All rivet and boltholes

shall be edge-sealed
with clear lacquer
after the application of
the plastics sheeting.
Rivets shall be spaced
at not more than 150
mm apart, around the
outside edge of the
sign plate and on
cross braces the
spacing shall be not
more than 300 mm.
Any rivet brought
through the sign face
shall be colored to
match the sign face.
Any rivet or other
device fixing sign
plates to their
framework shall have
protective washer of
nylon or other
approved insulating
material inserted
where they would be
in contact.
8. All materials shall be supplied in
new and unused condition except in
4-34

4.7 Execution
All operations shall be performed in accordance with the specification, and in conformity
with the lines, grades, thickness and typical cross Section shown on the plans or established
by the Engineer. Only approved material shall be used in the construction. The embankment
and sub grade in fill shall be constructed utilizing only suitable material obtained from
roadway excavation or imported fill material from sources previously approved by the
competent authority.

4.7.1 Placement of fill
1. Prior to the placement of any fill
materials, the Contractor shall
conduct trial compaction tests as
directed by the Engineer.
Fill material used in the trials shall be with the proposed borrow or
excavated material.
Compaction equipment to be used shall be that specified and
acceptable to the Engineer.
The object of these trials shall be to determine the optimum moisture
content and the relationship between the number of compaction
equipment passes and density for the proposed borrow materials.
2. Compaction of fills shall be carried
out at the moisture content
determined by the trials.
Fill material, which does not contain sufficient moisture to obtain the
required compaction, shall have additional water incorporated therein
by the use of approved sprinklers and mixing.
Material containing an excess of the amount of moisture required to
obtain the necessary compaction shall not, without written approval of
the Engineer, be incorporated in the fill until it has been allowed to dry
4-35
During construction of the roadway, the roadbed shall be maintained in
such a condition that it will be well drained at all times.
The Contractor shall make allowances in the height and width of the
work for any swelling or shrinkage.
3. Fill materials shall be placed in
horizontal layers of uniform
thickness.
Work shall be carried out to adhere to the designated slopes, levels and
depths.
After adjustment of the moisture content to that required to attain
maximum density, the loose material shall be compacted to obtain the
specified density.
Maximum layer thickness shall be 150mm, unless otherwise agreed by
the Engineer.
4. Placement of fill materials at points
inaccessible to normal compaction
equipment shall be made in
horizontal layers of loose material
not exceeding 100 mm in depth and
thoroughly compacted by the use of
mechanical tampers.
5. When fill materials are to be placed
and compacted on slopes steeper than
1H : 3V the following shall apply,
unless otherwise approved by the
Engineer. If the embankment shall
be benched in steps or prepared as
directed by the Engineer. The width
of the benching shall be enough to
permit the operations of placing
equipment.
4-36
6. If the original surface upon which the
embankment is to be placed is an old
roadbed, the surface shall be
ploughed, scraped and broken up
regardless of the height of the
embankment and compacted as
directed by the Engineer.
7. G. If backfill is to be placed below
standing water, only approved
granular material meeting the
requirements of free draining
material shall be deposited. Placing
of aggregates may be with or without
the associated use of compaction
plant.
8. H. If the foundation on which the
embankment or the subgrade
materials are to be laid is unstable,
crushed aggregate or stabilizing rock
fill meeting the requirements of
stabilizing material shall be placed
and compacted as directed by the
Engineer.
9. Density to which suitable fill layers
shall be compacted is 95% MDD,
unless other wise approved by the
Engineer.
10. When an embankment or filled area
has achieved settlement and requires
additional material to bring it up to
the required formation level, the top
of the borrow or fill shall be
4-37

