performed.
Eliminates stooping down or reaching up for materials.
* REDUCE SCAFFOLD LABOR COSTS 80%
Build only once on the job and move with forklifts.
No moving of safety rails or unused material to next level.
Towers can be extended without interfering with the masons working.
* STRONG
Winch and pulley reduces the force necessary to raise full pallets of block or brick by 75.6%.
* WEATHER PROTECTION
Various field-tested styles available for all weather conditions: top mounted (like a tent) to climbing enclosures which could cut heating costs by 60%.
CALL OR WRITE FOR YOUR FREE VIDEO
To maximize your bottom line profits, Mighty invites you to attend workshops offered in Nashville and will job-site train your personnel.