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In earlier life, human and animal labor were both needed to complete any kind of jobsite activity. But the construction sector is not a simple or easy to complete process. Construction crews are required to compress land, and move bulky materials from one location to another. For these reasons, heavy equipment is required for every site. Therefore, there is a broad variety of construction machinery available in the market today. Each type has its uses and different types. Choosing the right equipment would help construction companies make the process as efficient, safe, and efficient as possible.
In large scale projects or long term projects, heavy construction equipment is utilized for a variety of tasks. Earth moving, concreting and compaction equipment, earth-cutting, hauling of excavated earth, and other construction materials are all vital parts of every construction project. Therefore, large construction machinery and other heavy equipment are required when there is a lot of work to be done to minimize consumption.
Benefits of Heavy Equipment Used in Construction
As we discussed above, heavy construction machinery is used for a variety of tasks in big projects. That is why, the choice of various heavy equipment types is based on the range as well as the cost of the project. Such things can facilitate and speed up the construction process. Heavy machinery, also known as heavy equipment, refers to heavy-duty vehicles designed specifically for construction tasks. Depending on the type of work being done, heavy construction equipment is available in a number of sorts and designs. Furthermore, the choice of heavy equipment is determined by the size of the job and the economics of the construction project. These make the building process easier and faster, which helps it be finished on schedule.
Heavy construction equipment is required for any building job, mining activity, or agricultural property, no matter the size or type. Due to heavy machinery, there have been huge changes in mining, agriculture, and construction. Its efficiency enables projects to be completed much more quickly, and production is at an all-time high. The capabilities, efficiency, and diversity of heavy construction equipment have increased year over year. They have now taken on major responsibility and simplified the construction process. It saves time. It also guarantees fast construction and on-time project completion.
Uses of Heavy Construction Equipment
Heavy equipment makes major contributions to the money, safety, quality, speed, and timely completion of construction projects when used properly by qualified professionals. Well, there are many uses for heavy machinery, and they are also quite helpful for every project. In the construction project, the basic operations of heavy equipment are:
- Excavation,
- Compacting,
- Placement,
- Digging large quantities of earth,
- Grading,
- Moving them to long distances,
- Leveling,
- Dozing,
- Grading,
- Hauling, etc.
Types of Heavy Construction Equipment and Their Uses
The various types of heavy machinery that are commonly used in construction, along with their uses, are mentioned here:
1. Excavators
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Excavators are an important type of equipment that is frequently used in the construction sector. Their primary usage is excavation, but they are frequently used for a variety of other tasks, including heavy lifting, demolition, river dredging, tree cutting, etc. Due to their dependability and adaptability, these machines are a standard part of both large- and small-scale projects. Excavators, also known as diggers, are large construction equipment used to remove rocks and dirt from the ground and put them onto dump trucks.
Excavators have an undercarriage with wheels or tracks and a rotating platform with a boom, bucket, and cab. They are a popular form of heavy equipment for construction since they can handle a variety of tasks by simply altering the front attachment. The mechanical hand of the excavator machine is managed by the hydraulic system. The excavation operation is moved by a chain wheel mechanism. Additionally, The mechanical hand of the excavator machine is managed by the hydraulic system. The excavation operation is moved by a chain wheel mechanism.
Uses of Excavators in Construction:
Excavators are commonly used in construction for the following purposes:
- Earthmoving,
- Digging,
- Trenching,
- Material Handling,
- Forestry Work,
- River Dredging,
- Snow removal with snowplow and snow blower attachments
- Loading and foundations,
- Providing the power to do any other large tasks much more easily and effectively
Main Different Types of Excavators:
-
Suction Excavators
-
Skid Steers
-
Long Reach Excavators
-
Crawler Excavators
-
Wheeled Excavators
-
Hydraulic Shovels
-
Dragline Excavators
2. Backhoe
In the building business or another industry, it is an essential kind of heavy machinery. The backhoe is a piece of equipment that is frequently used and useful for many tasks. A backhoe loader is a single piece of equipment that operates as both a tractor and a loader. Backhoe is also known as rear or back actor. A digging bucket is attached to the end of a two-part articulated arm, which is a type of excavation equipment or a digger. Usually, it is attached to the rear of a tractor or front loader, the latter of which is known as a “backhoe loader.”Backhoes are available in different sizes and their horsepower ratings range from 25 to 150.
Uses of Backhoe in Construction:
Backhoe loaders are most frequently used for the following purposes:
- Digging ditches,
- Laying pipes,
- Small demolitions,
- Moving Materials
- They can do much more with a few additional attachments.
Types of Backhoe are:
- excavating, or
- digger
3. Bulldozers
The most important equipment used in construction projects is Bulldozers. It is a pushing machine. Soil excavation equipment is a different kind of bulldozer. The topsoil layer is removed using this method. The sharp-edged large metal plate that is given at its front is used to remove soil. Hydraulic cylinders can be used to raise and lower this plate. These are commonly utilized to elevate earth, remove weak rock or soil layers, etc.
Bulldozers are very practical excavation tools that may be used for clearing the work area, leveling the ground, creating pilot paths through mountains and hard ground, excavating the material, and moving it around 100 meters. A sharp edge wide metal plate that is attached to the front of the bulldozer performs the majority of the job. On wet ground and in any weather, a bulldozer can be utilized.
Bulldozers often referred to as crawlers and track-type tractors, are essential equipment used for a variety of jobs, including farming, clearing land for construction, building roads, demolishing buildings, and remodeling homes. Bulldozers have blades that can help push objects like rocks, trash, building materials, sand, snow, or mud along a heavy-duty track. The flat, edgeless straight blade, curved universal blade, and semi-universal combination blade are a few of the various dozer blade varieties.
