MARCH 13, 2019
backfiil guid line
draft
Table of Contents
Part I 1
Fill, dewatering, ground improvement 2
1. General3
2. Fundamental requirements…………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
Part P 4
CONSTRUCTION METHODS 5
1.1 General 6
1.2 Backfilling for simple crossing bridges, Abutments and Piers……………………………………………………..7
1.3 Granular bedding material ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8
Backfill construction Supervision specification Guide 1
Part I
Fill, dewatering, ground improvement
Backfilling was one the common methodology used in ground improvement technique
used for different engineering work.to have successful stable ground engineered back fill
is crucial issue and attention area are included in this general guide line. This guide line
will be used for simple structure fulfill fundamental requirement stated under section 2
1. General
All material used for backfill, including non-granular material, shall meet the following
specifications and shall be of a quality acceptable to the Engineer. All backfill material
shall be in a thawed state when placing and compacting, and be free from rocks, large
or frozen lumps, wood, or other unsuitable material.
Types of Backfill
Backfill material shall conform to one of the following types:
Type 1 – Non-Granular Cohesive Material
Type 2 – Granular Backfill
Type 1 – Non-Granular Cohesive Material
Non-granular cohesive material shall be highly plastic clay (exhibiting putty-like
properties with considerable strength when dry) and non-organic. Material with very
high swelling potential such as bentonite clays will not be permitted. When proposed
material characteristics are in question, the Engineer may require the Contractor to
classify the material using Test Method ASTM D2487 –Classification of Soils for
Engineering Purposes. Non-granular cohesive material shall have a minimum
Plasticity Index of 40. The non-granular cohesive material shall be free of rocks and
stones. When approved by the Engineer, non-granular cohesive material can be
substituted with granular material.
Type 2.Granular Backfill
The granular backfill shall be placed in layers not to exceed 150 mm in depth and
each layer shall be thoroughly compacted by means of packers or mechanical
tampers to a relative compaction of not less than 95% Standard Proctor Density for
the backfill material at optimum moisture content.
The requirements in this guide line shall apply where adequate ground conditions
are achieved by
placing natural soil, crushed rock, blasted stone or certain waste products;
dewatering;
treating ground;
reinforcing ground
2. Fundamental requirements
Fill and dewatered, improved or reinforced ground shall be capable of
sustaining the actions arising from its function and from its environment.
These fundamental requirements shall also be satisfied for the ground on which
the fill is placed.
3. Fill construction
Backfill construction Supervision specification Guide 2
3.1. Principles
1. When designing fill constructions it shall be considered that the adequacy
of the fill depends on the following:
Good material handling properties,
Adequate engineering properties after compaction.
2. Transport and placement of the fill should be considered in the design.
3.2. Selection of fill material
1. The criteria for specifying material as suitable for use as fill shall be based on
achieving adequate strength, stiffness, durability and permeability after
compaction. These criteria shall take account of the purpose of the fill and the
requirements of any structure to be placed on it.
2. Suitable fill materials may include most graded natural granular materials and
certain waste products such as selected colliery waste and pulverized fuel ash.
Some manufactured materials, such as light aggregate, may also be used in some
circumstances. Some cohesive materials may be suitable but require particular care.
3.3. The following aspects shall be taken into account when specifying a fill material:
grading;
resistance to crushing;
compatibility;
permeability;
plasticity;
strength of underlying ground;
organic content;
chemical aggression;
pollution effects;
solubility;
susceptibility to volume changes (swelling clays and collapsible
materials);
low temperature and frost susceptibility;
resistance to weathering;
effect of excavation, transportation and placement;
Possibility of cementation occurring after placement (e.g. blast furnace
slags).
3.4. If local materials in their natural state are not suitable for use as fill, it can be
necessary to adopt one of the following procedures:
adjust the water content;
mix with cement, lime or other materials;
crush, sieve or wash;
Backfill construction Supervision specification Guide 3
protect with appropriate material;
Use drainage layers.
