When we talk about construction projects, we almost automatically think of building a new building, whether residential or commercial. However, in the construction industry, there are also companies that build roads. Building a road, like other projects in civil engineering, requires the use of specific machines. In this article, we will look at the five most important machines and equipment for road construction.
The Use of Earthmoving Machines Before Road Construction
Building a road or a parking lot from scratch is a complex operation that can be divided into several steps. The first step involves the use of earthmoving machines to prepare the terrain where the road will be built. Excavators and wheel loaders are the suitable machines for this work. Excavators are the ideal machine for digging and demolition work. Wheel loaders can push, move, and load the excavated earth. However, the wheel loader is useful throughout the entire road construction phase, as it is used to move materials such as gravel or bitumen.
If you want to know more about earthmoving machines, read our article about them.
The Grader
The grader, also known as a motor grader, is a machine specifically developed for levelling materials. This machine is mainly used to evenly distribute the white material, which is the last layer of gravel before asphalt paving. The long blade of the grader is used for levelling the material to create a flat surface ready for asphalt paving. The use of this machine allows for correct levelling, creating proper drainage through the inclination of the terrain. There are various sizes of graders available on the market to adapt to the requirements of the road construction site.
The Road Roller
The road roller is a machine used to compact materials in road construction. This self-propelled machine consists of a machine part and two characteristic metal rollers. The high weight of the rollers and the machine in general allows it to compact various materials up to a depth of 1.5 meters. Every time a road is built, the roller is used in two similar work cycles. The first is compacting the material that serves as the base for the road, i.e., the layer on which the asphalt is laid. A second work cycle, in which the roller is used, is compacting the freshly applied asphalt.
The Mobile Asphalt Mixer
Once the base is ready, asphalt must be produced to complete the asphalt paving and realize the road surface. The asphalt mixer is the equipment used to manufacture asphalt. This material for road reinforcement consists of crushed stones and bitumen. To move these loose materials, the wheel loaders mentioned earlier are used. The machine mixes the materials while keeping the product at high temperatures to prevent it from solidifying too quickly.
The Paver
Once the asphalt is ready to be applied, it is directly filled from the mixer into the asphalt paving machine. The paver is a machine consisting of a large shovel that gradually lays the asphalt onto the road surface. The machine itself levels and compacts the material initially by passing over it to distribute it evenly. Once the paver has laid the asphalt layer, it is compacted by the passage of heavy road rollers. Like graders, there are also pavers in various sizes to adapt to the area to be paved.
The Milling Machine
In some cases of road construction, only a new asphalt layer needs to be applied without affecting the underlying surface. To do this, the asphalt layer to be replaced must be removed, which often has holes or cracks. A special machine is used for this purpose, known as a milling machine, also referred to as cold planer. This machine can completely remove the asphalt layer, creating the conditions for new asphalt paving. The milling machine drives over the layer to be milled, with a rotating milling drum lowered, and the material is loosened.
Our Conclusions
In the field of road construction, the use of specific machines and equipment is necessary. Renting earthmoving and asphalt equipment is always a good solution, as you can rely on our advice and support throughout the rental period.
Discover which machines for road construction we offer for rent on our website.
