Know Your Heavy Equipment Used in Construction

There are several types of heavy equipment in construction, and each has its own set of uses. Therefore, as you evaluate and determine the kind of projects your company is taking on, it helps you to decide what type of equipment you need for a specific task. In contrast, heavy equipment serves one specific purpose, some overlap and can do various functions depending on your need.

Determining and knowing what type of heavy equipment you need for a specific task can save you a lot of budget and time for your project.

We've gathered some of the most common types of heavy equipment in construction sites together with their brief description and specific uses.

BACKHOE LOADER

This equipment is a versatile type of heavy equipment in construction because it combines three types of machinery, a backhoe, loader, and tractor. The primary function of this is the backhoe, which is to dig soil and often compact. However, it can also serve to lift heavy loads and put them in a particular place.

EXCAVATORS

Excavators are near relatives of backhoe loaders. With some key differences, this equipment can rotate 360 degrees. It is often more extensive than a backhoe loader and used for heavy and medium tasks. There are also mini excavators available that can do light to medium job tasks. It is a compact version that can perform lifting, digging, landscaping, and demolishing functions on a smaller scale in a smaller footprint.

DOZERS

A dozer is known to have a large metal blade in front and is used to push large quantities of material or soil. It is a perfect choice if you need to move extensive soil material in a short distance in a site. However, if you need to move soil material more than a short distance, a combination of dump trucks and a backhoe is the best option. Dozers have two different types and provide the same function, a wheel dozer and a track dozer.

COLD PLANERS

It is also called a milling machine. The primary use of this equipment is to remove concrete and asphalt from a surface. This machine has a big drum inside that rotates, grinds, and cuts the collected pavement. During its operation, it needs a water supply to minimize dust and heat.

COMPACTORS

There are some types of compactors, and they have the same function to compact the size of material, especially the soil. The kind of material you need to shrink will depend on the type of machine you need to choose. For example, a Landfill compactor is the best option for your task if you are working with waste, and a Soil compactor if you are working with soil. Another compactor is the Tandem vibrator compactor used for compacting fresh asphalt, mainly road and high-way works. And Pneumatic rollers compactor is suitable for various materials that need to be compact.

LOADERS

Used to load various types of material in construction sites onto dumper tracks, it contains a large bucket at the front and works using its short moving arm; it may come either wheeled or tracked.

GRADERS

It is essential for road construction projects or any projects that need to flatten the surface. The primary purpose of this equipment is to level the land surface. It has a horizontal blade in the front and rear wheels, which moves down when the machine is working.

It is also suitable to remove unnecessary dirt or snow on the roads or remove soil from the curb when there is a road repair.

TOWER CRANES

A tower crane is a fixed piece of equipment for hoisting purposes in construction, especially for high-rise building projects. Its primary goal is to lift or transfer heavy construction materials. However, this equipment needs clear and precise communication with the riggers without any interruption. You can secure your communication system by having it installed behind an air and watertight access doors or insulated access doors on your project site.

MOBILE CRANES

Mobile cranes have the same function as tower cranes to transfer or transport materials in construction sites. But it has a few differences with Tower cranes. First, as in their name, mobile cranes can move around the construction site independently, whereas tower cranes are mounted into a single spot once set up.

TRENCHERS

It is suitable for excavation, especially if their intent is for pipelines or cable laying on the ground. It is also appropriate to dig a drainage system. It comes with a wheeled or chained trench version.

Chain trenchers have a fixed long arm with the digging chain on it. And the wheeled trenchers have a metal wheel with a digging tooth around it.

DUMP TRUCKS

It plays a significant role in construction sites to carry and deliver materials one to another. It has off-road wheels that allow them to pass harsh terrain conditions while carrying heavy construction materials.

There are several types of heavy equipment available for construction to help you get the job done efficiently. And to know the right equipment and determine the job task is essential to maximize the cost-effectiveness and productivity of your project.

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