Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubsoils ReportTEST HOLE P-1 GROUND PAGE 1 OF 1 ENGINEERING PROJECT: Rifle Airport - Fuel Farm JOB NO: 25-6000 CLIENT: Vantage Aviation LLC SITE LOCATION: Rifle CO a c U Gradation rg ALimits c y 0 O L J i_ O O v, m U) a) fa 0 a Material Descriptions and Drilling Notes n 3 w .N N J x w 0 N V m ? 5 N ❑ E O C � 0 m c > o �\ C o 0 o c\ O ;�v % w Cr N w^ O m zU m z❑ �\ ii a c = w U J U)`D ROAD BASE:Approximately 4 inches of aggregate base course. FILL: Clays and silts with varying fractions of sand. They were moist, slightly plastic, stiff to hard, and brown in color. CLAYS and SANDS: Silty to sandy clays with local clayey to silty sands. The granular fractions consisted of fine sands with scattered medium to coarse sands and gravels. Claystone and siltstone fragments and 5 clasts were also noted locally within these soils. They were moist to wet, slighlly to moderately plastic, stiff to hard, and brown to gray -brown in color. Iron staining was doted commonly. Secondary carbonates and iron staining were encountered locally. Bottom of test hole at approx. 7 feet 14/12 " 15/12 1 14 1 117.8 1 0 1 29 1 71 1 27 1 9 1 -0.4 (600) 1 (CL)s TEST HOLE 2 PAGE 1 OF 1 GROUND ENGINEERING PROJECT: Rifle Airport -Fuel Farm JOB NO: 25-6000 CLIENT: Vantage Aviation LLC SITE LOCATION: Rifle, CO rn m a E AbtrgvGradation Lims y 0 > aa) L Material Descriptions and Drilling Notes m '. U o w �o w —L`a c> j c n No— O U> w m W p a n E 3 O m j 0 rn f0CCD °� No '� Co x -00 U y U f0 (n.5 rn = N C7 V) ca m Z U Z p Ur` LL '� d C 75 d W () 100 0 " ROAD BASE:Approximately 3 inches of aggregate base course. FILL: Clays and silts with varying fractions of sand. They were moist, slightly plastic, stiff to hard, and brown in color. CLAYS and SANDS: Silty to sandy clays with local clayey to silty sands. The granular fractions consisted of fine sands with scattered medium to coarse sands and gravels. Claystone and siltstone fragments and 14/12 13.9 112.2 0 17 83 25 8 -0.6 (500) (CL)s 95 5 clasts were also noted locally within these soils. They were moist to wet, slightly to moderately plastic, stiff to hard, and brown to gray -brown in color. Iron staining was noted commonly. Secondary carbonates and iron staining were encountered locally. Fuel like odor noted at 9 feet. 9/12 15.3 112.1 0 22 F78 23 9 (CL)s 90 10 85 15 11/12 80 20 18/12 75 25 17/12 Bottom of test hole at approx. 25 feet. TEST HOLE 1 PAGE 1 OF 1 ENGINEERING PROJECT: Rifle Airport -Fuel Farm CLIENT: Vantaae Aviation. LLC m O t J oa Material Descriptions and Drilling Notes w 85 10 20 ASPHALT: Approximately 5 inches of asphalt. ROAD BASE:Approximately 7 inches of aggregate base course. FILL: Clays and silts with varying fractions of sand. They were moist, slightly plastic, stiff to hard, and brown in color. CLAYS and SANDS: Silty to sandy clays with local clayey to silty sands. The granular fractions consisted of fine sands with scattered medium to coarse sands and gravels. Claystone and siltstone fragments and clasts were also noted locally within these soils. They were moist to wet, slightly to moderately plastic, stiff to hard, and brown to gray -brown in color. Iron staining was noted commonly. Secondary carbonates and iron staining were encountered locally. m a H d a E m Cn JOB NO: 25-6000 SITE LOCATION: Rifle CO i= Z I Gradation mit rg ALimits � M� Q c o 'o o` og a)(n CD `0 CD O(n N 3 f0 Zp m\ mo co v ink C U a� Eno w Co m ZU U u) LL `a U ind 39/12 1 16.1 1 107.41 0 1 12 1 88 1 26 1 6 1 -0.1 (250) 1 CL-ML 16/12 111.7 1 121.1 1 0 1 20 1 80 1 24 1 9 1 j (CL)s 19/12 114.9 1 118.7 1 0 1 18 1 82 , 25 1 10 I I (CL)s 17/12 110.9 1 123.2 1 8 1 30 1 62 1 22 1 8 1 1 s(CL) 15/12 Bottom of test hole at approx. 28 feet. Appendix A Detailed Logs of the Test Holes angufra ENGINEERING Rifle Airport - Fuel Farm TABLE 2: SUMMARY OF SOIL CORROSION TEST RESULTS Sample Location j Water- Soluble pH Potential of nti Sulfide Readlvity Resistivity USCS Equivalent AASHTO Equivalent Sample Description Test Depth Hole Sulfates Classification Classification No. (feet.) !%) (mvJ (ohm -cm) (Group Index ( P ) 1 7 0.01 9.3 115 Positive 12.353 CL)s A� (5) CLAY with Sand Job No 25-6000 ENGINEERING Rifle Airport - Fuel Farm TABLE 1: SUMMARY OF LABORATORY TEST RESULTS Sample Loca I Eon Natural Moisture Content (9� Natural Dry DensityGravel (pc� Gradation Atterbe Limits SwolliCorsaildallon USCS Equivalent Classification AASHTO Equivalent Classiation (GroufiIndex (Group Index) Sample Description Test Hale No. Depth (feefJ (%) Sand (%) Fines (%) Liquid Limit Plasticity Index Volume Change g (%J Surcharge Pressure (psll 1 2 16,1 107.4 0 12 87.7 26 6 -0.1 250 CL-ML A-4 (4) FILL: Silty CLAY 1 7 11.7 121.1 0 21 79.5 24 9 - (CL)s A-4 (5) CLAY with Sand 1 12 14.9 118.7 0 18 82.2 25 10 (CL)s A-4 (6) CLAY with Sand 1 22 10.9 123.2 8 30 61.8 22 8 s CL A-4 2 Sandy CLAY 2 4 13.9 112.2 0 17 83.4 25 8 -0.6 500 (CL)s A-4 (5) CLAY with Sand 2 9 15.3 112.1 0 22 78.4 23 9 -(CL)s A-4 4 CLAY with Sand P1 6 1 14.0 117.E 0 29 71.4 27 9 -OA 600 [CL)s A-d 4 CLAY with Sand Job No. 25-6000 BROUND ENGINEERING 100 90 80 70 0 60 as m 50 CD ca a40 a) :3 E 30 U 20 10 0 100 Rifle Airport - Fuel Farm Gradation and Hydrometer (ASTM D422-63[2007]) US Standard Sieves Hydrometer ,�v_^ 9" ,14^ 1. 1Z^ v" W. a 6 10 16 20 30 40 5060 100 140 200 Job No: 25-6000 r I! ► �? I - i -; ! I I 10 1 0.1 D�hirlc Civc /mm1 U.11-1 0.001 Coarse Fine Coarse Medium Fine Silt and Clay u GRAVELS SANDS FINES Coarse Gradation Fine Gradation Hydrometer Particle Size Passing by (mm) Mass (%) Grading US Standard Sieve Particle Size (mm) Passing by Mass (%) US Standard Sieve Particle Size (mm) Passing by Mass (%) Coefficient Value 6 in 150 - No. 4 4.75 0.031 54 D90 0.134 5 in 125 - No. 8 2.36 0.020 46 D85 0.104 4 in 100 - No. 10 2.00 - 0.012 41 D80 0.081 3 in 75 i No. 16 1.18 100 0.009 38 D60 0.039 2.5 in 63 No. 20 0.85 - 0.006 35 D50 0.025 2 in 50 No. 30 0.60 - 0.003 30 D40 0.011 1.5 in 37.5 No. 40 0.425 99 0.001 26 D30 0.003 1 in 25.0 No. 50 0.300 98 - D15 - 3/4 in 19.0 No. 60 0.250 - D10 1/2 in 12.5 No. 100 0.150 92 - D05 3/8 in 9.5 No. 140 0.106 - - C No.4 4.75 - No.200 0.075 78•4 - C� " Location: Test Hole 2 at 9 feet Classification: (CL)s / A-4 (4) Gravel (%): 0 Description: CLAY with Sand Liquid Limit: 23 Sand (%): 22 Plasticity Index: 9 Silt/Clay (%): 78.4 Activity: 0.3 < .002 mm (%): 28 Results apply only to the specific items and locations referenced and at the time of testing. For the hydrometer portion of the lest, a composite temperature correction and meniscus correction were applied to each reading This report should not be reproduced, except in full, without the written permission of GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. FIUGRE: 4 www.groundeng.com Englewood, Commerce City, Loveland, Granby, Gypsum, Colorado Springs 0mmwr ENGINEERING PROJECT: Rifle Airport - Fuel Farm_ CLIENT: Vantage Aviation, LLC_ MATERIAL SYMBOLS ■ ASPHALT ROAD BASE ® FILL CLAYS and SANDS NOTE: See Detailed Logs for Material descriptions. LEGEND AND NOTES JOB NO: 25-6000 SITE LOCATION: Rifle, CO SAMPLER SYMBOLS eModified California Liner Sampler 23 / 12 Drive sample blow count indicates 23 blows of a 140 pound hammer falling 30 inches were required to drive the sampler 12 inches. NOTES 1. Test holes were drilled on 1/30/2025 with 4" solid stem auger. 2. Locations of the test holes were determined in the field using a hand held GPS device by GROUND. 3. Elevations of the test holes were not measured and the logs of the test holes are drawn to depth. Nominal elevation of 100 feet" indicates existing ground level at the test hole at the time of drilling. 4. The test hole locations and elevations should be considered accurate only to the degree implied by the method used. 5. The lines between materials shown on the test hole logs represent the approximate boundaries between material types and the transitions may be gradual. 1 6. Groundwater level readings shown on the logs were made at the time and under the conditions indicated. Fluctuations in the water level may occur with time. 7. The material descriptions on these logs are for general classification purposes only. See full text of this report for descriptions of the site materials & related information. 8. All test holes were immediately backfilled upon completion of drilling, unless otherwise specified in this report. ABBREVIATIONS 2 Water Level at Time of Drilling, or as Shown NV No Value 1 Water Level at End of Drilling, or as Shown NP Non -Plastic 3 Water Level After 24 Hours, or as Shown FIUGRE: 3 ENGINEERING PROJECT: Rifle Airport - Fuel Farm CLIENT: VBrtlageAviation LLC 1 ELEV. 100 841 LOGS OF THE TEST HOLES JOB NO: 25-6000 SITE LOCATION: Rifle. CO .. ........... 10 2 P-1 ELEV.100 ELEV.100 10 ianz FIGURE: F i i1 i . - r� ,r FUEL FARM LEASE AREA EXHIBIT Alf, a i- YI J- (71 2 Indicates test hole numbers and approximate locations. vh e • 1 n ri 2 F V GOOGLE EARTH AERIAL IMAGE (07/16/2023) I SITE PLAN PROVIDED BY CLIENT NOT TO SCALE Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado constitutes understanding and acceptance of the conclusions with regard to risk and other information provided herein, associated improvement performance, as well as the limitations inherent within such estimates. Ensuring correct interpretation of the contents of this report by others is not the responsibility of GROUND. If any information referred to herein is not well understood, then Vantage Aviation, LLC, or other members of the design team, should contact the author or a GROUND principal immediately. We will be available to meet to discuss the risks and remedial approaches presented in this report, as well as other potential approaches, upon request. GROUND makes no warranties, either expressed or implied, as to the professional data, opinions or conclusions contained herein. This document, together with the concepts and conclusions presented herein, as an instrument of service, is intended only for the specific purpose and client for which it was prepared. Reuse of, or improper reliance on this document without written authorization and adaption by GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc., shall be without liability to GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. GROUND appreciates the opportunity to complete this portion of the project and welcomes the opportunity to provide Vantage Aviation, LLC with a proposal for construction observation and materials testing. Sincerely, GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. R I 'Q t. V- Ad L'V Ben Fellbaum, P.G., P.E. Reviewed by Brian H. Reck, P.G., C.E.G., P.E. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 48 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado in project plans or schedule should be brought to the attention of a geotechnical engineer, in order that the geotechnical conclusions in this report may be reevaluated and, as necessary, modified. If our described understanding/interpretation of the proposed project is incorrect or project elements differ in any way from that expressed herein, including changes to improvement locations, dimensions, orientations, loading conditions, elevations/grades, etc., and/or additional buildings/structures/site improvements are incorporated into this project, either after the original information was provided to us or after the date of this report, GROUND or another geotechnical engineer must be retained to reevaluate the conclusions and parameters presented herein. The geotechnical conclusions in this report relied upon subsurface exploration at a limited number of exploration points, as shown in Figure 1, as well as the means and methods described herein. Subsurface conditions were interpolated between and extrapolated beyond these locations. It is not possible to guarantee the subsurface conditions are as indicated in this report. Actual conditions exposed during construction may differ from those encountered during site exploration. Design modifications may be necessary by the project team; this may result in an increase in project costs and schedule delays. If during construction, surface, soil, bedrock, or groundwater conditions appear to be at variance with those described herein, a geotechnical engineer should be retained at once, so that reevaluation of the conclusions for this site may be made in a timely manner. In addition, a contractor who obtains information from this report for development of his scope of work or cost estimates may find the geotechnical information in this report to be inadequate for his purposes or find the geotechnical conditions described herein to be at variance with his experience in the greater project area. The contractor is responsible for obtaining the additional geotechnical information that is necessary to develop his workscope and cost estimates with sufficient precision. This includes current depths to groundwater, etc. ALL DEVELOPMENT CONTAINS INHERENT RISKS. It is important that ALL aspects of this report, as well as the estimated performance (and limitations with any such estimations) of proposed improvements are understood by Vantage Aviation, LLC. Utilizing these criteria and measures herein for planning, design, and/or construction Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 47 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado accumulate in the subsurface relatively easily, which can lead to increased settlement or heave from factors unrelated to ice formation. Therefore, where a section of open graded granular soils is placed, a local underdrain system should be provided to discharge collected water. GROUND will be available to discuss these concerns upon request. CLOSURE Geotechnical Review The author of this report or a GROUND principal should be retained to review project plans and specifications to evaluate whether they comply with the intent of the measures discussed in this report. The review should be requested in writing. The geotechnical conclusions and parameters presented in this report are contingent upon observation and testing of project earthworks by representatives of GROUND. If another geotechnical consultant is selected to provide materials testing, then that consultant must assume all responsibility for the geotechnical aspects of the project by concurring in writing with the parameters in this report, or by providing alternative parameters. Materials Testing Vantage Aviation, LLC or the owner should consider retaining a geotechnical engineer to perform materials testing during construction. The performance of such testing or lack thereof, however, in no way alleviates the burden of the contractor or subcontractor from constructing in a manner that conforms to applicable project documents and industry standards. The contractor or pertinent subcontractor is ultimately responsible for managing the quality of his work; furthermore, testing by the geotechnical engineer does not preclude the contractor from obtaining or providing whatever services that he deems necessary to complete the project in accordance with applicable documents. Limitations This report has been prepared for Vantage Aviation, LLC as it pertains to the design and construction of the proposed fuel farm as well as other related improvements as described herein. It may not contain sufficient information for other parties or other purposes. In addition, GROUND has assumed that project construction will commence by spring 2026 and be completed within 1 year of the project commencement date. Any changes Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 46 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado 3) Specify a minimum, 28-day, compressive strength of 4,500 psi for all exterior concrete. 