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2-3 Excavation & Embankment
2-3 Excavation & Embankment
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Construction
2-300B Definitions
Various terms are used in the chapter to designate areas pertinent to a construction project. The terms are defined
below.
Highway Limits. The boundaries of the whole right-of-way that is reserved for or secured by the Department
for use in constructing the roadway and its appurtenances.
Taking Lines. The highway limits.
Roadway Limits. The limits of construction. These limits may differ from the highway limits, if there are
portions of the right-of-way on which construction is not to take place.
Clearing Limits. The boundaries of the area to be cleared and grubbed for the road construction.
Figure 2-3.1 illustrates the terms.
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Clearing, this is removal above natural ground (trees, brush, shrubs, and rubbish).
Grubbing, which is removal below natural ground (roots, stumps, and similar objects).
Clearing and grubbing mainly suggests removing, but it also involves protecting from harm certain vegetation and
objects designated to remain.
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All trees scheduled to be removed outside the proposed gutter or curb lines must be visibly marked or flagged by the
contractor at least seven days prior to cutting the trees. The Engineer must inspect the identified trees within the seven
days and check the limits of clearing and grubbing before the contractor starts the work. Slope limits are to be verified
by measurements both in plan and in cross section. If the rights-to-slope have been acquired and the top or toe of slope
is outside the highway line by right of a deed easement, the contractor must not clear beyond the slope line.
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The contractor must ensure that no harm will be done to the project or the environment. Disposal locations
must be outside of designated wetlands, watercourses and flood plains, unless otherwise approved by local,
State, or Federal agencies.
The contractor must submit the necessary documentation for review and approval by the Engineer, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), or the town's environmental agency. This includes:
+ Location Plan. USGS Quad Map, town assessor's map, or town map showing the detailed location(s) of
the disposal site(s).
+ USDA Soils Map. Area of disposal site(s), obtainable from local town.
+ Local Permission. A copy of the local (town or city) approval of disposal site (fill permit, etc.),
including all conditions and the required erosion and sedimentation controls (use of hay bales, silt fence,
etc., to ring the site).
The contractor must obtain permission from the Engineer and a permit from the DEP. To issue a permit, the
DEP requires approval by the appropriate local, State, and Federal agencies.
Not less than fifteen days prior to disposing of cleared and grubbed materials within project limits, the
contractor must submit to the Engineer for approval a written proposal delineating the locations and extent of
the proposed disposal areas.
The proposal must describe the nature of the materials and the methods to be used in placing and covering
them.
The proposal is reviewed for its effects on the completed construction and the environment of the highway.
The proposal will be amended as required by the Engineer. No materials are to be disposed of within project
limits until the proposal has been approved by the Engineer.
2-302G Areas Outside Roadway Limits but Within Highway Taking Lines
To conform to future Departmental roadside development and to minimize future expense, the Chief Inspector must pay
particular attention to the area that is outside the roadway limits but within the highway taking lines. In the case of
excess property taken during the acquisition of the right-of-way, a uniform distance from the centerline should be
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established by the District, with the assistance of the Assistant Director of Rights-of-Way (Boundaries). Within the
area, the Inspector must ensure that all stumps are cut flush with the ground, and all dead or uprooted trees, brush, or
other objectionable materials are removed and disposed of properly. The Inspector must take special care that no
valuable or historic trees are destroyed, unless necessary.
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The quantities of earth excavation for the roadway proper, large quantities at side-road locations, and quantities at most
stream locations are computed from cross sections. The plans indicate the locations. The Inspector must measure and
record the volumes of all stone walls removed and any other earth excavation not included in the original cross
sections.
Excavation quantities shown on the estimate sheets are estimated quantities. Final quantity determinations are required
and should be well documented in the project records. All notes related to final measurement, such as checks of the
elevations of existing ground as noted on cross sections or of cross-section areas, should give the date that the work was
performed, the name(s) of the personnel performing the work, and the exact limits of the work.
Occasionally, excavation and filling are performed together as an operation, as in the case of benching slopes and
removing unsuitable material. The necessary measurements should be obtained as promptly as is practicable.
Unnecessary delays to a contractor's operations should be avoided.
A grading plan will occasionally be required by special provision on projects involving borrow, waste, or a large
volume of rock.
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taken on the same cross-section lines as the original sections and on the intermediate lines necessary for accurately
determining the amount of rock to be excavated.
blaster,
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2-306C Warnings
Before each blast, the contractor will notify the local police department, fire department, fire marshal and, when
necessary, any public utility company that may be involved.
The contractor will post signs on all adjacent highwaysa minimum of 1000 feet (300 meters) from the blasting site to
warn motorists to turn off two-way radios and cellular telephones. The signs will be placed on the road just prior to the
loading of the holes and will be taken down immediately after a blast is detonated. The standard sign layout is shown
in Figure 2-3.3, on the next page.
