HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION 2018

CONSTUCTION OF EMBANKMENT/ PREPARATION OF SUBGRADE

This work shall consist of excavation, removal and satisfactory disposal of all
materials necessary for the construction of roadway, side drains and waterways in accordance
with requirements of these Specifications and the lines, grades and cross-sections shown in
the drawings or as indicated by the Engineer, It shall include the hauling and stacking of or
hauling to sites of embankment and subgrade construction, suitable cut materials as required,
as also the disposal of unsuitable cut materials in specified manner, trimming and finishing of
the road to specified dimensions.

All materials involved in excavation shall be classified by the Engineer in the

following manner:
(a) Soil :This shall comprise topsoil, turf, land, sill, loon, day, mud, peat. Black cotton soil,
loft shale or loose mooium, a mixture of these and similar material which yields to the
ordinary application of pick, spade and/or shovel, rake or other ordinary digging implement.
Removal of gravel or any other nodular material having dimension in any one direction not
exceeding 75 mm occurring in such strata shall be deemed to be covered under mil category.
(b) Ordinary Rock (not requiring blasting this shall include: (i) rock types such as lalerites,
shales and conglomerates, varieties of limestone and sandstone etc., which may be quarried or
split with crow ban, also including any rock which in dry state may be hard, requiring-
blasting but which, when wet, becomes soft and manageable by means other than blasting;
(ii) macadam surfaces such as water bound and bitumen Air bound; soling of roads, paths etc.
and hard core; compact' moorum or stabilized soil requiring grafting tool or pick or both and
shovel, closely applied; gravel and cobble stone having maximum dimension in any one
direction between 75 and 300 mm;
(iii) lime concrete, stone masonry in lime mortar and brick work in lime/cement mortar below
ground level, reinforced cement concrete which may be broken up with crow bars or picks
and stone masonry in cement mortar below ground level; and
(iv) boulders which do not require blasting having maximum dimension in any direction of
more than 300 mm, found lying loose on (he surface or embedded in river bed, soil, talus,
slope wash and terrace material of dissimilar origin.
(c) Hard Rock (requiring blasting) This shall comprise: (i) any rock or cement concrete for
the excavation of which the use of mechanical plant and/or blasting is required; (ii) reinforced
cement concrete (reinforcement cut through but not separated from the concrete) below
ground level; and (iii) boulders requiring blasting.
(d) Hard Rock (blasting prohibited) Hard rock requiring blasting as described under (c) but
where blasting is prohibited for any reason and excavation has to be carried out by chiselling,
wedging or any other agreed method.
(e) Marshy Soil This shall include soils like soft clays and peats excavated below the original
ground level of marshes and swamps and soil) excavated from other areas requiring
continuous pumping or bailing out of water.

Excavation - General: All excavations shall be carried out in conformity with the directions
laid here-in -under and in a manner approved by the Engineer. The work shall be so done that
the suitable materials available from excavation are satisfactorily utilized as decided upon
beforehand.
While planning or executing excavations, the Contractor shall take all adequate precautions
against soil erosion, water pollution etc., and take appropriate drainage measures to keep the
site free of water.

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The excavations shall conform to the lines, grades, side slopes and levels shown on
the drawings or as directed by the Engineer. The Contractor shall not excavate outside the
limits of excavation. Subject to the permitted tolerances, any excess depth/ width excavated
beyond the specified levels/dimensions on the drawings shall be made good at the cost of the
Contractor with suitable material of characteristics similar to that removed and compacted to
the requirements.
All debris and loose material on the slopes of cuttings shall be removed. No
backfilling shall be allowed to obtain required slopes excepting that when boulders or soft
materials are encountered in cut slopes, these shall be excavated to approved depth on
instructions of the Engineer and the resulting cavities filled with suitable material and
thoroughly compacted in an approved manner.
After excavation, the sides of excavated area shall be trimmed and the area contoured
to minimise erosion and ponding, allowing for natural drainage to take place. If trees were
removed, new trees shall be planted, as directed by the Engineer. The cost of planting new
trees shall be deemed to be incidental to the work.

