Wisconsin WisDOT Standard Specifications (within FDM) — Section 625

Effective with the December 2018 Letting 376 2019 Standard Spec ifications Section 625 Topsoil and Salvaged Topsoil

625.1Description

(1)This section describes furnishing, placing, spreading, and finishing humus-bearing soil, adapted to

sustain plant life, commonly known as topsoil, from locations t he contractor furnishes beyond the limits of the right-of-way.

(2)This section also describes removing topsoil from the sites of proposed roadway excavations and

embankments in quantities and depths available and necessary to cover the work slopes. This work also includes reclamation, placing, spreading, and finishing of this topsoil.

625.2Materials

(1)Topsoil consists of loam, sandy loam, silt loam, silty clay lo am, or clay loam humus-bearing soils

adapted to sustain plant life, and ensure this topsoil is in a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0.

(2)Salvaged topsoil consists o f the loam, sandy loam, silt loam, silty clay loam or clay loam humus-

bearing soils available from overlying portions of areas to be occupied by the completed roadway.

625.3Construction

625.3.1 Preparing the Roadway for Topsoil

(1)Undercut or underfill all areas designated to receive topsoil to a degree that if covered to the required

depth with topsoil the finished work conforms to the required l ines, grades, slopes and cross-sections the plans and drawings show. 625.3.2 Processing Topsoil or Salvaged Topsoil

(1)Mow topsoil procurement areas to a height of approximately 6 i nches. Remove litter such as brush,

rock, and other materials that will interfere with subsequent vegetation establishment.

(2)Strip off the humus-bearing soil . Take care to minimize removi ng the underlying sterile soil. Then

stockpile the topsoil on the right-of-way or place it directly on the designated areas.

(3)Under the Salvaged Topsoil bid item, remove topsoil from excav ation areas and the roadway

foundation up to the quantity neces sary to cover the slopes for the bid items of Salvaged Topsoil and Topsoil. Salvage topsoil from e mbankment areas outside the road way foundation only if that additional material is required to cover the slopes.

(4)Use Salvaged Topsoil in excess of the plan quantity to replace plan quantities of Topsoil. Utilize

excess topsoil on the project or dispose of as specified in 205.3.12 . 625.3.3 Placing

(1)After preparing and finishing the areas designated for topsoil to the required lines, grades, slopes and

cross-section, place and spread the topsoil to a uniform depth as the plans show or the contract requires. If no depth is shown, place and spread the topsoil to a minimum depth of 4 inches in rural areas and a minimum depth of 6 inches in urban areas, or as the engineer designates.

(2)Break down all clods and lumps using the appropriate equipment to provide a uniformly textured soil.

(3)Where using either sod or seed mixture 40 ensure that, for the upper 2 inches, 100 percent of the

material passes a one-inch sie ve and at least 90 percent passes the No. 10 sieve.

(4)Remove rocks, twigs, foreign ma terial, and clods that cannot b e broken down. Dress the entire surface

to present a uniform appearance. The engineer will not require rolling.

(5)If light sandy soils are covered with heavier clay bearing loa m topsoil, then mix or blend the 2 types of

soils to a more or less homogen eous mixture by using the approp riate equipment.

625.4Measurement 625.4.1 Topsoil

(1)The department will measure Tops oil acceptably completed by the square yard or by the cubic yard,

whichever the contract specifies.

(2)If the department measures by the square yard, the measured qu antity shall equal the actual number

of square yards of topsoiled ar ea to the depth specified within the limits of construction designated on the plans, or in the contract , or as the engineer directs.

(3)If measured by the cubic yard, the department will measure mat erial in the vehicle. If the contractor

transports the material in vehi cles not adapted for measurement , then the departmen t will measure the material in cubic yards of volume in its original position computed by the method of average end areas with no correction for curvature; or if the engineer elects, by the method of truncated prisms.

Effective with the December 2018 Letting 377 2019 Standard Spec ifications 625.4.2 Salvaged Topsoil

(1)The department will measure Salv aged Topsoil by the square yar d acceptably completed. The

quantity measured for payment sha ll equal the actual number of square yards of area topsoiled to the depth specified within the limits of construction designated on the plans or in the contract, or as the engineer directs.

