Problem $1.$ You are planning a utility project that will include $500$ feet of trench excavation and backfill.

The trenches will be $4\mathrm{.}0$ feet deep and $3\mathrm{.}0$ feet wide. Sandy soil backfill will be placed in $8\mathrm{.}0$ inch lifts

$($measured after compaction$).$

a$.$ What types of compaction equipment could you use to do this work?

b$.$ You choose to use self$-$propelled manually operated vibratory plate compactors on this job.

The compactor is $3ft$ wide. From previous jobs, it takes $4$ passes to reach optimum

compaction. The compactor travels at a speed of $40$ feet per minute. How long will it take to

fully backfill and compact a $100$ foot section of trench at $100\%$ efficiency?

c$.$ How long will it take to backfill and compact the entire trench at an efficiency of $50$

minutes$/$hour$?$

d$.$ If the backfill was predominantly clay soil, would a vibratory plate compactor still be a good

choice? Why or why not?