Heavy Construction Equipment: Repair, Troubleshooting and Maintenance

Considerations For Choosing Earthmoving Equipment

10 March 2015 by Clifton Barnes

There is a range of earth engineering tasks in construction, so it is crucial to choose equipment that suits project goals and enhances the efficiency of the operation. Even with quality contractors, you should understand the specifics of the heavy machinery used in your project to ensure that you are obtaining the best value for your money as well as managing the hiring systems for the equipment effectively. There is no optimal earthmoving system, and the effectiveness of the machinery will depend on variable factors such as the load type, haul distance and operator skills.

There are two main types of equipment used in construction projects for earth engineering: scrapers and articulated trucks. You can choose one or both equipment types depending on the requirements of the worksite. Here is a brief comparison to help you determine which system is ideal.

Wheel Tractor Scrapers

The popularity of scrapers in excavation tasks is widespread, and most manufacturers of heavy industrial machinery have a model of this equipment. The rear section of the scraper is similar in most pertinent designs and basically consists of a bowl which is vertically moveable through hydraulic power. The bowl, also known as the hopper, has a sharp front edge which is designed to cut into the ground surface. This task is accomplished when the rear section is lowered and the excavated soil fills the bowl area. The full container is then hydraulically raised and the scraper can transport the content of the hopper to the dumpsite. Scrapers are relatively cheap to acquire, and they are considered quite effective when the haul distance is short. On the other hand, this type of earthmoving equipment has a very basic design, so it is more suited for excavating loamy soils as opposed to rocky substrates.

Articulated Trucks

The articulated truck basically consists of a front tractor and a haulage rear, which is basically the dumping container. In earthmoving application, these heavy duty machines are used together with hydraulic excavators for digging and loading. The main advantage of these vehicles is that they are all-wheel drives, so they are suitable for hauling earth in all terrain types and varying climatic conditions. The articulated trucks can cover longer haul distances and there is more flexibility in terms of excavator attachments.

The Verdict

When excavating suburbs and areas with fair climatic conditions, the wheel tractors scraper is the ideal choice. The articulated truck is suitable for adverse areas with rocks and mud because pivoting joint allows more manoeuvrability and hauling tasks are more efficient.

For more information, contact a business such as Aussie Earthworks.

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