Road Base Formation — Road Reopening

How to Prepare Subgrade for Road Base

Before road base is placed, the subgrade should be accepted for both level and condition. An uneven or weak supporting surface can lead to thickness variation and premature failure above it.

Before moving material

Confirm formation level and identify unaccepted areas.

Receiving operation and checks

Inspect and accept before spreading base aggregate. Record level and material checks for the same work area.

Adding more base material is not automatically a remedy for weak subgrade.

Road Surface Handover

A road-surface handover should identify the layer being accepted and the next paving or traffic operation. A base-layer check and a wearing-surface check are not interchangeable.

Before moving material

Confirm layer specification, alignment and receiving operation.

Receiving operation and checks

Release the accepted layer to surfacing or the intended use. Check edges, junctions and drainage connections.

The design sets applicable tolerances; the machine brand does not.

Road Formation

Road formation establishes the underlying road shape before base and wearing layers. Correcting it early reduces the chance that later layers must absorb excess thickness variation.

Before moving material

Confirm alignment, grade and the layer sequence.

Receiving operation and checks

Verify and compact before adding the next layer. Check crossfall at intervals and where the alignment changes.

A grader scraper may assist selected sections; larger quantities or long corridors may favour other equipment.

Record the job inputs

Use this checklist to turn the scenario into a specific brief. Retain the design revision and agree who accepts each completed layer.

• Existing condition, extent and the reason for intervention
• Required finished purpose, receiving operation and acceptance criteria
• Material type, layer role, source, receiving area and volume state
• Reference levels, datum, survey method and issued design revision
• Available tractor, implement configuration, travel route and turning space
• Checks before work, stopping points and evidence retained at handover

Checklist ticks apply only while this page is open. Include the completed brief in your project records.

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Surface and verification · Applications and rental · Equipment and technology