LLT
VA
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Joined: 12/02/2005
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Last year, I had a 55x20 pad started. It required 15 loads of dirt brought in and about a week for the contractor to build it up. He had it formed and ready to pour when a neighbor (also a contractor) and stopped him. He said "you haven't compacted those 15 loads of dirt, if you pour now it WILL crack by spring time." The contractor said "you're probably right" and left. It sure did a lot of settling over last winter and I'm glad we waited as it most definitely would have cracked.
It now has several loads of crushed rock on top and needs to be re-leveled a little, but my wife and I are thinking we might prefer asphalt (both for aesthetics and cost.) Given the hard soil (clay) and crushed rock that's had a year to settle, do you think asphalt, done properly will work well for the pad?
We do not use the hydraulic levelers much on the pad as-is. It's fairly level (has a slight slope for drainage.) Our next coach will have air levelers.
Thanks for any insight. 
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Ron & Shirley
Lake of the Ozarks Missouri / Donna Texas Winter
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Joined: 12/13/2004
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Have you driven your motorhome on this to see if it holds it or it sinks in? Before we had the asphalt put down we had to have a mixture of large rock and crushed put down to form a stable base. This was compacted then the asphalt.
Before this we had tried it with crushed rock and our motorhome would sink in each year. We had our County Road Foreman tell us what it would take to hold this much weight and he said we needed the large rock and he was right. The asphalt has been down for about 5 years now. We always put large blocks under the levelers before putting them down. No cracks and it is very solid.
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Fleet Man
Western WA
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Asphalt should work well. Insure you get it thick enough so it doesn't rut over time, a good contractor can determine the correct thickness for the weight of your coach. If it were me, I would rent a compactor and pack the area down well before any final surface is installed or have the contractor do it as part of the job.
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Bea PA
Waynesboro, PA, USA
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In hot weather asphalt will get ruts in it. We have road grade asphalt because it was put in with the barn driveway, you can drive the heavest equipment on it but parking is a different matter. It is almost 8 inches thick over many many tons of rock and slate. It has tons of compacted stone under it and we expected some rutting due to heat. We have developed one low indent even though we park on boards. We would suggest concrete especially if you have a deisel.
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LLT
VA
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Yes, the coach (40' DP) has been parked on it when not in use for about a year. Once the initial settling occurred, it's been pretty solid. I'll definitely have it compacted for sure, regardless if we go concrete, asphalt or gravel.
Thanks for the tips so far.
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larry barnhart
wenatchee. wa usa
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You didn't say the depth of the fill so I believe you are in big trouble. Above said campactor which would be a great idea but still the depth would be the problem.
chevman
chevman
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LLT
VA
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larry barnhart wrote:You didn't say the depth of the fill so I believe you are in big trouble. Above said campactor which would be a great idea but still the depth would be the problem.
chevman
The pad was filled to accommodate an 8ft gradual drop at its lowest point. There was significant settling over last winter, we had more rock brought in and semi-compacted in the spring and it's been fine since.
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larry barnhart
wenatchee. wa usa
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I wish I wasn't the only worrier here. 8ft is deep so have somebody that you know that knows about this subject take alook. Sorry for my thoughts that can cost extra (maybe)
chevman
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LLT
VA
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No problem, Larry - thanks for the advice. Better to put forth a little now than a lot later.
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Deen
Vancouver, WA
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Joined: 12/07/2000
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When we build roads with that much fill they use a sheepsfoot roller weighing 7-10 tons and they make multiple passes every 6" of loose fill. Even then we still get settlement. If the contractor just dumped it in loose you'll still get settling even after a year. On bridge end fills they do the same as above (6" fills and compact, each lift is tested to be sure it reaches at least 95% density) but they also add 5' of overfill and let it sit for the winter, and still there is settlement. Asphalt won't crack like concrete, but, unless you use a GOOD quality road mix (not driveway junk that most contractors use) it will rut!
Going back over it now that it's in place won't accomplish much and the little gasoline powered hand compactors (Whackers) won't do anything but compact the top 6" or so.
As to "doing it right", take all the fill out and put it in in 6" lifts, compacting well between lifts, then you MIGHT not get any settling.
Ex DOT engineer, 30 yrs. exp, 20 of it in the field.
Deen - Vancouver, WA
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