I'm looking for a better way of doing this. We are going to build a retaining wall using Allan Block using the AB Classic. The wall will be about 8' tall at the highest point down to 0 or 1 block high. I would like to know how you all figure this and how you figure how much rock to fill the block cores.
coxlandscaping
as far as calculating 3/4" aggregate for filling block core, I just factor in 12".
So, say your drainage chimney is 2'.
Block is 1'. 2+1=3
Wall length is 100'
Height is 5'
Looks like dis: 100 x 5 x 3 =1500 / 27 * 1.2 = 67 tons of 3/4 inch aggregate needed.
This will create your drainage chimney and it will fill the block's cores.
The 1.2 is what converts cubic yds to tons.
3/4" is self compacting so no need to use any additional numbers to factor in compaction.
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So, say your drainage chimney is 2'.
Block is 1'. 2+1=3
Wall length is 100'
Height is 5'
Looks like dis: 100 x 5 x 3 =1500 / 27 * 1.2 = 67 tons of 3/4 inch aggregate needed.
This will create your drainage chimney and it will fill the block's cores.
The 1.2 is what converts cubic yds to tons.
3/4" is self compacting so no need to use any additional numbers to factor in compaction.
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MRusk - some guys have the roll of toilet paper hang over the front, some like it to hang over the back. Some like to make whoppie in the morning, some like to do it at night.
Girl, we're We're talkin a .3 difference! You really felt compelled to respond to .3??
As far as losing stone, thats on a case by case basis. If we're dumping on soil or an aggregate pad of some sort - I will manually factor in additional material (stone, sand, soil, etc) to compensate for what gets lost.
About 4 or 5 yrs ago I shared my aggregate calculations on this exact forum! Two folks responded negatively to my formula!! LOL Well.......neither one of them are any longer in business, infact one of them is greeting cars at Sheetz up in the Reading PA area LOL!
I use 1.5 for compensating for compaction.
We always have left over aggregate
We can get more technical if you like, just let me know. We build alotta retaining walls........
,
i think you have extra stone because you calculate 5 foot of backfill on a 5 foot wall?MRusk - some guys have the roll of toilet paper hang over the front, some like it to hang over the back.
Girl, we're We're talkin a .3 difference! You really felt compelled to respond to .3??
As far as losing stone, thats on a case by case basis. If we're dumping on soil or an aggregate pad of some sort - I will manually factor in additional material (stone, sand, soil, etc) to compensate for what gets lost.
About 4 or 5 yrs ago I shared my aggregate calculations on this exact forum! Two folks responded negatively to my formula!! LOL Well.......neither one of them are any longer in business, infact one of them is greeting cars at Sheetz up in the Reading PA area LOL!
We always have left over aggregate
We can get more technical if you like, just let me know. We build alotta retaining walls........
,
I do not, nor do I state I do
Hence the:
"We can get more technical if you like, just let me know. We build alotta retaining walls........"
Keep in mind here, I'll share knowledge and experience, but no, no, no, I'm not gonna write a book
DVS,
Not to get technical, but the document from Penn State referenced in the attached link, http://www.abe.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/h/H20.pdf, shows that gravel and crushed stone weighs between 2500 and 2700 pounds per cubic yard dry. That equates to a factor of 1.25 to 1.35 for conversion so in your case of using 1.2 you are already off. Add moisture to the equation, and we've never seen "dry" materials here in PA, and 1.5 is much closer to reality and the factor that we use also.
In addition, you failed to answer the op's question which I believe was how to calculate stone for a stepped wall ("wall is 8' tapering to 1 block"). Depending on the slope your formula may result in a minimal amount of overage or up to 2x what is necessary in the case of a even slope.
For the original poster, the best way to calculate is divide the wall into one or two triangles based on wether it steps on both ends or just one. Then calculate the area(s) of the triangles (1/2 base * height) to give you the face square feet, multiply that by the depth of stone you want/need for your drainage channel + 6" for the stone needed for core fill and you'll have cu. ft. Divide that by 27 for cu yards, then multiply by 1.5 for tons. You should be pretty close. I only add 6" to the depth of the drainage channel to allow for core fill because even though the block are 12" deep, the block itself takes up much of the area so allowing for half is pretty generous.
Good luck!
Not to get technical, but the document from Penn State referenced in the attached link, http://www.abe.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/h/H20.pdf, shows that gravel and crushed stone weighs between 2500 and 2700 pounds per cubic yard dry. That equates to a factor of 1.25 to 1.35 for conversion so in your case of using 1.2 you are already off. Add moisture to the equation, and we've never seen "dry" materials here in PA, and 1.5 is much closer to reality and the factor that we use also.
In addition, you failed to answer the op's question which I believe was how to calculate stone for a stepped wall ("wall is 8' tapering to 1 block"). Depending on the slope your formula may result in a minimal amount of overage or up to 2x what is necessary in the case of a even slope.