625.5Payment

(1)The department will pay for measured quantities at the contrac t unit price under the following bid

items: ITEM NUMBER DESCRIPTION UNIT

625.0100 Topsoil SY

05 Topsoil CY

625.0500 Salvaged Topsoil SY

625.5.1 Topsoil

(1)Payment for Topsoil is full comp ensation for providing, excava ting, loading, hauling, and placing this

material; and for undercutting excavations, or underfilling emb ankments necessary to receive this material. The department will make no allowance, adjustment, or measurement for payment under the Excavation bid items for undercutting cut sections, or underfil ling embankments. 625.5.2 Salvaged Topsoil

(1)Payment for Salvaged Topsoil is full compensation for removing , stockpiling, reclaiming, hauling, and

placing this material; and for undercutting excavations, or und erfilling embankmen ts necessary to receive this material. The department will make no deductions f rom the Excavation bid items for the quantities of Salvaged Topsoil material obtained from areas of cut sections. Additionally, the department will not measure or pay for the volumes of Salvaged Topsoil removed from sites of proposed embankments under the Exca vation bid items, or make any allowance, adjustment, or measurement for payment under the Excavation bid items for undercutting cut sections, or underfilling embankments.

(2)If an area is damaged by erosion after partial acceptance, the department will pay for restoring topsoil

in these areas at a unit price determined by multiplying the co ntract unit price bid for Salvaged Topsoil by 3, or absent that bid item in the contract, as the contract unit price bid for Tops oil multiplied by 3, The department will pay for restor ation under the Restoration Post Acceptance Topsoil administrative item.

(3)The department will not pay for re moving topsoil from outside the roadway foundation in embankment

areas unless that material is n ecessary to cover the slopes.

Effective with the December 2018 Letting 378 2019 Standard Spec ifications Section 626 Peat Humus

626.1Description

(1)This section describes selecti ng portions of the material obtained under the Excavation Marsh bid item

under the contract, or stored under a previous contract, and in corporating it into the surfaces of portions of the roadway.

626.2Materials

626.2.1 If Marsh Excavation is an Item in the Contract

(1)Select those portions of materia l encountered under the Excavation Marsh bid item that contain the

more fibrous material consisting of decomposed vegetable matter , moss, etc. from the muck-like substances. Take this material from marshes the plans or the co ntract indicates as having suitable material, to the extent that it is available or necessary for t he work intended. Place the selected material into piles separate and apart from the waste materials encountered. Locate and size these piles of selected material to ensure proper drainage, and ready and convenient handling when incorporating into the work. 626.2.2 If Marsh Excavation is N ot an Item in the Contract

(1)If stored under a previous contract, this material consists of the available quantities and character of

material stored and made available to the contractor under the contract.

626.3Construction

626.3.1 General

(1)Produce a layer approximately 6 inches deep of a uniform mixtu re of the native soil and the material

previously designated. Cover the selected areas with a layer of marsh excavation material approximately 3 to 4 inches dee p, dependent upon its consistenc y and moisture content, and incorporate it into the native soil by the appropriate equipmen t to accomplish the above-required results. After completing mixing operations, smooth and dress the surfaces to restore them to the required lines, grades, slopes, and cross-section. 626.3.2 Disposing of Surplus Material

(1)Dispose of any remaining stockpiled material as specified in 205.3.7 for marsh excavation and

disposal. 626.4 Measurement

(1)The department will measure Peat H umus by the square yard acceptably completed. The quantity

measured shall equal the actual num ber of square yards of area this material was placed on, and incorporated into, according to the contract, within the limits of the construction the plans show, or in the contract, or as the engineer directed. 626.5 Payment

(1)The department will pay for measured quantities at the contrac t unit price under the following bid

items: ITEM NUMBER DESCRIPTION UNIT

626.0200 Peat Humus SY

(2)Payment for Peat Humus is full compensation for selecting, sto ckpiling, reclaiming, loading, hauling,

placing, and incorporating in t he soil; for subsequent restoring of the surface, and disposing of surplus material; provided, that the department makes no deductions from the Excavation Marsh bid item for the quantities of materials salva ged or reclaimed from for the bid item of Peat Humus.

Source: Wisconsin Standard Specifications for Highway and Structure Construction, 2019 Edition. Pages 385–386 of 601.

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624 Water

626 Peat Humus