PATH AND PAVING SOLUTIONS: INCREASING FARMSTEAD ACCESSIBILITY

CARLA WILHITE, OTD, OTR/L

UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO-NEW MEXICO AGRABILITY PROJECT PARTNER NATIONAL TRAINING WORKSHOP

TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2019

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA

THE PROBLEM

Farms and ranches have variable terrain features that make accessibility difficult

• Mud
• Standing water
• Sandy conditions
• Inclines/declines
• Large stones, stumps
• Ruts left by vehicles and machinery
• Etc.

TERMINOLOGY

• Accessibility: design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities that ensures “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” (i.e. compatibility with person’s assistive technology.                        (Wikipedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility)
• Usability: the extent to which a product (device, service, or environment) can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of use.

TERMINOLOGY

• Universal Design: Universal design is the design of buildings, products or environments to make them accessible to all people, regardless of age, disability or other factors.
• Built environment: Human-surroundings that provide a setting for human activity

DEFINITION OF TERRAIN

• Terrain/Relief: vertical and horizontal dimensions of land surface
• Defined: Physically, terrain is the “lay of the land”. Usually expressed in terms of elevation, slope, and orientation of terrain features. Affected by surface water distribution and flow of water.

TERRAIN TERMINOLOGY

• Depressions: sunken or depressed area below the surrounding area; form by various mechanisms

• Blowouts (erosion)
• Subsidence (erosion/settling)
• Sinkholes (collapse)
  • Elevations: a height above or below a fixed point

• Hills
• Mounds
• Rise
  • Expansive soils- earth that swells and contracts depending on the amount of water that is present

• Slope/gradient: a line that describes the direction and steepness of a line
• Calculated by finding the ratio of the "vertical change" to the "horizontal change" between (any) two distinct points on a line
• Aka: Rise/run
  • SLOPE=RUN/RISE=ΔXΔY

CONSTRUCTION TERMS

• Aggregate- A mixture of sand and stone and a major component of concrete.
• Abovegrade-
• Backfill- the replacement of excavated earth into a trench around or against a basement /crawl space foundation wall
• Board foot- A unit of measure for lumber equal to 1 inch thick by 12 inches wide by 12 inches long
• Cement- the gray powder that is the "glue" in concrete. Portland cement.

• Concrete- the mixture of Portland cement, sand, gravel, and water.
• Cubic yard/foot-measure of length, width, and depth of a rectangle
• Egress- A means of exiting a building
• Exposed aggregate finish- A method of finishing concrete which washes the cement/sand mixture off the top layer of the aggregate - usually gravel
• Drain- 3" or 4" perforated plastic pipe that goes around the perimeter (either inside or outside) of a foundation wall (before backfill) and collects and diverts ground water away
• Faced concrete- to finish the front and all vertical sides of a concrete porch, step(s), or patio.
• Field measure- to take measurements in the place itself instead of using the blueprint/topo/landscape design
• Flatwork- common word for concrete floors, driveways, basements, and sidewalks

• Form- temporary structure erected to contain concrete during placing and initial hardening
• Frost line- the depth of frost penetration in soil and/or the depth at which the earth will freeze and swell.
• Grade- ground level, or the elevation at any given point. Also the work of leveling dirt.

• Level- true horizontal.

CONSTRUCTION TERMS

• Pressure-treated wood- lumber that has been saturated with a preservative. Aka: treated lumber
• Lumens- unit of measure for total light output. The amount of light falling on a surface of one square foot.

• Manufacturer's specifications- the written installation and/or maintenance instructions which are developed by the manufacturer of a product and which may have to be followed in order to maintain the product warrantee.
• Masonry- stone, brick, concrete, hollow-tile, concrete block, or other similar building units or materials; joined with mortar
• Nosing- the projecting edge of a molding or drip or the front edge of a stair tread.

• Paver, paving- materials—commonly masonry—laid down to make a firm, even surface
• Plan view- drawing of a structure with the view from overhead, looking down.
• Road base- aggregate mixture of sand and stone
• Screed, concrete- to level off concrete to the correct elevation during a concrete pour.
• Settlement- shifts in a structure, usually caused by freeze-thaw cycles underground
• Stair landing- A platform between flights of stairs or at the termination of a flight of stairs. Often used when stairs change direction. Normally no less than 3 ft. X 3 ft. Square.
• Subgrade-native soil that is graded and compacted to provide an even surface to support the sidewalk; should have uniform stiffness to avoid differing frost or expansion characteristics. In some cases, concrete is placed directly on the subgrade, but it is strongly recommended that a granular sub-base be placed between the native soil and the concrete slab.

ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS FOR TRAILS/PATHS

NATIONAL CENTER FOR ACCESSIBILITY NATIONAL TRAILS SURFACE STUDY REPORT, 2017 AUTHORS: MONTEMBAULT & YORK

• •      Must meet firmness & stability standards for wheelchairs
  • Firmness: resistance to deformation/indentation
  • Stability: resists change from contaminants or applied forces
  • •     Eleven materials studied in report:
    • Crushed stone
    • Fines
    • Packed soils
    • Natural materials bonded to synthetic materials
    • Found differences for different climates/regions
    • All surfaces required maintenance/repair over time

ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS FOR TRAILS/PATHS

NATIONAL CENTER FOR ACCESSIBILITY NATIONAL TRAILS SURFACE STUDY REPORT, 2014

• FIRMNESS & STABILITY
  • Measured by mechanical instrument; Rotational penetrometer
• BEST RESULTS:
• ¾ Inch limestone aggregate
• Klingstone 400 soil stabilizer
• Stalock stabilizer
  • LIMITATIONS
    • No human testers/wheelchair users involved
    • Cost comparison not completed
      • Long-term maintenance costs not conducted

SOLUTIONS

RANGE OF MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY

SMALL SURFACE MATERIALS

WOOD FIBERS                                              GRAVEL

https://www.fibar.com/

FIBAR

• Combines natural LEED certified materials with synthetic underlayment (geotextiles)
• Materials developed for playgrounds, but could be used for pathways
• Materials are controlled size and type of

wood fibers: engineered wood fibers

• Different installation specs for desert/wetter climates
• Systems available that include drainage and

sidewalls

• Cons: Cost not publically available, must call for quote (advertised as $1.50 to $10 per square foot)

• Features
• Polyurethane soil stabilizer
• Inert when cured
• No mixing required
• Binds with aggregate
• Natural appearance
• Cost: $2-3 sq ft material

KLINGSTONE

• Cons: application hazards for respiratory, skin, eye; flammable; must properly dispose or store of left-over chemical
• Noticeable washout in areas at 2 years; must be resurfaced/re-treated

http://www.stabilizersolutions.com/ products/stalok-paving-material/

STALOK STABILIZER

• Polymer bonds with decomposed granite

and other materials

• Fills pores and locks together
• Remains flexible
• Resists weathering
  • Can be formulated for different regions and soil conditions; equestrian applications too
• Cons: proprietary mixing; costs not publicly available; long-term maintenance costs not known

OTHER POLYMER BASED PRODUCTS

• SOILTAC®
• M10 & M50
• TECHNISOIL G5
• TOP-SHIELD (TS-100)

MODULAR SOLUTIONS http://www.accessrec.com/b

• ACCESS REC mats, decks, & surfaces
• Features of deck:
• High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
  • Chemical and weather resistant capabilities
  • UV protected
    • Can be installed permanently or temporarily
    • Can withstand vehicle loads up to 8 tons per axle

• Easy to maintain and clean
  • sustainable to temperature extremes
  • •   will not warp, rot, crack, or delaminate
    • anti slip patterns
    • Cons: Heavy, one panel weighs 69 lbs. & cost

each-access-mat

http://www.durolawn.com/

MODULAR SOLUTIONS

• DUROLAWNFeatures:
  • Non slip surface cellular structure
  • Reduce joint and bone impact while walking on hard surfaces
    • Can be used as an entry mat
    • Allows for dirt, debris and water to fall to the bottom of the mat due to their cellular structure
      • Wheelchair accessibility
      • Turns grass into a wheelchair accessible surface
        • Cons: Cost @ 30sq ft. (approx.

10’x3’ path)=$384 on top of

existing sod ($12.80 sq. ft)

https://www.mrboardwalk.com/

MODULAR SOLUTIONS

• MISTER BOARDWALK
• Features:
  • Can order in pressure treated (PT), cypress, teak, Trex
  • Can order corner/turn pieces
  • 20 year work life (according to manufacturer)
  • Can be permanently installed or

temporary

• Cons: 23” x 12 ft. roll = $111 of PT (cheaper than other modular though)

https://www.mobi-mat-chair-beach-access-

dms.com/mobi-deck/

MODULAR SOLUTIONS

• MOBI-DECK
• •    Features
• •     100% recyclable HDPE plastic are UV and weather resistant
  • Resilient to absorbing liquids and

contaminates

• Permanent or mobile applications
• Each panel 5’ x 6’ long (86lb. Each)
• Cons: cost (60” x 33’ section =

$2,199); weight

https://www.zeager.com/

MODULAR SOLUTIONS

• WOODCARPET BONDED I SYSTEM
• Features:
  • Installed on top of surfaces of gravel
  • Drains well, pervious to water
  • Cushiony
  • Impact resistant
  • Looks natural, but is “synthetic”
  • Cons:

CONSIDERATIONS

• Will probably “mix” surfaces depending on applications (i.e. Modular around entrances, aggregate on pathways); must design transitions adequately
• Costs may increase with use of proprietary connectors, borders, geotextile underlayment
• Arrangements for maintenance is necessary

• “Bargain basement” materials to build pathways:
  • Used dimensional lumber
  • Pallet slats
  • Other?
  • Vehicle use? Vehicle crossing?
  • ADA guidance can help, but does it need to be followed for custom applications?

CONSIDERATIONS

• Who will design it? Professional? Home-designed?
• What kind of environment? Weather, temperatures, terrain?

• How much will it cost? Materials, labor, predicted wastage
• How long will it take?
• Who will carry out the work? Family, volunteers, contractor, vendor?
• Permits? Contracts?
• Questions to ask potential contractors:Https://www.Homeadvisor.Com/ r/15-questions-to-ask- contractors/
• Https://www.Aarp.Org/livable- communities/info-2014/7-steps-to- hiring-a-contractor.Html