Uses of Bulldozers in Construction:
It is also a multi-purpose machine used to perform various operations such as:
- Removing trees
- Short-range transportation of material
- Shallow digging and ditching
- Preparing a bank of canals
- Leveling land
- Working the roads and rail line formations
- Spreading soil dumped from trucks
- Rough grading
- Stumps, boulders, and
- Cleaning and leveling around loading equipment.
Different Types of Bulldozers:
- Mini Bulldozer
- Wheel Bulldozer
- Crawler Bulldozer
- Shiphold/Port Handling Bulldozer
- Mulchers Bulldozer
- Hybrid Bulldozer
4. Tower Cranes
Tower cranes are fixed cranes used to lift materials during the construction of towering buildings. Using this kind of equipment, heavy items such as pre-stressed concrete blocks, steel trusses, frames, etc. may be conveniently raised to the desired height. Tower cranes are powerful lifting devices attached to the ground used to build buildings. Tower cranes can reach a maximum height – 265 feet (80 meters) or higher if they are fastened to the building as it rises around it. The lifting capacity of a typical tower crane is 20 tonnes. Tower cranes are constructed beside buildings and rise next to them. Large bolts that are simple to remove in the end are used to attach them to a strong concrete base. It is the most visible type of large construction machinery.
When constructing high-rise buildings, tower cranes are frequently utilized for lifting activities. Using this construction machinery, heavy items like steel trusses, precast concrete blocks, etc. can be effortlessly raised to the desired height. Tower cranes can also lift heavy equipment including motors, generators, and acetylene torches.
Application of Tower Cranes:
Tower cranes are specifically designed for the lifting and transportation of heavy objects. They are also utilized in the construction of large buildings and large building projects like bridges.
Best Projects for Tower Crane Use:
Renting a tower crane is a more cost-effective way to handle the lifting requirements of any building project. Here are a few suggestions if you are still confused about how you could put these effective tools to use:
- Industrial projects
- Water treatment facilities
- Parking garages
- Multi-family housing
- Mid/High rise construction
- Hospitals and Educational Facilities
Uses of Tower Cranes in Construction:
- On construction sites, they are used for moving large objects, lifting huge building materials, and handling large loads.
- Tower cranes are also used by jobsite workers to lift concrete, and heavy tools and equipment.
The Different Types of Tower Cranes are:
- Self-erecting tower cranes
- Hammerhead cranes
- Luffing tower cranes
- Mobile tower crane
- Rolling tower
- Crane climbing
- Tower crane truck
5. Forklifts
An industrial truck with power used to lift and transport items over short distances is called a forklift. The forklift equipment is used to move heavy materials or packages within a short distance as well as loading and unloading them. It can move materials and things both horizontally and vertically. Like other common vehicles, forklifts also have steering wheels and dashboard controls. It supports both lifting equipment and a road user on jobsite.
LPG/petrol-powered forklifts, Diesel-powered forklifts, and electric-powered forklifts are the three main types of forklift vehicles.
Forklifts Uses:
It is commonly used for the following purposes:
- Unloading pallets of blocks/bricks,
- Steel joists
- Warehouses
- Recycling facilities
- Dockyards
- Construction equipment and materials, and
- More!
Common Types of Forklifts are:
- Warehouse Forklift
- Order Picker
- Pallet Jack
- Side Loader
- Telehandler
- Counterbalance Forklift
- Heavy-Duty Forklift
- Rough Terrain Forklift
- Walkie Stacker
- Reach Fork Truck
6. Motor Graders
Another type of equipment used in construction, particularly for the construction of roads, are graders, often known as motor graders. Its main job is to level the soil’s elevation. Between the front and back wheels, it has a horizontal blade that lowers into the ground as it works. Motor graders, also called road graders, have long and narrow blades, also known as moldboards. This moldboard can rotate and has a bottom-cutting edge to help move and cut terrain for tasks such as building projects, fine grading, roadway installation or maintenance, drainage ditches, snow removal, spreading materials, and more!
Motor graders are ideal for transporting small amounts of soil and fine grading if you were to tender small building tasks. A motor grader is typically used to fine-grade gravel or dirt roads or to prepare the road base course before laying concrete. A construction motor grader also has a long blade that can be adjusted and customized to create a smooth surface. It completes the grade to ensure suitably smoothed surfaces for development and the best foundation for buildings.
Application of Motor Grade:
Motor Graders serve other purposes as well. They can also be used to remove a layer of soil from a surface, transport a small amount of soil from one place to another, or remove snow. Motor graders typically perform heavier road work tasks that demand versatility compared to bulldozers.
Uses of Motor Grades in Construction:
Motor Graders can be used for a variety of tasks, including:
- Making smoother surfaces,
- Fine grade,
- Road work,
- Snow removal,
- Agriculture,
- Mining,
- Leveling soil, and
- Shifting small amounts of dirt.
Types of Motor Grades:
- Articulated frame motor grader
- Rigid frame motor grader
Other Heavy Construction Equipment is:
- Dragline Excavator
- Wheel Tractor Scraper
- Trenchers
- Pavers
- Compactors
- Telehandlers
- Feller Bunchers
- Dump Trucks
- Pile Boring Machine
- Drills
The Bottom Line:
As you can see, there are many types and uses for heavy construction machinery. It is frequently utilized in large projects to make the construction process faster, easier, and more efficient. However, choosing the right heavy construction equipment is essential to achieving your specific goals in your projects.
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