On Dec 12, 11:37 pm, Tim W wrote:
JimK
wibbled on Saturday 12 December 2009 20:06



On Dec 12, 7:36 pm, Tim W wrote:

Or is this road just a vehicle width?

yup single track - just!

Off the wall idea:

Could you work with a "precast" approach? Cast the tracks in the centre
of the road, including reinforcing mesh, then slide them across by the
2-3' required to have them in the correct place? That will limit you to
perhaps 2-3m cast lengths.

Assuming you were planning on having a digger handy for trenching with
the direct pour approach, the digger might be able to drag and drop them
into the trenches that you cut at the end. Disadvantage: you need to
either cast flat and trench flat so the strips bed well enough, or line
the trench with some sand and be fairly confident of bedding them.

mmm I'd not thought of exactly that approach (i.e. using centre) but
was hoping to avoid digger expenses altogether plus problem of what to
with (almost) perfectly good MOT etc that will be generated - it;s a
perfect sub base for concrete after all !!
also casting in situ will (i hope) ensure "perfect" contact with the
minor undulations of the current surface thus minimising early
cracking/failure etc?

It's unlikely to fail if you drop a bit of bar in it as you go (I thought
about mesh, but a couple of lenghts of light rebar would probably be good
enough). But of course, it's all more complications.

Anyway, if you don't want a digger, then it will be painful sliding what are
basically large cast beams around.

2nd disadvantage - lots of joints.

er not sure... I was kind of expecting them to be needed re expansion?
- and they would be there anyway if I proceed with my rough plan A of
little and often....

True

So in all, you are planning on pouring concrete on top rather than flush
with the existing roadway? That makes a difference...

Yup that is my plan A (sorry if not clear in OP)

Just to clarify - how long could you hold off vehicle traffic after each
pour?

overnight probly

How long could you avoid anything larger than a car?

months

You might get
away with a car on top relatively quickly. 10 tons of fuel oil laden tanker
would be different though.

mmm how quicks relatively quickly!?

cheers
JimK