Excavation equipments(Excavators):

Machines that are used in digging excavations and in trenching operations. Selection of excavation equipments based on: 1. Depth of excavation. 2.Quantity and disposal area of excavated material (large excavator are able to dump excavated material away from excavation site.)

Different excavation equipments usedThe ancient way of excavating

Ancient tools used In excavation:

Excavators
These are equipped with high power diesel engines . These are mounted on wheels or on tracks for moving from place to place. The operation of the excavator done by movement of a series of levers and pedals by operaters from his cab. A series of winches , brakes, clutches and wire ropes to translate all these movements into work i.e movement of earth.

Currently using excavators:

Loader Bulldozers and scrapers Back hoes Dragline Shovel Skimmer Clamshell Pile rigs, Augers Trench diggers etc

Hydraulic excavators
Provided rotating superstructure which are somewhat different from cable actuted machines eg. Dragline etc. Various digging actions are powered by hydraulic cylinders ,motors and are controlled by hydraulic valves or variable stroke pumps. Hydraulic excavator has advantage that its digging force do not tend to lift the bucket . They need slightly larger engine as compared to cable operated machines. Due to pressure drop in line & valve hydraulic pumps are slightly less efficient than gear and chain drive.

Back hoe loaders

Back hoe loaders

Three construction machines are combined into one unit i.e a tractor, a loader and a hoe. Used excellently in digging loosely packed moist clay and sandy clay. Not suitable for continuous high impact digging such as with hard clay or caliche. function of Loader : loader bucket attached to front of tractor which enables it to excavate above wheel level.

Back hoe loaders

funcion of Back hoe : - A hoe attached to the rear of the tractor enables it to excavate below wheel level. - Hoe bucket can be replaced with a breaker or hammer.

Crawler mounted hydraulic hoe

Crawler mounted hydraulic hoe

They are superior to draglines in operating on close range work and loading into haul units. Maximum depth of digging for larger machines is more than 25 ft. Selection of hoe: 1. max. excavation depth required. 2. max. working radius required for digging and dumping. 3. max. dumping height required. 4. Hoisting capability required.

This durable under carriage absorbs stresses & provide excellent stability.

Long reach crowler mounted excavator

specifications
336D 385C

Net power at 1800 rpm

270 hp

530 hp

Operating weight

38.4-40 mt

88.33-88.5 mt

Max. reach

15.8-18 m

18-21.3 m

For small excavation,trenching and loading work such models are used

Loaders

Loaders
Extensively used in construction work to handle ,transport bulk material and also to excavate earth. Designed to excavate at or above wheel or track level. During working hydraulic activated lifting system exert max. breakout force with an upward motion of bucket.

Loader types
Crawler-tractor mounted type Wheel tractor mounted type Further grouped by capacities of their buckets or weights that bucket can lift. To increase stability during load lifting ,the track of crawler are usually longer and wider than other types. Bucket shape and size depends on the material to be excavate or remove and on loads also.

Bulldozers and Scrapers

Bulldozers and Scrapers

Sometimes used in excavation operation either for entire excavation or removing top of the excavation for subsequent excavation by an excavators or back hoe.

Hydraulic Front Shovel

Hydraulic Front Shovel

Used for hard digging above track level and for loading haul units. Size of shovel is indicated by size of bucket and expressed in cubic meter. Basic parts of shovel are substructure(mounting), cab, boom, stick, buckets Selection of front shovel depends on 1. Cost per cubic meter of material excavated 2. Job conditions under which shovel operate

Hydraulic Front Shovel

If material hard to excavate then bucket which exert higher pressure used. If blasted rock to be excavate then larger size bucket to handle large pieces. Size of available hauling units should be considered.(generally haul unit capacity should be approx. five times excavator bucket size)

 It is necessary to select a shovel that has the physical dimensions that enables placement of the bucket for dumping at a height above the haul units structure. Typical cycle element times under average conditions Load bucket 7-9 sec Swing with load 4-6 sec Dump load 2-4 sec Return swing 4-5 sec