REPUBLIC OF BENIN

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MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
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UNIVERSITY OF ABOMEY CALAVI
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POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL OF ABOMEY CALAVI
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SPECIALITY: CIVIL INGENEERING 4

TITLE : HEAVY EQUIPMENT USED IN CIVIL

ENGINEERING

Author: Teacher:
FONGNIKIN Thiéry Dr OLORY Bienvenu
GBETINSANON Malchade
MIKAILA Rahim Moubarak

Academic Year: 2022-2023

HEAVY EQUIPMENT USED IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
(Types of heavy construction equipment used in civil engineering)
In big projects, heavy construction equipment are employed for a variety of tasks. The choice
of various heavy equipment types is generally based on the scope and cost of the project. These
facilitate and speed up the construction process.
The following are some examples of heavy machinery used in the civil engineering construction
field:
Bulldozers
Another sort of soil-excavating machinery is the bulldozer, which is employed to remove the
topsoil layer up to a specific depth. The large, pointed metal plate that is attached to its front is
used to remove soil. Using hydraulic pistons, this plate may be raised and lowered. These are
frequently employed for lifting the soil, removing weak or hard strata, and other similar tasks.
Graders
An equipment called a grader is used in the civil engineering field during construction,
particularly for the building of roads which is also known as a motor grader. The surface of the
soil is primarily leveled with it. It has a blade that is horizontal and lowers into the ground while
it works, located between the front and back wheels.
Trenchers
To excavate trenches in the soil, trenchers or trenching equipment are used on site. These
trenches are typically used for drainage work, cable installation, pipeline installation, etc. Chain
trenchers and wheeled trenchers are the two types of trenching equipment. Chain trenchers have
a fixed long arm that has a digging chain attached to it. Wheeled trenchers have a metal wheel
that is surrounded by digging teeth. Generally, both types of trenchers are available in tracked
and wheeled vehicles.
Paver
Equipment used in civil engineering road construction to lay pavement is called a paver,
sometimes known as an asphalt paver. Asphalt is continually loaded into the feeding bucket of
the paver by the dump truck, which then spreads the asphalt uniformly and lightly compacts it
onto the road surface. To achieve optimum compaction, a roller is needed after the asphalt layer
is laid.
Telehandlers
Telehandlers are lifting devices that are used in construction to carry heavy objects to the needed
height or to provide a work platform for workers at higher altitudes. It has a lengthy telescopic
boom that is adjustable in height and can be moved forward or backwards. Depending on the
needs of the operation, several types of arrangements, such as forklifts, buckets, cabins, lifting
jibs, etc., can be attached to the end of a telescopic boom.

KEYWORDS: Dumper; Continuous-Track; telescopic boom lift; heavy Equipment;

digging/excavation

❖ Dumper:

A dumper truck is primarily used to transport materials to and from a construction site. It is the
safest way to quickly transport loose materials from a site, and is especially important in the
early phases of a project where the ground is being prepared for work to commence.
❖ Continuous-Track:

Continuous track is a system of vehicle propulsion used in tracked vehicles, running on a

continuous band of treads or track plates driven by two or more wheels. The large surface area
of the tracks distributes the weight of the vehicle better than steel or rubber tyres on an
equivalent vehicle, enabling continuous tracked vehicles to traverse soft ground with less
likelihood of becoming stuck due to sinking
❖ telescopic boom lift:

A telescopic boom lift, also called a stick boom or straight boom, has a boom that “telescopes”
straight out from the boom hoist, which is attached to the lift chassis. Some models can reach
as high as 185 feet, although the more common maximum range is in the neighborhood of 150
feet.
❖ heavy Equipment:

Heavy equipment means self-propelled, self-powered, or pull-type equipment, including farm

equipment or a diesel engine, that weighs at least 1,500 pounds and is intended to be used for
agricultural, construction, industrial, maritime, mining, or forestry uses.
❖ digging/excavation: Is the process of moving earth, rock or other materials with tools,
equipment or explosives.

COMMENTARY
Utilizing construction equipment can be difficult, just like using any other product. Market
competitiveness is one of several variables to take into account. If you are aware of the products
and services required for any structure construction, your search will be more successful. In
keeping with this, while purchasing construction equipment for any civil engineering
construction project, you should also take into account other aspects such as the equipment's
intended usage, its reliability, safety, the vendor, and the person in charge of making the
purchase.
Besides this, in the construction of any structure, where technical equipment failure can cost a
lot of finance, productivity and uptime are crucial. Therefore, incorporating more sophisticated
and intelligent elements will improve the outcome of the construction process.