Compaction is one of the most critical parts of any building. Without good soil compaction, you can have significant erosion, cracks in slabs, and leaks in pipes. This results in unnecessary maintenance costs and structural failures. Different compactor equipment, such as plate compactors and roller compactors, have different purposes. Its primary function is to strengthen the foundations of almost all projects.
Light Soil Compactor Equipment
It is efficient in confined spaces where the forces required for packaging are less. They are usually hand-operated.
Vibrating Plate Compactor Equipment
You can use the vibrating plate compactor in narrow spaces where it isn’t easy to handle large equipment. This is because it has a vibrating base plate that creates a downward force in addition to the machine’s weight.
The vibrations penetrate the soil and bring the particles closer, increasing the soil density.
Rammers/Jumping Jack
This device delivers a series of strikes to the earth’s surface. It works like a jackhammer, but instead of a sharp tip, it gives the effect of a flat surface. Rammers are often used to create trenches.
Heavy Soil Compactor Equipment/Compactor Roller
This kind of construction equipment, comparing Wile E. Coyote, is ridiculous. These machines are like big rollers and glue the soil by kneading and pressing. They are used in large open areas.
Smooth Roller (Static)
Also called a road roller is the most common type of compactor. They are great at leveling asphalt roads but suitable for quality sand and gravel. A steel drum sits in front of the equipment. They relied on the weight of drums that crushed the ground. Eight crossings are usually sufficient to compact a 20 cm layer of soil.
Smooth Roller (Vibrating)
Instead of relying only on static force (drum weight), the vibrating roller uses vibrating force to create a more substantial effect. The rotating or repeating mass enables the drums to vibrate.
Increasing the vibration force ensures more efficient work and a higher level of compaction. In addition, you can also compact a greater depth of soil.
Sheepsfoot Roller
The main difference between sheepsfoot rollers and smooth rollers is the presence of projecting lugs or foot on a steel drum. These lugs have a rectangular shape and a hexagonal pattern. Moreover, this equipment is available in static or vibrating versions.
Also known as tamping rollers, they can compact good bottoms. Sheep’s rollers suit subgrade layer compaction on road and railway projects.
Source: Kor-Pak