The contractor will send out individual workers prior to the detonation to warn occupants of all buildings in the area.
This warning will be given prior to the whistle blasts (described below).
The contractor will install a whistle, so that, 15 minutes prior to each detonation, the public will be warned by six
10-second blasts of the whistle. Just prior to the detonation, the whistle will be blown ten short blasts.
The contractor will station flaggers on all highways adjacent to the blasting area to stop traffic before a blast is
detonated.
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Figure 2-3.3 Signs for Blasting
1000 FT MIN
1000 FT MIN
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In the event of a misfire, all operations in the area will stop and the contractor will notify the Chief Inspector.
All trench or boulder blasts will be covered with a mat constructed to prevent fragments from being thrown.
For electrically fired shots, the lead wires will be kept short-circuited until the time for firing.
When testing circuits to charge holes, blasters will only use a blasting galvanometer designed for this purpose.
No loading operation will be conducted within 25 feet (7.5 meters) of a drilling operation.
A constant guard will be kept over loaded charges until the blast is fired.
2-306F Recordkeeping
The contractor's blasting supervisors will keep a permanent record of all blasting operations in a bound notebook (not
loose leaf).
The records will include the following: date, location, time of blast, number of holes, diameter, depth and spacing of
holes, pounds and type of explosive used, number of delay fuses, results of blast, and precautions taken.
2-306G Operations
None of the preceding regulations or practices relieves the contractor of responsibility for protecting the public and
property, even though specific protective measures may not be mentioned in the report of the blasting meeting. The
contractor should be advised of this responsibility.
DOT employees should not influence the contractor's method of drilling and loading, unless the drilling methods are
specified in the contract, because it is the contractor's responsibility. However, it may be necessary, as stated above, to
ask the contractor to obtain the advice of the explosives company. A representative of the Department of
Transportation, usually the Chief Inspector, will see that the recommendations are followed.
Department personnel or representatives will cooperate with the State Police in regard to all blasting operations. All
DOT personnel are responsible for seeing that the provisions of the specifications regarding the use of explosives are
enforced.
During the progress of the work, any condition found by the contractor or DOT personnel that represent a change from
the conditions anticipated at the original blasting meeting will be pointed out to the Chief Inspector.
To excavate to the bottom of a rock cut, it is necessary to extend the drill below the proposed excavation elevation. The
extent of this additional depth is up to the contractor. The Inspector must ensure that no rock ledge protrudes above the
required excavation elevation, and must have the contractor remove any overhanging ledge and loose or unstable rock
fragments from the slopes, even if they are outside the pay lines.
If the contractor's operations appear to cause excessive back-breakagefracturing the rock beyond the intended
limitsthe Inspector should alert the Assistant District Engineer. A conference may be needed to determine if other
methods of blasting are warranted.
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2-306H Payment
In accordance with the current Standard Specifications, all boulders must be measured and recorded separately by the
Inspector as they are encountered, in cubic feet (meters) and decimals. The Inspector must also designate whether the
boulders recorded are in section or out of section, the date of removal, and the location from which the boulders are
removed. Boulders that are out of section are those lying on top of the ground or situated so that they are not included
in the volume computed from the regular cross section. Out-of-section boulders are not deducted from the earth
excavation.
Payment lines for rock excavation, where presplitting bedrock is required by the specifications, will extend to the slope
and depth line shown on the plans or as directed, to include only the rock actually removed within this limit.
Where removal of rock is necessary for safety, or due to conditions clearly not attributable to the contractor's methods
of operation, the payment lines for rock excavation where presplitting is required will be fixed to coincide with limits
ordered by the Engineer.
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Is it compactable? When equipment drives over it, is it compacted rather than displaced?
For unsuitable material, the answers to the questions next to the first three bullets probably would be yes, and the answers to the questions by the last bullet probably would be no.
The disposition of unsuitable material is generally determined during the design stage of the project, and the manner of
treatment is indicated in the plans or special provisions. If material of questionable quality has to be removed from
locations not specified on the plans, samples should be submitted to the Division of Soils and Foundations for analysis
and classification. A field meeting should be arranged with DOT Soil representatives to review unsuitable material. All
recommendations should be documented.
2-309B Topsoil
The locations of topsoil areas should be determined well in advance of the work. Approximate locations are usually
given in the computations, in the field review reports, and in the plans (primarily on the estimate sheets). The areas
from which topsoil is removed can be either cut or fill areas. In-place samples of the material should be submitted to
the Laboratory for approval as topsoil as far in advance of the work as is practical. Preliminary approval or rejection of
the material will enable the Department to properly determine the disposition of the material.
