Materials Memo_OR Hwy 35(Preliminary).pdf

Draft Geotechnical Data

OR FS ERFO 2007(1)-11(1)

Highway 35 Betterment

This document is a draft and should NOT be relied upon to determine final conditions for bidding.

Final documents will be available during the advertisement period.

GEOTECHNICAL MEMORANDUM GM15-09

Subject: OR FS ERFO 2007(1)-11(1), Oregon Highway 35 Betterment, White River and Clark to Newton Creek Sections: Material Source Recommendations

From: Dave Lofgren WFLHD Engineering Geologist

To: Greg Gifford, Project Manager

INTRODUCTION

This memorandum provides material source recommendations for the subject ERFO project on Oregon Highway 35 on the southeast side of Mount Hood, Oregon. The following material sources are recommended for use in the construction of this project:

(1) Borrow Material - Debris flow stockpiles and deposits in the White River Valley upstream and downstream from White River Bridge

(2) Crushed Aggregates - U. S. Forest Service Tamarack Quarry

The two proposed material sources are discussed below, beginning with the White River debris flow deposits and stockpiles.

(NOTE: Due to the lack of a recent air photo showing the current topography and geomorphology of the White River Valley, it was not possible to include such a photo showing the locations and limits of the debris flow stockpiles and deposits proposed for use on the Highway 35 Project in this memorandum. Similarly, it was not possible to include all of the historical information such as boring logs, core photographs, and laboratory test reports that exist for Tamarack Quarry in this memorandum.)

WHITE RIVER DEBRIS FLOW STOCKPILES, WFLHD MATERIALS SOURCE

NO. 35-14-0015

The storm event of November, 2006 resulted in the deposition of boulders, cobbles, gravel, and sand debris flow material in the valley of White River both upstream and downstream from the White River Bridge and on Highway 35 between Mineral Creek on the south side of White River Valley and Forest Road 48 on the north side of the valley.

Memorandum

Date: 6/17/09

WESTERN FEDERAL LANDS HIGHWAY DIVISION

610 EAST FIFTH STREET

VANCOUVER, WA 98661-3801

Draf t

Subsequent clean-up and removal efforts by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) resulted in the stockpiling of gravel and sand debris material on the downstream side of White River Bridge. A large quantity of debris flow material deposited by the 2006 event remains in the White River Valley upstream from the bridge.

The project to be constructed by the WFLHD at White River and Clark to Newton Creeks under OR FS ERFO 2007(1) will require approximately 220,000 cubic yards of borrow material for embankment construction. The US Forest Service has indicated to the WFLHD that it would allow removal for embankment construction of debris flow materials stockpiled downstream from the White River Bridge and naturally deposited debris flow material upstream from White River Bridge.

The estimated volume of material from the 2006 debris flow event stockpiled downstream from the White River Bridge is over 200,000 cubic yards. The amount of debris material occupying the valley floor upstream from the bridge has not been determined, but is probably at least 100,000 cubic yards.

Debris Flow Material Testing

A grab sample consisting of six 50 pound sacks of gravelly sand was obtained for laboratory testing from the alluvial floodplain of White River on the downstream side of the White River Bridge. The six sacks of sample material were combined as a single, 300 pound sample for testing. The materials tests performed and the test results were reported in WFLHD Laboratory Report Number W-09-0076-SO contained in Attachment A and are summarized below:

Soil Classification: AASHTO, A-1-b(0); USCS, SP-SM pH: (7.1) Apparent Specific Gravity: 2.692 Natural Moisture: 4.70% Liquid Limit: NP Plasticity Index: NP Moisture-Density:

Maximum Density, pcf 115.20 Optimum Moisture, % 8.10 R Value: 70

Reference to the test values shows that the material consisted of non-plastic, poorly graded, silty, sandy gravel classified as “SP-SM” in the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS). The sample is considered to be generally representative of the gravel and smaller-size debris flow materials.

The debris flow materials were visually estimated to contain approximately 50 percent subround to subangular gravel, cobbles, and boulders greater than two inches in diameter, with an estimated 10 percent larger than 12 inches. The remaining 50 percent of the material consists of sand, silt, and gravel less than about two inches in diameter. Because the materials are depositional, some areas of the deposits contain a higher percentage of cobbles and boulders than other areas and some areas are predominatly sandy.

Boulders of about 4-6 feet average dimension - with a few as much as 8-10 feet - that were obtained from debris flow cleanup can be seen along the river bank both upstream and downstream from the bridge where they were placed as river bank erosion protection by ODOT maintenance forces. The occurrence of boulders of this size and possibly larger should be anticipated in the materials proposed for borrow use.

The gravel to boulder size materials in the White River Valley consist predominantly of gray andesite lava and andesitic pyroclastic rock. The percentage of coarse rock material in the debris flow and alluvium and the hardness of rock materials is insufficient for the economical production of acceptable crushed base and paving aggregates and, with the exception of boulders large enough to be used for riprap, the White River materials source is recommended only for use as borrow material.

