Section 02102 - Clearing and Grubbing.doc

SECTION 02102

CLEARING & GRUBBING

PART 1 - GENERAL

1.1 SUMMARY

A. This work shall consist of clearing, grubbing, trimming, removing, and disposing of or treatment of timber, construction slash, and debris. This work shall also include preservation of vegetation and objects DESIGNATED to remain from injury or defacement.

1.2 MEASUREMENT

A. Linear measurements will be horizontal along the road centerline.

B. Quantities will be number of acres and fractions thereof within the clearing limits, regardless of the amount of work required.

C. The quantity for individual removal of trees will be the number of trees of the various size-designations removed. Tree diameters will be measured at a height of 12 inches above the ground. Trees less than 6 inches in diameter will not be counted.

Size of Least Diameter

At Height of 12 inches Designation

D. When an item for "Individual Removal of Trees, Miscellaneous" is shown in the BID SCHEDULE, measurement will be the number of trees designated to be removed regardless of size.

1.3 PAYMENT

A. The accepted quantities will be paid for at the contract unit price for each pay item shown in the BID SCHEDULE.

PART 2 – PRODUCTS

NOT APPLICABLE

PART 3 – EXECUTION

1.4 CLEARING & GRUBBING

A. For trenching, clearing limits shall be 5’ to either side of trench unless otherwise depicted or approved by COR. All shrubs and/or plants inhibiting the contractor’s ability to perform contract work may be cleared with COR approval. Contractor will not be expected to replant however general cleanup/leveling will be required. COR will be present on site throughout the project to aid in determining what needs to be removed. An in-depth pre-construction meeting will also be hosted at which point COR will work diligently with contractor to determine clearing limits.

B. For road work, clearing limits shall be 5’ to either side of road edge (both sides) unless otherwise depicted or approved by COR. All shrubs and/or plants inhibiting the contractor’s ability to perform contract work may be cleared with COR approval. Contractor will not be expected to replant however general cleanup/leveling will be required. COR will be present on site throughout the project to aid in determining what needs to be removed. An in-depth pre-construction meeting will also be hosted at which point COR will work diligently with contractor to determine clearing limits.

C. All debris, trees, stumps, roots, and other protruding vegetative material within the clearing limits, not DESIGNATED to remain, shall be cleared, grubbed, removed, and disposed of, except the following:

1. Undisturbed stumps outside the roadway or in embankment areas, provided they do not extend more than 12 inches above the original ground (measured from the uphill side) nor closer than 2 feet to the finished subgrade or 1 foot to any slope surface or as otherwise SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS and they do not interfere with the placement or compaction of embankments.

2. Grubbing of pits, channel changes, rock sections, and ditches, below the depth of the proposed excavation.

D. All roots over 3 inches in diameter within the roadbed area shall be grubbed to a minimum depth of 6 inches below subgrade. Roots over 3 inches in diameter protruding from the excavated slope shall be cut flush with the excavated slope surface.

E. Trees shall be felled into the area being cleared when ground conditions, tree lean, and shape of clearing permit. Controlled felling shall be used that will ensure the direction of fall when necessary to prevent damage to property, structures, trees DESIGNATED to remain, or traffic.

F. Fire-dangerous dead trees or unstable live trees, DESIGNATED by the Engineer within 200 feet slope distance of the centerline of roads shall be cut off not more than 12 inches above the uphill ground line and treated in accordance with Subsections 3.2 and 3.4.

G. Branches on remaining trees or shrubs shall be trimmed to give a clear height of 14 feet above the roadbed unless otherwise SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS. Tree limbs shall be trimmed as near flush with the trunk as practicable.

1.5 UTILIZATION OF TIMBER

A. Merchantable timber is timber that meets utilization standards shown below.

B. Logging methods and utilization shall conform to the following:

1. Felling and Bucking: Felling shall be done to minimize damage to merchantable timber and damage to remaining trees outside of clearing limits. Felling shall be done with saws or shears. Bucking shall be done to permit removal of all minimum pieces set forth in Subsection 3.2.1.

spec writer: edit option blank below.

2. Utilization and Removal of Timber: Trees that equal or exceed the diameters and minimum lengths listed in Subsection 3.2.1 and contain one minimum piece shall be removed or disposed of by Option ___.

a. Logs meeting utilization standards shall be limbed and decked at locations SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS or at locations approved by the Contracting Officer (CO). Decking shall be done in such a manner that logs are piled parallel one to the other, can reasonably be removed by standard log loading equipment, will not damage standing trees, and will not roll. Decks shall be free of brush and soil.

b. Removal from Government Land. Merchantable timber, designated for removal, shall become the property of the contractor without charge and removed from Government land. This timber shall not be exported from the United States nor used as substitution (as defined in 36 CFR 223 Subpart D for timber from private lands exported by the contractor or an affiliate directly or indirectly.

c. Disposal as Unmerchantable Timber. Timber on this project is not considered merchantable and shall be disposed of in accordance with Subsection 3.4.