When topsoil excavation is ordered from either cut or fill sections, the Inspector must see that it is stockpiled along the
outside of the roadway limits, but within the highway limits, and placed where it will be readily accessible to the
Division of Maintenance for use as required. The Inspector must contact the District Maintenance Manager to
determine the most favorable location for these stockpiles with regard to future work.
A check of proposed fencing in the stockpile areas is important. Should it appear that there will not be sufficient area to
stockpile the excavated topsoil; the Project Engineer should be notified so that other stockpile areas can be located.
All topsoil excavated and stockpiled must be free of boulders, roots, stumps, etc., but the contractor is not required to
screen the material. Because topsoil depths vary, its removal should be closely watched to ensure that unsuitable
material (unsuitable for topsoil) is not excavated and incorporated in the stockpiles.
Topsoil quantity is directly related to the cut and fill quantity columns on the estimate sheets in the plans. On borrow
projects, changes in the quantity of excavated topsoil will affect the borrow volume. Regardless of the applicable item
under which topsoil is stripped from the roadway area and stockpiled for future use, original and final cross sections of
the excavation areas must be taken before any further grading operations are begun. The stockpiles will be available for
measurement. However, a material shrinkage of 20 to 30 percent will probably occur, depending on the equipment
used. The measurements of the piles will not give an accurate quantity unless a proper adjustment is made for
shrinkage.
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To flatten slopes. Caution should be taken to avoid preventing water from bleeding through slopes. If water
cannot bleed out it will create problems with embankment building.
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SUITABLE MATERIAL
2 FT. THICK
SUITABLE MATERIAL
2 FT. THICK
SUITABLE MATERIAL
2 FT. THICK
When the material is not required or permitted to be used for such purposes, the Project Engineer will order that it be
removed and disposed of outside the limits of the highway, at locations determined by the contractor. The Engineer
must approve of the disposal sites, which must in no way be detrimental to the project or the environment.
The Inspector must know where surplus or unsuitable material removed from the project is disposed of and verify that
the disposal is not in an environmentally sensitive area or in a location that is detrimental to the project. The Inspector
must be specific when instructing the contractor regarding removal of such unsuitable material and must record the
location, depth, and quantity ordered wasted in their notebook. Should the contractor elect to waste any material that
has not been judged unsuitableincluding boulders or large fragmentsthe Inspector must inform the contractor by
memorandum that such material is to be replaced at no expense to the State. An accurate record of all such removals
must be made in the notebook.
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Avoid the use of reclaimed waste on all projects in the immediate vicinity of public water supply reservoirs or
tributaries.
Limit the use of reclaimed waste to areas outside3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) in both the horizontal and
vertical directionsof any water resource-regulated area, including the stream channel encroachment line.
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Problems that cannot be corrected as described above should be reported to the District Office immediately. Depending
on their nature and seriousness, the Assistant District Engineer may prescribe the necessary corrective work, or the
District may refer the problem to the Soils and Foundation Section for recommendations.
2-315B Borrow
In general, borrow will be permitted only after all usable excavation has been placed. The contractor may request the
Engineer's permission to place borrow before all of the available and suitable excavated material has been incorporated
in the work. Such permission, when granted, will specify that the contractor will be held responsible for the proper
placing of all suitable excavated materials and that no payment will be allowed for any borrow placed in lieu of suitable
excavated material. All borrow banks will be preapproved so that Proctors may be determined and cross sections
may be taken prior to any excavation.
In embankments being constructed from borrow material, the responsibility of obtaining the necessary consolidation
and stability is entirely the contractor's. If consolidation and stability are not being achieved, the operations should be
stopped until the contractor demonstrates that a thoroughly compacted and stable embankment can be made with the
material being used.
2-315C Corrections
When embankments are formed from excavated material but are unstable after the contractor has complied with the
density and other requirements of the specifications, the Assistant District Engineer must be alerted. After viewing the
condition, the ADE will determine if corrective measures are necessary and, if so, may direct the contractor to improve
the embankment's stability. The corrective work that is deemed necessary will be paid for as extra work, or at contract
unit prices if such items appear in the contract. For Federal-aid contracts, the Federal Highway Administration must
provide clearance for corrective procedures.
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All final quantities greater than 5000 cu. yd. (3800 m3) must be measured by cross-section measurements at the
borrow pit or by cross-section measurements made in place. The appropriate shrinkage factor mentioned in
Standard Specifications Article 2.07.04, paragraph (d), must be applied. Only in the case of extenuating
circumstances may this method be waived in favor of alternatives mentioned in the Specifications. The Office
of Construction must be informed of the specific reason or reasons why other methods were utilized.
Under Standard Specifications, Article 2.07.04, paragraph (b), payment by load count, less the shrinkage factor,
may be considered an acceptable method of measurement for quantities less than 5000 cu. yd. (3800 m3).