Moisture-Density Considerations for Compaction of Borrow Material

The following note pertaining to compaction of the tested sample material appears on Laboratory Report No. W-09-0076-SO:

While performing AASHTO T 180 on this sample, extreme loss of water was observed.

Pumping and bleeding of the sample occurred at moisture points 8.9%, 9.7%, and 10.7%.

The actual amount of moisture added was 10%, 12%, and 14%. Although the density of the sample increased at these points, conditions in the field would not be representative of the lab results. We recommend using a moisture content of 8.1% which should achieve a density of approximately 115.2 pcf.

The moisture-density conditions reported above indicate that compaction of the gravelly sand debris flow material to maximum density will require strict control of moisture and compaction to maximum density may not be possible during rainy construction conditions.

All debris flow borrow materials should be compacted in accordance with Section

204.11 – Compaction – of the Federal Highway Administration’s “Standard Specifications for Construction of Roads and Bridges on Federal Highway Projects

(FP-03)”.

Proposed Borrow Source Area

The materials proposed by the WFLHD for use as borrow material are located both upstream and downstream from the White River Bridge. The upstream materials are located on the north side of White River between the bridge and approximately 1000 feet upstream from the bridge. The downstream materials consist of both stockpiled debris flow materials resulting from clean-up of the November, 2006 debris flow event and past debris flow materials deposited on the alluvial floodplain of White River. The WFLHD proposes to obtain borrow material from both sides of the river for a distance of about 1500 feet downstream from the bridge.

Attachment B of this memorandum contains a conceptual longitudinal and transverse profile through the center of one of the stockpile areas downstream from the bridge showing the approximate stockpile limits and estimated natural ground line adjacent to the stockpile. The approximate volume of material defined by the section limits of the stockpile shown is 165,000 cubic yards.

As was noted at the beginning of this memorandum, the exact locations and limits of the November, 2006 debris flow deposits and debris flow stockpiles that are proposed for borrow use could not be shown on an air photo because an air photo showing the current (2009) topography, geomorphology, and White River channel location was not available at the time this memorandum was written. The actual boundaries of debris flow materials proposed for borrow use on the Highway 35 project will be shown on the contract plans at the time the project is advertised for construction.

Excavation and Use of Debris Flow Materials

Stockpiled debris flow and alluvial floodplain material will be excavatable with standard construction equipment such as excavators, bulldozers, front-end loaders, and scrapers.

On-site processing of the material by mechanical methods or screening will be necessary to create the required borrow gradations for embanking and to remove boulders that are too large to place in embankments. Large boulders should be stockpiled for use in accordance with the construction contract or as directed by the Project Engineer.

The White River debris flow materials are proposed for use on the Highway 35 project as unclassified borrow material for the construction of embankments conforming to Section 704.06 – Unclassified Borrow - of the Federal Highway Administration’s “Standard Specifications for Construction of Roads and Bridges on Federal Highway Projects (FP-03)”.

As noted previously, debris flow materials from White River will not be allowed for the production of crushed base or paving aggregate.

No man-made substances or other by-products of the borrow excavation, processing, and construction process will be allowed to enter White River, Green Apple Creek, Iron Creek, Mineral Creek, or any other tributaries to White River. WFLHD will comply with Forest Service and other regulatory agency requirements in its material removal and processing plans and operations. Following completion of the project, the WFLHD will restore the ground as closely as possible to its natural condition in accordance with the requirements of the Mount Hood National Forest.

Proposed Construction and Equipment Staging Areas

The WFLHD proposes to use the White River Sno-Park on the south side of White River Bridge and the Sno-Park at the intersection of Highway 35 and Forest Road 48 on the north side of the bridge for construction equipment staging. Construction staging may also be possible in the broad, alluvial floodplain of White River downstream from the White River Bridge

TAMARACK QUARRY (ODOT SOURCE NO. OR-03-024-1, WFLHD SOURCE

NO. 35-03-0008)

The Forest Service’s Tamarack Quarry (aka “Trillium Pit” and “Mud Creek Quarry”) is located in the SE1/4 Sec. 2, T. 4 S., R. 81/2 E. (Willamette Meridian), in eastern Clackamas County, Oregon. The quarry has been in existence since prior to 1965 when it was used to construct the Mount Hood Loop Highway, OR PFH 49. The Mount Hood National Forest has completed an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) of the quarry and Oregon Department of Transportation has a twenty year use agreement with the Forest Service to use the quarry for construction of future projects on U. S. Highway 26 near Mount Hood. The Western Federal Lands Highway Division proposes to use Tamarack Quarry as the source of base and paving aggregates and riprap for construction of the Highway 35 project.

Tamarack Quarry is located on the Forest Service Mud Creek Loop Road (FS 2656) 1.2 miles from the Forest Service Trilium Lake Road (FS 2612). The distance from the intersection of the Mud Creek Loop Road and Trilium Lake Road to U. S. Highway 26 is

1.7 miles. The distance from the intersection of the Trilium Lake Road to the beginning of the White River Bridge project is 4.5 miles via U. S. Highway 26 and Oregon Highway 35. The distance from the quarry to the beginning of the project is 7.4 miles.