4.7.2 Subgrade preparation
1. After site clearing the upper portion
(300mm below formation level) of
the existing subgrade (cut area) shall
be sampled and tested to confirm
suitability of the material.
If the upper portion of the subgrade is found to be unsuitable, such
subgrade material shall be removed and replaced with suitable
subgrade material as directed by the Engineer. The ground after
cutting shall be treated and prepared as existing ground.
When the existing ground in the cut (within 300mm of the formation
level) is found to be suitable, the subgrade surface shall be completely
broken up by scarifying, watered and mixed to achieve a uniform
moisture content between 2% of the OMC for the full depth of
150mm.
The top 300mm below formation level in fill area shall be constructed
with approved sub grade material and each layer shall be compacted to
98% of the MDD. The moisture content shall be within 2%of the
OMC.
2. After the foregoing work has been
accomplished, the entire subgrade
shall be shaped to a smooth uniform
surface. Excess material which
cannot be disposed of by normal
drifting to the low spots during
shaping operations shall be removed
and placed in other areas deficient in
materials or disposed of in an
approved manner.
4-38
3. Once prepared, the subgrade shall be
maintained in the finished condition
until the first succeeding course of
subbase or base material has been
placed.
Contractor shall take all precautions necessary to protect subgrade
from damage.
Hauling over finished subgrade shall be limited to that which is
essential for construction purposes.
Contractor shall protect the prepared subgrade from both his own and
public traffic.
Contractor shall maintain the subgrade by rolling as frequently as may
be necessary to preserve the subgrade in a completely satisfactory
condition.
The Contractor shall be responsible for reinstatement (to the
satisfaction of the Engineer) of any layer damaged or disturbed after
the compaction and approval, before placing the next layer.
Finished surface of the formation level shall not vary at any point by
more that 10 mm above or 30mm below the grade shown on the
drawing or established by the Engineer.
An inspection request shall be sent to the Engineer prior to proceeding
to the next operation.

4.7.3 Compaction
1. Contractor shall carry out the compaction of fills as specified after grading
and leveling the surface to be compacted.
In areas to be filled, compaction shall include adding necessary fill,
water, and other materials as required, and compacting the first layer in
addition to subsequent layers up to the proposed levels.
In areas already excavated down to the required level, compaction
shall include adding the necessary water, etc., and compacting the
surface, in accordance with the procedure outlined hereinafter.
4-39
Procedure outlined below shall not relieve the Contractor of his duties
to determine the most suitable procedure for compaction. All such
procedures shall be subject to the approval of the Engineer.
2. After carrying out the grading, leveling, scarifying, pulverizing, and other
work as required, the Contractor shall add the necessary amount of water
(within 3% of the MDD) to obtain a suitable moisture content for
compaction. Fill shall be thoroughly turned over after adding each lot of
water so as to achieve a homogeneous moisture content throughout the
whole thickness of the layer.

3. Before compacting, samples from the pulverized fill will be taken and
tested according to standard procedures in order to establish the moisture
content.
Field testing using "Speedy Moisture Device" or similar instrument
giving direct readings for the field moisture content may be used for
guidance only.
In the event that moisture is more than Optimum Moisture Content, the
area represented by the sample shall be scarified and aerated until the
moisture content is within 3% of the optimum moisture content.
The fill shall then be leveled for compaction.

4. After primary leveling, compaction shall be commenced by means of
approved rollers depending on the type of material being compacted in
order to obtain the required dry density.
Placement and compaction of materials shall be in layers not
exceeding 150 mm compacted thickness, unless otherwise approved by
the Engineer.
Each layer of fill material shall be compacted to 95% of the MDD.

5. Rolling shall be carried out in the direction of the road axis until the fill
reaches the required density.
In crowned sections, rolling shall start from both edges of the road in
the direction of the axis.
4-40
If the road is super elevated, rolling shall commence from the lower
side and continue to the higher side.
In order to compensate for the amount of water lost in evaporation in
the course of compaction, additional quantities of water shall be added
as required.

6. The surface shall thereafter be leveled longitudinally and transversely by
motor graders and finally rolled to achieve uniform compaction, free from
undulations, soft spots and depressions.
7. No layer shall be covered by the next layer until it has been tested,
inspected and approved by the Engineer.
8. Saline water for earthworks shall only be permitted if the percentage of
water soluble salts in the compacted fill does not exceed 3% by weight of
dry soil.