For the original poster, the best way to calculate is divide the wall into one or two triangles based on wether it steps on both ends or just one. Then calculate the area(s) of the triangles (1/2 base * height) to give you the face square feet, multiply that by the depth of stone you want/need for your drainage channel + 6" for the stone needed for core fill and you'll have cu. ft. Divide that by 27 for cu yards, then multiply by 1.5 for tons. You should be pretty close. I only add 6" to the depth of the drainage channel to allow for core fill because even though the block are 12" deep, the block itself takes up much of the area so allowing for half is pretty generous.
Good luck!
Thanks BOE
Say, have you ever baked a cake? You probably did it step by step, measuring everything out as speced in the cookbook. Alright, have you ever sat down with your wife while shes watching cooking/baking shows?? And have you noticed that they don't measure anything out? A pinch here, heap there, etc.
I think it's kinda silly to sit in your warm home with your red robe on, with your corn-cob pipe in the corner of your mouth, and tell someone thats been doing something for many years, problem free - that their method doesnt work! I love responding to aggregate questions on the forum cause every time, without fail, someone gonna sit and type away telling me how I'm wrong! LOL HOW on earth can you tell someone that does this day in and day out that they're wrong?! HOW?? A key to success is always keeping an open mind.
You may wanna re-read the initial post - The guy asked about calculating to "fill cores".
I answered with to how I do this. Did I answer all his questions? No I did not, my apologies, but I do have my own biz to run, firewood to bring inside, haircut, and christmas shopping to do!
I did answer the question as to how we address cores.
We use Cornerstone Block. Cornerstone is a block that requires the cored be filled. Cornerstone does have specs on how much gravel it takes per core. We used to use their specs, but I have found it to be easier and just as accurate to use the method as detailed in my initial response in this topic. I could go on and on about how and where my method derived, as I learned it from someone else that does nothing but work with retaining walls period. Works for others whom I learned it from and works for me, is that ok?
Sorry for the confusion, hope everyone is enjoyin the holiday season.
HOHOHO!
,
Say, have you ever baked a cake? You probably did it step by step, measuring everything out as speced in the cookbook. Alright, have you ever sat down with your wife while shes watching cooking/baking shows?? And have you noticed that they don't measure anything out? A pinch here, heap there, etc.
I think it's kinda silly to sit in your warm home with your red robe on, with your corn-cob pipe in the corner of your mouth, and tell someone thats been doing something for many years, problem free - that their method doesnt work! I love responding to aggregate questions on the forum cause every time, without fail, someone gonna sit and type away telling me how I'm wrong! LOL HOW on earth can you tell someone that does this day in and day out that they're wrong?! HOW?? A key to success is always keeping an open mind.
You may wanna re-read the initial post - The guy asked about calculating to "fill cores".
I answered with to how I do this. Did I answer all his questions? No I did not, my apologies, but I do have my own biz to run, firewood to bring inside, haircut, and christmas shopping to do!
I did answer the question as to how we address cores.
We use Cornerstone Block. Cornerstone is a block that requires the cored be filled. Cornerstone does have specs on how much gravel it takes per core. We used to use their specs, but I have found it to be easier and just as accurate to use the method as detailed in my initial response in this topic. I could go on and on about how and where my method derived, as I learned it from someone else that does nothing but work with retaining walls period. Works for others whom I learned it from and works for me, is that ok?
Sorry for the confusion, hope everyone is enjoyin the holiday season.
HOHOHO!
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Tell me about it! And I haven't even re-visited my award winning pop up emitter thread yet!!!! Oh! Wait till I make a Polymeric Sand estimating thread! I can hear 'em now "there's no way that formula will work, some pavers are 19/32 thicker......"!
Geeze - These ladies think they're gonna cost out a job right down to the last shovel-full! LOL
I will touch on something else - when you fill the block, you're filling more than just the "core". You're also filling the void between each block
It mostly depends on who is running the skiddy! Some dumbasses lose a qtr ton here half ton there etc etc.
A "Few Tons".............Yikes!!! Sounds sloppy. Last install I did this season needed a little over 50 ton of 3/4 crush. I may have lost a wheelbarrow full along the way.
If we're dumping on level, soild, virgin soil, whether it's 22 tons or 264 tons, we'll probably have lost 2 tons, which is about 4 skid steer buckets. It's lost when its pressed and intermixed with the ground. It's only a 1 time thing (in most cases), from that point on, any further dumping is being dumped on that layer of aggregate. (provided the soil doesn't turn to mud)
You always have site variables. Site variables are somthing that I recommend be account for on a case by case basis. My estimating system is automated. But I manually enter in factors for site variables. Site ariables ential experience and common sense.
There was mention of engineers and calculations. Just so no one is mis-led, I would like to make a clarification:
We've had some wall engineers do the material calculations. And the current engineer I use does not do calculations for me.
An engineer WILL not account for site variables. I repeat: AN ENGINEER WILL NOT ACCOUNT FOR SITE VARIABLES. An engineer is NOT concerned about access. They're not looking at staging. They don't care if you use a Dingo or a freight train to move the gravel. An engineer is looking at the soil type and the surcharge. The contractor is looking at what equipment to use. Where to stage materials, and so on.
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