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One of the essential parts of human nature is to build things. From your early childhood, you learn with toys such as Lego blocks and play doughs. You make different structures and determine what kind of arrangements do not work. Humans also look around and observe the existing structures to get inspired by them. Who made that fantastic skyscraper and how was it made, are some of the questions almost everyone tends to ask themselves. We also see how we have considerably improved the construction capabilities with time. From mud houses to those tall buildings like Burj Khalifa, one cannot even fathom the amount of research and studies that go into that.
The answer to most of these questions lies in the construction industry which makes everything possible. Many professions are associated with the construction industry, including civil engineers, architects, laborers, project managers, and many more. These people attain degrees working for years to have the skills that make these construction wonders possible. However, they cannot do it without the equipment and tools that the construction industry uses. This equipment didn’t exist decades ago as the invention of them was also done by researchers and engineers working hard. People who are new to the construction industry or have a passion for learning about it might get confused about the equipment as there are many. Many look weird, and they confuse you about their uses as you look for more info about them. In this article, we will introduce you to some of the commonly used construction equipment.
Excavators
As the name suggests, excavators are used in the construction field when you have to dig stuff. No building is possible without making its foundation deep in the ground, which holds the whole structure together. Since it is a heavy-duty job and you cannot do it manually, excavators help you deal with it. Excavators are multi-purpose and generally used for any lifting and demolition. You can go a step further and also use them for river dredging and cutting trees. It does everything with the help of long arms and a cabinet that carries everything. The cabin also can rotate 360 degrees, making it possible to carry out various tasks. Researchers are now trying to build remote-controlled excavators to minimize human involvement in dangerous scenarios.
Backhoe
Though excavators help dig, there is another piece of equipment that also does that, but in a versatile way. There are many areas of digging in which the ground is below the machine level. Excavators usually cannot reach there, and that’s where a backhoe comes to the rescue. The hoe is provided at the backside of the vehicle while the bucket at the front is attached with an arm. They are also multi-purpose as they can do digging, lifting, loading, and unloading.
Graders
Also named motor graders, they help a great deal in the construction process, especially in building roads. Many parts of the construction require that the surface be leveled before one can place any other structure. With roads, doing this is very crucial; otherwise, it will be bumpy and inclined to wear down very quickly. Graders have horizontal and massive blades between the back and front of the vehicle. The driver can easily lift or lower the blade when you have to use it. These machines also help in removing any snow or dirt from the surface before laying asphalt.
Trenchers
The name gives it all away as we use this equipment for excavating trenches in the soil. Construction is not all about making massive structures but also about ensuring that the structures get the necessary utilities, such as water, cable, internet, etc. To lay these utilities, you need trenches, and that’s where trenchers come to the benefit of construction workers, making their lives much more comfortable. There are mainly two types of trenchers. Chain trenchers have a fixed long arm for digging, while metal wheel digging tooth has a wheel to do the same thing. The difference? Wheel trenchers are more useful to excavate hard soil layers.
Loaders
Whenever you dig something, the earth comes out, and it can become a nuisance if not removed properly. Loaders help us achieve this goal as they lift all the mud and load it into the truckers to carry them away. It does so with the help of a huge bucket. Loaders can either be tracked or wheeled depending upon the requirements of the area.
Tower Cranes
In tall structures, you will always find a fixed metal crane fixed on the top of the building helping the construction workers. Cranes help in lifting heavy objects which one can not do manually. Many construction workers need heavy construction material in the upper stories of the building, as they build upwards. A vertical support tower supports an arm that the operators can lower, lift, and turn around. Research says that crane needs other equipment to operate more efficiently.
Compactors
You would have seen at the construction sites, as we also commonly call them rollers. The name gives away everything, as these are heavy metal rollers that help to level the surfaces. They are often helpful in constructing roads, as they compact the asphalt surfaces to bind every layer together. There are many types such as the smooth wheel, sheep-foot, and pneumatic tire rollers, depending upon their roles.
Construction Lifts
Apart from the material, the workers sometimes need to work at high spots where there is no support. Construction lifts help carry out a variety of tasks owing to various types such as boom lifts, scissor lifts, forklifts, and many other types. Most of these lifts have a small cabin where someone can stand and carry the necessary objects.
Feller Buncher
In times of the worst climate change, nobody would recommend cutting trees, but sometimes it becomes necessary at a construction site. Feller bunchers help cut trees without making a mess as it would happen if someone has to do it manually. They cut the tree and then grab them without falling. However, we recommend that you plant new ones somewhere else to replace them whenever you cut trees.
Dumper Trucks
It would help if you always had trucks to carry mud or any other things and dump them somewhere else. They help the digging equipment finish their job, so these piles of dirt do not get in the way of construction workers carrying out their job. They have a huge space to carry materials and have big wheels that support the structure.
Key Takeaways
Making tall structures is becoming essential for our urbanized living. The construction industry makes it all possible with skilled professionals, workers, and top-notch equipment. Some machines help dig and excavate while the other equipment helps remove the residues to enable further work. Lifting heavy objects to heights is also vital as cranes and lifts help achieve that. Every machine has a usage, and without any of them, construction might not even be possible.