Methods, tools and equipment: Only such methods, tools and equipment as approved by the
Engineer shall be adopted/used in the work. If so desired by the Engineer, the Contractor
shall demonstrate the efficacy of the type of equipment to be used before the commencement
of work.

Rock excavation : Rock, when encountered in road excavation, shall be removed upto the
formation level or as otherwise indicated on the drawings. Where, however, unstable shales
or other unsuitable materials are encountered at the formation level, these shall be excavated
to the extent of 500 mm below the formation level or as otherwise specified. In all cases, 'the
excavation operations shall be so carried out that at no point on cut formation the rock
protrudes above the specified levels. Rocks and large boulders which are likely to cause
differential settlement and also local drainage problems should be removed to the extent of
500 mm below the formation level in full formation width including drains and cut through
the side drains, where excavation is done to levels lower than those specified, the excess
excavation shall be made good
.
Slopes in rock cutting shall be finished to uniform lines corresponding to slope lines
shown on the drawings or as directed by the Engineer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all
loose pieces of rock on excavated slope surface which move when pierced by a crowbar shall
be removed.

Marsh excavation : The excavation of soils from marshes/swamps shall be carried out as per
the programme approved by the Engineer. Excavation of marshes shall begin at one end and
proceed in onedirection across the entire marsh immediately ahead of backfilling. The
method and sequence of excavating and backfilling shall be such as to ensure, to the extent
practicable, the complete removal or displacement of all muck from within the lateral limits
called for on the drawings or as slaked by the Engineer, and to the bottom of the marsh, firm
support or levels indicated.

Excavation of road shoulders/verge/median for widening

of pavement or providing treated shoulders : In works involving widening of existing
pavements or providing treated shoulders, unless otherwise specified, the
shoulder/verge/median shall be removed to their full width and to levels shown on drawings

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or as indicated by the Engineer. White doing so, care shall be taken to see that no portion of
the existing pavement designated for retention is loosened or disturbed. If the existing
pavement gets disturbed or loosened, it shall be dismantled and cut to a regular shape with
sides vertical and the disturbed/loosened portion removed completely and relaid as directed
by the Engineer, at the cost of the Contractor.

Disposal of excavated materials : All the excavated materials shall be the property of the
Employer. The material obtained from the excavation of roadway, shoulders, verges, drains,
crossdrainage works etc., shall be used for filling up of (i) roadway embankment, (ii) the
existing pits in the right -of-way and (iii) for landscaping of the road as directed by the
Engineer, including levelling and spreading with all lifts and lead upto 1000 m and no extra
payment shall be made for the same.
All hard materials, such as hard moorum, rubble, etc., not intended for use as above shall be
stacked neatly on specified land as directed by the Engineer with all lifts and lead upto 1000
m. Unsuitable and surplus material not intended for use within the lead specified above shall
also, if necessary, be transported with all lifts and lead beyond initial 1000 m, disposed of or
used as directed by theEngineer.

Materials and General Requirements

Physical requirements

The materials used in embankments, subgrades, earthen shoulders and miscellaneous

backfills shall be soil, moorum, gravel, a mixture of these or any other material approved by
the Engineer. Such materials shall be free of logs, stumps, roots, rubbish or any other
ingredient likely to deteriorate or affect the stability of the embankment/subgrade. The
following types of material shall be considered unsuitable for embankment:
 Materials from swamps, marshes and bogs;
 Peat, log, stump and perishable material: any soil that, classifies as OL, OI, OH or Pt
in accordance with IS : 1498;
 Materials susceptible to spontaneous combustion;
 Materials in a frozen condition;
 Clay having liquid limit exceeding 70 and plasticity index exceeding 45; and
 Materials with sails resulting in leaching in the embankment.