4) Including "fibermesh" in the concrete mix also may be beneficial for reducing surficial scaling. 5) Cure the concrete effectively at uniform temperature and humidity. This commonly will require fogging, blanketing and/or tenting, depending on the weather conditions. As long as 3 to 4 weeks of curing may be required, and possibly more. 6) Avoid placement of concrete during cold weather so that it is not exposed to freeze -thaw cycling before it is fully cured. 7) Avoid the use of de-icing salts on given reaches of flatwork through the first winter after construction. We understand that sometimes it is not practical to implement some of these measures for reducing scaling due to safety considerations, project scheduling, etc. In such cases, where these measures are not implemented, additional costs for flatwork maintenance or reconstruction should be incorporated into project budgets. Frost and Ice Considerations Nearly all soils other than relatively coarse, clean, granular materials are susceptible to loss of density if allowed to become saturated and exposed to freezing temperatures and repeated freeze —thaw cycling. The formation of ice in the underlying soils can result in heaving of pavements, flatwork, and other hardscaping ("ice jacking") in sustained cold weather up to 3 inches or more. This heaving can develop relatively rapidly. A portion of this movement typically is recovered when the soils thaw, but due to loss of soil density, some degree of displacement will remain. This can result even where the subgrade soils were prepared properly. Where hardscape movements are a design concern, e.g., at doorways, replacement of the subgrade soils with 36 or more inches of clean, coarse sand or gravel should be considered or supporting the element on foundations similar to the fuel tanks and spanning over a void. Detailed guidance in this regard can be provided upon request. It should be noted that where such open graded granular soils are placed, water can infiltrate and Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 45 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado ranges. Therefore, the contractor should take particular care with regard to proper subgrade preparation in the immediate building exteriors. Concrete Scaling Climatic conditions in the project area including relatively low humidity, large temperature changes and repeated freeze —thaw cycles, make it likely that project sidewalks and other exterior concrete will experience surficial scaling or spalling. The likelihood of concrete scaling can be increased by poor workmanship during construction, such as "over -finishing" the surfaces. In addition, the use of de-icing salts on exterior concrete flatwork, particularly during the first winter after construction, will increase the likelihood of scaling. Even use of de-icing salts on nearby roadways, from where vehicle traffic can transfer them to newly placed concrete, can be sufficient to induce scaling. Typical quality control/quality assurance tests that are performed during construction for concrete strength, air content, etc., do not provide information with regard to the properties and conditions that give rise to scaling. We understand that some municipalities require removal and replacement of concrete that exhibits scaling, even if the material was within specification and placed correctly. The contractor should be aware of.the local requirements and be prepared to take measures to reduce the potential for scaling and/or replace concrete that scales. In GROUND's experience, the measures below can be beneficial for reducing the likelihood of concrete scaling. Which measures, if any, used should be based on cost and the owner's tolerance for risk and maintenance. It must be understood, however, that because of the other factors involved, including weather conditions and workmanship, surface damage to concrete can develop, even where all of these measures were followed. Also, the mix design criteria should be coordinated with other project requirements including criteria for sulfate resistance presented in the Water -Soluble Sulfates section of this report. 1) Maintaining a maximum water/cement ratio of 0.45 by weight for exterior concrete mixes. 2) Include Type F fly ash in exterior concrete mixes as 20 percent of the cementitious material. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 44 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado 1) Remedial earthwork to prepare flatwork subgrades is subject to the same factors discussed in the Pavement Sections section of this report, and should be undertaken to the same depth. Regardless of the depth of subgrade preparation, due to the potentials for hydro - consolidation at this site, greater than typical maintenance, including the removal and replacement of portions of flatwork, should be anticipated for project exterior flatwork. Greater depths of subgrade preparation will tend to reduce the extent and frequency of extra maintenance, however. 2) Prior to placement of flatwork, a proof roll should be performed to identify areas that exhibit instability and deflection. The deleterious soils in these areas should be removed and replaced with properly compacted fill. The contractor should take care to achieve and maintain compaction behind curbs to reduce differential sidewalk settlements. Passing a proof roll is an additional requirement to placing and compacting the subgrade fill soils within the specified ranges of moisture content and relative compaction in the Project Earthwork section of this report. Subgrade stabilization may be cost-effective in this regard. 3) Flatwork should be provided with control joints extending to an effective depth and spaced no more than 10 feet apart, both ways. Narrow flatwork, such as sidewalks, likely will require more closely spaced joints. Construction and Drainage Between Structures and Pavements Proper design, drainage, construction and maintenance of the areas between individual structures and parking/driveway areas are critical to the satisfactory performance of the project. Sidewalks, slabs and roofs, fountains, raised planters and other highly visible improvements commonly are installed within these zones, and distress in or near these improvements is common. Commonly, proper soil preparation in these areas receives little attention during overlot construction because they fall between the structure and pavement areas which typically are built with heavy equipment. Subsequent landscaping and hardscape installation often is performed by multiple subcontractors with light or hand equipment, and necessary over -excavation and soil processing is not performed. Consequently, subgrade soil conditions commonly deviate significantly from specified Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 43 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado Temporary Fire Access Routes Commonly, construction sites are required by local fire departments to provide temporary access for emergency response. It has been GROUND's experience these access drives are to provide support for trucks weighing up to 90,000 pounds and are typically desired to be gravel/aggregate-surfaced. Based on our experience, a temporary section consisting of at least 12 inches of material meeting the requirements of CDOT Class 5 or Class 6 Aggregate Base Course or at least 8 inches of CDOT Class 5 or Class 6 Aggregate Base Course over a layer of stabilization geotextilelgeofabric, such as Mirafi® RS380i or the equivalent, could be utilized provided the owner understands that this section is for temporary access during construction only and is not a replacement or an equal alternate to the pavement section(s) that was indicated previously. The aggregate base course placed for this purpose should be compacted to at least 95 percent of the maximum modified Proctor dry density. It should be noted that the aggregate base course sections indicated above are not intended to support fire truck outriggers without cribbing or similar measures. The aggregate comprising such a wearing course will be displaced and rutted under the loads imposed by heavy vehicles. Therefore, regular maintenance including re -grading and application of additional aggregate should be implemented to ensure proper drainage, repair distressed/damaged areas, and reestablish grades. Additionally, the ability of a temporary aggregate -surfaced route to accommodate loads as indicated above is directly related to the quality of the subgrade materials on which the aggregate is placed, not only on the aggregate section. If water infiltrates these areas, additional rutting and other distress, including a reduction in capacity, will result, requiring additional maintenance. EXTERIOR FLATWORK We anticipate that the exterior of the proposed fuel farm may be provided with concrete flatwork. Like other site improvements, flatwork will experience post -construction movements as soil moisture contents increase after construction and distress likely will result. The following measures will help to reduce damages to these improvements, but will not prevent all movements. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 42 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado This is particularly the case in the later stages of project construction after landscaping has been emplaced but heavy construction traffic has not ended. Heavy vehicle traffic over wetted subgrade commonly results in rutting and pushing of flexible pavements, and cracking of rigid pavements. In relatively flat areas where design drainage gradients necessarily are small, subgrade settlement can obstruct proper drainage and yield increased infiltration, exaggerated distress, etc. (These considerations apply to project flatwork, as well.) Also, GROUND's experience indicates that longitudinal cracking is common in asphalt - pavements generally parallel to the interface between the asphalt and concrete structures such as curbs, gutters, or drain pans. Distress of this type is likely to occur even where the subgrade has been prepared properly and the asphalt has been compacted properly. The anticipated traffic loading does not include excess loading conditions imposed by heavy construction vehicles. Consequently, heavily loaded concrete, lumber, and building material trucks can have a detrimental effect on the pavement. Most pavements will not remain in satisfactory condition and achieve their "design lives" without regular maintenance and rehabilitation procedures performed throughout the life of the pavement. Maintenance and rehabilitation measures preserve, rather than improve, the structural capacity of the pavement structure. Therefore, an effective program of regular maintenance should be developed and implemented to seal cracks, repair distressed areas, and perform thin overlays throughout the lives of the pavements. The greatest benefit of pavement overlaying will be achieved by overlaying sound pavements that exhibit little or no distress. Crack sealing should be performed at least annually and a fog seal/chip seal program should be performed on the pavements every 3 to 4 years. After approximately 8 to 10 years after construction, patching, additional crack sealing, and asphalt overlay may be required. Prior to overlays, it is important that all cracks be sealed with a flexible, rubberized crack sealant in order to reduce the potential for propagation of the crack through the overlay. If actual traffic loadings exceed the values used for development of the pavement sections, however, pavement maintenance measures will be needed on an accelerated schedule. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 41 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado Geotechnical criteria for fill placement and compaction are provided in the Project Earthwork section of this report. The contractor should be prepared to either dry the subgrade materials or moisten them, as needed, prior to compaction. Proof Rolling Immediately prior to paving, the subgrade should be proof rolled with a heavily loaded, pneumatic tired vehicle. Areas that show excessive deflection during proof rolling should be excavated and replaced and/or stabilized. Areas allowed to pond prior to paving will require significant reworking prior to proof -rolling. Establishment of a firm paving latform as indicated by proof rolling) is an additional requirement beyond proper fill placement and compaction. It is possible for soils to be compacted within the limits indicated in the Project Earthwork section of this report and fail proof rolling, particularly in the upper range of moisture content. Additional Observations The collection and diversion of surface drainage away from paved areas is extremely important to the satisfactory performance of the pavements. The subsurface and surface drainage systems should be carefully designed to ensure removal of the water from paved areas and subgrade soils. Allowing surface waters to pond on pavements will cause premature pavement deterioration. Where topography, site constraints, or other factors limit or preclude adequate surface drainage, pavements should be provided with edge drains to reduce loss of subgrade support. The long-term performance of the pavement also can be improved greatly by proper backfilling and compaction behind curbs, gutters, and sidewalks so that ponding is not permitted and water infiltration is reduced. Landscape irrigation in planters adjacent to pavements and in "island" planters within paved areas should be carefully controlled or differential heave and/or rutting of the nearby pavements will result. Drip irrigation systems are suggested for such planters to reduce over -spray and water infiltration beyond the planters. Enclosing the soil in the planters with plastic liners and providing them with positive drainage also will reduce differential moisture increases in the surrounding subgrade soils. In our experience, infiltration from planters adjacent to pavements is a principal source of moisture increase beneath those pavements. This wetting of the subgrade soils from infiltrating irrigation commonly leads to loss of subgrade support for the pavement with resultant accelerating distress, loss of pavement life and increased maintenance costs. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 40 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado Subgrade Preparation Although subgrade preparation to a depth of 12 inches is common in the general project area, the local soils are sufficiently collapsible that we do not consider 12 inches to be a sufficient depth of subgrade preparation. Remedial earthwork to any depth will not prevent pavement distress on these soils, but will tend to reduce it and improve perceived rideability. At this site, it is likely that greater than typical maintenance measures, including the removal and replacement of pavements will be required. Remedial Earthwork Based on the plasticity of the soils and MOT guidelines, the pavements should be constructed, in general, on a section of properly moisture - conditioned and compacted to a depth of at least 24 inches or a depth that removes and replaces all undocumented fill soils and all soft, wet, otherwise unsuitable soils, whichever is greater. This section assumes that a) traffic speeds in the parking areas and driveways will be relatively slow, and b) the facility owner will be tolerant of significant total and differential pavement post -construction movements (on the order of several inches) and the associated maintenance costs that that are necessary to reestablish effective drainage, replace distressed pavement, etc. We understand, however, that it may not be practical remove and replace all the undocumented fill soils or soft, yielding, or otherwise deleterious soils as properly compacted fill due the presence of utility lines and the proximity of existing improvements. Therefore, if the owner opts to reduce the fill section beneath the pavements, additional post -construction movements, accelerated pavement distress, and additional maintenance should be anticipated. We suggest remedial earthwork should be performed to no less than 24 inches in such a case. Similarly, where existing utility lines or other site constraints limit the depth to which remedial earthwork can be accomplished, remedial earthwork should be completed to the extent practical, but additional maintenance should be anticipated. In general, increasing the depth of fill beneath the pavements will decrease the risk of post -construction movements. Subgrade preparation of the selected depth should extend the full width of the pavement from back -of -curb to back -of -curb. The subgrade for any sidewalks and other project hardscaping also should be prepared in the same manner. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 39 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado standards in the Project Earthwork section of this report. Aggregate composed of recycled asphalt should not be expected to provide the same support for the wearing course as native, Class 6 material and should not be considered as an equivalent for it. Our experience suggests that recycled asphalt is difficult to compact properly when placed and can hold water after the wearing course is placed on it. Pavement concrete should consist of a plant mix composed of a mixture of aggregate, portland cement and appropriate admixtures meeting the requirements of a job -mix formula established by a qualified engineer as well as applicable municipal design requirements design requirements. Concrete should have a minimum modulus of rupture of third point loading of 650 psi. Normally, concrete with a 28-day compressive strength of 4,500 psi should develop this modulus of rupture value. The concrete should be air - entrained with approximately 6 percent air and should have a minimum cement content of 6 sacks per cubic yard. Maximum allowable slump should be 4 inches. These concrete mix design criteria should be coordinated with other project requirements including any criteria for sulfate resistance presented in the Water -Soluble Sulfates section of this report. To reduce surficial spalling resulting from freeze -thaw cycling, we suggest that pavement concrete meet the requirements of CDOT Class P concrete. In addition, the use of de-icing salts on concrete pavements during the first winter after construction will increase the likelihood of the development of scaling. Placement of flatwork concrete during cold weather so that it is exposed to freeze -thaw cycling before it is fully cured also increases its vulnerability to scaling. Concrete placing during cold weather conditions should be blanketed or tented to allow full curing. Depending on the weather conditions, this may result in 3 to 4 weeks of curing, and possibly more. Concrete pavements should contain sawed or formed joints. CDOT and various industry groups provide guidelines for proper design and concrete construction and associated jointing. In areas of repeated turning stresses, such as truck loading and unloading areas, the concrete pavement joints should be fully tied and doweled. PCA, ACI, and ACPA publications also provide useful guidance in these regards. Joint spacings less than the 15-foot maximum indicated in in CDOT's M standards, e.g., 10 feet or 12 feet, may be beneficial to reduce concrete cracking. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 38 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado An ESAL value of 219,000 (corresponding to an EDLA value of 30 for a 20-year design life) was estimated for the "moderate wight" (truck) pavements immediately surrounding the proposed fuel farm. If design traffic loadings differ significantly from these assumed values, GROUND should be notified to reevaluate the pavement sections below. Pavement Sections The soil resilient modulus and the ESAL values were used to determine the required structural number for the project pavements which then was then used to develop the pavement sections based on the DARWinTM computer program that solves the 1993 AASHTO pavement equations. A reliability level of 85 percent and a terminal serviceability of 2.0 were utilized for design of the pavement sections. A structural coefficient of 0.44 was used for hot bituminous asphalt and 0.12 was used for aggregate base course. The minimum pavement sections for a 20-year design are tabulated below. MINIMUM PAVEMENT SECTIONS Full Depth Asphalt Composite Section Rigid Section (inches Asphalt / (inches Concrete / (inches Asphalt) inches Aggregate inches Aggregate Base) Basel 8 5/10 7/6 In our experience, asphalt pavements (including composite sections) will not perform as well as rigid pavement in areas of high turning stresses or prolonged static loading, and additional maintenance costs (repairing of tearing and pushing distress) should be anticipated if either of these sections were selected. Furthermore, the use of full -depth asphalt sections is anticipated to result in accelerated distress such as rutting and cracking; the use of composite asphalt/aggregate base course pavement sections commonly provides better, long-term performance in our experience. Pavement Materials Asphalt pavement should consist of a bituminous plant mix composed of a mixture of aggregate and bituminous material. Asphalt mixture(s) should meet the requirements of a job -mix formula established by a qualified engineer as well as applicable municipal design requirements. Aggregate base material should meet the criteria of CDOT Class 6 Aggregate Base Course. Base course should be placed in and compacted in accordance with the Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 37 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado PAVEMENT SECTIONS A pavement section is a layered system designed to distribute concentrated traffic loads to the subgrade. Performance of the pavement structure is directly related to the physical properties of the subgrade soils and traffic loadings. Standard practice in pavement design describes a typical flexible pavement section as a "20-year" design pavement. However, a pavement should not be anticipated to remain in satisfactory condition without routine maintenance and rehabilitation procedures performed throughout the life of the pavement. Pavement sections for the private pavements at the subject facility were developed in general accordance with the guidelines and procedures of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and local pavement construction practice. Note that the pavement sections provided in this report consider only automobile traffic and light aircraft traffic, and may not be appropriate for areas subject to larger, heavier aircraft. Subgrade Materials Our data indicate that the shallow soils at the site classify primarily as A-4 soils with group index values up to 6 in accordance with the AASHTO classification system. Such soils generally provide relatively poor subgrade support. Based on our experience with similar projects, and data obtained during previous geotechnical evaluations at the airport, a resilient modulus value of 4,000 was estimated for the on -site materials. It is important to note that significant decreases in soil support have been observed as the moisture content increases above optimum. Pavements that are not properly drained may experience a loss of the soil support and subsequent reduction in pavement life. Anticipated Traffic Project -specific traffic loads had not been provided to GROUND at the time of preparation of this report. Therefore, assumed traffic loadings were used to develop the pavement section alternatives based on our experience with similar facilities. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 36 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado already have entered the subgrade, leading to subsequent distress and failures. The contractor should maintain effective site drainage throughout construction so that water is directed into appropriate drainage structures. 5) In no case should water be permitted to pond adjacent to or on sidewalks, hardscaping, or other improvements as well as utility trench alignments, which are likely to be adversely affected by moisture -volume changes in the underlying soils or flow of infiltrating water. SUBSURFACE DRAINAGE As a component of project civil design, properly functioning, subsurface drain systems ("underdrains") can be beneficial for collecting and discharging saturated subsurface waters. Although the subsurface drainage system anticipated for this project may consist of perimeter underdrains along the fuel tank perimeters and underdrains constructed beneath flatwork, they are addressed as underdrains herein. Underdrains will not collect water infiltrating under unsaturated (vadose) conditions, or moving via capillarity, however. In addition, if not properly constructed and maintained, underdrains can transfer water into foundation soils, rather than remove it. This will tend to induce heave or settlement of the subsurface soils, and may result in distress. Underdrains can, however, provide an added level of protection against relatively severe post -construction movements by draining saturated conditions near the fuel tanks should they arise, and limiting the volume of wetted soil. If the project team would like to consider underdrains for the shade structure, GROUND is available to discuss the above options as well as other underdrain alternatives upon request. Geotechnical parameters and details can also be provided upon request. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 35 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado 1) Wetting or drying of the underslab areas should be avoided during and after construction. Permitting increases/variations in moisture to the adjacent or supporting soils may result in increased total and/or differential movements. 2) Measures for positive surface drainage away from the fuel tanks should be provided and maintained to reduce water infiltration into foundation soils. Underdrains should not be relied upon in surface drainage design to collect and discharge surface waters. A minimum slope of 12 inches in the first 10 feet in the areas not covered with pavement or concrete slabs should be established. For areas covered with asphalt pavement or concrete slabs, slopes should comply with ADA requirements where required. Increasing slopes to a minimum of 3 percent in the first 10 feet in the areas covered with pavement or concrete slabs will reduce, but not eliminate, the potential for moisture infiltration and subsequent volume change of the underling soils. In no case should water be allowed to pond near or adjacent to foundation elements, hardscaping, etc. 3) Drainage also should be established and maintained to direct water away from sidewalks and other hardscaping as well as utility trench alignments which are not tolerant of increased post -construction movements. The ground surface near foundation elements should be able to convey water away readily. Cobbles or other materials that tend to act as baffles and restrict surface flow should not be used to cover the ground surface near the foundations. Where the ground surface does not convey water away readily, additional post - construction movements and distress should be anticipated. 