4.7.4 Installation of precast concrete curbs
Precast curbs shall be set to the lines and grades as shown on the Drawings, unless otherwise
agreed with the Engineer.
Under no circumstances will it be permitted for levels to be set by
direct measurement from pavement layers.
Any excavated surface for the concrete bedding shall be watered and
compacted to a minimum of 95% MDD.
Unless otherwise indicated, elements shall be laid either directly onto a
wet concrete base or on to a cement/sand (1:3) mortar bedding, 25 mm
thick placed on a previously laid concrete base on approved sub-grade.
Dimensions of the base and backing shall be as shown on the
Drawings.
Concrete base shall be constructed with Grade 20 Concrete.
Unless otherwise indicated, after curb units have been laid a
continuous backing of Grade 20 Concrete shall be poured for the
elements using steel forms.
4-41
No pavement layers shall be laid against curbing until such time as the
backing is complete, back filled and approved by the Engineer.
Joints between radius curbs, shall have a width not greater than 4mm
and be filled with a cement / sand (1:3) grout with 1/5 part hydrated
lime and sufficient water to make the mixture plastic and easily
smoothed.
A grooving tool shall be used to produce a smooth, circular section
groove not more than 3 mm deep in all joints.
Grouted joints shall be cured by an approved method to the Engineers
satisfaction.
Joints between straight curbs shall have a width of 4mm and be filled
with the above specified grout, unless otherwise directed by the
Engineer.
Immediately after any concrete is in place and for 7 days thereafter the
curbs, base backing and mortared joints shall be fully cured and
protected from drying out and against the harmful effects of weather,
including rain and rapid temperature changes.
Method of protection shall be subject to the Engineers approval.
Use of colored curing membranes will not be permitted.
Concrete not properly cured and protected will be rejected and shall be
removed from the works.
Expansion joints shall be placed as shown on the Drawings, unless
otherwise approved by the Engineer.
Every 9 meters (or as directed by the Engineer) the joint between curbs
shall be filled with an approved joint filler 10mm thick. The filler
shall extent through the curbs, bed, backing and channel and shall be
trimmed to the finished slope of the curb and channel.
At access points the curbs (including the bed backing) shall be dropped
to shown a face of 75mm or as shown on the drawing.
At the end of any curb run, the end element shall be sloped down to
ground level and angled away from the road at 30 degrees.
Curbs shall be level within a tolerance of 3mm at each end of the
element, to the designated lines and grades.
4-42

4.7.5 In-situ concrete curb laying
In-situ curbs shall be laid to the lines and grades as shown on the drawings.
In-situ curbs shall be laid by an approved automatic curbing machine,
unless otherwise approved by the Engineer.
The curbs shall be dense with regular sides, arises and chamfers and
finished to a fine surface free from blow holes.
The concrete used for the curbs shall be grade C40, except as modified
by the Engineer.
Curbs shall be cut to form expansion and contraction joints as shown
on the drawings or as directed by the Engineer.
The joints shall be filled with suitable compressible board or other
suitable material as approved by the Engineer.
The maximum deviation of the top of the curb under a straight edge
shall be not greater than 3mm in 3m.
The vertical alignment of the finished curb shall not depart from the
true level more than 6mm at any point.
The horizontal alignment shall not depart from that shown on the
drawing by more than 13mm nor deviate from the straight by more
than 3mm in 3m.

4.7.6 Granular sub-base
1. After the formation has been inspected and accepted by the Engineer,
granular sub-base shall be placed, as shown on the drawings.
Material shall be delivered to the roadbed as a uniform mixture.
Shall be spread in layers.
Segregation shall be avoided.
Shall be free from pockets of coarse or fine materials.
Spread by finisher, or grader or other approved mechanical methods as
approved by the Engineer.
Watered, shaped to a compacted thickness not exceeding 150 mm and
compacted to the required grade and cross-section.
4-43
Compaction procedure and plant shall be to the satisfaction of the
Engineer. At the time of compaction the moisture content of the laid
material shall not vary by more than + 2% of the optimum moisture
content. The grading of the placed materials shall be checked by
taking samples from an area 0.5m x 0.5m from the full depth of the
layer for every 1000m
3
of material laid.
No road mixing of subbase shall be permitted.
Before using in the works subbase material shall be stockpiled in a
manner to prevent segregation.

