I want to dig a pit measuring 5m x 5m x 5m (16ft x 16ft x 16ft).
For this, I plan to rent a mini excavator, but all the mini excavators I’ve found have a maximum digging depth of about 2 to 2.5 meters (6.5 to 8 feet).
What would be the best way to do this? Has anyone had experience with something like this?
Maybe there is a video I haven’t found yet, or some kind of guide?
I will need to dig a ramp or something similar to get in and out of the pit somehow!
I would be very grateful for any useful tips!
For this, I plan to rent a mini excavator, but all the mini excavators I’ve found have a maximum digging depth of about 2 to 2.5 meters (6.5 to 8 feet).
What would be the best way to do this? Has anyone had experience with something like this?
Maybe there is a video I haven’t found yet, or some kind of guide?
I will need to dig a ramp or something similar to get in and out of the pit somehow!
I would be very grateful for any useful tips!
Sir_Kermit16 Jul 2016 08:21Hello,
I'm just curious about the technical aspects, as I have no idea about this.
Kermit
tomtom79 schrieb:How large would the working area for an excavator need to be at that depth? Is it even possible within 5 by 5 meters (16 by 16 feet) plus a bit more? An alternative could be excavating from above. How long would the boom need to be to work effectively?
How do you plan to drive out of a 5-meter (16 feet) deep excavation?
I'm just curious about the technical aspects, as I have no idea about this.
Kermit
With a 30 percent slope, such a ramp is already about 15m (50 feet) long. If you make it sloped around the edges, the excavation pit will likely be about 9m by 9m (30 feet by 30 feet). So, significantly more earthworks than initially expected. Plus, you need space to maneuver and temporarily store soil. Using a mini excavator means there will still be a lot of manual digging. I also think this is something for professionals.
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Bieber081518 Jul 2016 10:41Immergrün schrieb:
I want to excavate a pit measuring 5m x 5m x 5m (16ft x 16ft x 16ft). Unfortunately, I can't help, but I'm wondering: What is it for?
Besides the concerns already mentioned, I would also ask: What kind of soil or material is expected? Can the mini excavator handle it? Rocks, boulders?
Please be sure to post photos!
I have spent a lot of time operating excavators in my life, so your request made me smile.
First question: How big is the mini excavator, and how long have you rented it? For a 2m (6.5 ft) digging depth, you’re probably dealing with a 1.5 to 2-ton machine, which won’t get you very far.
I’m not sure if I want to give advice here for safety reasons, but basically, this kind of project can only be done in layers—three levels, each about 1.7m (5.5 ft) deep. However, you would need an excavator with at least a 2.2m (7.2 ft) digging depth, otherwise you’d be looking at four layers. It seems you understand benching (sloping the sides), but shoring (supporting the sides) will be extremely difficult. How will you manage that with such a small interior dimension and great depth without proper machinery? A mini excavator won’t be enough.
You’ll need a ramp to get in and out. A 30% incline is already optimistic—while the mini excavator might handle that slope depending on soil conditions, you also need to remove the soil from the pit with a dump truck or a wheel loader, and they won’t manage a 30% slope. I’m still not clear on how you plan to efficiently remove the soil, since the space is very tight, extremely deep, and involves a lot of material. This will be a huge hole, and I suspect you’ll need at least a week with that excavator.
Tip: Hire a professional deep foundation contractor with a 20-ton excavator. They can dig the hole in one day and will probably cost about the same as renting your mini excavator over a longer period.
I get frustrated every time I see small landscaping contractors working for weeks with their toy machines on outdoor projects. And the homeowners often think it was cheaper than hiring a foundation specialist because the hourly rate was about 30% lower. The productivity of a mini excavator compared to a full-sized excavator is about 10 to 20 times lower—it simply can’t move the volume required. I use mini excavators only for the final finishing touches after the rough work is done, for foundations, or where large machines can’t access. Everything else just ends up costing a lot more money.
First question: How big is the mini excavator, and how long have you rented it? For a 2m (6.5 ft) digging depth, you’re probably dealing with a 1.5 to 2-ton machine, which won’t get you very far.
I’m not sure if I want to give advice here for safety reasons, but basically, this kind of project can only be done in layers—three levels, each about 1.7m (5.5 ft) deep. However, you would need an excavator with at least a 2.2m (7.2 ft) digging depth, otherwise you’d be looking at four layers. It seems you understand benching (sloping the sides), but shoring (supporting the sides) will be extremely difficult. How will you manage that with such a small interior dimension and great depth without proper machinery? A mini excavator won’t be enough.
You’ll need a ramp to get in and out. A 30% incline is already optimistic—while the mini excavator might handle that slope depending on soil conditions, you also need to remove the soil from the pit with a dump truck or a wheel loader, and they won’t manage a 30% slope. I’m still not clear on how you plan to efficiently remove the soil, since the space is very tight, extremely deep, and involves a lot of material. This will be a huge hole, and I suspect you’ll need at least a week with that excavator.
Tip: Hire a professional deep foundation contractor with a 20-ton excavator. They can dig the hole in one day and will probably cost about the same as renting your mini excavator over a longer period.
I get frustrated every time I see small landscaping contractors working for weeks with their toy machines on outdoor projects. And the homeowners often think it was cheaper than hiring a foundation specialist because the hourly rate was about 30% lower. The productivity of a mini excavator compared to a full-sized excavator is about 10 to 20 times lower—it simply can’t move the volume required. I use mini excavators only for the final finishing touches after the rough work is done, for foundations, or where large machines can’t access. Everything else just ends up costing a lot more money.
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