Expansive clay exhibiting marked swell and shrinkage properties ("free swelling index"
exceeding 50 per cent when tested as per IS: 2720 - Part 40} shall not be used as a fill
material. Where an expansive clay with acceptable "free swelling index" value is used as a
fill material, subgrade and top 500 mm portion of the embankment just below subgrade shall
be non-expansive in nature.
Any fill material with a soluble sulphate consent exceeding 1.9 grams of sulphate
(expressed as SO3) per litre when tested in accordance with BS : 1377 Test 10, but using a
2:1 water-soil ratio shall not be deposited within 500 mm or other distance described in the
Contract, of concrete, cement bound materials or other cementitious materials forming part of
the Permanent Works,
Materials with a total sulphate content (expressed as SO3) exceeding 0.5 per cent by
mass, when tested in accordance with BS : 1377 Test 9 shall not be deposited within 500 mm,

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or other distances described in the Contract, of metallic items forming part of the Permanent
Work
The size of the coarse material in the mixture of earth shall ordinarily not exceed 75
mm when being placed in the embankment and 50 mm when placed in the subgrade.
However, the Engineer may at his discretion permit the use of material coarser than this also
if he is satisfied that the same will not present any difficulty as regards the placement of fill
material and its compaction to the requirements of these Specifications. The maximum
particle, size shall not. be., more than two-thirds of the compacted layer thickness
Borrow materials : Where the materials are to be obtained from designated borrow
areas, the location, size and shape of these areas shall be as indicated by the Engineer and the
same shall not be opened without his written permission. Where specific borrow areas are not
designated by the Employer/the Engineer, arrangement for locating the source of supply of
material for embankment and subgrade as well as compliance to environmental requirements
in respect of excavation and borrow areas as stipulated, from time to time by the Ministry of
Environment and Forests, Government of India and the local bodies, as applicable, shall be
the sole responsibility of the Contractor.
Borrowpits along the road shall be discouraged. If permitted by the Engineer, these
shall not be dug continuously. Ridges of not less than 8 m width should be left at intervals not
exceeding 300 m. Small drains shall be cut through the ridges to facilitate drainage. The
depth of the pits shall be so regulated that their bottom does not cut an imaginary line having
a slope of 1 vertical to 4 horizontal projected from the edge of the final section of the bank,
the maximum depth in any case being limited-to 1.5 m. Also, no pit shall be dug within the
offset width from the toe of the embankment required as per the consideration of stability
with a minimum width of 10 m.
Haulage of material to embankments or other areas of fill shall proceed only when
sufficient spreading and compaction plant is operating at the place of deposition.
No excavated acceptable material other than surplus to requirements of the Contract
shall be removed-from the site. Should the Contractor be permitted to remove acceptable
material from the site to suit his operational procedure, then he shall make good any
consequent deficit of material arising therefrom.
Where the excavation reveals a combination of acceptable and unacceptable
materials, the Contractor shall, unless otherwise agreed by the Engineer, carry out the
excavation in such a manner that the acceptable materials are excavated separately for use in
the permanent works without contamination by the unacceptable materials. The acceptable
materials shall be stockpiled separately.
The Contractor shall ensure that he does not adversely affect the stability of
excavation or fills by the methods of stockpiling materials, use of plants or siting of
temporary buildings or structures.

Construction Operations

1. After the site has been cleared to, the limits of embankment/subgrade shall be marked by
fixing batter pegs on both sides at regular intervals as guides before commencing the
earthwork.
2. The embankment/subgrade shall be built sufficiently wider than the design dimension so
that surplus material may be trimmed, ensuring that the remaining material is to the
desired density and in position specified and conforms to the specified side slopes.
3. If the foundation of the embankment is in an area with stagnant water, and in the opinion
of the Engineer it is feasible to remove it, the same shall be removed by bailing out or

