Problem Diagnosis

Diagnosis should distinguish the visible symptom from its cause. Record whether the fault appeared after traffic, a water event, settlement or earlier earthworks. That history helps decide whether the response is a local surface correction, a drainage intervention or a more substantial investigation.

23 guides shown

• High Spots

  A high spot is meaningful only relative to the intended surface.

• Low Spots

  A low spot may be a true grade deficit, settlement over weak ground or part of a designed drain.

• Uneven Ground

  Uneven ground can combine ridges, ruts and broad changes in slope.

• Poor Surface Drainage

  Poor surface drainage can result from a blocked outlet, a reversed fall, a damaged crossing or local depressions.

• Water Ponding

  Ponding is a symptom, not a design instruction.

• Incorrect Fall

  Fall is the change in elevation along a defined direction.

• Incorrect Crossfall

  Crossfall controls the change in level across a road, path or other surface.

• Hard Ground

  Hard ground is an operating condition that may limit cutting and traction.

• Compacted Soil

  Compacted soil is not always defective: compaction may be desirable beneath a road and undesirable in a growing zone.

• Clay Clods

  Clay clods can leave a smooth-looking surface that changes after they break down.

• Crop-Residue-Affected Soil

  Crop residue can obstruct cutting and contaminate the material being moved.

• Rough Earthworks

  Rough earthworks may still contain broad quantity errors, loose fill and unresolved drainage.

• Uneven Subgrade

  Uneven subgrade can create variable thickness in every layer above it.

• Misplaced Fill

  Misplaced fill may be in the wrong location, wrong layer or wrong volume state.

• Material Stockpiles

  A stockpile is a temporary material store, not necessarily a ready-to-use grading supply.

• Wheel Ruts

  Wheel ruts can reflect soft ground, repeated traffic or a drainage defect.

• Road Corrugations

  Road corrugations concern both the wearing material and traffic interaction.

• Potholes

  A pothole can be a local surface failure or evidence of water and weak support below.

• Washouts

  Washouts identify where runoff has removed material.

• Uneven Topsoil

  Uneven topsoil can mean different layer depths even when the upper surface looks smooth.

• Uneven Turf Formation

  Uneven turf formation may arise beneath the growing layer or within it.

• Poor Irrigation Surface

  An irrigation surface can be poor because of inlet mismatch, local depressions or altered field grade.

• Excessive Cut-to-Fill Distance

  Excessive cut-to-fill distance increases travel time and can make a small-load method inefficient.