The construction industry relies on a wide variety of specialist machinery in order to carry out large-scale projects in accordance with strict health and safety regulations. After all, it is simply impossible to provide a reliable service without the benefits that modern technology provides. An excavator is a popular piece of plant machinery that can be used for civil engineering projects and landscaping ventures, and they’re often found on a construction site. Read on as we go over some of the different types of excavators…
Backhoe Excavators
As the most recognisable variety, a backhoe excavator has a bucket attacked to a dipper arm that faces the operating cab as well as a loader at the rear in order to scoop up materials. They aren’t particularly tall which makes them extremely versatile in construction because they can be utilised within a wide variety of applications.
Crawler Excavators
A taller and more robust type of excavator is the crawler excavator, and these operate on a rotating wheel system in the same way that war tanks do. This allows them to manoeuvre around uneven terrain with ease and dig/move earth in a variety of different locations. Crawlers have high horsepower and rely on hydraulics in order to carry out projects, however their digger arm extends much higher than some excavator varieties.
Suction Excavators
With a completely different design to the excavators listed above, a suction or vacuum excavator provides a precise and careful excavation application. Workmen will use a water jet in order to loosen up the ground and then apply a suction pipe that has sharp teeth at the end in order to break it up and take it away. This type of excavator is much more suitable for underground work, however, the machinery is often large and bulky.
Dragline Excavators
The largest and most effective excavator used in civil engineering is known as a dragline excavator. They have a standard base with two lifting cranes that can be used in a variety of applications, such as surface mining. In fact, dragline excavators are so heavy that they often have to be assembled on a construction site because their weight can damage public roads.
An excavator can be characterised by its bulky shape and the loaders at the front or rear which are used in order to manipulate the ground according to the needs of a project. In fact, they may be used for a variety of reasons such as removing soil or other materials, digging foundations or trenches, demolition, mining, landscaping work, and river dredging. For all your civil engineering contractor needs or to find out more information about the application of excavators in construction, get in contact with a member of the Millgrove Construction team today.
