CONCRETING PLANTS

There are a number of different types of plant available for the concreting works that often form part of
construction projects. These can be used for mixing concrete, transporting concrete to and around sites,
and distributing and placing the concrete

TYPES

Dry mix Concrete Plants

Wet mix Concrete Plants

SCRAPERS

Scrapers are capable of cutting, collecting and moving large quantities of spoil across sites by the use of
a scraper bowl for site stripping and leveling operations. One end of the scraper bowl is lowered to
collect material whilst the machine is moving. When full the bowl is raised and the machine travels to
the discharging are. Scraper capacities vary from 6-50 m3. The main types of scraper are:

Towed scraper

A four-wheeled scraper unit is towed behind a track-mounted machine. This is a slower option but
suitable for medium-sized sites with poor ground conditions.

Wheel tractor scraper

A tractor unit is mounted on two large rubber-tyred wheels and connected to a two-wheel mounted
scraper. The usual carrying capacity is 30-50 m3.

Elevating scraper

These are smaller machines, with a carrying capacity of around 12 m3, that are quick for working with
loose soils.

BULLDOZERS

Otherwise known as crawler tractors, bulldozers are track or wheel-mounted with a forward-facing
mould blade controlled by hydraulic rams. The blade is capable of tilting about a central swivel point,
allowing for a dipping depth of 300 mm. This means they are commonly used for stripping sites, reduced
level digging and pushing earth from one point to another.

Bulldozers are also used for clearing vegetation and small trees, acting as a towing tractor and can be
adapted as an angledozer which pushes and casts spoil to one side of the mould blade, avoiding side
spillage when pushing material forward.
EXCAVATORS

Excavators are a common item of plant that can be used on construction sites to excavate and load most
types of soil. Before beginning excavation works, there must be a plan for the areas that require
excavating as well as where the excess material will be stored.

Very broadly, types of excavating plant can be categorised as:

Hydraulic (face shovel or backacter).

Dragline.
Trenching machine (or skimmer).
Multi-purpose.

Generally, the choice of excavating plant will depend on:

The quantity of material to be excavated.

The type and condition of the soil.
The weather conditions.
The speed of excavation required.
The depth of the excavation.
The material disposal method (side cast or cart away).

Hydraulic

There are to types of hydraulic excavators which are Face shovel and backacter.

Face shovels are characterised by a boom and bucket arm that extends and swings upwards from the
front. It can be used to excavate any kind of soil, including rock that has been loosened by blasting. It is
usual for an additional haulage vehicle to be required for spoil removal, as well as a low loader transport
lorry for travelling between sites. Face shovels are limited to an excavation depth of 300-400 mm below
their own track or wheel level.

A backacter is fitted with a boom and bucket arm or a dipper arm that excavates downwards. They are
most suited to trench, foundation and basement excavations. The depth of the dig can be up to 6-7 m,
although arm extensions can be added if further depths are required. In excavation operations where
the bucket width is equal to the trench width, increased accuracy and high productivity rates can be
achieved.

Draglines
Draglines are fitted with a basic crane jib which uses a rope or chain to control a drag bucket which is
swung out to the excavation position and hauled or dragged back towards the power unit. It is best
suited to bulk excavation in loose or waterlogged soils below its own track level.

Trenching machine

Also known as a skimmer, a trenching machine is used for excavating long trenches, such as those
necessary for pipelines. They will normally dig trenches 0.25-1.5 m wide and up to depths of 3 m, where
a high degree of accuracy is required. The machine moves forwards when excavating with buckets either
mounted on a wheel at the front, or on a chain which is carried by a jib.

Multi-purpose excavator

These are the most common JCB digger machines, intended for small to medium-sized excavation
works. They are fitted with loading/excavating front buckets with widths up to 2 m and a rear backacter
bucket that has a 180-degree arc of operation. Both are hydraulically controlled by the operator/driver.
Use of the backacter bucket requires that the machine is raised off its axles using rear-mounted
hydraulic outriggers or jacks.

The machine is flexible in that it can be fitted, usually on the backacter dipper arm, with a variety of
bucket widths and attachments such as bulldozer blades, scarifiers, grab buckets and post-hole auger
borers.

DUMPERS

Otherwise known as articulated or dump trucks, these are generally the largest of the earth-moving
plant types. Capacities can vary from 5 m3 to 30 m3. They are the most suitable option for sites where
large amounts of material needs to be transported over distances both on and off site. The vehicles have
heavily-plated bodies and are hydraulically operated which allows for quick discharge. There are a wide
range of dumpers available with differing carrying capacities and discharge options (front, side or
elevated tipping). The most common options are:

Standard dumper

Diesel powered dumper with gravity tipping skip. Heaped capacity ranges from 0.7-1.5 m3.

