Success, bunyip / water leveler

[Tere]

I'm plugging away at leveling patio block for 18 ha ha 17'9" x48 " AGP. I researched leveling and found bunyip and ancient way to use water in a hose to level things. I first started at the low spot and set the patio block, then set the next and leveled those 2 and moved all the way around the circle. I made a bunyip for under $10 and had the hose. It took 2 people cause the metal pool support kept falling over and dumping hose water. here is a photo of the set up. Many of the patio blocks are dead on level to one another, only one is out 1/2" . A few are 1/8 -1/4" I wanted to try and get the blocks as level as possible before renting a laser level and having to re dig all the blocks. It took 2 days to set the blocks only cause it hot.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j392/Teresa_Lundquist/Bunyip%20water%20level_zps26jwa22k.jpg You can see part of the trench, the patio block to the left has a berm and been raised to the proper level.

A big what if question????? My soil is very clay with very little humus, the fluffy stuff. I mixed the clay with play sand when it was barely moist, dampened more, mix mix mix,. I previously dug a 18" trench around

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j392/Teresa_Lundquist/11063469_10200540609275182_8034609722364256234_n_zpskqsncxu6.jpgwhere ( photo of circle pre trench)

the pool wall is to go. It is about 4" deep, varies according to what that block needed . I made mounds and placed the patio blocks-bam, patted patio block down, tapped it, add mix here and level and -releveled a gazillion times. Leveled it front to back, side to said and from the next blocks over left and right. I then bermed around each patio block with my almost cement like stuff and rammed that. Next day it is like cement.

So question some of the patio blocks got tamped harder than others. I worry that some of the vertical support post will settle differently under the weight of the filled pool. The circluar trench is on pretty solid clay never dug before. It was under 6" deep of gravel so very compressed. I hope to go back around the circle and place patio blocks under the metal bottom rails using the same mix of clay soil and play sand. I know rammed earth houses use clay and sand mixes for walls.

I went to put up the walls or do a dry fit but the wind was very high then it got to hot.


Thanks all

 

[duraleigh]

I can't tell if you have a question???

 

[Tere]

Duraleigh oops sorry not clear enough


So question--- some of the patio blocks got tamped harder than others. I worry that some of the vertical support post will settle differently under the weight of the filled pool. The circuluar trench is on pretty solid clay never dug before. The land where the pool is going was under 6" deep of gravel so very compressed. I hope to go back around the circle and place patio blocks under the metal bottom rails using the same mix of clay soil and play sand. I know rammed earth houses use clay and sand mixes for walls.

Does settling occur move in disturbed soil, does it happen in clay soils? was mixing clay and sand and mounding it ok? I had to level it some how under each patio block. Plain sand unde pattio blocks would wash away with torrential rains we can get.

hope that clarifies things for question

 

[duraleigh]

I think you are just fine. It appears you have compacted the soil and a lot of the soil was virgin earth with little dug out and then backfilled.

There is always SOME settling but it appears you have done a nice job and are ready for the next step.

What little variation there is in your compacting should have no affect.

 

[Tere]

Bunyip success! Well pool halfway filled and the water lever is one off by 1/2 " in 2 spots. Pretty good.