4) In GROUND's experience, it is common during construction that in areas of partially completed paving or hardscaping, bare soil behind curbs and gutters, and utility trenches, water is allowed to pond after rain or snow -melt events. Wetting of the subgrade can result in loss of subgrade support and increased settlements. By the time final grading has been completed, significant volumes of water can Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 34 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado restrained joints to reduce the potential for failure at joints. Connections to the fuel tanks or other structures should be flexible and easily replaced or adjusted. Non -pressurized lines should be evaluated periodically for deformations such as pipe "bellies" that would impair their efficiency, and appropriate repairs made. Maintenance plans should anticipate greater than typical utility line maintenance and replacement because of the undocumented fill soils that will remain beneath utility lines. SURFACE DRAINAGE The site soils are relatively stable with regard to moisture content —volume relationships at their existing moisture contents. Other than the anticipated, post -placement settlement of fills, post -construction soil movements will result primarily from the introduction of water into the soils underlying the proposed fuel tanks, hardscaping, and pavements. Based on the site surface and subsurface conditions encountered in this study, we do not anticipate a rise in the local water table sufficient to approach foundation elevations. Therefore, local saturation of project foundation soils likely will result from infiltrating surface waters (precipitation, irrigation, etc.), and water flowing along constructed pathways such as bedding in utility pipe trenches. The following drainage measures should be followed both for during construction and as part of project design. However, we understand that given the nature of the proposed structures and their locations, some of these measures may not be practical to implement. Where they are not implemented, there exists a risk of the post -construction movement estimates listed in this report being exceeded. The following drainage measures should be followed both for during construction and as part of project design. The facility should be observed periodically to evaluate the surface drainage and identify areas where drainage is ineffective. Routine maintenance of site drainage should be undertaken throughout the design life of the proposed facility. Maintenance should be antici ated to include removal and re lacement of sidewalk stones, curb and gutter, sections of pavement, etc., to restore effective drainage. If these measures are not implemented and maintained effectively, the movement estimates provided in this report could be exceeded. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 33 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado should be free of vegetation, organic debris, and other deleterious materials. Fragments of rock, cobbles, and inert construction debris (e.g., concrete or asphalt) coarser than 3 inches in maximum dimension should not be incorporated into trench backfills. Soils placed for compaction as trench backfill should be conditioned to a relatively uniform moisture content, placed, and compacted in accordance with the parameters in the Project Earthwork section of this report. Pipe Bedding Pipe bedding materials, placement and compaction should meet the specifications of the pipe manufacturer and applicable municipal standards. Bedding should be brought up uniformly on both sides of the pipe to reduce differential loadings. As discussed above, the use of CLSM or similar material in lieu of granular bedding and compacted soil backfill should be considered where the tolerance for surface settlement is low. (Placement of CLSM as bedding to at least 12 inches above the pipe can protect the pipe and assist construction of a well -compacted conventional backfill, although possibly at an increased cost relative to the use of conventional bedding.) If a granular bedding material is specified, with regard to potential migration of fines into the pipe bedding, design and installation should follow ASTM D2321, Appendix X1.8. If the granular bedding does not meet filter criteria for the enclosing soils, and we do not anticipate that it will, then non -woven filter fabric (e.g., Mirafio 140N, or the equivalent) should be placed around the bedding to reduce migration of fines into the bedding which can result in severe, local surface settlements. Where this protection is not provided, settlements can develop/continue several months or years after completion of the project. In addition, clay or concrete cut-off walls should be installed to interrupt the granular bedding section to reduce the rates and volumes of water transmitted along the sewer alignment which can contribute to migration of fines. If granular bedding is specified, the contractor should not anticipate that the shallow on - site soils may be suitable for that use with significant processing. Materials proposed for use as pipe bedding should be tested for suitability prior to use. Other Considerations Because of the potential for local consolidation of site soils to result in significant, extensional strains to utility pipes, pipes should be provided with Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 32 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado Areas allowed to pond water will require excavation and replacement with properly compacted fill. The contractor should take particular care to ensure adequate support near pipe joints which are less tolerant of extensional strains. Where thrust blocks are needed, the parameters provided in the Lateral Loads section of this report may be used for design. Trench Backfilling Some settlement of compacted soil trench backfill materials should be anticipated, even where all the backfill is placed and compacted correctly. Typical settlements are on the order of 1 to 2 percent of fill thickness. However, the need to compact to the lowest portion of the backfill must be balanced against the need to protect the pipe from damage from the compaction process. Some thickness of backfill may need to be placed at compaction levels lower than specified (or smaller compaction equipment used together with thinner lifts) to avoid damaging the pipe. Protecting the pipe in this manner can result in somewhat greater surface settlements. Therefore, although other alternatives may be available, the following options are presented for consideration: Controlled Low Strength Material Because of these limitations, the entire depth of the trench (both bedding and common backfill zones) should be backfilled with "controlled low strength material' (CLSM), i.e., a lean, sand -cement slurry, "flowable fill," or similar material along all trench ali nment reaches with low tolerances for surface settlements. CLSM used as pipe bedding and trench backfill should exhibit a 28-day unconfined compressive strength between 50 to 150 psi so that reexcavation is not unusually difficult. Placement of the CLSM in several lifts or other measures likely will be necessary to avoid "floating" the pipe. Measures also should be taken to maintain pipe alignment during CLSM placement. Compacted Soil Backfilling In areas that are tolerant of surface settlements, conventional soil backfilling may be used. Where compacted soil backfilling is employed, using the site soils or similar materials as backfill, the risk of backfill settlements entailed in the selection of this higher risk alternative must be anticipated and accepted by Vantage Aviation, LLC. We anticipate that the on -site soils excavated from trenches will be suitable, in general, for use as common trench backfill within the above -described limitations. Backfill soils Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 31 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado well points to draw down the water level may be appropriate methods. Other methods may also be necessary. The dewatering approach should ultimately be determined by the contractor based on their means and methods experience. Dewatering operations may be necessary as both temporary and long-term/permanent installations. Dewatering design should consider the potential effect on existing structures in vicinity. If seepage or groundwater is encountered during excavation or at any time during construction, the project geotechnical engineer and project team should be contacted to evaluate the conditions. The presence of groundwater in these types of situations and associated potential design changes can have an impact to both the financial and schedule components of a project. Surface Water The contractor should take proactive measures to control surface waters during construction and maintain good surface drainage conditions to direct waters away from excavations and into appropriate drainage structures. A properly designed drainage swale should be provided at the tops of the excavation slopes. In no case should water be allowed to pond near project excavations. Temporary slopes should also be protected against erosion. Erosion along the slopes will result in sloughing and could lead to a slope failure. PIPING INSTALLATION The measures and criteria below are based on GROUND's evaluation of the local, geotechnical conditions. Where the parameters herein differ from applicable municipal re uirements the latter should be considered to govern. Pipe Support The bearing capacity of the site soils appeared adequate, in general, for support of typical piping. The pipes and their contents are less dense than the soils which will be displaced for installation. Therefore, in general GROUND anticipates no significant pipe settlements in these materials where properly bedded from loading alone. Trench bottoms may expose existing fill soils, or soft, loose, or otherwise deleterious materials. Firm materials may be disturbed by the excavation process. All such unsuitable materials should be excavated and replaced with properly compacted fill. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 30 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado within the test holes, materials that may be awkward or otherwise difficult to handle (e.g., relatively large pieces of construction or bedrock debris) may be encountered. (See the Site Conditions section of this report.) Aside from these potential issues, in general, we anticipate no unusual excavation difficulties in these materials, for the proposed construction with conventional, heavy duty, excavating equipment, though some greater than typical efforts may be needed locally, as discussed above. Temporary Excavations and Personnel Safety Excavations in which personnel will be working must comply with all applicable OSHA Standards and Regulations, particularly CFR 29 Part 1926, OSHA Standards -Excavations, adopted March 5, 1990. The contractor's "responsible person" should evaluate the soil exposed in the excavations as part of the contractor's safety procedures. GROUND has provided the information in this report solely as a service to Vantage Aviation, LLC, and is not assuming responsibility for construction site safety or the contractor's activities. The contractor should take care when making excavations not to compromise the bearing or lateral support for any adjacent, existing improvements. Should site constraints prohibit the use sloped excavations, temporary shoring should be used. GROUND is available to provide shoring design upon request. Stockpiling of materials should not be permitted closer than 5 feet to the tops of temporary slopes, or a distance equal to the depth of the excavation, whichever is greater. Groundwater Groundwater was not encountered in the test holes at the depths explored. Therefore, based on conditions at the time of this subsurface exploration, relatively shallow excavations at the site appear unlikely to encounter groundwater, except limited volumes of perched groundwater. Significant volumes of perched or transient groundwater may be encountered at shallow depths during periods of seasonal runoff, significant snowmelt events, and/or after relatively large precipitation events. It is possible that groundwater may be encountered in project excavations at depths both shallower and deeper than those indicated above. The contractor should be prepared to dewater the excavation during construction. Pumps adequate to discharge water and/or Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 29 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado use can be considered on a case -by -case basis. Where squeegee meets the project requirements for pipe bedding material, however, it is acceptable for that use. Settlements Settlements will occur in newly filled ground, typically on the order of 1 to 2 percent of the fill depth. This is separate from settlement of the existing soils left in place. For a 6-foot fill, for example, that corresponds to a total settlement of about 1 inch. If fill placement is performed properly and is tightly controlled, in GROUND's experience the majority (on the order of 60 to 80 percent) of that settlement typically will take place during earthwork construction, provided the contractor achieves the compaction levels indicated herein. The remaining potential settlements likely will take several months or longer to be realized, and may be exacerbated if these fills are subjected to changes in moisture content. Cut and Filled Slopes Permanent, unretained, graded slopes supported by local soils up to 5 feet in height should be constructed no steeper than 3:1 (horizontal : vertical). Minor raveling or surficial sloughing should be anticipated on slopes cut at this angle until vegetation is well reestablished. Surface drainage should be designed to direct water away from slope faces into designed drainage pathways or structures. Steeper slope angles and heights may be possible but will require detailed slope stability analysis based on final proposed grading plans. A geotechnical engineer should be retained to evaluate this on a case -by -case basis. EXCAVATION CONSIDERATIONS Excavation Difficulty Test holes for the subsurface exploration were advanced to the depths indicated on the test hole logs by means of conventional, buggy -mounted, geotechnical drilling equipment. Practical auger refusal conditions were not encountered during this exploration; however, such conditions have been encountered elsewhere at the Rifle —Garfield County Airport. Additionally, relatively high penetration resistance values were measured at variable depths within several of the test holes, included penetration resistance values as high as 50 blows for 11 inches of penetration at a depth of about 17 feet below existing grade. Such variations in penetration resistance values indicate layers of denser soils and possible cobbles/boulders. Additionally, given the inherent nature of undocumented fill soils and the recorded penetration resistance values Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 28 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado Compaction areas should be kept separate, and no lift should be covered by another until relative compaction and moisture content within the specified ranges are obtained. Compaction Criteria Soils that classify as GP, GW, GM, GC, SP, SW, SM, or SC in accordance with the USCS classification system (granular materials) should be compacted to 95 or more percent of the maximum dry density at moisture contents within 3 percent of the optimum moisture content as determined by ASTM D1557, the modified Proctor. Soils that classify as ML, MH, CL, or CH should be compacted to at least 95 percent of the maximum dry density at