2. Sub-base shall be compacted to not less than 98% of the maximum dry
density as determined in accordance with BS 1377: Part 4 : Method 3.6,
unless otherwise agreed by the Engineer.
The surface on completion of compaction shall be well-closed, free
from movement under compaction plant and free from ridges cracks or
loose material.
Finished surfaces of the road sub-base shall not vary at any point more
than 10 mm above or below the grade established by the drawings.
The surface shall be maintained in a condition satisfactory to receive
any subsequent base or surfacing material.
Any sub-base, which does not conform to the specified requirements
shall be reshaped, removed or reworked, watered and thoroughly re-
compacted to conform to the specified requirements.
At any stage in the mixing, transportation, spreading or compaction
process the Engineer may instruct specified tests to be carried out.
An inspection request shall be sent to the Engineer prior to proceeding
with the next operation.

4.7.7 Aggregate road-base
a. Compaction Trials
If directed by the Engineer, prior to the commencement of the
aggregate road base operations, the Contractor shall construct trial
lengths as directed by the Engineer. Materials used in the trials shall
4-44
Trial lengths may not form part of the permanent works but may be
permitted in the construction of temporary detours of sufficient length.
Object of these trials is to determine:
a. Adequacy of the Contractors equipment.
b. Loose depth measurements necessary to determine suitable compacted
layers depths.
c. Field moisture content.
d. Relationship between the number of compaction passes and the resulting
density of the material.
Contractor may proceed with the aggregate road-base work only after
the methods and procedures established in the compaction trials have
been approved by the Engineer.

2. After the previous work has been inspected and
accepted by the Engineer, approved road-base material
shall be placed as shown on the drawings.
Road-base material shall be delivered to the road as a uniform mixture
complying with the specific requirements.
Method of mixing and laying of road base material shall be subject to
the approval of the Engineer.
Layers shall not exceed 150 mm in compacted thickness.
Material shall be handled in a manner, which avoids segregation.
Segregated materials shall be remixed until uniformity is obtained.
Suitable precautions shall be taken to prevent rutting during the
spreading.
No hauling or placement of material will be permitted when, in the
judgment of the Engineer, the weather or road conditions are such that
the hauling operations will cause rutting or contamination of granular
road-base material.
4-45
Road-base, which has been placed without approval of the Engineer
shall be removed at the Contractors expense.
Moisture content of the aggregate road-base material shall be adjusted
by watering with approved sprinkler trucks or by drying out, to be
within 2% of the OMC prior to compaction.
Road base shall be compacted to not less than 100% MDD by means
of approved compaction equipment progressing gradually from the
outside of the road towards the center with each succeeding pass
uniformly overlapping the previous pass.
a. Rolling shall continue until entire thickness of each layer is thoroughly
and uniformly compacted to the specified density.
b. Rolling shall be accompanied in a manner approved by the Engineer, to
ensure a smooth surface free from ruts or ridges is obtained with the
proper section and crown.
Surface of the material shall on completion of compaction:
a. Be well closed.
b. Free from movement under the compaction plant.
c. Free from compaction planes, ridges, cracks, or loose material.
Any areas inaccessible to normal compaction equipment shall be
compacted by means of mechanical tampers, until satisfactory
compaction is obtained.
The gradation of the placed material shall be checked by taking
samples from an area 0.5m by 0.5m from the full depth of the layer of
every 1000m3 of laid material.
Contractor shall program his operations to avoid the drying out of the
sub-base during construction.
a. At any stage in the mixing, transportation, spreading or compaction process
the Engineer may instruct the Contractor to carry out the specified tests.
b. If any layer of aggregate road-base material, or part thereof, is permitted to
dry out after compaction, or does not conform to the specified
requirements or finish, the Contractor shall, at his own expense, remove
water, rework or re-compact the material, as directed by the Engineer,
4-46
before the next layer of aggregate road-base or subsequent pavement
layers are placed.
3. Finishing
Before the commencement of each activity an inspection request shall
be sent to the Engineer for inspection and tests.
Surface of the finished aggregate road base will be tested with a 3 m
straightedge by the Engineer at selected locations. Variations of the
surface from the testing edge of the straight edge between any two
contacts with the surface shall at no point exceed 10 mm when placed
on or parallel or perpendicular to the centerline of the roadway. All
humps and depressions and thickness deficiencies exceeding the
specified tolerance shall be corrected by removing the defective work
or by adding new material as directed by the Engineer. Any work
necessary to reshape the surface shall be at the contractors expense.