3.5. Frozen, expansive or soluble soils should not normally be used as fill material.
3.6 When the selected material contains potentially aggressive or polluting
chemicals, adequate provisions shall be adopted to prevent it from attacking
structures or services or polluting the ground-water. Such materials shall only be
used in large amounts in permanently monitored locations.
3.7 In case of doubt, the fill material shall be tested at source to ensure that it is
suitable for its intended purpose. The type, number and frequency of the tests shall
be selected according to the type and heterogeneity of the material and the nature of
the project.
3.8 for small and relatively simple structure, inspection of the material may often be
sufficient.
3.9 Material used for fill with specified severe requirements regarding bearing
resistance, settlement and stability shall not contain organic matter soil or
peat in any significant amount.
3.10 In fills with no specified requirements for bearing resistance, settlement or
stability, the fill Material may contain organic matter or peat.
4. Selection of procedures for fill placement and compaction
4.1 Compaction criteria shall be established for each zone or layer of fill, related to
its purpose and performance requirements.
4.2 The procedures for fill placement and compaction shall be specified in such a
way that stability of the fill is ensured during the entire construction period and the
natural subsoil is not adversely affected.
4.3 The compaction procedure for fill shall be specified depending on the compaction
criteria and on the following:
the origin and nature of the material;
the placement method;
the placement water content and its possible variations;
the initial and final thickness of the lift;
the local climatic conditions;
the uniformity of compaction;
The nature of underlying ground.
4.4 In order to develop an appropriate procedure for compaction, a trial compaction
should be performed at the site using the intended material and compaction
equipment. This allows the Determination of the compaction procedure (method of
placement, compaction equipment layer thickness, number of passes, adequate
techniques for transportation and amount of water that shall be added to be followed.
A trial compaction may also be used to establish the Control criteria.
Backfill construction Supervision specification Guide 4
4.5 Where there is a possibility of rainfall during the placement of cohesive fill
material, the fill Surface should at all stages be profiled so as to permit adequate run-
off.
4.6 At temperatures below freezing, fill may require heating before placement and
frost Protection of the fill surface. The need of these measures should be evaluated
case-by-case, taking into account the quality of the fill material and the required
degree of compaction.
4.7 Backfill placed around foundations and beneath floor slabs shall be compacted
such that damaging subsidence does not occur.
4.8 Fill should be placed on an undisturbed and drained ground surface. Any mixing
of the fill with the ground should be prevented by using a filter textile or filter layer.
4.9 Before placing fill underwater, all soft material encountered should be removed
by dredging or other means.
5. Checking the fill
5.1 Fill shall be inspected or tested to ensure that the material, its placement water
content and the compaction procedures comply with the specification.
5.2 Testing need not be performed for some combinations of materials and
compaction procedures if the compaction procedure has been proved by a field trial
or by comparable experience.
5.3 Compaction should be tested by one of the following methods:
measurement of dry density and, if required by the design,
measurement of the water content;
Measurement of properties such as, for example, penetration
resistance or stiffness. Such measurement cannot always determine if
satisfactory compaction has been achieved in cohesive soils.
5.4 Minimum fill densities determined, for example, by Proctor percentages, should
be specified and checked on site.
5.5 For rock fill or fill containing a large amount of coarse particles, compaction
should be checked by field methods. The Proctor test is not applicable to these
materials.
5.6 Site checking may be made by one of the following:
ensuring that compaction has been performed according to the
procedure deduced from a field trial or from comparable experience;
checking that the settlement induced by an additional pass of the
compaction equipment is equal to or less than a specified value;
plate loading tests;
Seismic or dynamic methods.
5.7 In cases where over-compaction is not acceptable, an upper bound limit for the
Compaction shall be specified.
5.8 Over-compaction can cause the following undesirable effects:
the development of slickensides and high soil stiffness’s in slopes;
Backfill construction Supervision specification Guide 5
high earth pressures on buried and earth retaining structures;
Crushing of materials such as soft rocks, slags and volcanic sands
used as light weight fills.