moisture contents between within 3 percent of the optimum moisture content as determined by ASTM D698, the standard Proctor. Use of Squeegee Relatively uniformly graded fine gravel or coarse sand, i.e., "squeegee," or similar materials commonly are proposed for backfilling foundation excavations, utility trenches (excluding approved pipe bedding), and other areas where employing compaction equipment is difficult. In general, this procedure should not be followed for the following reasons. Although commonly considered "self -compacting," uniformly graded granular materials require densification after placement, typically by vibration. The equipment to densify these materials is not available on many job -sites. Even when properly densified, uniformly graded granular materials are permeable and allow water to reach and collect in the lower portions of the excavations backfilled with those materials. This leads to wetting of the underlying soils and resultant potential loss of bearing support as well as increased local heave or settlement. Wherever possible, excavations should be backfilled with approved, on -site soils placed as properly compacted fill. Where achieving adequate compaction is difficult, then Controlled Low Strength Material' (CLSM), i.e., a lean, sand -cement slurry ("flowable fill') or a similar material should be used for backfilling. Where "squeegee" or similar materials are proposed for use by the Contractor, the design team should be notified by means of a Request for Information (RFI), so that the proposed Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 27 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado General Considerations for Fill Placement Fill soils should be thoroughly mixed to achieve a uniform moisture content, placed in uniform lifts not exceeding 8 inches in loose thickness, and properly compacted. Excavated bedrock materials, such as those present in the native colluvium, will require a well -coordinated effort to moisture treat, process, place, and compact properly. In -place bedrock fragments were hard to very hard, and should be broken down in to a soil -like mass. Greater than typical watering, and compaction equipment that aids in breaking down such material (e.g., a Caterpillar 825 compactor -roller), likely will be needed. Crushing or other methods should be anticipated to sufficiently reduce sandstone bedrock fragments where encountered. Applied water will be taken up into the structures of the claystone. The contractor should anticipate that handling and processing the excavated bedrock more than once may be necessary to achieve the requirements herein. Excavated bedrock, such as those present in the native colluvium, to be used as trench backfill, will require additional moisture conditioning and processing in an open area outside of trenches prior to placement as backfill. No fill materials should be placed, worked, rolled while they are frozen, thawing, or during poor/inclement weather conditions. Where soils on which foundation elements will be placed are exposed to freezing temperatures or repeated freeze —thaw cycling during construction, commonly due to water ponding in foundation excavations, bearing capacity typically is reduced and/or settlements increased due to the loss of density in the supporting soils. After periods of freezing conditions, the contractor should rework areas affected by the formation of ice to reestablish adequate bearing support. Care should be taken with regard to achieving and maintaining proper moisture contents during placement and compaction. Materials that are not properly moisture conditioned may exhibit significant pumping, rutting, and deflection at moisture contents near optimum and above. The contractor should be prepared to handle soils of this type, including the use of chemical stabilization, if necessary. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 26 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado Use of Existing Native Soils Based on the samples retrieved from the test holes, we anticipate that the existing site soils that are free of organic materials, coarse cobbles, boulders, or other deleterious materials will be suitable, in general, for reuse as compacted fill. Fragments of rock and cobbles, (as well as inert construction debris, e.g., concrete or asphalt) up to 3 inches in maximum dimension may be included in project fills, in general. Such materials should be evaluated on a case -by -case basis, where identified during earthwork. Silty Soils Significant portions of the site soils are silty. Such materials commonly require greater than typical efforts to place as compacted fill because they can become unstable and difficult to compact at moisture contents near or above the optimum. Stable and compacted soils can become unstable if allowed to become wetted. The contractor should be prepared to work in these materials, or to export and replace them. Clayey Soils If local volumes of moderately to highly plastic soils are encountered during grading, they should not be included in project structural fills, but placed in non-structural areas or exported. Imported Fill Materials Materials imported to the site as (common) fill should be free of organic material, and other deleterious materials. Imported material should exhibit 70 percent or less passing the No. 200 Sieve and a plasticity index of 10 or less. Materials proposed for import should be approved prior to transport to the site. Fill Platform Preparation Prior to filling, the top 12 inches of in -place materials on which fill soils will be placed (except for utility trench bottoms where bedding will be placed) should be scarified, moisture conditioned and properly compacted in accordance with the criteria below to provide a uniform base for fill placement. If surfaces to receive fill expose loose, wet, soft, or otherwise deleterious material, additional material should be excavated, or other measures taken to establish a firm platform for filling. A surface to receive fill must be effectively stable prior to placement of fill, including trench bottoms prior to placement of bedding. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 25 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado PROJECT EARTHWORK The earthwork criteria below are based on our interpretation of the geotechnical conditions encountered in the test holes. Where these criteria differ from applicable municipal specifications, e.g., for trench backfill compaction along a public utility line the latter should be considered to take recedence. General Considerations Project grading should be performed as early as possible in the construction sequence to allow settlement of fills and surcharged ground to be realized to the greatest extent prior to subsequent construction. Prior to earthwork construction, existing construction debris, vegetation, and other deleterious materials should be removed and disposed of off -site. Relic underground utilities should be abandoned in accordance with applicable regulations, removed as necessary, and properly capped. Topsoil and other organic materials present on -site should not be incorporated into ordinary fills. Instead, topsoil should be stockpiled during initial grading operations for placement in areas to be landscaped or for other approved uses. These materials should be removed and replaced where fill will be placed above them or where they will be beneath a proposed improvement. Use of Existing Fill Soils Fill materials were recognized at the test holes during our subsurface exploration, and likely are present elsewhere on the site, given the apparent grading. (See the Site Conditions section of this report.) Because not all the fill soils were sampled or tested, it is possible that some of the fill soils may not be suitable for reuse as compacted fill, due to the presence of deleterious materials such as trash, organic material, coarse cobbles and boulders, or construction debris. Therefore, excavated fill materials should be evaluated and tested, as appropriate, with regard to reuse. We anticipate, however, that the majority of the existing site fill soils will be suitable for reuse as fill. Additionally, it should be noted that environmental assessment of the suitability of the existing fill was not part of our scope of services. If this is a concern for the project team, an environmental consultant should be retained. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 24 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado Table A.1 Soil -Test Evaluation Soil Characteristic / Value Points Redox Potential < 0 (negative values)....................................................................................... 5 0 to +50 mV.................................................................................................... 4 +50 to +100 mV...................................................... ............................. 3'/z > +100 mV.........................:........................... ............................ 0 Sulfide Reactivity Positive........................................................................................................... 3'/2 Trace............................................................................................................... 2 Negative........................................................................................................... 0 Soil Resistivity <1,500 ohm-cm............................................................................................. 10 1,500 to 1,800 ohm-cm................................................................................ 8 1,800 to 2,100 ohm-cm................................................................................. 5 2,100 to 2,500 ohm-cm................................................................................. 2 2,500 to 3,000 ohm-cm................................................................................. 1 >3,000 ohm-cm.................................................................................. 0 pH 0 to 2.0...................................................................................... .................. 5 2.0 to 4.0........................................................................ ............................... 3 4.0 to 6.5......................•.................................................................................. 0 6.5 to 7.5........................................................................................................ 0. 7.5 to 8.5......................................................................................................... 0 >8.5..................................................... ....... .............................................. 3 Moisture Poor drainage, continuously wet...................................................................... 2 Fair drainage, generally moist....................................................................... 1 Good drainage, generally dry ........................................................................ 0 * If sulfides are present and low or negative redox-potential results (< 50 mV) are obtained, add three (3) points for this range. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 23 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado Soil Resistivity In order to assess the "worst case" for mitigation planning, samples of materials retrieved from the test holes were tested for resistivity in the laboratory, after being saturated with water, rather than in the field. Resistivity also varies inversely with temperature. Therefore, the laboratory measurements were made at a controlled temperature. Measurement of electrical resistivity indicated a value of approximately 12,353 ohm -centimeters in a sample of site soils. pH Where pH is less than 4.0, soil serves as an electrolyte; the pH range of about 6.5 to 7.5 indicates soil conditions that are optimum for sulfate reduction. In the pH range above 8.5, soils are generally high in dissolved salts, yielding a low soil resistivity.6 Our testing indicated a pH value of 9.3. Corrosivity Assessment The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has developed a point system scale used to predict corrosivity. The scale is intended for protection of ductile iron pipe but is valuable for project steel selection. When the scale equals 10 points or higher, protective measures for ductile iron pipe are indicated. The AWWA scale is presented on the next page. The soil characteristics refer to the conditions at and above pipe installation depth. We anticipate that drainage at the site after construction will be effective. Nevertheless, based on the values obtained for the soil parameters, the fill and native soils appear to comprise a severely corrosive environment for ferrous metals (11'/2 points). If additional information or evaluation is needed regarding soil corrosivity, then the American Water Works Association or a corrosion engineer should be contacted. It should be noted, however, that changes to the site conditions during construction, such as the import of other soils, or the intended or unintended introduction of off -site water, might alter corrosion potentials significantly. 6 American Water Works Association ANSI/AWWA C105/A21.5-05 Standard. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 22 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado Class l(Moderate) 1) ASTM C150 Type II or V. 2) ASTM C595 Type IP(MS) or IP(HS) 3) ASTM C150 Type III. Type III shall have no more than 8 percent C3A. 4) ASTM C595 Type IL(MS), IL(HS), IT(MS), or (HS). Class C fly ash shall not be substituted for cement. In addition, all concrete used shall have a minimum compressive strength of 4,000 psi. Additional water-soluble sulfate testing may be useful to confirm appropriate class of cement to use. The contractor should be aware that certain concrete mix components affecting sulfate resistance including, but not limited to, the cement, entrained air, and fly ash, can affect workability, set time, and other characteristics during placement, finishing and curing. The contractor should develop mix(es) for use in project concrete which are suitable with regard to these construction factors, as well as sulfate resistance. A reduced, but still significant, sulfate resistance may be acceptable to the owner, in exchange for desired construction characteristics. SOIL CORROSIVITY Data were obtained to support an initial assessment of the potential for corrosion of ferrous metals in contact with earth materials at the site, based on the conditions at the time of GROUND's evaluation. The test results are summarized in Table 2. Reduction -Oxidation testing indicated a red-ox potential of approximately -116 millivolts. Such low potentials typically create a more corrosive environment. Sulfide Reactivity testing indicated a "positive" result in the local soils. The presence of sulfides in the soils suggests a more corrosive environment. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 21 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado WATER-SOLUBLE SULFATES The concentration of water-soluble sulfates measured in a selected sample of site soils was approximately 0.01 percent. (See Table 2.) Such a concentration of soluble sulfates represents a negligible environment for sulfate attack on concrete exposed to these materials. Degrees of attack are based on the scale of "negligible," "moderate," "severe," and "very severe" as described in the "Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures," published by the Portland Cement Association (PCA). The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) utilizes a corresponding scale with four classes of severity of sulfate exposure (Class 0 to Class 3) as described in the table below. REQUIREMENTS TO PROTECT AGAINST DAMAGE TO CONCRETE BY SULFATE ATTACK FROM EXTERNAL SOURCES OF SULFATE Severity of Water -Soluble Sulfate (SO4) Water Cementitious Sulfate Sulfate (SO4) In Water Cementitious Ratio Material Exposure In Dry Soil (ppm) (maximum) Requirements Class 0 0.00 to 0.10 0 to 150 0.45 Class 0 Class 1 0.11 to 0.20 151 to 1500 0.45 Class 1 Class 2 0.21 to 2.00 1501 to 10,000 OA5 Class 2 Class 3 I 2.01 or greater 10,001 or greater 0.40 Class 3 Based on our test results and PCA and CDOT guidelines, sulfate -resistant cement should be used in all concrete exposed to site soils, conforming to one of the following Class 0 requirements: Class 0 [Negligible) 1) ASTM C150 Type I, II, III, or V. 2) ASTM C595 Type IL, IP, IP(MS), IP(HS), or IT. However, based on our experience in the greater project area, elevated sulfates may be present in the site soils. Therefore, the project team should consider using cement that meets Class 1 or higher requirements. Class 1 requirements are presented below: Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 20 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado 10) All piping should be carefully tested before operation. Where piping penetrates a slab, a positive bond break should be provided. 11) The contractor should take adequate care to keep excavated surfaces free of standing water. LATERAL LOADS Values for equivalent fluid pressures and the coefficient for frictional resistance to sliding are provided below. These values were based on moist unit weight ('y) of 127 pcf and an angle of internal friction (0) of 21 degrees for site soils reworked as properly compacted fill and are unfactored. Appropriate factors of safety should be included in design calculations. Shallow Elements Resisting Lateral Loads A friction coefficient of 0.26 between a foundation element and the site soils may be used for design of shallow foundations and thrust blocks resisting lateral loads. Passive soil pressure at this site may be estimated using an equivalent fluid pressure of 230 pcf for drained conditions, to a maximum of 2,300 psf. The upper 1 foot of embedment should be neglected for passive resistance, however. Where passive soil pressure is used to resist lateral loads, it should be understood that significant lateral strains will be required to mobilize the full value indicated above, likely 1 inch or more. A reduced passive pressure can be used for reduced anticipated strains, however. At -Rest and Active Lateral Earth Pressures Site soils placed as backfill against a structure in an at -rest condition may be considered to exert an equivalent fluid unit weight of 82 pcf. Site soils placed as backfill where the full, active earth pressure condition applies may be considered to exert an equivalent fluid unit weight of 61 pcf. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 19 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado Slip joints should be observed periodically, particularly during the first several years after construction. Slab movement can cause previously free -slipping joints to bind. Measures should be taken to assure that slab isolation is maintained in order to reduce the likelihood of damage. 5) Concrete slabs -on -grade should be provided with properly designed control joints. ACI, AASHTO, and other industry groups provide guidelines for proper design and construction concrete slabs -on -grade and associated jointing. The design and construction of such joints should account for cracking as a result of shrinkage, curling, tension, loading, and curing, as well as proposed slab use. Joint layout based on the slab design may require more frequent, additional, or deeper joints, and should reflect the configuration and proposed use of the slab. Particular attention in slab joint layout should be paid to areas where slabs consist of interior corners or curves (e.g., at column blockouts or reentrant corners) or where slabs have high length to width ratios, significant slopes, thickness transitions, high traffic loads, or other unique features. Improper placement or construction will increase the potential for slab cracking. 6) Post -construction settlement may not displace slabs -on -grade and utility lines in the soils beneath them to the same extent. Design of slab penetrations, connections, and fixtures should accommodate up to 2 inches of differential movement. Construction Considerations for Slab -on -Grade Floors 7) Loose, soft, or otherwise unsuitable materials exposed on the prepared surface on which the slab will be cast should be excavated and replaced with properly compacted fill. 8) The fill section beneath a slab should be of uniform thickness. 9) Concrete slabs should be constructed and cured in accordance with applicable industry standards and slab design specifications. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 18 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado FLOOR SYSTEMS The floor system parameters and considerations provided below were developed based on the performance expectations, geotechnical risks, and site conditions discussed in the prior sections of this report. The use of these parameters assumes that the above discussed risks and post -construction movement estimates are acceptable for the project. The geotechnical parameters below may be used for design of slab -on -grade floors for the proposed fuel farm. ACI Sections 301/302/360 provide guidance regarding concrete slab -on -grade design and construction. Geotechnical Parameters for Design of Slab -on -Grade -Floors 1) A slab -on -grade floor system should bear on the native clays and silts or a section of properly compacted fill soils as discussed in the Geotechnical Considerations for Design section of this report. 2) Floor slabs should be adequately reinforced. Floor slab design, including slab thickness, concrete strength, jointing, and slab reinforcement should be developed by a structural engineer. 3) An allowable vertical modulus of subgrade reaction (Kv) of 60 pci may be used for design of a concrete, slab -on -grade floor bearing on a remedial fill section constructed of site -derived soils. If the floor slab bears on 24 or more inches of CDOT Class 5 or 6 Aggregate Base Course compacted to 95 or more percent of the maximum dry density at moisture contents near the optimum moisture content as determined by ASTM D1557, then an allowable Kv of 250 pci may be used for design of a concrete, slab -on -grade floor This value is for a 1-foot by 1-foot plate; they should be adjusted for slab dimension. 4) Floor slabs should be separated from all bearing walls and columns with slip joints, which allow unrestrained vertical movement. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 17 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado Shallow Foundation Construction 11) The contractor should take adequate care when making excavations not to compromise the bearing or lateral support for nearby improvements. 12) Care should be taken when excavating the foundations to avoid disturbing the supporting materials particularly in excavating the last few inches. 13) Foundation excavation bottoms may expose loose, organic, or otherwise deleterious materials, including debris. Firm materials may become disturbed by the excavation process. All such unsuitable materials should be excavated and replaced with properly compacted fill or the foundation deepened. 14) Foundation -supporting soils may be disturbed or deform excessively under the wheel loads of heavy construction vehicles as the excavations approach footing bearing levels. Construction equipment should be as light as possible to limit development of this condition. The movement of vehicles over proposed foundation areas should be restricted. 15) All foundation subgrade should be compacted prior to placement of concrete. 16) Fill placed against the sides of the foundations should be properly compacted in accordance with the Project Earthwork section of this report. 17) Concrete mat slabs should be constructed and cured in accordance with applicable industry standards and slab design specifications. Mat movements are directly related to the increases in moisture contents to the underlying soils after construction is completed. The precautions and parameters itemized above will not prevent the movement of mat slabs if the underlying materials are subjected to moisture fluctuations. However, these steps will reduce the damage if such movement occurs. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 16 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado compacted fill, placed in accordance with the Project Earthwork section of this report. The mat subgrade should be properly moisture -density treated prior to placement of concrete. 8) Concrete mats should be placed on properly prepared subgrade. They should also be constructed and cured according to applicable standards and be provided with properly designed and constructed control joints. The design and construction of such joints should account for cracking as a result of shrinkage, tension, and loading; curling; as well as proposed slab use. Joint layout based on the slab design may require more frequent additional, or deeper joints, and should also be based on the ultimate use and configuration of the slabs. Areas where slabs consist of interior corners or curves (at column blockouts or around corners) or where slabs have high length to width ratios, high degree of slopes, thickness transitions, high traffic loads, or other unique features should be carefully considered. The improper placement or construction of control joints will increase the potential for slab cracking. ACI, AASHTO, and other industry groups provide many guidelines for proper design and construction of concrete slabs -on -grade and the associated jointing. 9) Connections of all types must be flexible and/or adjustable to accommodate the anticipated, post -construction movements of the structure. 10) To the extent possible, piping should not be routed under shallow foundations, particularly isolated pad foundations, nor in the soils supporting the foundations. Where doing so cannot be avoided, there is increased risk to both the pipe and the foundation. Measures should be included in design to protect the mats and structures from increased settlement, and to protect the pipe from deformation. Where piping penetrate footings or stem walls, etc., measures should be included to accommodate the likely total and differential, post -construction movements discussed in this report. Some footings also may experience lateral displacements as structural loads are applied. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 15 Rifle -Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado This estimate of foundation movement from immediate compression of the foundation soils is a component of the total, likely, post -construction movement estimated for the fuel tanks at this site. (See the Geotechnica/ Considerations for Design section of this report.) It is in addition to movements from post -construction volume change in the native soils underlying the site. To reduce differential settlements, foundation loads should be distributed as uniform as possible. Differentially loaded foundations will settle differentially. 3) Spread footings should have a minimum lateral dimension of 16 or more inches for linear strip footings and 24 or more inches for isolated pad footings. Actual footing dimensions should be determined by the structural engineer. 4) An allowable vertical modulus of subgrade reaction (Kv) of 60 pci may be used for design of a concrete, mat foundation bearing on the native site soils or a section of properly placed and compacted fill. If the floor slab bears on 24 or more inches of CDOT Class 5 or 6 Aggregate Base Course compacted to 95 or more percent of the maximum dry density at moisture contents near the optimum moisture content as determined by ASTM D1557, then an allowable Kv of 250 pci may be used for design of a concrete, slab -on -grade floor These values are for a 1-foot x 1-foot plate; they should be adjusted for slab dimension. 5) Foundations for all improvements should bear at an elevation 36 or more inches below the lowest adjacent exterior finish grades to have adequate soil cover for frost protection. 6) Geotechnical parameters for lateral resistance to foundation loads are provided in the Lateral Loads section of this report. 7) The prepared surface on which the mat will be cast should be observed by a geotechnical engineer prior to placement of reinforcement. Exposed loose, soft, or otherwise unsuitable materials should be excavated and replaced with properly Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 14 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado FOUNDATION SYSTEMS The foundation parameters and considerations provided below were developed based on the performance expectations, geotechnical risks, and site conditions discussed in the prior sections of this report. The foundation systems used should be based on the owner's tolerance of post -construction movements and the associated cost -risk trade-offs. The use of these parameters assumes that the above discussed, system -associated risks and post -construction movement estimates are acceptable for the project. Shallow Foundations The geotechnical parameters below may be used for design of foundations for the proposed fuel tanks. Geotechnical Parameters for Shallow Foundation Desi n 1) Spread footings or a mat plus road base system should bear on the native site clays and silts or a section of properly compacted fill as discussed in the Geotechnical Considerations for Design section of this report. 