4.7.8 Placement of asphalt paving course
1. Equipment
Method statement and equipment list shall be according to the type and
number outlined in the Contractors detailed Program of Work, as
approved by the Engineer. The Contractor shall furnish to the Engineer
the manufacturers technical data for each equipment and no
equipment shall be used without the approval of the Engineer.
Trucks used for hauling bituminous mix shall have tight, clean, smooth
metal beds which have been coated with a minimal amount of paraffin
oil, lime solution, or other approved material to prevent the mix from
adhering to the beds. Excess release agent must be drained from the
bed prior to loading bituminous materials.
Each vehicle shall be equipped with a canvas cover or other suitable
material of such size as to protect the mix from the weather and the
trucks must be clearly numbered for easy identification.
4-47
The pavers shall be self propelled and equipped with hoppers and
distributing screws of the reversing type to place the mixture uniformly
in front of the electronic controlled screeds.
If during construction it is found that the spreading and finishing
equipment in operation leaves surface tracks in the pavement or
indented areas or other object able irregularities that are not
satisfactorily corrected by scheduled operations, the use of such
equipment shall be discontinued and other satisfactory spreading and
finishing equipment shall be provided by the Contractor.
Rolling equipment shall be self-propelled.
a. Wheels on the rollers shall be equipped with adjustable scrapers.
b. Rollers shall have water tanks and sprinkling apparatus, which shall be
used to keep the wheel wet and prevent the surface material from sticking.
c. Rollers shall be of steel-wheel and pneumatic tire type and shall be in good
condition.
d. Rollers shall be capable of reversing without backlash.
e. Rollers shall be operated at speeds slow enough to avoid displacement of
the bituminous mix.
f. Number and weight of rollers shall be sufficient to compact the mix to the
required density while it is still in a workable condition.
g. Use of equipment, which results in excessive crushing of the aggregate,
will not be permitted.
h. A minimum of three (3) rollers, two (2) steel-wheel and one (1)
pneumatic-tire type, shall be used with each spreading operation for each
lane.
Contractor shall provide adequate back-up equipment for use in the
event of mechanical failure, all to the satisfaction of the Engineer.
The Engineer reserves the right to stop the use of any equipment or
plant which he deems to be detrimental to the work required and
instruct its removal and replacement with suitable equipment.
The Contractor shall not be allowed to use any plant without the
permission of the Engineer.
4-48
The Engineer shall have the right to expel any operators, mechanics or
labor and to instruct suitable replacement thereof at any time he deems
such action is necessary.

2. Surface Preparation
When the Bituminous Mix is placed on a prepared area, (whether or
not a prime coat is designated on the Drawings) the area shall be even
and firm and within the construction tolerances specified.
When the paving layer is constructed on an existing bituminous
surface, the surface shall be cleaned of all foreign material and boomed
free of dust.
a. Any loose, broken or shattered bituminous material along the edges of the
existing surface shall be removed.
b. Any exposed sub-grade or shoulder adjacent to the edge of the existing
surface to receive the new bituminous mix shall be shaped, bladed,
compacted and boomed and primed to provide a uniform firm sub-grade
for the new surface course.
Existing bituminous surface, base, or sub-grade shall be removed if
broken, shattered, or unstable. Areas shall be excavated to a depth as
directed by the Engineer, and refilled with the Bituminous Mix.
Prior to the placing of the mix, when designated on the Drawings or
directed by the Engineer, a prime coat or tack coat shall be applied to
the surface in accordance with the Specification for Prime Coat or
Tack Coat.

3. Placing of the mix
All bituminous mixes shall be introduced to the paver at a temperature
not less than 140 C and not more than 163 C. Mixes outside this
temperature range shall be discarded.
Bituminous mix shall be spread and finished to crown and grade by
automatically controlled bituminous paves unless otherwise approved
by the Engineer.
4-49
a. Bituminous mix may be spread and finished by hand methods only where
machine methods are impractical as determined by the Engineer.
b. Paver shall lay the bituminous mix without tearing the surface and shall
strike a finish that is smooth, true to cross section, uniform in density and
texture and free from hollows, transverse corrugations or other
irregularities.
c. Paver shall be operated at a speed which will give the best results for the
type of paver being used and which co-ordinates satisfactorily with the
rate of delivery of the mix to the paver, to provide a uniform rate of
placement without intermittent operations of the paver.

