Drying / compacting mud

[Gaspasser]

I have 100 feet to go to finish a road for water well driling access. I've already built a proper 170 foot compacted crushed stone driveway to the future house site which will be permanent. Expensive and time consuming. The driller wants the last 100 feet, which is currently dirt, leveled and compacted to be "stoned" as well. It consists of some clay and muddy soils which don't compact well with a plate compactor. This last 100 feet will be the actual house site which will be dug up and excavated for a foundation so any work /stone done will be removed/wasted. The well will be positioned at the end of this run with the house between the well and permanent driveway.

I really don't want to spend time and funds on a project that that will be dug up. Stone runs $1000-1500 for a 4 inch layer of the required area, and that may not be enough for the 80,000 lb load of the rig. Anyone else have any experience with "jumping jack" compactors or using quicklime or hydrated lime to harden the soil for rig access? Would dry sand or cement dust harden the soil sufficiently? Any other ideas? Please help me save my back and bucks.... thank you.....

 

[Motion]

Dry sand might be the most cost effective, you'll still need the stone, I'd suggest laying the sand and crowning the road before stoning. The drilling rig should be one in, and one out try not to start the ground pumping. Immediately after the well installation remove the stone from the house pad area and stash it for later use dressing the remaining road as it gets compacted. Again, keep it graded and crowned. Also, if there's a need for culverts, water, utility crossing, etc. install them now.

 

[Bee-Positive]

Not sure if you could rent them for less than your budget but have you looked into crane mats or rail road ties? Put them down - pick them up.

 

[Tughill Tom]

What Bee said rent some Swamp Mats as we call them. I think United Rental has them.

 

[Gaspasser]

What Bee said rent some Swamp Mats as we call them. I think United Rental has them.

Thanks guys. Great ideas. I am putting some sand down and will look into the swamp mats. Will have to compare costs/labor stone vs. mats. Need 11x40 pad for rig setup and then path to pad site from permanent stone drive. Will post on progress.

 

[Russell King]

Perhaps you should contact the person that is responsible for the house foundation design and ask them what they need in the area where the house will be placed. Then you can install that now for the well drilling and just leave it in place and build the foundation over it. Thus you are not buying material that will just be moved out after this. (I assume the house foundation only covers a portion of this drilling pad but the stability of the house foundation will be needed for several feet around the foundation perimeter.)

 

[Caden]

It consists of some clay

Perhaps mats would be a good temporary solution, as @Bee-Positive suggested.
IMHO there is no way to make a good driveway over clay. The clay needs to be scraped away first.
Even if you gravel over it, the clay will eventually ooze through and resurface.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Road cloth!
Especially where it's going to be a permanent drive, or parking.