1.6 PIONEER ROADS

A. The construction of pioneer roads shall be confined to inside the roadway unless otherwise approved by the (CO).

1.7 SLASH TREATMENT

spec writer: edit type of method in paragraph below.

A. Treatment of construction slash larger than 3 inches in diameter and 3 feet in length shall be accomplished by Method ____. Pieces of wood less than 3 inches in diameter and 3 feet in length may be scattered within the clearing limits. No construction slash shall be deposited in lakes, meadows, streams, or streambeds. Construction slash that interferes with drainage structures shall be removed immediately. Trees adjacent to the clearing limits scorched or damaged beyond recovery shall be felled and disposed of in accordance with Subsection 3.2 or treated as construction slash.

1. Windrowing Construction Slash:

a. The contractor shall meet the following requirements. Areas used to windrow construction slash shall be cleared to accommodate the windrow. Construction slash shall be placed outside the roadway in neat, compacted windrows laid approximately parallel with and along the toe-line of embankment slopes. The top of windrows shall not extend above the subgrade. All material in the windrow shall be matted down with construction equipment to form a compact and uniform pile.

b. Windrows shall have 16-foot minimum length breaks at least every 200 feet. Windrows shall not be placed against trees. A pioneer road may be constructed to provide an area for placement of windrows provided the excavated material is kept within the clearing limits and does not adversely affect the road construction.

2. If Large Material:

a. Construction slash 10 inches or more in diameter at the small end and 6 feet or more in length shall be windrowed as in (1) above. Smaller material shall be treated by one or more of the other included methods for slash treatment.

3. Windrowing and Covering:

a. Construction slash shall be placed and compacted as in (1) above and shall be covered with at least 6 inches of rock and soil to form a smooth and uniform windrow.

4. Scattering:

a. The contractor shall meet the following requirements. Construction slash shall be scattered outside the clearing limits without damaging trees. All logs shall be limbed. Logs and stumps shall be placed away from trees, positioned so they will not roll, and not be placed on top of one another. Other construction slash shall be limbed and scattered to reduce slash concentrations.

5. Burying:

a. Construction slash shall be buried at the locations SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS and DESIGNATED on the ground. Construction slash shall be matted down in layers and covered with at least 2 feet of rock and soil. The final surface shall be smoothed and sloped to drain.

6. Chipping:

a. Construction slash up to at least 4 inches in diameter and longer than 3 feet shall be processed through a chipping machine. Chips shall be deposited on embankment slopes or outside the roadway to a loose depth not exceeding 6 inches. Minor amounts of chips may be permitted within the roadway if they are thoroughly mixed with soil and do not form a layer.

7. Piling and Burning:

a. Construction slash shall be deposited in areas SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS and DESIGNATED on the ground. Piles shall be constructed so that burning does not damage standing trees. If burning is incomplete, the slash remaining shall be repiled and burned until pieces are reduced to less than 3 inches in diameter and 3 feet in length. These pieces shall then be scattered.

spec writer: edit blanks in paragraph below.

8. Decking Unmerchantable Material:

a. Logs not meeting utilization standards in Subsection 3.2.2 and other material that exceeds _______ diameter and _______ length shall be decked in areas SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS. Other locations may be approved by the COR. Material shall be cut into lengths not to exceed 32 feet and all limbs removed. Decks shall be stable and free of brush and soil. Other material shall be treated according to slash treatment Method ___.

9. Disposal in Cutting Units:

a. Construction slash from within cutting units and 200 feet adjacent thereto shall be disposed of with logging slash. Such construction slash shall be deposited at least 50 feet inside the cutting unit boundary in such a manner that it will not inhibit logging of the unit and that it may be treated by the prescribed logging slash treatment method.

10. Removal:

a. Construction slash shall be removed or hauled to locations SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS and DESIGNATED on the ground.

11. Piling:

a. Construction slash shall be piled in areas SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS and DESIGNATED on the ground for later burning or disposal by others. Piles shall be placed and constructed so burning will not damage remaining trees. All stumps shall be reasonably free of dirt. Unmerchantable logs shall be cut into lengths less than 20 feet prior to placement in the pile.

12. Placing Slash on Embankment Slopes:

a. Construction slash shall be placed on completed embankment slopes to reduce soil erosion where SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS. Construction slash shall be placed as flat as practicable on the completed slope. Slash shall be placed from the toe of the embankment to a point at least 2 feet below subgrade elevation. Priority for the use of available slash shall be given to (1) through fills, (2) inside of curves, and (3) ditch relief outlets.

END OF SECTION 02102

02102 - 5

CLEARING & GRUBBING