If there’s one thing that can undermine an entire paving project, it’s water. A paving contractor can prepare the foundation properly, compact the soil correctly, amend the soil to support the load, and make sure they have killed all the vegetation. Still, if drainage is not handled properly, all those other things won’t matter. Further facts about Hendersonville, TN can be found here.
Subgrade
The subgrade is the native soil. When a paving contractor begins a paving project, they have to prepare the subgrade. Sometimes the engineer will excavate this native soil, mix it with gravel, and then compact the mixture. Sometimes the soil has to be amended because it is constantly soggy. In this case, the paving contractor will mix the soil with lime, cement, or calcium chloride before they compact it. These chemicals will soak up the moisture and help the soil particles stick together. Information about A Driveway is Only as Good as the Paving Contractor can be found here.
Parking Lots
If the paving project is a parking lot, the lot must have a minimum slope of ¼ inch per foot to keep water from pooling on the pavement. The slope is also important for driveways and roadways.
In some cases, a plastic grid must be laid under the subgrade to allow water to drain away. Trying to pave on top of mud just doesn’t work.