Capital Equipment News March 2015

Introduction to EARTHWORKS AND CIVILS By Pierre Sanson

E arthworks and civil engineering are the process of works created through the moving or processing of parts of the earth’s surface involving quantities of soil and unformed rock in order to prepare the surface for the erection of designed struc- tures that contribute to the infrastructure development of any given economic entity. Much of this activity involves machine utili- zation whether for moving millions of cubic metres of material or lifting structural mate- rial to great heights. In today’s rapidly evolving construction and civil engineering industries that are charac- terised by continual innovation, companies are expected to be on the leading edge of the services they provide to their customers and the equipment in which they invest. The company and its equipment operators will be the most knowledgeable with regard to the capabilities of a wheel loader or ex- cavator and the machine’s role in the per- formance of the required tasks. Ultimately, however, the company is responsible for

their fleet and its proper operating capa- bilities. To avoid exceeding the limits of the machines, they must understand the appli- cation in which each machine is to operate and be aware of the potential hazards that may exist on a particular jobsite. Consider- ation should be given to the jobsite’s terrain and how often the machine is being used to perform multiple high-volume tasks. Stretching the equipment’s capabilities has consequences, including more downtime, higher maintenance costs and increased total cost of ownership-all of which have a direct impact on productivity and profitabil- ity. The more the limits of the machines are known, the faster the company can respond to changing jobsite conditions that could pose a threat to the operator or others and the greater chance there is of extending the life of the machine. Both wheel loaders and excavators can be used with different attachments which can double or even triple their capabilities which can further enhance the business potential of the contractor.

Owners and operators should give strong consideration to density of the material a wheel loader or excavator bucket can move safely. While the machine may be working with multiple material densities from sand to boulders, the bucket specification should be based on the heaviest material the machine will handle and include that calculation in the lifting capacity evaluation. Evaluating performance specifications for a crawler excavator should include an analy- sis of lifting capacity, arm and bucket force and swing torque, as well as front digging dimensions such as reach and depth. Top wheel loader specs should focus on lifting capacities as well as full-turn, rated oper- ating capacity, breakout force and dump height. Every machine has its limits. The time tak- en for owners and operators to understand the capabilities and performance potential of their equipment, will pay dividends for their long-term investments. b

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