Concrete driveway stength question

[dantheman8119]

Hey everyone -

I'm planning to build a pole barn in the next 2-3 years in the following location...



My question is that I am pondering putting in a concrete driveway as well, possibly before hand. I'm wondering if anyone would see an issue with the heavier equipment needed to build a pole barn, as well as bringing in gravel/fill needed and a future concrete pad in the pole barn over an existing concrete driveway? I would hate to damage it in the process of putting up the pole barn!

 

[Bookworm]

All I can tell you is what I would do. I haul sand/gravel for a living, and run into this all the time. Something to keep in mind, a 10-wheeler with sand or dirt can very easily top 50,000 lbs. 25 tons. (That's short tons, for our friends across the pond...)
I do not, as a rule, drive on a concrete driveway when loaded. If there is no other choice, I have the homeowner sign a damage waiver, or I dump out in the road.

If I was doing this, I would go ahead and ready the new drive. Cut out the topsoil, pack and grade, then cover with good road gravel. Whatever is available in your area.
Over the years of driving on it, it will naturally pack in, and get ta good solid base for the concrete to come.
I would not concrete until the pole-structure was installed and the heavy work finished.

 

[Cyberbear]

I agree. Better to wait than to damage a perfectly good driveway, that once broken is never the same. Just be sure to not skimp on the steel, not wire mesh, and reinforce the edges with a false footing, all with using at least a 6 bag mix of concrete.
Over the years I've followed this advice and none of my concrete has cracked. I also prefer to use a clear concrete sealer top coat during the curing process, it seems to help retard the water evaporation.

 

[matt_i]

If you can use crushed limestone with the fines in it (ala not washed), sometimes called crusher run, that will make a good base that will pack solid over time driving on it, rainstorms, etc. That would give you a good solid place to start driving and can be repaired at any time, before the actual concrete is placed. The other possibility to do an even better job is to put woven geotextile fabric under the stone, this keeps the stone from getting smashed into softer soils underneath. As above, I would not put in a concrete driveway until the very end.

 

[Milton Shaw]

For a normal strength concrete drive ---Wait. If you were putting one in that was airport runway spec then go on and do it. 4-5-6 inch thick driveway would break with heavy dump truck or concrete truck traffic. Agree that you need steel rebar in the slab if you want it to stay together.

 

[ddawg16]

All I can tell you is what I would do. I haul sand/gravel for a living, and run into this all the time. Something to keep in mind, a 10-wheeler with sand or dirt can very easily top 50,000 lbs. 25 tons. (That's short tons, for our friends across the pond...)
I do not, as a rule, drive on a concrete driveway when loaded. If there is no other choice, I have the homeowner sign a damage waiver, or I dump out in the road.

If I was doing this, I would go ahead and ready the new drive. Cut out the topsoil, pack and grade, then cover with good road gravel. Whatever is available in your area.
Over the years of driving on it, it will naturally pack in, and get ta good solid base for the concrete to come.
I would not concrete until the pole-structure was installed and the heavy work finished.

^^That^^ 100%.

I know how you feel wanting to get it in....but in the end your most likely going to hate how you feel even more when it cracks. Once the heavy stuff is done, then you pour. Call it your 'almost there' reward.

 

[LB-1911]

Hey everyone -

I'm planning to build a pole barn in the next 2-3 years in the following location...



My question is that I am pondering putting in a concrete driveway as well, possibly before hand.

I'm wondering if anyone would see an issue with the heavier equipment needed to build a pole barn, as well as bringing in gravel/fill needed and a future concrete pad in the pole barn over an existing concrete driveway?

I would hate to damage it in the process of putting up the pole barn!

As others have mentioned hold off on the driveway.

Question -
Are you on septic?

If so do you know the location of your septic tank current drain field and reserve area?

 

[unslow1]

When I had a back patio poured about three years ago they wouldn't go up my drive. They said they were pretty sure they would break it. They used something called a Georgia buggy. Basically a big motorized wheelbarrow. They left the truck in the street.

 

[dantheman8119]

As others have mentioned hold off on the driveway.

Question -
Are you on septic?

If so do you know the location of your septic tank current drain field and reserve area?

Yep on a septic...the tanks are in the left part of the picture, mound is in the top left area.

 

[dantheman8119]

Thanks everyone - that was kind of my thought as well to hold off on the driveway for now until I get it installed but your comments affirm it!

Dan

 

[wssix99]

There is no reason to hold off on the driveway unless you are going to build it so cheaply that it would be an issue. If you are worried about it, just get your installer to offer a warranty.

Your driveway isn't that far off from a roadway. If this was really a concern, roads would be exploding everywhere!

Cars and trucks distribute their loads through the tire contact patches. Even though a truck weighs much more than a car, it has larger and more tires, which distribute that load.

Roadways are built thicker than driveways to withstand the dynamic loads of heavy vehicles traveling at high speeds. If you drive slowly on your driveway, it will be fine - as long as you put in a proper compacted base.

You may need to guard the lips of the driveway, etc. during construction, but you can do that with compacted gravel ramps, plywood, etc. Take a look at any local construction site where heavy vehicles drive over sidewalks and you will get some good ideas of what can be done.

 

[Leopard Garage]

In my old house that I'm selling, I put in a garage and concrete driveway.
I layed a 12" drive way with 1/4" rebar, also installed 3' reinforced footers along the edges, since I'm in earthquake territory. I needed to support trucks loaded with steel. Never had a Crack.

 

[carhunter]

If I was doing this, I would go ahead and ready the new drive. Cut out the topsoil, pack and grade, then cover with good road gravel. Whatever is available in your area.
Over the years of driving on it, it will naturally pack in, and get ta good solid base for the concrete to come.
I would not concrete until the pole-structure was installed and the heavy work finished.

+1

The drive to my pole barn is about 600' long and required a lot of recycled concrete base and "bank run" topping to build. I lost track of how many 10 ton loads we brought in...plus the extra gravel for the barn pad, etc.

Those trucks packed it so tight that I haven't seen the drive rut or move in several years of rain and snow. The only maintenance we've done it to top it once with a thin layer of washed limestone to brighten it up.

(also, since the bank run is made up of sand and river stone under 1 inch, it doesn't make a mess like limestone on shoes, tires, etc...double win!)

 

[wssix99]

There is no reason to hold off on the driveway unless you are going to build it so cheaply that it would be an issue. If you are worried about it, just get your installer to offer a warranty.

I should have qualified this comment, more.

Trucks rolling on a new driveway will not harm anything however other construction activities probably will! Moving pallets, dropping pieces of steel, dropping tools, etc. will probably make the driveway look like the surface of the moon before the construction is over - particularly the closer one gets to the final garage.

 

[Jo Diesel]

I had a commercial truck shop. we worked on gravel trains, 80 tons, cement mixers, garbage trucks etc. [really heavy] and we had 6" of 7 sac and no cracks to speak of after 10 years. 12" compacted base over clay. Just don't do the last 30' before the shop until after it is done.
Your shop is not big enough, trust me.