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At the time a source sample is taken for approval of a new borrow bank, the Inspector should request a Proctor density
and optimum moisture of the material. The request expedites the moisture-density control process in the field, by
providing the Inspector with the values that will be needed as soon as the contractor begins the embankment.
If embankment material is obtained from several sources, the importance of comparing the field test results to the
laboratory results for the same soil cannot be over-stressed.
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Additional compaction passes and subsequent tests should be noted under Remarks on the Data and Computation
Sheet for Nuclear Field Density Tests, Figure 2-3.5. As noted above, the dry density after compaction must not be less
than 95 percent of the dry density for the soil when tested in accordance with AASHTO T 180, Method D. If density
tests still fail after several re-rollings, it is possible that the wrong Proctor is being used. The Inspector should then
resample the material to determine a new laboratory density.
If necessary, the Inspector should have density tests performed in cuts and borrow banks for comparison to densities in
fills to determine the amounts of shrinkage and swelling of material incorporated in the work. The information should
be given to Soils and Foundations to be used for estimating earthwork on similar projects in the future.
2-320B Responsibilities
The contractor is responsible for placing and maintaining sedimentation controls. The Chief Inspector is responsible
for ensuring that controls are placed and maintained for the duration of the project.
The Inspector should be familiar with all DEP and Army Corps of Engineers permits associated with the project, ensure
the contractor's compliance with their conditions, and be familiar with the required erosion and sedimentation controls
and other special project requirements. The Inspector should arrange a site meeting with DOT Environmental
personnel to review the erosion-control measures implemented.
2-320C Operations
All sedimentation controls must be in place before construction begins. The contractor's approved dump site for excess
material should also be protected before actual dumping occurs.
On rehabilitation projects, curb removal may present a potential runoff and sedimentation problem. If possible, curbing
should be left in place until the disturbed slopes have a good stand of grass.
Temporary pollution control measures, other than those shown on the plans or stipulated in the specifications, may be
ordered by the Engineer to correct conditions that develop during construction. The field personnel must anticipate
possible erosion and pollution during construction and provide or recommend timely installation of necessary
temporary controls to prevent those problems from occurring.
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Figure 2-3.5 Data and Computation Sheet for Nuclear Field Density Tests (Form CON-125)
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The Engineer has the authority to control the surface area of earth material exposed by construction operations and to
direct the contractor to immediately provide permanent or temporary pollution control measures in accordance with
Article 1.10 of the Standard Specifications. The Inspector may direct the work to be done by an on-call contractor if
not performed by the project contractor within the period required by the specifications. Additional information can be
found in Volume 2, Chapter One, Environmental Protection, in the section 24-Hour Rule.
The contractor must operate all equipment and perform all construction operations so as to minimize pollution
problems. In the event pollution-control measures are required due to the contractor's negligence, carelessness, or
failure to install permanent controls as part of the contract or perform work ordered by the Engineer, the work needed
for implementing the pollution-control measures must be performed by the contractor at no expense to the State.
Storm and sanitary sewers and drainage systems, including force mains and other non-hazardous
materials.
Blue. Water.
Orange. Communication lines or cables, including but not limited to telephone, telegraph, fire signals, cable
television, civil defense, data systems, and electronic controls and other instrumentation.
Red. Electric power lines, electric power conduits, and other electric power facilities.
Yellow. Gas, oil petroleum products, steam, compressed air, compressed gases, and all other hazardous
materials.
Purple. Radioactive materials.
White. Proposed excavations.
Brown. Other.
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2-321B Reporting
Digging incidents involving public utility facilities call for timely, accurate, and legible reporting of each occurrence.
Incidents are to be reported on the Department of Public Utility Control's Incident Report Form, Figure 2-3.6 at the end
of the chapter, and submitted to:
Call Before You Dig, Inc.
105 Sanford Street
Hamden, CT 06514
Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies require each public utility to notify CBYD monthly of any excavating
activity that has resulted in contact or damage to its underground facilities for electricity, gas, telephone, other
communications, sewage, water, traffic and fire signals, community television antennas, and steam and other products
carried by pipelines. Contact includeswithout limitationthe striking, scraping or denting, however slight, of any
underground utility-line protective coating or housing, or other disturbance of the structural or lateral support of any
underground utility facility. Additionally, public utilities must also file a report annually with CBYD if their
underground facilities have not sustained damage. Failure of compliance by any public utility regarding the submission
of the reports may result in a civil penalty.
The Incident Report Form may be used in evidence in actions imposing a civil penalty for any violation of any portion
of the law. Detailed information in cases of alleged excavator negligence are particularly important and must be
clearly stated. Consequently, accuracy, neatness, and timeliness are essential in its preparation and submission. When
each report is completed, the preparer should be certain that the top two copies (white and yellow) are sent to CBYD,
while the third copy (pink) remains with the preparer.
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Figure 2-3.6 Department of Public Utility ControlIncident Report Form
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