Topsoil Removal etc..

We need Glen G to tell us - and the answer is probably "it depends....". I would guess though that like many other things, handling material once is probably better than handling it twice, and since material has to get from wherever it is on your patch to the spoil pile, it would come down to what machine you're going to use to move it, and the relative cost/benefit of moving the close stuff first, or the far stuff first. All speculation on my part of course... : )

I believe the maximum efficient distance for a dozer to push dirt is around 300 to 500 ft, depending on the machine and blade---i have pushed dirt in two stages when the distance is long--generally use the slot method to push it

Hi, kittylover123.
To a certain extent, it would depend on the depth of topsoil, i.e., is there sufficient depth to warrant trying to slot doze by starting from the spill end and working your way backwards in lanes and then cleaning up the resulting windrows by starting from the back and pushing them into the slots as you work your way forward toward the spill area.

If you have less than about 6" - 8" of topsoil, you are not going to gain much advantage from this approach. In that case, start from the far end and just try to keep your blade as full as possible.

If you're anywhere that it is DRY, I hope you have an air-conditioned cab.

Just my 0.02.

thanks for the replies...makes good sense...
agree Neil..a lot of depends...but in my case the topsoil is thin (most of Northern Alberta/ BC) working with maybe 3-4 inches average..

-i have a hard time believing that more than a 300 foot push with a dozer is efficient...too much backing up..even with a good blade and slots...
-it's not good practice to handle more than possible, but 600 feet is a long push..isn't this where a scraper/ pan would take over...?

-100% correct Deas...very dry...crazy amount of dust...but getting rain now..it helps..sorry no cab or AC on D6c...
-still a steep learning curve but it's coming together! i rather like pushing dirt compared to killing trees and roots..

Couple years ago they put in a 60,000 sq ft warehouse near us and leveled it with 2 older D7 dozers. They did use a laser and a pickup sensor on each dozer blade and tandem usage let them level it in just a little over 2 days. Soil removed probably averaged a foot or less. Longest dimension was about 100 yards.

For that distance, I would guess either scrapers or excavators plus dumpers would be a better option. Your dozer would be effectively doing the same job but with a tiny payload relatively speaking. 600' seems like a really long push for a dozer in a scenario where the alternatives could be used instead

not relevant but interesting--- i have stripped topsoil with a dragline a few times. very fast

thanks D4Jim.... that' a good observation, longest dimension was 300'

-basically i'm doing two 300' pushes to the spill and its going good.....and in some spots its three 200' pushes.....it is what it is....
-sure is light fluffy material and light load, easy on fuel..

-i'm sure there's faster ways but sometimes you gotta work with what you got
-never even thought of a dragline but can see how that could work and be quick!

Hi, Folks.
I too can see where a dragline might be quick-ish, having operated a couple of them myself - BUTTTTT - ONLY within its own working radius. To move material 300', you would want Big Muskie - or something close to it - and an appropriate depth of cut to be able to fill the bucket.

Excavators have the same problem - they are GREAT - within their own working radius or when loading into some sort of haul unit. When you have to move the material a second, third - or sixth - time to get it to where it needs to be, the 'gloss' wears off pretty quick.

Also, both of these machines LOVE either a bank of material or an uphill slope to help push material into the bucket so depth of cut becomes an issue.

On shorter distances, a 'dozer is hard to beat, On longer distances, scrapers are about as good as it gets - right up until road trucks come into their own, with ADTs coming somewhere in between.

Kittylover123, you are ABSOLUTELY right. You use what you have to the best of its capacity and your ability to do what you need to do.

Just my 0.02.