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pumping, as directed by the Engineer and the area of the embankment foundation shall
be kept dry. Care shall be taken to discharge the drained water so as not to cause damage
to the works, crops or any other property.
4. In localities where most of the available embankment materials are not conducive to
plant growth, or when so directed by the Engineer, the topsoil from all areas of cutting
and from all areas to be covered by embankment foundation shall be stripped to specified
depths not exceeding 150 mm and stored in stockpiles of height not exceeding 2 m for
covering embankment slopes, cut slopes and other disturbed areas where re-vegetation is
desired. Topsoil shall not be unnecessarily trafficked either before stripping or when in a
stockpile. Stockpiles shall not be surcharged orotherwise loaded and multiple handling
shall be kept to a minimum.
5. Compacting ground supporting embankment/subgrade: Where necessary, the original
ground shall be levelled to facilitate placement of first layer of embankment, scarified,
mixed with water and then compacted by rolling so as to achieve minimum dry density.
In case where the difference between the subgrade level (top of the subgrade on which
pavement rests) and ground level is less than 0.5 m and the ground does not have 97 per
cent relative compaction the ground shall be loosened upto a level 0.5 m below the
subgrade level, watered and compacted in layers .
6. Where so directed by the Engineer, any unsuitable material occurring in the embankment
foundation shall be removed and replaced by approved materials laid in layers to the
required degree of compaction.
7. Embankment or subgrade work shall not proceed until the foundations for
embankment/subgrade have been inspected by the Engineer for satisfactory condition
and approved.
8. Any foundation treatment specified for embankments especially high embankments,
resting on suspect foundations as revealed by borehole logs shall be carried out in a
manner and to the depth as desired by the Engineer.
9. The embankment and subgrade material shall be spread in layers of uniform thickness
not exceeding 200 mm compacted thickness over the entire width of embankment by
mechanical means, finished by a motor grader and compacted as per Clause 305.3.6. The
motor grader blade shall have hydraulic control suitable for initial adjustment and
maintain the same so as to achieve the specific slope and grade. Successive layers shall
not be p laced until the layer under construction has been thoroughly compacted. Each
compacted layer shall be finished parallel to the final cross-section of the embankment.
10. Moisture content of the material shall be checked at the site of placement prior to
commencement of compaction; if found to be out of agreed limits, the same shall be
made good. Where water is required to be added in such constructions, water shall be
sprinkled from a water tanker fitted with sprinkler capable of applying water uniformly
with a controllable rate of flow to variable widths of surface but without any flooding.
The water shall be added uniformly and thoroughly mixed in soil by blading, discing or
harrowing until a uniform moisture content is obtained throughout the depth of the layer.
11. If the material delivered to the roadbed is too wet, it shall be dried, by aeration and
exposure to the sun. till the moisture content is acceptable for compaction. Should
circumstances arise, where owing to wet weather, the moisture content cannot be reduced
to the required amount by the above procedure, compaction work shall be suspended.
12. Compaction : Only the compaction equipment approved by the Engineer shall be
employed to compact the different material types encountered during construction.
Smooth wheeled, vibratory, pneumatic tyred, sheepsfoot or pad foot rollers, etc. of
suitable size and capacity as approved by the Engineer shall bt used for the different

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types and grades of materials required to be compacted either individually or in suitable

combinations.
13. The compaction shall be done with the help of vibratory roller of 80 to 100 kN static
weight with plain or pad foot drum or heavy pneumatic tyred roller of adequate capacity
capable of achieving required compaction.
14. The Contractor shall demonstrate the efficacy of the equipment he intends to use by
carrying out compaction trials. The procedure to be adopted for these site trials shall first
be submitted to the Engineer for approval.
15. Earthmoving plant shall not be accepted as compaction equipment nor shall the use of a
lighter category of plant to provide any preliminary compaction to assist the use of
heavier plant be taken into account. Each layer of the material shall be thoroughly
compacted to the densities specified in Table 300-2. Subsequent layers shall be placed
only after the finished layer has been tested. The Engineer may permit measurement, of
field dry density by a nuclear moisture/density gauge used in accordance with agreed
procedure and the gauge is calibrated to provide results identical to that obtained from
tests in accordance with IS: 2720 (Part 28), A record of the same shall be maintained by
the Contractor. When density measurements reveal any soft areas in the embankment/
subgrade/earthen shoulders, further compaction shall be carried out as directed by the
Engineer. If in spite of that the specified compaction is not achieved, the material in the
soft areas shall be removed and replaced by approved material, compacted to the density
requirements and satisfaction of the Engineer.