Swivel skip dumper

Hydraulic tipping skip mounted on 180-degree slewing turntable.

Highway dumper

Much larger dumper used to transport spoil off site. The rear tipping skip is hydraulically operated, and
the usual heaped capacity is 10 m3.
ROLLER COMPACTED CONCRETE

Roller compacted concrete is an uncommon mixture of concrete where the concrete are compacted by
roller compaction. Roller compacted concrete is a mix of cement, water, sand, aggregate and common
additives but contains much less water where the produced mix is drier and it essentially has no slump.
The concrete mixture in it is not hardened state and it must support by a roller when being compacted.

Roller compacted concrete can be similar to walk behind roller but walk behind roller used for
small compaction jobs only. These rollers have a low center of gravity and high traction power on
uneven terrain. Apart from that, it is lighter and smaller in size than roller compacted concrete. Walk
behind roller are suitable used for soil, granular and asphalt compaction and for small area repair and
pothole work. To improve surface smoothness and texture, roller compacted concrete can be diamond
ground or a thin asphalt or concrete overlay can be applied.

TYPES

Triple Roller Tube Paver

Triple Roller Tube Paver is a roller which is set up to pave all the width of the streets in one pass. The
paver has a long strike-off tube which it pushes the excess concrete in front of the machine and it
contains two full length drive roller tubes which compact the concrete.

Curb & Gutter machine

Curb & Gutter machine is a machine which produced the processing of laying down the concrete and
creates profiles curves at the end of the curb. It also suitable used to construct the corner of parking lot
and the end of the street or road or narrow sidewalk.

MESH GRID ROLLER

Mesh grid roller is a tractor-drawn grid roller which it uses a heavy steel mesh to grind and
close-compacted the surface. These rollers also look like a cylindrical heavy steel surface consisting of a
network of steel bars forming a grid with squire holes and the roller is wicker shape. Because of the
design, they can operate at high speed without scattering the material being compacted.

Apart from that, there are also many types of rollers which have variety of design especially the
design of rollers and the applications of using it. For mesh grid roller, there are wicker metal holes on
the roller while sheepsfoot roller it contains of steel drums on which projecting lugs are fixed. Other
than that, pneumatic rollers are the rollers which have wheels on both axles while pad foot or tamping
rollers are similar to sheepsfoot rollers with lugs of larger area than sheepsfoot rollers.

TYPES OF ROLLER

There are many other common types of roller such as smooth steel rollers, grid rollers,
pneumatic tired rollers, sheepsfoot rollers and vibratory rollers.

Smooth steel rollers are traditional steel rollers which move at a relatively slower speed than
the other newer types of equipment. The new rollers utilize high static pressures which eligible them for
granular soils types and on clays because they bridge under surfaces. On the other hand, steel rollers
may create a plowing effect without resulting in a notable compaction and a poor traction if the soil is
soft.

Pneumatic tired rollers are types of rollers which usually consist of a load cart. The load cart may
be hauled by a tractor and is supported by four wheels. This type of roller is most suitable for coarse
grained soils with some fines.

Sheepsfoot rollers are rollers which consist of steel drum that have many round or rectangular
shaped lugs or foot on it. Different types of lugs or foot are namely spindle shaped with widened base,
prismatic and clubfoot type. These rollers work best with fine grained soils with significant amount of
fines.

A Vibratory roller are types of roller which consists of a smooth steel drum. It produces
vibrations which generated by an unbalanced mass mounted on the axle of the roller or on the frame
which has supported by the shaft. Vibratory rollers are normally applied to fine grained soils and also to
sand-gravel mixtures.

SKID STEER BRUSH CUTTER

Skid steer brush cutter are cutters which using a metal blade to cut thick of vegetation and tree
trunks up to 4 inches thick. It also is a needy tool for the right way of clearing and site preparation. The
mowing heads of brush cutters will create a fine cut without producing kind of detritus.

However, skid steer brush cutter are similar to brush saw or clearing saw which it is a powered
garden or agricultural tool used to trim weeds, small trees, and other foliage not accessible by a lawn
mower or rotary mower. Various blades or trimmer heads can be attached to the machine for specific
applications.

TYPES OF SKID STEER BRUSH CUTTER

Open front brush

Closed front brush
DUMP TRUCK

Dump truck is a truck used for transporting loose material (such as sand, gravel, or demolition waste) for
construction. A typical dump truck is equipped with an open-box bed, which is hinged at the rear and
equipped with hydraulic rams to lift the front, allowing the material in the bed to be deposited
("dumped") on the ground behind the truck at the site of delivery.