Quarry Investigation and Testing

Tamarack Quarry consists of hard, gray, fine-grained andesite lava typical of the Cascade Volcanoes of Oregon and Washington. The quarry was investigated with three borings (DH 2, DH 3, and DH 4) drilled by the Mount Hood National Forest in July, 1978 to depths of 120, 186, and 200 feet. Core samples from the following depth intervals were tested by the U. S. Forest Service:

Boring No. Test Interval (ft.)

DH 2 6-42.5

DH 3 4-57

DH 4 4-64

Rock from Tamarack Quarry was tested by the WFLHD during construction of the Forest Highway 49 projects in 1965 and 1967 and a grab sample of Tamarack Quarry rock was tested for the current project in June, 2009. The test results for the Forest Service investigation core samples, the 1965 and 1967 WFLHD samples, and the 2009 WFLHD sample are summarized in the table below. Laboratory Report No. W-09-0234-AG for the 2009 sample is contained in Attachment C:

DRILL

HOLE

LA

ABRASION

FINE

DURABILITY

COARSE

DURABILITY

SAND

EQUIVALENT

APPARENT

SPECIFIC

GRAVITY

E.

G.

DMSO

DH 2 22.7-23 86-89 73-82 74-82 2.74-2.79 <

1%

NA1

DH 3 19.8-22.8 74-85 51-63 68-81 2.75 <

1%

NA

DH 4 17.8-22.7 74-89 63-73 73-87 2.70-2.76 <

1%

NA

WFLHD-

27 83 85 83 2.78 NA NA

WFLHD-

NA 86 85 NA 2.75 NA NA

WFLHD-

27 83 82 78 2.751 NA 0.0

1 NA = Not Available

Test results for all of the past tested samples are within WFLHD quality test specification limits for the production of crushed base and asphalt concrete aggregates per Section 703.

– AGGREGATE – of the Federal Highway Administration’s “Standard Specifications for Construction of Roads and Bridges on Federal Highway Projects (FP-03)”.

The WFLHD does not use the “Accelerated Weathering Glycol” test reported in the Forest Service test reports; however, the value of <1% loss in the glycol test indicates that the rock is not susceptible to accelerated weathering by the expansion of swelling clays, and the DMSO test for accelerated weathering loss of 0.0 percent for the 2009 test sample is one of the lowest DMSO losses ever recorded by the WFLHD Materials Laboratory.

Quarry Development

Attachment B contains plan and cross section views of Tamarack Quarry showing a twenty year development plan proposed by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Reference to the quarry development plan shows an area designated “Excavation Area”. A dashed line corresponding to approximately elevation 3730 feet has been added to the development plan by the WFLHD. Reference to the cross section shows that ODOT has proposed that the development of the quarry be accomplished in four benches identified as Excavation Areas A though D. The bottom elevation of Excavation Area A is located at elevation 3730 feet, corresponding to the dashed 3730 foot elevation line added to the development plan by the WFLHD.

The quantity of rock available within Excavation Area A (above elevation 3730) of the ODOT development plan is estimated to be in the range of 250,000 to 280,000 cubic yards. The WFLHD will require approximately 166,000 cubic yards of material for riprap, base, subbase, paving aggregates, and high quality borrow for the White River and Clark-Newton Projects on Highway 35. The WFLHD proposes to obtain those materials from Excavation Area A of ODOT’s long term development plan for Tamarack Quarry.

Unless otherwise stipulated by ODOT or the Forest Service, the contractor would be required to mine Excavation Area A from the top down in vertical bench lifts of 20-40 feet starting on the northwest end of the existing flat bench at approximately 3770-3780 feet elevation. The excavation would extend no deeper than elevation 3730 and would extend in a roughly southeasterly direction toward the upper development boundary on the northeast side of the quarry until the quantity of material required for the project had been excavated.

Quarry Blasting, Excavation, and Crushing

Tamarack Quarry contains two large, flat areas that appear to have ample room for both a crusher and an asphalt plant.

Quarry blasting and excavation will be accompanied by crushing to produce base and paving aggregates and sorting to produce riprap and borrow material. Blasting should be conducted in accordance with Table 2-1, “Dates and Times During Which Quarry Activities Would Be Permitted” (Attachment B), excerpted from the Forest Service’s Tamarack Quarry EIS, and any additional Forest Service requirements or restrictions.

Following completion of the project, the WFLHD proposes to leave Tamarack Quarry in a condition that would facilitate future entry and development by the next user and in accordance with the requirements of the USFS and ODOT.

(END MEMORANDUM)

CC: Jack Doucey Elisa Carlsen Geotechnical Electronic File Geotechnical Project File

ATTACHMENT A

White River Debris Flow Grab Sample Laboratory Test Report

ATTACHMENT B

ODOT Tamarack Long Term Quarry Development Plan, Bench Cross Section, and Forest Service Blasting Guidelines Proposed for use on WFLHD Highway 35

Project

ATTACHMENT C

Tamarack Quarry Laboratory Test Report W-09-0234-AG