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CONSTUCTION OF GRANULAR SUB- BASE

This work shall consist of laying and compacting well-graded material on prepared
subgrade in accordance with the requirements of these Specifications. The material shall be
laid in one or more layers as sub-base or lower sub-base and upper sub-base (termed as sub-
base hereinafter) as necessary according to lines, grades and cross –sections.

Materials
The material to be used for the work shall be natural sand, moorum, gravel, crushed
stone, or combination thereof depending upon the grading required. Materials like crushed
slag, crushed concrete, brick metal and kankar may be allowed only with the specific
approval of the Engineer. The material shall be free from organic or other deleterious
constituents and conform to one of the three gradings given in Table400-1.

While the gradings in Table 400-1 are in respect of close-graded granular sub-base
materials, one each for maximum particle size of 75 mm, 53 mm and 26.5 mm, the
corresponding gradings for the coarse graded materials for each of the three maximum
particle sixes are given at Table 400-2.

Physical requirements: The material shall have a 10 per cent fines value of 50 kN or more
(for sample in soaked condition) when tested in compliance with BS:812 (Part 111). The
water absorption value of the coarse aggregate shall be determined as per IS : 2386 (Part 3);
if this value is greater than 2 per cent, the soundness test shall be carried out on the material
delivered to site as per IS : 383.
For Grading II and III materials, the CBR shall be determined at the density and
moisture content likely to be developed in equilibrium conditions which shall be taken as
being the density relating to a uniform air voids content of 5 per cent.

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Construction Operations
1. Preparation of subgrade : Immediately prior to the laying of sub-base, the subgrade
already finished shall be prepared by removing all vegetation and other extraneous
matter, lightly sprinkled with water if necessary and rolled with two passes of 80 -100
kN smooth wheeled roller.
2. Spreading and compacting : The sub-base material of grading specified in the
Contract shall be spread on the prepared subgrade with the help of a motor grader of
adequate capacity, its blade having hydraulic controls suitable for initial adjustment
and for maintaining the required slope and grade during the operation or other means
as approved by the Engineer.
3. When the sub-base material consists of combination of materials, mixing shall be
done mechanically by the mix in place method.
4. Manual mixing shall be permitted only where the width of laying is not adequate for
mechanical operations, as in small-sized jobs. The equipment used for mix-in -place
construction shall be a rotavator or similar approved equipment capable of mixing the
material to the desired degree. If so desired by the Engineer, trial runs with the
equipment shall be carried out to establish its suitability for the work.
5. Moisture content of the loose material shall be checked in accordance with 15:2720
(Part 2) and suitably adjusted by sprinkling additional water from a truck mounted or
trailer mounted water tank and suitable for applying water uniformly and at controlled
quantities to variable widths of surface or other means approved by the Engineer so
that, at the time of compaction, it is from 1 per cent above to 2 per cent below the
optimum moisture content corresponding to IS:2720 (Part 8). While adding water, due
allowance shall be made for evaporation losses. After water has been added, the
material shall be processed by mechanical or other approved means like disc harrows,
rotavators until the layer is uniformly wet.
6. Immediately thereafter, rolling shall start. If the thickness of the compacted layer does
not exceed 100 mm, a smooth wheeled roller of 80 to 100 kN weight may be used.
For a compacted single layer upto 225 mm the compaction shall be done with the help
of a vibratory roller of minimum 80 to 100 kN static weight with plain drum or pad
footdrum or heavy pneumatic tyred roller of minimum 200 to 300 kN weight having a
minimum tyre pressure of 0,7 MN/m2 or equivalent capacity roller capable of
achieving the required compaction.
7. Rolling shall commence at the lower edge and proceed towards the upper edge
longitudinally for portions having unidirectional crossfall and super elevation and
shall commence at the edges and progress towardsthe centre for portions having
crossfall on both sides.
8. Each pass of the roller shall uniformly overlap not less than onethird of the track
made in the preceding pass. During rolling, the grade and crossfall (camber) shall be
checked and any high spots or depressions, which become apparent, corrected by
removing or adding fresh material.
9. The speed of the roller shall not exceed 5 km per hour. Rolling shall be continued all
the density achieved is at least 98 per cent of the maximum dry density for the
material determined as per IS:2720 (Part 8). The surface of any layer of material on
completion of compaction shall be well closed, free from movement under
compaction equipment and from compaction planes, ridges, cracks or loose material.
10. All loose, segregated or otherwise defective areas shall be made good to the full
thickness of layer and re -compacted.

