Looking to run some conduit for multiple feeders that will be going under a parking lot that will be paved. We currently show the feeders in schedule 40 at 24" of cover but I'm still worried about the weight of the paving machines when the parking lot is being paved. Is there anything to be worried about here or should the cover be enough to protect the conduits from being crushed?
Conduit Protection When Paving Over UG Runs
- Thread starter cyriousn
- Start date
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
The cover table includes vehicular weight.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
You could always specify a certain type of sandy fill around the conduits to ensure that there are no air pockets.
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
I may be mistaken, but didn’t they change the minimum depth under parking lots to 30” a code cycle or so ago?
Table 300.5?
2020 and 2023 Table 300.5 still shows 24"
Rick 0920
Senior Member
- Location
- Jacksonville, FL
- Occupation
- Electrical Instructor
Make sure you understand the definition of cover. When you are trenching under parking lots, you may be ok digging 20" down. The layers of fly ash and asphalt count as your defined cover. When they use a Bomag to tamp after all trenching is done, they should be doing a soil compaction test by taking core samples. Your 24" of cover is fine if everyone else did their jobs according to specs.
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
Some POCOs require sch 80 for UG SE that go under driveways and parking lots. Maybe the OP could change the specs to sch 80.
Thanks, yes we went in that direction. Easier to change now just in case.