Best Site Dumpers To Use On Soft Ground Surfaces.
When exploring the dumpers to use on soft ground, you will face an endless list of options available to hire. But before jumping right in, understanding the capabilities and benefits of each kind of site dumper will help you make a more informed choice. Site dumpers are one of the most essential pieces of equipment used on construction sites throughout the world. Their purpose is to transport materials and earth in and around the area you are working. They are especially important in the early phases of construction to assist excavators in preparing the ground before construction begins. In addition, you can use site dumpers to remove hazardous materials during demolition to prevent you or your team from doing it by hand.
When working on a construction or demolition site, two factors you cannot control is the ground type and the weather. In the UK, we face, on average, 133 days of rain or snow a year, slowing down production for many. Therefore, if you are about to begin a long-term project during wetter months, chances are you need to prepare for soft ground conditions. In this article, we shall take you through all the different machines, their beenfits and which dumpers to use on soft ground surfaces.
Types of dumpers to use on soft ground
There are hundreds of different designs of site dumpers available on the market. All of which offer various unique features to aid operators in completing their day-to-day tasks. Nevertheless, regardless of their additional features, site dumpers can be broken down into three main categories.
Articulated dumpers
Articulated site dumpers have a body and chassis divided into two separate sections called the tractor and the trailer components. The tractor component houses the machine’s engine and is from where the site dumper is operated from. The trailer component contains the dump body. The articulation joint contains a pivot point that allows the two pieces of the chassis to move independently.
Tracked dumper
Tracked dumpers are a unique type of site dumper that use tracks rather than tyred wheels to move. These dumpers are mounted on a tracked chassis with the dump and cabin sitting at the front or rear of the machine, depending on its design. Tracked site dumpers are heavily favoured in the early stages of construction to avoid large amounts of ground disruption.
Mini Dumper
Mini site dumpers are smaller versions of articulated and tracked dumpers, ranging from 500kg to 1 ton. These machines are available in a sit on, or in wheelbarrow form. Unlike their larger counterparts, these site dumpers are ideal for confined space work. Ideal for landscapers rather than large construction or demolition sites.
Benefits of Articulated Dumpers
Their frame does not twist
Their deisgn is composed of separate tractor and trailer components. Which allow them to navigate over rough and uneven terrain without damaging their chassis. This is because of both elements of the machine having the ability to flex over their pivot point.
Tighter turning circle
As the machine consists of two separate parts, an articulated dumper can turn within a much tighter radius compared to other rigid dumpers available on the market. This also makes for far better handling and control.
Ground clearance
Articulated site dumpers have the benefit of having additional ground clearance thanks to their large tyres. This allows them to navigate over rocky and uneven ground without damaging the undercarriage of the machine.
Benefits of Tracked Dumpers
Increased traction
Tracked dumpers provide superior traction compared to all other wheeled site dumpers. This is because of their ability to distribute their weight far more evenly and over a larger distance.
Excellent for wet conditions
One advantage that tracked dumpers have over their wheeled counterparts is their ability to traverse waterlogged soil and particularly soft ground without getting bogged down.
Increased maximum payload
Even weight distribution also allows tracked site dumpers to carry a heavier payload than most wheeled dumper trucks of equivalent size. This is an especially useful quality if the number of trucks you can use on your site is limited by space.
Increased surface protection
By using a tracked site dumper, you can reduce the overall amount of damage you create to the ground you are working on compared to a wheeled dumper. This is ideal if you need to limit the amount of ground disruption you create while in operation.
Benefits of Mini dumper
Use in confined space
Mini dumpers are fantastic for small, confined spaces. They are designed to be able to pass through a standard garden gate door, allowing operators to transport materials and waste from the tightest of spaces.
Easy to use
Mini dumpers have been designed to be operated by the least experienced of workers. Therefore, only a small amount of training is required to function the machine safely.
Hi-tip
Even though most designs of mini dumper do not have a large amount of ground clearance, some machines have a function that raises loads high enough to offload into a skip.
Load
Although mini dumpers are small, they can increase productivity and reduce manual handling, as they carry anything up to 10 times more than a standard wheelbarrow. Something to certainly consider for smaller projects.
Which dumpers to use on soft ground?
As mentioned previously, soft or wet ground is something that construction or demolition companies have to work through over a third of the year. So, choosing the right dumper from your project is very important to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.
The best dumper to use on soft ground is a tracked dumper, for several reasons.
- Their increased traction will allow you to work through all different terrains, even if your site becomes waterlogged.
- Their ability to distribute their weight more evenly reduces their overall surface damage, especially on soft ground surfaces.
- Their increased payloads will reduce the amount of work your machine will have to do overall, reducing your overall movement over the soft ground surface a day.
- Tracked dumpers are available in many sizes to suit the magnitude of your project.
Additional tracked dumper options are:
- 180 turning dump options
- Cabin models for increased and all-day comfort
- Slew options
- Rigid options
- Swivel options
- High dump angle to speed up offloading
An alternative to the use of tracked dumpers is a specialised large capacity site dumper designed for waterlogged or heavy terrain projects.
If you are looking for the ideal site dumper for your project, then our team at WHC Hire Services could help you find the perfect solution to your requirements.
Where to hire a dumpers to use on soft ground?
Since 1997, WHC Hire Services has been providing the highest quality site dumpers to customers, contractors and businesses (no matter their size) to get the job done. We offer a wide range of tracked and articulated site dumpers ranging from 500kg to 9 Ton for long or short-term projects. With depots in Tewkesbury, Worcester and the Cotswolds, we are available and on hand when you need us. With consistent investment into the quality of our fleet, we can assure that our customers receive the very best equipment on time and in perfect working condition.
Get started today by contacting one of our experienced team on 01684377977 or click here to see our full range of site dumpers.