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WET MIX MACADAM SUB -BASE/BASE

Physical requirements: Coarse aggregates shall be crushed stone. If crushed gravel/shingle

is used, not less than 90 per cent by weight of the gravel/shingle pieces retained on 4,75 mm
sieve shall have-at least two fractured faces. The aggregates shall conform to the physical
requirements set forth in Table 400 -10 below.

If the water absorption value of the coarse aggregate is greater than 2 per cent, the
soundness test shall be carried out on the material delivered to site as per IS: 2386 (Part-5).
Grading requirements: The aggregate shall conform to the grading given in Table 400-11.

Materials finer than 425 micron shall have Plasticity Index (PI) not exceeding 6. The
final gradation approved within these limits shall be well graded from coarse to fin and shall
not vary from the low limit on one sieve to the high limit on the adjacent sieve or vice versa.
Construction Operations
1. Preparation of base: The surface of the subgrade/ subbase/ base to receive the water
bound macadam course shall be prepared to the specified lines and crossfall (camber)
arid made free of dust and other extraneous material. Any ruts or soft yielding places
shall be corrected in an approved manner and rolled until firm surface is obtained if
necessary by sprinkling water. Any sub-base/base/surface irregularities, where
predominant, shall be made good by providing appropriate type of profile corrective
course (levelling course).
2. As far as possible, laying WMM course over an existing thick bituminous layer may
be avoided since it will cause problems of internal drainage of the pavement at the
interface of two courses. It is desirable to completely pick out the existing thin
bituminous wearing course where water bound macadam is proposed to be laid over it
However, where the intensity of rain is low and the interface drainage facility is

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efficient, water bound macadam can be laid over the existing thin bituminous surface
by cutting 50 mm x 50 mm furrows- at an angle of 45 degrees to the centre line of the
pavement at one metre intervals in the existing road. The directions and depth of
furrows shall be such that they provide adequate bondage and also serve to drain
water to the existing granular base course beneath the existing thin bituminous
surface.
3. Provision of lateral confinement of aggregates: While constructing wet mix
macadam, arrangement shall be made for the lateral confinement of wet mix. This
shall be done by laying materials in adjoining shoulders along with that of wet mix
macadam layer. The sequence of operations shall be such that the construction of
paved shoulder is done in layers each matching the thickness of adjoining pavement
layer. Only after a layer of pavement and corresponding layers in paved and earth
shoulder portion have been laid and compacted, the construction of next layer of
pavement and shoulder shall be taken up.
4. Where the materials in adjacent layers are different, these shall be laid together and
the pavement layer shall be compacted first. The corresponding layer in paved
shoulder portion shall be compacted thereafter, which shall be followed by
compaction of earth shoulder layer.The adjacent layers having same ma terial shall be
laid and compacted together.
5. Preparation of mix : Wet Mix Macadam shall be prepared in an approved mixing
plant of suitable capacity having provision for controlled addition of water and
forced/positive mixing arrangement like pugmill or pan type mixer of concrete
batching plant. For small quantity of wet mix work, the Engineer may permit the
mixing to be done in concrete mixers.
6. Optimum moisture for mixing shall be determined in accordance with IS:2720 (Part -
8) after replacing the aggregate fraction retained on_22A mm sieve with material of
4.75 mm to 22.4 mm size. While adding water, dup allowance should be made for
evaporation losses. However, at the time of compaction, water in the wet mix should
not vary from the optimum value by more than agreed limits. The mixed material
should be uniformly wet and no segregation should be permitted.
7. Spreading of mix : Immediately after mixing, the aggregates shall be spread
uniformly and evenly upon the prepared subgrade/sub- base/base in required
quantities. In no case should these be dumped in heaps directly on the area where
these are to be laid nor shall their hauling over a partly completed stretch be
permitted.
8. The mix may be spread either by a payer finisher or motor grader. For portions where
mechanical means cannot be used, manual means as approved by the Engineer shall
be used. The motor grader shall be capable of spreading the material uniformly all
over the surface.
9. Its blade shall have hydraulic control suitable for initial adjustments and maintaining
the same so as to achieve the specified slope and grade.
10. The paver finisher shall be self-propelled, having the following features :
(i) Loading hoppers and suitable distribution mechanism
(ii) The screed shall have lamping and vibrating arrangement for initial compaction to the
layer as it is spread without rutting or otherwise marring the surface profile.
(iii) The paver shall be equipped with necessary control mechanism so as to ensure that the
finished surface is free from surface blemishes.
11. The surface of the aggregate shall be carefully checked with templates and all high or
low spots remedied by removing or adding aggregate as may be required. The layer
may be tested by depth blocks during construction. No segregation of larger and fine

