Hi,

We dug a trench to lay some wires in a 2" conduit a foot deep and a
foot wide. After we refill and put sod back on it, how much settlement
can we expect? In other words, how far above level should we leave it?

Thanks!

Aaron

On Jun 9, 11:01*pm, wrote:
Hi,

We dug a trench to lay some wires in a 2" conduit a foot deep and a
foot wide. After we refill and put sod back on it, how much settlement
can we expect? In other words, how far above level should we leave it?

Thanks!

Aaron

It depends on how you back fill it. If you put the soil back 3" at a
time and tamp it or walk on it to compact it....you might be about to
go with only an inch or so extra.

It all depends on how compacted or loose your back fill is "as
placed".

You could need to leave as much ass 4 to 6"...

how about just piling all the soil you took out back onto the trench?

cheers
Bob

On Tue, 9 Jun 2009 23:01:09 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Hi,

We dug a trench to lay some wires in a 2" conduit a foot deep and a
foot wide. After we refill and put sod back on it, how much settlement
can we expect? In other words, how far above level should we leave it?


It depends on the phase of the moon. A waning moon requires less
soil than a waxing moon. . . .. or is it the other way around?

http://forum.gon.com/archive/index.php/t-31891.html

I fill a shade too full-- then redo if necessary. It is *not* brain
surgery.

Jim

On Jun 10, 1:01*am, wrote:
Hi,

We dug a trench to lay some wires in a 2" conduit a foot deep and a
foot wide. After we refill and put sod back on it, how much settlement
can we expect? In other words, how far above level should we leave it?

Thanks!

Aaron

Wax on-Wax off. Take out dirt- put all dirt back. in sec 101 of Rocket
Science.

wrote in message
...
Hi,

We dug a trench to lay some wires in a 2" conduit a foot deep and a
foot wide. After we refill and put sod back on it, how much settlement
can we expect? In other words, how far above level should we leave it?


*If these are electrical wires the conduit should be at least 18" deep
unless the circuit is GFI protected. If this is for an electrical service
the conduit should be deeper.

On Jun 10, 6:55*am, "John Grabowski" wrote:

snip

*If these are electrical wires the conduit should be at least 18" deep
unless the circuit is GFI protected. *If this is for an electrical service
the conduit should be deeper.

Our power company requires 42" depth and 3" conduit for electrical
service. Best check relevant codes to be sure you are compliant in
other respects.

Joe

wrote in message
...
Hi,

We dug a trench to lay some wires in a 2" conduit a foot deep and a
foot wide. After we refill and put sod back on it, how much settlement
can we expect? In other words, how far above level should we leave it?

Thanks!

Aaron

Assuming the eventual same soil compression as before you dug the trench and
lack of air voids, eliminate the volume of the conduit in terms of soil.
Place the remainder of the soil over the trenched area. Tamp down and stomp
on as required. Pile the rest for oops factor.

I did this in a 300' trench from pole to the detached garage. Soil was
primarily gray clay, gravel, and rock. I eliminated the majority of the
rocks when backfilling. Dug trench with a rocksaw. The meter loop is on
the pole, not the house.

The depth of the electrical conduit is a local municipality code requrement
in this State, TX. There is no statewide requirement as its delegated to
the local municipalities by TX state law. Other States have their own
requirements, along with their corresponding local municipalities.

Refer to NEC and IRC for help if you live in an area with no real
requirements. There's less chance of settling and damage from heavy traffic
in "soil" that is very rocky and if the rocks/gravel/soil tend to interlock
horizontally. Just be sure to avoid air voids when filling. Use some
common sense if determining depth of the trench in that case.
--
Dave

On Jun 10, 2:01*am, wrote:
Hi,

We dug a trench to lay some wires in a 2" conduit a foot deep and a
foot wide. After we refill and put sod back on it, how much settlement
can we expect? In other words, how far above level should we leave it?

Compact the fill while you're backfilling and you will not have much
settling.
Otherwise you're just guessing, and it is as likely to be too high as
too low - at least for a while.

R