2) Footings bearing on the native site clays and silts or a section of properly placed and compacted fill may be designed for an allowable soil bearing pressure of 2,000 psf for footings up to 6 feet in width. A mat bearing on a properly placed and compacted fill section or on the native clays and silts may be designed for an allowable soil bearing pressure of 750 psf for a mat up to 20 feet in width. These values may be increased by for transient loads such as wind or seismic loading. For larger footings, a lower allowable bearing pressure may be appropriate. Compression of the bearing soils under the provided allowable bearing pressure is estimated to be '/2 inch, based on an assumption of drained foundation conditions. If foundation soils are subjected to an increase/fluctuation in moisture content, the effective bearing capacity will be reduced and greater post - construction movements than those estimated above may result. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 13 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado inches. Where improvement bear on the existing native site soils, which we anticipate will be exposed at footing or mat bearing elevations, we estimate that post -construction movements likely will be on the order of 1 inch. Lateral movements will result, as well. Foundation and slab/flatwork movements of these magnitudes can result in significant damage. Nearly all the proposed improvements are vulnerable in this regard. Fuel Tank Foundation Types In GROUND's opinion, supporting the proposed fuel tanks on drilled piers or driven piles foundation systems will provide the lowest estimates of likely post -construction foundation movement (about'/2 inch, with similar differential movements over spans of about 40 feet) and will provide the least risk of excessive foundation movements. However, deep foundation systems may not be practical because they may not be required to carry the structural loads and because the depth to bedrock at the site is relatively great. (Bedrock was not encountered at the depths explored in our test holes, which extended up to depths of 28 feet below existing grade.) As a higher risk but commonly used alternative, shallow foundations (spread footings or a mat) and slab -on -grade floor systems appear to be geotechnically feasible at this site. Spread footing foundations for the proposed fuel tanks may bear on the native site soils (encountered at approximately 3 feet below existing grades) or a section properly compacted fill. Mat foundations or other slab -on -grade may bear on at least 6 inches of CDOT Class 5 or 6 Road Base properly placed and compacted on the native clays and silts or remedial fill section. Should undocumented fill soils be encountered at shallow foundation or slab -on -grade bearing elevations, the undocumented fill soils should be removed and replaced as properly compacted fill to a uniform depth across the entire fuel tank footprint. As discussed elsewhere in this report, there may be significantly greater depths of fill present at or near the proposed fuel farm footprint. In general, we anticipate that the majority of the existing site soils will be suitable geotechnically to be reused as fill. However, because not all the fill material was sampled and tested, materials that are not suitable for reuse in project fills could be encountered in the undocumented fill soils. Additional geotechnical parameters for design of shallow foundations and slabs -on -grade are provided in subsequent sections of this report. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 12 Rifle -Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado improvements supported directly on these soils have experienced damaging post - construction movements where their effects have not been mitigated. Another source of geotechnical risk at the site is the presence of undocumented fill soils, which were recognized to depths of about 3 feet below existing grade. Testing records for the fill were not available for review. GROUND, therefore, cannot guarantee that these fill soils were placed in a controlled manner or that the compaction criteria used, if any, was suitable to support the proposed construction. Thus, GROUND considers these fill soils to be undocumented fill soils that are unsuitable to support to the proposed construction in their current condition. Given that the proposed fuel tank mat foundations are anticipated bear at depths greater than the undocumented fill soils at the site, we do not anticipate that they pose a significant risk to the foundation elements. Other shallow improvements, such as slabs -on -grade, flatwork, and pavements, that are supported on directly on the undocumented fill soils could experience significant and potentially damaging post -construction movements. Additionally, due to the antecedent drainage in the area, much greater depths of undocumented fill soils could be present beneath the proposed fuel farm footprint. Should greater depths of undocumented fill soils be encountered, those fill soils should be removed to their full depth and replaced as properly compacted fill. There are several existing improvements within and near the proposed fuel tank footprints. Where project excavations extend underneath shallow foundation elements of existing improvements, there will be a loss in soil bearing support. In the case of lost soil bearing support, additional settlements are likely to occur. Care should be taken when performing project excavations to not compromise the bearing support of nearby improvements. In general, we anticipate that the native clays and silts at the site will provide sufficient support for relatively lightly loaded structures without excessive settlements. Improvements imposing relatively heavy loads, may experience significant settlements if supported directly on the underlying native soils. Likely Post -construction Movements Based on our data, the selected depth of wetting, and our experience with similar sites, we estimate improvements supported directly on the existing fill soils are subject to likely, post -construction, vertical movements of 1'/2 to 2'/2 Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 11 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado We encourage Vantage Aviation, LLC, upon receipt of this report, to discuss the risks and the geotechnical information presented in this report with us. Depth of Wetting at the Site The "depth of wetting" (the depth to which foundation soils will gain moisture and experience volume change over the design -life of a structure) estimated for a given site strongly affects the anticipated performance of structures at that site. Based on the data obtained at this site and our experience with similar geotechnical settings, a depth of wetting of 20 feet was used to develop geotechnical parameters for foundation system design. A depth of wetting of 20 feet is equal to or greater than the depth of wetting found at about 72 percent of the sites evaluated in a study by Walsh and others (2009).4 "Depths of wetting" of 30, 40, or 70 feet or more have been considered (e.g., Chao and others, 2006)5 and have been encountered locally in the field. Depths of wetting of such magnitudes, however, generally are in unusual geologic conditions, such as the Dipping Bedrock Overlay District near Denver, Colorado, or identified forensically in unusual circumstances such as a pipe leak that has remained unrepaired for an extended period. In our experience, such deep depths of wetting are considered only rarely in engineering consulting practice in more typical geologic settings in the Western Slope area. GROUND considers wetting to a depth of 20 feet to be appropriately conservative for the proposed project. However, if Vantage Aviation, LLC prefers that a more conservative (or less conservative) depth be used to develop geotechnical parameters for design, GROUND should be contacted to revise the criteria provided herein. General Geotechnical Risk In GROUND's opinion, the primary geotechnical risk at this site is the presence of consolidating materials within the native soils. During this exploration, consolidations up to about 0.6 percent were measured against surcharge loads approximating in -place overburden pressures. Consolidations of similar and greater magnitudes have been measured is similar soils in the greater project area, and ^ Walsh, K.D., C.A. Colby, W.N. Houston and S.A. Houston, 2009, Method for Evaluation of Depth of Wetting in Residential Areas, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. 135, No. 2, pp. 169 — 176. e Chao, K-C, D.D. Overton, and J.D. Miller, 2006, The Effects of Site Conditions on the Predicted Time Rate of Heave, Unsaturated Soils 2006, American Society of Civil Engineers, Special Publication No. 147, pp. 2086 — 2097. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 10 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado It has been our experience that surface and groundwater levels fluctuate greatly in Colorado's mountainous areas, primarily due to seasonal conditions such as spring runoff. These conditions are often highly variable and difficult to predict. Although these conditions generally exist for 1 to 3 months annually, their impact on design can be significant. In Garfield County, Colorado, it is common during construction to encounter dry conditions in the fall and wet conditions in the spring with relative groundwater fluctuations of 10 feet or more. This is particularly critical for foundation and deep utility excavations, cut slopes, culvert sizing, and for development adjacent to intermittently dry streams or rivers. Furthermore, if development has not established positive surface drainage, particularly prior to temporary winter shutdown procedures, other components of partial and complete development are compromised. The contractor and the project team should consider these complex conditions prior to commencing, as well as during, construction. Swell -Consolidation Testing of selected samples of on -site soils recovered from the test holes indicated consolidations of up to 0.6 percent when measured under surcharge loads approximating in -place overburden pressures. Swells were not measured in the tested samples. (See Table 1.) GEOTECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DESIGN The conclusions and parameters provided in this report were based on the data presented herein, our experience in the general project area with similar structures, and our engineering judgment with regard to the applicability of the data and methods of forecasting future performance. A variety of engineering parameters were considered as indicators of potential future soil movements. Our parameters and conclusions were based on our judgment of "likely movement potentials," (i.e., the amount of movement likely to be realized if site drainage is generally effective, estimated to a reasonable degree of engineering certainty) as well as our assumptions about the owner's willingness to accept geotechnical risk. "Maximum possible" movement estimates necessarily will be larger than those presented herein, They also have a significantly lower likelihood of being realized in our opinion, and generally require more expensive measures to address. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 9 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado The existing fill soils may contain coarse gravels and cobbles, as well as similarly sized pieces of construction debris, even where these materials were not recognized in the test holes. Delineation of the complete lateral and vertical extents of the fills at the site and their compositions was beyond our present scope of services. If more detailed information regarding fill extents and compositions at the site are of significance, they should be evaluated using test pits. Similarly, coarse gravel and larger clasts are not well represented in small diameter liner samples collected from the test holes. Therefore, such materials may be present even where not called out in the material descriptions herein. Fill consisted of clays and silts with varying fractions of sand. They were moist, slightly plastic, stiff to hard, and brown in color. Clays and Silts consisted of silty to sandy clays with local clayey to silty sands. The granular fractions consisted of fine sands with scattered medium to coarse sands and gravels. Claystone and siltstone clasts were also noted locally within these soils. The clays and silts were moist to wet, slightly to moderately plastic, stiff to hard, and brown to gray -brown in color. Iron staining was noted commonly. Secondary carbonates were noted locally. Groundwater was not encountered in the test holes at the time of drilling to the depths explored. The test holes were backfilled upon drilling completion per Code of Colorado Regulations (2 CCR 402-2). Additionally, review of estimates of saturation of the samples suggested that the shallow site soils had not been saturated recently. Groundwater levels can be expected to fluctuate, however, in response to annual and longer -term cycles of precipitation, irrigation, surface drainage, nearby rivers and creeks, land use, and the development of transient, perched water conditions. The groundwater observations performed during our exploration must be interpreted carefully as they are short-term and do not constitute a groundwater study. In the event the Vantage Aviation, LLC desires additional/repeated groundwater level observations, GROUND should be contacted; additional exploration and fees will be necessary in this regard. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 8 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado up LEE DH {korQ c i Approximate 0 Project Site 3` (;wQC I r 'fit y &1 oty c BE C_+ ,on .- r Local Conditions In general, the test holes penetrated approximately 3 to 4 inches of road base or 5 inches or asphalt3 underlain by approximately 7 inches of road base. Below the surficial materials, undocumented fill soils were encountered in all the test holes to depths of 2 to 3 feet below existing grades. Beneath the fill soils, clays and silts extended to the depths explored. We interpret the fill soils to be materials placed during the construction of the airport and related improvements, the clays and silts are interpreted to be interbedded colluvial and alluvial deposits. Fill materials were recognized in the test holes and are likely are present across the site. (See the Site Conditions section of this report.) Note that due to the antecedent drains e in the area and the inherent limitations of test hales. significantly -greater thickness de the of fill may be encountered beneath the fuel farm footprint. ' Asphalt and concrete pavement thicknesses, as well as the underlying road base, if present, are difficult to determine with precision in small diameter test holes. If existing pavement thicknesses are of significance to the project, then additional, larger diameter test holes or pavement cores should be drilled. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 7 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado laboratory testing program are summarized in Tables 1 and 2. A hydrometer plot is provided in Figure 4. SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS Geologic Setting Published geologic maps, e.g., Shorba and Scott (2001),2 depict the site as underlain by colluvial sheetwash deposits over loess (Qsw/Qlo). Holocene and Pleistocene Alluvium and Colluvium (Qac) and other alluvial and colluvial deposits were mapped in the greater project area. These surficial deposits are mapped as being underlain by the Eocene Shire Member of the Wasatch Formation (Tws). A portion of that map is reproduced on the next page. In the project area, alluvial (stream, terrace, and outwash) and colluvial (landslide, slope wash, etc.) deposits typically consist of fine to coarse sands, gravels, and cobbles with silts and clays. Boulders also can be present locally. The larger clasts present in alluvial deposits may be awkward or difficult to handle and may not be appropriate for reuse in all project fills. Loess, an eolian (windblown) deposit, typically consists of fine sands and silts with varying fractions of clays. Weathering typically increases the clay contents of these deposits. Eolian deposits, such as loess, can be subject to hydro -consolidation ("collapse"). The Shire Member of the Wasatch Formation, in the project area, consists largely of claystones, siltstones, sandstones, and conglomerates. The formation includes well cemented beds which can be very hard and difficult to excavate, handle, and/or process. Additionally, the siltstones and claystones can be moderately to highly expansive. 2 Shroba, R.R. and Scott, R.B. (2001) Geology map of the Silt quadrangle, Garfield County, Colorado. U.S. Geological Survey. Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-2331. 1:24,000. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 6 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado SUBSURFACE EXPLORATION Subsurface exploration for the project was conducted in January 2025. A total of 3 test holes were drilled with a conventional, buggy -mounted drilling rig advancing 4- inch diameter, solid stem, continuous flight auger to evaluate the subsurface conditions and retrieve samples for laboratory testing. Of these, 2 test holes were advanced within/near the proposed approximate fuel farm footprint to depths of about 25 and 28 feet below existing grade. The remaining test hole was advanced to a depth of about 7 feet, within the area proposed for paving. GROUND directed the subsurface exploration, logged the test holes in the field, and prepared the samples for transport to our laboratory. Samples of the subsurface materials were retrieved with a 2-inch inner diameter California liner sampler. The sampler was driven into the substrata with blows from a 140-pound hammer falling 30 inches. Penetration resistance values, when properly evaluated, indicate the relative density or consistency of soils. Depths at which the samples were obtained and associated penetration resistance values are shown on the test hole logs. The approximate locations of the test holes are shown in Figure 1. Summary logs of the test holes are presented in Figure 2. A legend and notes are provided in Figure 3. Detailed logs are provided in Appendix A. LABORATORY TESTING Samples retrieved from our test holes were examined and visually classified in the laboratory by the project engineer. Laboratory testing of soil samples included standard property tests, such as natural moisture contents, dry unit weights, grain size analyses, and Atterberg limits. Swell —consolidation, water-soluble sulfate content, and a suite of corrosivity tests were completed on selected samples as well. Laboratory tests were performed in general accordance with applicable ASTM protocols. Results of the Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 5 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado Marks for buried utilities were observed at the site, as well as overhead utilities. A significant amount of the buried utilities in the area appeared to be adjacent to the perimeter fence, just outside the site footprint. Review of historical aerial imagery available on Google Earth indicated that development of the site began sometime between 1993 (earliest available image) and 2002. Between 2006 and 2010, the fuel infrastructure to the west was constructed. The fuel tanks were relocated to their existing configuration in between 2014 and 2016. Between 2016 and 2022, the garage structures were constructed; the fuel farm has remained in that general configuration since. Additionally, further historic images depict several drainages at the site that were filled during construction of other portions of the airport. Therefore, grater depths of fill, up to 40 feet or more, may be encountered locally at other portions of the airport. Select images of the development of the site are provided below. 08105 • r r I �. Y - 06/1 a Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 4 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado SITE CONDITIONS At the time of our subsurface exploration program, the site was developed as a vehicle storage lot. Two pole barns provided protection for maintenance equipment within the approximate fuel farm footprint. Four fuel tanks supported on a concrete pad surrounded by bollards were present to the northwest of the site. A maintenance building with associated garages and perimeter concrete flatwork were present on the northwest side. Other ancillary structures to the south included a smaller garage, a cell tower with associated equipment room, and smaller utility structures The site was bordered to the west by oil and gas infrastructure, additional fuel farm infrastructure to the north, airport infrastructure to the east, and undeveloped land to the south. The project site was generally flat to gently sloping toward the east. The majority of the ground was aggregate - surfaced. Asphalt pavements surrounded the fuel tanks and surfaced the access drive from the airport. The asphalt pavements were moderately distressed; evidence of local rutting was observed, as was cracking, both longitudinal and transverse. Some of the larger cracks had been sealed. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 3 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION Based on the provided information and plans,' we understand an approximately 5,075 square -foot fuel farm is planned south of the existing fuel farm at the Rifle —Garfield County Airport. The fuel farm is anticipated to consist of three 20,000-gallon, one 12,000-gallon, and one 2,000-gallon fuel tanks supported on shallow foundations. New moderate -weight (truck) pavement areas are also planned around the fuel farm. We understand that no new FAA aircraft pavement sections are planned as part of construction or will be addressed by others. Grading information was not provided to GROUND at the time of the preparation of this report, but we anticipate that grade changes will be relatively limited, on the order of 3 feet or less. If our described understanding/interpretation of the proposed project is incorrect or project elements differ in any way from that expressed above, including changes to improvement locations, dimensions, orientations, loading conditions, elevations/grades, etc., and/or additional buildings/structures/site improvements are incorporated into this project, either after the original information was provided to us or after the date of this report, GROUND or another geotechnical engineer must be retained to reevaluate the conclusions and parameters presented herein. Performance Expectations Based on our experience with similar projects, we understand that post -construction, structure foundation movements on the order of 1 inch are acceptable to, and anticipated by Vantage Aviation, LLC, as are the resultant distress and maintenance measures. Similarly, we anticipate that movements of somewhat greater magnitude (2 to 3 inches) are acceptable and anticipated for pavements. GROUND will be available to discuss the risks and remedial approaches outlined in this report, as well as other potential approaches, upon request if post -construction movements of these magnitudes are not acceptable and anticipated. 'Hauser Architects (March 12, 2024) Vantage Rifle—RIL A-5 AND A-6, RIL, Site Plan. Sheet A1.1. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 2 Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF STUDY This report presents the results of a geotechnical evaluation performed by GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. (GROUND) in support of design and construction of the proposed fuel farm to be constructed on the west side of the Rifle —Garfield County Airport in Rifle, Colorado. Our study was conducted in general accordance with GROUND's Proposal Number 2501-0084 dated January 22, 2025 between Vantage Aviation, LLC and GROUND. A field exploration program was conducted to obtain information on the subsurface conditions. Material samples obtained during the subsurface exploration were tested in the laboratory to provide data on the classification and engineering characteristics of the on -site soils. The results of the field exploration and laboratory testing are presented herein. This report has been prepared to summarize the data obtained and to present our findings and conclusions based on the proposed development/improvements and the subsurface conditions encountered. Design parameters and a discussion of engineering considerations related to the proposed improvements are included herein. This report should be understood and utilized in its entirety; specific sections of the text, drawings, graphs, tables, and other information contained within this report are intended to be understood in the context of the entire report. This includes the Closure section of the report which outlines important limitations on the information contained herein. This report was prepared for design purposes of Vantage Aviation, LLC, based on our understanding of the project at the time of preparation of this report. The data, conclusions, opinions, and geotechnical parameters provided herein should not be construed to be sufficient for other purposes, including the use by contractors, or any other parties for any reason not specifically related to the design of the project. Furthermore, the information provided in this report was based on the exploration and testing methods described below. Deviations between what was reported herein and the actual surface and/or subsurface conditions may exist, and in some cases those deviations may be significant. Job No. 25-6000 GROUND Engineering Consultants, Inc. Page 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Purposeand Scope of Study...................................................................................... 1 ProposedConstruction................................................................................................ 2 SiteConditions............................................................................................................ 3 SubsurfaceExploration............................................................................................... 5 LaboratoryTesting ................. •................................................................................... 5 SubsurfaceConditions ............................................................................................. 6 Geotechnical Considerations for Design ..................................................................... 9 FoundationSystems.................................................................................................. 13 FloorSystems............................................................................................................ 17 LateralLoads............................................................................................................. 19 WaterSoluble Sulfates............................................................................................... 19 SoilCorrosivity........................................................................................................... 21 ProjectEarthwork....................................................................................................... 24 Excavation Considerations......................................................................................... 28 PipingInstallation....................................................................................................... 30 SurfaceDrainage....................................................................................................... 33 SubsurfaceDrainage................................................................................................. 35 PavementSections.................................................................................................... 36 ExteriorFlatwork........................................................................................................ 42 Closure....................................................................................................................... 46 Locationsof Test Holes.................................................................................... Figure 1 Logsof the Test Holes..................................................................................... Figure 2 Legendand Notes............................................................................................ Figure 3 Hydrometer Test Results................................................................................. Figure 4 Summary of Laboratory Test Results........................................................ Tables 1 & 2 Detailed Logs of the Test Holes.................................................................. Appendix A GRIEMU"'OE10 ENGINEERING Geotechnical Evaluation Rifle —Garfield County Airport Fuel Farm Rifle, Colorado Prepared For: Vantage Aviation, LLC 3543 East Penedes Drive Gilbert, Arizona Attention: Mr. Ryan Maxfield Job Number: 25-6000 March 4, 2025 41 Inverness Drive East I Englewood, CO 80112 (303) 289-1989 1 www.groundeng.com ENGLEWOOD I COMMERCE CITY I LOVELAND GRANBY I GYPSUM I COLORADO SPRINGS