Common use of Back Filling Clause in Contracts

Back Filling. In all excavations where the excavated material is required to be returned to the excavation as backfill, suitable material shall be set aside during excavation and shall be kept free from contamination with top soil, vegetable matter or other unsuitable material, failing which the Contractor shall at his own expense import suitable material from elsewhere. Back filling shall not be placed in waterlogged excavations. Backfill material which is in the opinion of the Engineer too wet shall be used until it has dried out sufficiently. Excessively dry backfill material shall be watered during backfill. The Contractor's rates shall allow for any additional costs these measures any may entail. No back filling shall be carried out without the permission of the Engineer that will normally only be given when the Work has been inspected, tested and approved. After such permission has been given back filling shall be carried out as soon as possible. The utmost care shall be taken to ensure that no damage occurs to the Works and compaction methods employed shall be approved by the Engineer and shall ensure that excessive loads are not placed on pipes or structures upon or around which the backfill is being placed. Unless specified otherwise all back filling shall be carried out in layers not exceeding 200 mm, such layers being brought up evenly around and above the work and well consolidated before the next layer is placed. Where compaction is carried out by hand, rammers of not less than 4 kg in weight shall be used and the ratio of men employed in ramming and filling shall be two to one.