Backfill construction Supervision specification Guide 6
Part II
CONSTRUCTION METHODS
1.1 General
The Contractor shall backfill the excavated areas with the specified type of
backfill material, unless otherwise directed by the Engineer, to the elevation of
the ground surface existing immediately prior to the start of excavation or to the
elevations specified on the Drawings. Backfill material shall be placed in
accordance with the Drawings, this Specification and the Special Provisions and
to the satisfaction of the Engineer. Backfill material shall be stockpiled within a
suitable area approved by the Engineer. Examples of unsuitable areas include,
but are not limited to, the following:
In the flood plain,
On the edge of an embankment creating slope stability issues, or
Locations impeding sight lines of the travelling public through or around the site.
1.2 Backfilling for simple crossing bridges, Abutments and Piers
1.2.1 General
Special precautions shall be taken to prevent wedging action against abutments,
retaining walls. Backfill material placed around abutment wing walls and piers shall
be deposited on both sides to approximately the same elevation at the same time.
Unless permitted by the Engineer, backfill shall not be placed against any concrete
structure within a distance of 1.0 meter until the concrete has reached 80% of the 28
day design strength. The backfill in front of bridge headwalls and in front of abutment
bearing seats and wing walls shall be non-granular cohesive material.
1.2.2. Foundation
Foundation shall be backfilled with granular material in the areas bounded by:
the bottom and side slopes of the excavation
the headwall of the crossing
The dimensions and elevations shown on the Drawings.
1.2.3. Abutments
Concrete abutments shall be backfilled with granular material in the areas bounded by:
the bottom and side slopes of the excavation under the approach slabs;
the wing walls of the abutment; and
The dimensions and elevations shown on the Drawings.
1.2.4. Piers
Concrete piers shall be backfilled with granular material in the areas bounded by:
the bottom and side slopes of the excavation; and
the dimensions and elevations shown on the Drawings
Backfill construction Supervision specification Guide 7
1.3 Granular bedding material
The materials to be used for backfill around structures, shall be approved granular backfill
material obtained either from excavation for the structure and appurtenant Works, if it is
approved by the Engineer or his representative, or from borrow pits cleaned and free of clay
and stones as directed and specified hereinafter. The material used for backfill, the amount
thereof, and the manner of placing shall be subject to direction of the Engineer or his
representative. The material shall consist of natural silica sand subject to approval of the
Engineer or his representative, other inert materials with similar characteristics having
durable particles. Materials from different sources of supply shall not be mixed or stored in
the same pile nor used alternately in the same class of construction without permission from
the Engineer or his representative. The granular material shall be uniformly graded and
shall meet the following graduation requirements
Sieve %Passing
designation AASHOT T 27
3/8" 100
No.4 95-100
No. 16 45-80
No. 50 10-30
No. 100 2-10
Table 1. Acceptable granular bedding material
Backfill construction Supervision specification Guide 8
Material Intended Material Acceptable material property
class use type Test type Test method max min Compaction
requirement
Selected Fill to Natural grading BS 1377: End product
granular fill structure gravel, Part 2 95% of maximum
B1 natural uniformity 10 dry density of BS
sand, coefficient 1377: Part 4
crushed Los Angeles BS EN 40 - (vibrating
gravel, abrasion 1097-2 hammer method
crushed
rock Undarined shear BS 1377: C=
test Part 7 ᶲ=
Drained shear BS 1377: C=
taste Part 4 ᶲ=
Permeability
Moisture content BS 1377:
Part 2
slope stability test
(where required in
App
non- Fill to Cohesive grading BS 1377: End product
granular fill structure silty clay Part 2 98% of maximum
B2 plastic limit (PL) BS 1377: dry density of BS
Part 2 1377: Part 2
Undarined shear BS 1377: C= (vibrating
Part 7 ᶲ= hammer method
test
Moisture content BS 1377:
Part 2
MCV BS 1377:
Part 4
Table 2.Acceptable common earth work materials for back fill
Referee
Backfill construction Supervision specification Guide 9
Backfill construction Supervision specification Guide 10
