5 GRADING (MASS EARTHWORK)

5.1 General Excavation

Blue staking shall be placed before clearing, excavation or grading in
accordance with
Owner’s policy. Areas to be excavated shall first be stripped of organic matter
and topsoil.
The excavation to obtain the final level of platform and roads sub-base levels
must be considered as massive excavation. Also will be considerer as massive
excavation, the material removed to get the geo-membrane support level, or
HDPE level, or under
bedding level to support any filter or support layer.
The majority of the surface area of the Toromocho project cut areas consists of
outcropping bedrock. As a result, it is estimated, that upwards of 90 % of the
required excavation material for the project would be acceptable as one of the
fill materials defined in 5.2 and 5.3
Existing floor slabs, foundation elements, utilities and any other obstructions
and debris hall be removed from all areas to receive new foundations and floor
slabs. These materials shall be disposed of in spoil areas approved by Aker
Solutions. Excavation shall conform to limits shown on the drawings or as
stated in this specification.
Excavation shall be classified in accordance with the following:
Common Excavation - Excavation of soils that can be removed with common
excavation equipment.Rippable Excavation - Excavation of hard, cemented or
rocky soils that cannot be performed with Common Excavation equipment as
specified above, without the assistance of ripping, but can be removed at rates
equal to or exceeding 400 BCM/hour with a Caterpillar D10 or equivalent
bulldozer, in good mechanical condition, with a single shank ripper, with a
penetration or sharp style ripper tip, operating in low gear.
Tests performed for classifying soils as Rippable shall be performed in a 30
meter working distance.
Rock Excavation - Excavation of hard, cemented or rocky soils which cannot be
performed using Rippable Excavation methods as specified above, shall be
classified as Rock Excavation, and may be displaced using hydraulic,
pneumatic or drill and blast methods.
Common Excavation shall not be made below the grade shown on the
drawings, except
where removal of unsuitable material necessitates over-excavation. Unsuitable
material removed below grade shall be replaced with approved material
thoroughly compacted
as specified in Section 6.2, as directed by Aker Solutions.
Excavation shall be supported, shored, and back sloped in accordance with
MSHA/OSHA minimum standards.
Spring or seepage water encountered shall be reported to Aker Solutions. If the
drawings do not indicate drainage facilities, provisions for the permanent
drainage of such water shall be made as directed by Aker Solutions.
The sequence of all excavation operations shall be such as to ensure the most
efficient utilization of excavated materials in embankments and fills.
Side slopes of cuts in alluvial soils or in residual soils shall not be steeper than
one horizontal to one vertical unless otherwise approved by Aker Solutions.
Excess excavated material, or materials not suited for use in embankments and
fills, shall be disposed of in spoil areas approved by Aker Solutions.
Excavation in rock requiring drilling and blasting shall be done only under
competent and responsible supervision and prior written permission of the
owner in accordance with all site specific and legal and official requirements.
5.2 General Embankment and Fills
Areas to be filled shall be stripped to competent natural soil. Prior to the
placement of any fill, the subgrade shall be wetted as necessary and
compacted to the same requirements as the overlying fill. Where thickness of fill
is less than 0.3 m, the Surface shall be scarified and re-compacted.
Embankments and fills shall not be started until the area has been inspected
and approved by Aker Solutions.
All embankments and fills shall be keyed into the existing hillsides by cutting
horizontal benches before placing and compacting the fill materials. Side slopes
of fill shall not be steeper than two horizontal to one vertical, unless shown
otherwise on the drawings.
Embankment and fill material shall be obtained from excavation of common soil,
rippable rock or rock within the plant site or approved borrow sources.

Fill Material Types and Descriptions: