 Shoulders are important to the roadway because they help drain water away from the pavement surface and give side support to the pavement. They also provide a safe area for emergency use by vehicles. The edge of the shoulder must be level with the pavement and its cross slope must be steeper than the pavement cross slope for water to drain easily from the roadway. There are road shoulders when their surfaces start showing ruts or when rough surfaces with ridges over three centimeters deep develop. When the shoulder slope is too flat to provide good drainage, when the shoulder has eroded alongside the pavement, causing the pavement edge to break, or when earth and grass covers the shoulder surface above the pavement edge. To correct any of these defects, the shoulder must be reshaped to its original cross slope and shape. The best time to perform the reshaping operation is immediately after it rains. The material will be moist, making it easy to cut, reshape, and compact properly. Reshaping is done when there is very little erosion on the shoulders and there is enough material to allow re-establishing the correct shape. If new material must be added, another activity called replenishing shoulders will be required. If necessary, schedule cleaning and reshaping of the ditches during this operation. Good drainage is essential for a long lasting repair. Refer to the IRF videotape on cleaning ditches for further information. You will need the proper equipment to do this operation. A motor grater to blade and spread the material. A rubber-tired roller to compact the shoulder surface. A dump truck to remove the excess material. A water truck to dampen the shoulder surface if the weather is dry. A camber board to check the shoulder cross slope. And stiff brooms, shovels, pickaxes, rakes, and a wheelbarrow to clean the debris and excess materials. The basic steps for reshaping are step one, place the traffic control devices. Step two, determine and mark the limits for reshaping. Step three, remove debris from the shoulder and the ditch. Step four, blade the shoulder surface to form a windrow. Step five, spread the windrow. Step six, check the shoulder cross slope. Step seven, compact the shoulder surface. Step eight, clean up the work area. Step nine, remove the traffic control devices. Let's look at each work step in detail. Step one, place the traffic control devices. Place the signs and cones so they can be seen by the motorists. Follow your approved traffic control procedures. For more information, see the IRF videotape on traffic control. Step two, determine and mark the limits for reshaping. Check your work area for defects like ruts, erosions, and flat slopes. Make sure sufficient material remains to restore a shoulder surface to its original shape and cross slope. Mark alongside the road where the repair is to begin and end. Step three, remove debris from the shoulder and the ditch. Pick up and dispose of shrubs, waste material, and large rocks. The motor grader must blade over a clean surface. Dispose of this material properly. Step four, blade the shoulder surface to form a windrow. The material will be easier to cut if the shoulder surface is damp. However, if the surface is hard, use the scarifier to reshape. Set the bottom edge of the blade in front of the top edge. To obtain the proper shoulder cross slope, position the blade so that the end near the pavement is slightly higher than the other end. Next, angle the blade so that the windrow will be formed along the pavement edge. Lean the front wheels in the same direction as the windrow to help counter the side thrust on the blade to reshape the shoulder surface. Cut and roll the shoulder material from the outside edge of the shoulder towards the edge of the pavement. Do not cut too deeply into the shoulder material. Go forward slowly in low gear, forming the windrow inside the rear tires. Never let the wheels ride on top of the windrow. Step five, spread the windrow. Set, angle, and adjust the blade to spread the material back across the shoulder at the desired shoulder cross slope. Spread the windrow evenly to form the proper shoulder cross slope. Leave the surface of the spread material three centimeters higher than the pavement edge to allow for compaction. This is about the same thickness as the rake handle. Step six, check the shoulder cross slope. It should be slightly steeper than the pavement cross slope. Use a camber board to measure the fall of the shoulder from the edge of the pavement to the outer edge. If the cross slope of the pavement is 2%, the shoulder cross slope should be 4%. The camber board must have the same slope that you want for your shoulder. When checking the shoulder cross slope, be sure to place the camber board straight across the shoulder with its shorter end toward the pavement edge and check the bubble. If the cross slope is correct, the bubble should be centered in the camber board indicator. If the bubble is not centered, the cross slope is too steep or too flat. To correct the cross slope, blade and spread the material again. The proper cross slope is very important for good drainage. Step seven, compact the shoulder surface. To start, test the moisture content. Squeeze a sample in your hand. If it crumbles, it is too dry. Use the water truck to sprinkle water evenly over the shoulder surface. If the sample remains in a ball after you squeeze, the material has the proper moisture. This will help obtain good compaction. If the sample runs out between your fingers when you squeeze it, it is too wet. Let it dry before you compact it. To compact the material, a rubber-tired roller is best because it conforms to the shoulder surface and will not damage the pavement edge. Start at the outside edge of the shoulder and overlap each pass as you move toward the pavement edge. Do not run the roller on the pavement surface. This will leave the shoulder area alongside the edge without good compaction. Several passes may be necessary for full compaction. Make sure no roller impressions are visible. The final surface should be smooth and even with the edge of the pavement. If a roller is not available, drive the truck several times across the shoulder to compact it. Step 8. Clean up the work area. Sweep the loose material to the shoulder to keep the pavement clean. Step 9. Remove the traffic control devices. Make sure workers and equipment are safely away from the road before you start. A reshaped shoulder provides side support for the pavement structure. It helps to drain water away from the pavement surface and provides a safe area for emergency use. Remember, there are nine steps for reshaping earth and gravel shoulders. Step 1. Place the traffic control devices. Follow approved procedures to make the work site safe during the reshaping operation. Step 2. Determine and mark the limits for reshaping. Make sure sufficient shoulder material remains to restore the shoulder surface to its original shape and slope. Step 3. Remove the debris from the shoulder and the ditch. The motor grater must blade over a clean surface. Step 4. Blade the shoulder surface to form a windrow. Do not cut too deeply into the shoulder material. Step 5. Spread the windrow. Leave the surface of the spread material slightly higher than the pavement edge to allow for compaction. Step 6. Check the shoulder cross slope. It should be slightly steeper than the pavement cross slope. Step 7. Compact the shoulder surface. Make sure no roller impressions are visible. And the final surface is smooth. Step 8. Clean up the work area. Dispose of loose material away from the drainage ditches. Make sure no loose material remains on the pavement. Step 9. Remove the traffic control devices. Pick them up in the reverse order of their placement. Reshaping earth and gravel shoulders will ensure proper drainage and provide a safe place for vehicles to stop in case of emergency.