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particles should be allowed. The aggregates as spread should be of uniform gradation

with no pockets of fine materials.
12. Compaction: After the mix has been laid to the required thickness, grade and
crossfall/camber the same shall be uniformly compacted, to the full depth with
suitable roller. If the thickness of single compacted layer does not exceed 100 mm, a
smooth wheel roller of 80 to 100 kN weight may be used. For a compacted single
layer upto 200 mm, the compaction shall be done with the help of vibratory roller of
minimum static weight of 80 to 100 kN or equivalent capacity roller. The speed of the
roller shall not exceed 5 km/h.
13. In portions having unidirectional cross fall/superelevation, rolling shall commence
from the lower edge and progress gradually towards the upper edge. Thereafter, roller
should progress parallel to the centre line of the road, uniformly over- lapping each
preceding track by at least one third width until the entire surface has been rolled.
Alternate trips of the roller shall be terminated in stops at least 1 m away from any
preceding stop.
14. In portions in camber, rolling should begin at the edge with the roller running forward
and backward until the edges have been firmly compacted. The roller shall then
progress gradually towards the centre parallel to the centre line of the road uniformly
overlapping each of the preceding track by at least one-third width until the entire
surface has been rolled.
15. Any displacement occurring as a result of reversing of the direction of a roller or from
any other cause shall be corrected" at once as specified and/or removed and made
good.
16. Along forms, kerbs, walls or other places not accessible to the roller, the mixture shall
be thoroughly compacted with mechanical tampers or a plate compactor. Skin
patching of an area without scarifying the surface to permit proper bonding of the
added material shall not be permitted.
17. Rolling should not be done when the subgrade is soft or yielding or when it causes a
wave-like motion m the sub-base/base course or subgrade. If irregularities develop
during rolling which exceed 12 mm when tested with a 3 metre straight edge, the
surface should be loosened and premixed material added or removed as required
before rolling again so as to achieve a uniform surface conforming to the desired
grade and crossfall. In no case should the use of unmixed material be permitted to
make up the depressions. Rolling shall be continued till the density achieved is at least
98 per cent of the maximum dry density for the material as determined by the method
outlined in IS: 2720 (Part -8).
18. After completion, the surface of any finished layer shall be wellclosed, free from
movement under compaction equipment or any compaction planes, ridges, cracks and
loose material. All loose, segregated or otherwise defective areas shall be made good
to the full thicknessof the layer and recompacted.
19. Setting and drying: After final compaction of wet mix macadam course, the road
shall be allowed to dry for 24 hours.
20. Opening to Traffic Preferably no vehicular traffic of any kind should be allowed on
the finished wet mix macadam surface till it has dried and the wearing course laid.

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