108
158
shaping of the subgrade prior to soil placement, and locat-
ing underdrainage piping systems
j Waterfront development projects where there may be
concerns about storm surges, tidal fluctuation, and saltwater
contamination of planting soil areas
j Brownfield sites in order to coordinate with the elevation
of capping layers
PrePare a soil PlacemenT Plan
J A soil placement plan is a scaled diagrammatic plan
that indicates where each type of soil system is installed
on the site.
J Areas of different soil types are indicated by unique hatch
patterns, which are cross referenced to soil installation details.
J Soil placement plans show areas of specific soil types, such
as lawn areas, planting beds, structural soil, etc.).
J Detail sheets show protection details and typical soil profiles
and interfaces or transitions.
J Soil placement notes include specialized equipment
requirements, methods of installation, compaction and settle-
ment, as well as protection after installation prior to the start
of landscaping operations.
j Alternatively, soil placement notes can be assembled
into a single specification section specifically dedicated to
planting soil.
J Prepare written specifications as necessary.
J Clearly outline material requirements, performance require-
ments, and penalties for the contractor for failure to comply
with the soil management plan requirements.
J Create a single specification for all soil management require-
ments, greatly simplifying enforcement of the requirements by
resident engineers.
j Numerous references to soil management throughout a
specification book can make it difficult for the contractor to
immediately grasp the full range of requirements, and make
it difficult for a designer to locate and properly coordinate
soil management needs across multiple specification sec-
tions during construction.
J Coordinate the soil management plan with the requirements
of the soil and erosion control plan, soil protection plan, and
the site staging and sequencing plan.
J The entire design team should review and assist with the
preparation of the soil placement plan, especially on large
projects or projects with significant natural features to be
preserved or where available site area is limited.
J It is also very helpful to have the plan reviewed by the resi-
dent engineer or construction supervisors prior to bidding to
ensure that the requirements laid out are reasonable given the
total scope of work, budget, and schedule.
DeVeloP a soil PlacemenT Plan THaT is commensuraTe
wiTH scale of THe ProjecT
J For less complex projects a soil placement plan, at a
minimum, may consist of a single drawing with detailed notes
outlining contractor requirements.
J For more complex projects, a soil management plan can
consist of a number of drawings including:
j Soil placement notes, soil placement plans, planting soil
details and interface details, and subgrading plans
mainTain sTanDarDs of qualiTY THrougHouT consTrucTion
Process bY combining boTH DeTail sPecificaTions anD
onsiTe insPecTions
it is not enough to draw plans and specify the proper soil materials
for a site; a good deal can go wrong during procurement, delivery,
and installation that can compromise the long term success of a
project. soil placement specifications need to specifically detail how
soils should be placed, especially with subsoil preparation and plant-
ing soil installation and layering.
sPecificaTions for TesTing During consTrucTion neeD To
be couPleD wiTH DiligenT insPecTion of THe work
J Prior to start of work:
j Verify the proper location and installation of soil and
vegetation protection fencing as described in the soil man-
agement plan.
j Verify that erosion and sedimentation controls have been
properly installed.
j Review with general contractor that topsoil stockpiling
and other specified measures are incorporated into the
work plan.
j Review procedures for soil material delivery, collection of
delivery tickets, and frequency of spot testing for imported
soil materials and amendments.
j Review procedures for onsite testing and inspections
during installation.
J During grading and earthwork operations:
j Verify that proper erosion and sedimentation control
methods are being employed.
j Verify proper excavation and stockpiling of topsoil and
subsoil materials.
J After completion of rough grading:
j Inspect subsoil and subgrade areas to ensure they are free
of debris or other contaminants.
j Test for proper penetrability, drainage, and compaction as
required by the specifications.
j Check that the subgrade is excavated to the proper depth
and shaped to provide sufficient slopes to subsurface drains.
j Check that all subsurface drains and irrigation lines, if
required, have been properly installed and tested.
J During topsoil placement:
j Inspect soil placement procedures to ensure proper mate-
rial depths, layering, and transitioning as described in the
specifications and shown on the drawings.
j Test for proper compaction and penetrability.
J After topsoil placement:
j Test topsoil before planting and amend topsoil as required
to correct for organic, nutrient, and pH deficiencies.
J After completion of planting:
j Verify placement of mulch as described in specifications
and as shown on drawings.