TYPES

Standard dump truck

Semi trailer end dump truck

Transfer dump truck

Superdump truck

Side dump truck

LOADER

A loader is a heavy equipment machine used in construction to move aside or load materials such as
asphalt, demolition debris, dirt, snow, feed, gravel, logs, raw minerals, recycled material, rock, sand,
woodchips, etc. into or onto another type of machinery (such as a dump truck, conveyor belt, feed-
hopper, or railroad car).

TYPES

bucket loader
front loader
front-end loader
payloader
scoop
shovel
skip loader
wheel loader
skid-steer
FORKLIFT

Forklift trucks are used to transport materials and goods on pallets or packs, and are able to move them
both horizontally and vertically. They are most suited to use on firm and level ground, and so are
common in warehouses and on industrial sites, but they are generally designed to operate in poorer
conditions as well and so can be used on construction sites.

Straight mast forklift

This has a telescopic straight mast that extends vertically, typically with a maximum lift height of 5.7 m,
a maximum forward tilt of 3-degrees and a maximum backward tilt of 10-degrees. This type of forklift is
capable of lifting 1.5 tonnes.

Telescopic boom forklift

This has a telescopic boom that is able to reach forwards 3.35 m and has a maximum lift height of 8.5 m.
The maximum load is 2 tonnes.

Overhead forklift

This has a hydraulically controlled overhead lifting arm that is able to reach forwards 2.35 m and has a
maximum lift height of 6.5 m. The maximum load is 1.5 tonnes.

BREAKER

Breakers, also known as a hammers or hoe rams, are powerful percussion tools used for breaking up
concrete or rock. They can be fitted to excavators and are powered by auxiliary hydraulic systems. They
are similar in function and operation to hand-held pneumatic drills.

TYPES

Nitrogen-gas.

Hydraulic-oil.

Combination nitrogen-gas and hydraulic-oil.

COMPRESSED AIR PLANT

There are a wide range of tools and plant on construction sites that use compressed air as their power
source. The advantage that this equipment has is that the power source is very mobile and so they can
be easily handled, which can be beneficial on isolated sites or in confined spaces.

TYPES

Reciprocating compressor

Rotary compressor
HOIST

Hoists are used on construction sites to vertically transport materials and/or passengers. They are most
commonly powered by diesel engines or electric motors that rotate a drum around which a wire rope is
wound. Hoists may also be hydraulically powered, and may use chains as the lifting mechanism rather
than wire rope.

TYPES

Mobile hoist

Passenger hoist

Small-package hoist

MOBILE ELEVATING WORK PLATFORMS

Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWP) are a types of 'plant', or equipment that facilitate working at
height. They consist of a working platform on an extending structure and chassis, with controls for
operation.

There are two basic types of MEWPs 'booms', such as cherry pickers, which have both static and
mobile forms; and 'verticals', such as scissor lifts, that can also be static or mobile.

TYPES

Push around vertical (PAV)

This is a small type of mobile vertical lift with scissor operation. It is compact and lightweight which
means it is often used for low-level access in warehouses, factories, and so on. It can be easily moved
from place to place, including between floors.

Mast lift

A mast lift is a small type of cherry picker with a boom lift operation. It is compact, and so can be used in
restricted spaces and busy environments, and has a caged platform that keeps users safe.

Scissor lift

This can be used in indoor and outdoor spaces where a straight vertical lift is required for access. The
caged platform is elevated by linked, folding supports in an X pattern, known as a pantograph. Pressure
is applied to the external side of the lowest set of supports, which elongates the criss-crossing supports
and raises the platform. For more information, see Scissor lift.

Cherry picker

A cherry picker is mobile and versatile and has a boom able to extend forwards and upwards. Different
attachments can be fitted to the end of the boom, such as a cradle, bucket, pallet forks, muck grab,
winch, and so on. It is flexible and multi-purpose, ideal for jobs that require the user to work at height in
awkward of locations. For more information, see Cherry picker.
Stick boom lift

Also known as a telescopic boom, a stick boom lift offers an extensive range of movement similar to the
cherry picker. The platform is capable of extending sideways as well as vertically, and is often used for
moving around and above obstacles, machinery or buildings.

Track mount

Also known as a spider lift, a track mount is often used when ground is uneven or has a steep incline.
The tracked chassis helps to spread weight more evenly, reducing the pressure on the ground, and
making it suitable for use on soft ground or delicate floors.

Truck mount