Wacker plate

[Adrian80]

Hi,

I have to lay hardcore for my new drive.

I want to get the base nice and firm. So i have dug out enough for 175mm of hardcore.

My mate has a plate that i can borrow.
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/pclx320-light-compactor-plate

But not sure if its man enough, i have heard talk about vibrating rollers.

My feeling is if you put it down in layers and whack it in each time then also spending a bit of time going over and over it, you should get a decent level of compaction.

What do people think?

Cheers

A

 

[Adrian80]

Anybody out there?

 

[^woody^]

That's a bit light weight and narrow. Use a proper Wacker plate. You don't need a roller

 

[Norcon]

364kg/m2 of static pressure on a 320mm plate.
Would have thought that ample for most surburbian driveways of not more than 30sq/m. It is narrow though.

 

[Adrian80]

driveway is 70 square meters, normal residential use. 2 cars 1 bike, and maybe a transit at some point.

Not sure if that will make a difference?
A

 

[Norcon]

Bigger plate needed..

 

[Adrian80]

Hi,

Thanks for the input,

I have been further investigating.

Apparently new legislation HAUC require greater compaction for road works.

hence belle developed a new dual force plate with x5 the compaction.

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/pclx320-streetworks-3hp-honda

It seems like it employs a stiletto effect to increase the compaction rate.

Looks like i am hiring a different type of plate..


Cheers
A

 

[^woody^]

Its not so much the power, but to use as wide a plate as possible

 

[Norcon]

We use our 22 ton Daewoo sometimes to compact hardcore.
Big track area and a lot of power but I'd bet that little wacker plate in the link will have a higher compaction force.

 

[Adrian80]

So genuinely i am unclear of the purpose of compaction.

My thought was, it minimizes the gaps between all the material, causing interlock and filling voids with small material.

I assume if you compact remove all air spaces, then compaction has done the trick.

i thought getting it flat and level is secondary aim?

I agree a 22 ton digger sounds like a good idea, but as you say if the point load is minimal what will it do?

A

 

[Norcon]

Yes getting it level is secondary.
As the hollows sink you fill up level again and compact more.

 

[Adrian80]

Well i just finished the drive, i can definitely say hire a big a wacker as possible, a small one might be ok for a little area, but in the end i had 2 going round at the same time.

the little one was okay for the screed and vibrating the tops of the blocks, but the bigger the better for the base.

also the HAUC plates with a strip welded to the middle are just a pain in the arse, they bite into the hardcore when dragging it around and make a mess and i dont think they make up for the heavier more powerful plates..

A

 

[noseall]

Leaving a drive a while and letting gravity do its bit, helps.

A LOT.

I wackered my drive but had to leave it aboot 6 weeks before the mackers came.

It was like bell metal by the time they arrived.

 

[Adrian80]

A good bit of rain always seems to settle it down aswell!