Mix shall be delivered to the paver in time to permit completion of
spreading, finishing and compaction of the mix during daylight hours.
Longitudinal joints in successive layers shall be offset not less than
300 mm. Width of surface or top course placements shall conform to
traffic lane edges as shown on the Drawings.
Leading half of half roadway paving shall not get ahead of the trailing
half of the pavement by more than one average full-day of paving.
a. In no case, shall the leading half be more than km ahead of the trailing
half without the written permission of the Engineer.
b. If the Contractor fails to comply with this requirement, the Engineer may
suspend paving on the leading half until such time, as the Contractor shall
pave the trailing half to a point approximately even with the leading half.
Unless otherwise directed by the Engineer, where successive layers are
to be placed, the surface of the existing layer shall be swept clean with
a power broom, or by other means as approved by the Engineer, and a
tack coat applied. Tack coat may not be required where delay between
laying subsequent courses is less than 48 hours or surface is fresh and
clean at the discretion of the Engineer.

Asphalt concrete mixes (except leveling courses) shall be laid at an un-
compacted thickness such that after rolling, the thickness of the
compacted layer shall be :
4-50
a. Minimum 2.0 times the maximum aggregate particle
size.
b. Maximum 4.0 times the maximum aggregate particle
size.

Maximum thickness for layers may be increased slightly when such
increase is more adaptable to total pavement thickness and when in the
opinion of the Engineer it is not detrimental to placement and rolling
conditions.

Contractor shall erect and maintain an approved reference string line
and operate the paver to conform to the reference string line for the
initial layer and/or any other layers as directed.
a. Elevation control point stakes for the first layer of bituminous paving
course shall be set at a maximum spacing of 20 m.
b. For subsequent layers, control points shall be set at 10 m maximum
spacing.

4. Compaction of Bituminous Layers
After spreading and strike off, and as soon as the mix conditions
permit, the rolling shall be performed without excessive shoving or
tearing. If the temperature of the joint falls below 120
0
C the material
shall be removed by approved methods to ensure the required
compaction at the joint. Rolling procedure for each new job must
consider number of passes, rolling speed, and rolling pattern. Each
mixture must be thoroughly and uniformly compacted.
Rolling will not be prolonged to an extent that cracks appear.
When rolling a thin lift use the following sequence.
a. Transverse joints.
b. Outside edge
c. Initial or breakdown rolling, beginning on the low side and progressing
towards the high side.
d. Intermediate rolling (as above)
4-51
e. Finish rolling.
When placing a thick lift, roll the mix in the following sequence.
a. Transverse joints
b. Initial or breakdown rolling,
beginning edge 300-380 mm from
the lower unsupported edge and
progressing toward the other edge.
c. Outside edge.
d. Intermediate rolling, beginning on the low side and progressing toward the
high side.
e. Finish rolling.
f. When placing thick lifts in echelon, when abutting a previously placed
lane or other lateral restraint, roll the mix in the following sequence;
transverse joint, longitudinal joint, and initial or breakdown rolling
beginning at the longitudinal joint and progressing towards the outside
edge.
g. Outside edge. When within 300mm of an unsupported edge, the roller
should advance toward the edge in approximately 100mm increments in
successive passes.

When the transverse joint is made next to an adjoining lane.
a. Make the first pass with a static wheeled roller moving along the
longitudinal joint for a few feet.
b. Straighten the surface and make corrections if necessary.
c. Roll the joint transversely with all except about 150mm of wheel width on
the previously laid material.
d. Repeat the above with successive passes each covering an additional 150-
200mm of the new mix until the entire width of a drive wheel is on the
new mix.
e. Unless precautions are taken, transverse rolling must stop 150-200mm
short of the outside edge and the edge must be compacted later during the
longitudinal rolling.

4-52