Heavy Machinery

Different Types of Heavy Equipment

Heavy civil construction is a particularly demanding sector within the industry. This field covers a broad range of infrastructure and government-funded projects, including streets, highways, bridges, tunnels, sewers, railroads, sea ports, irrigation systems, flood control, marine construction and many more. The complexity of these large-scale ventures requires the use of specialized heavy construction equipment, each designed to handle specific tasks.

Managing these large, complex pieces of heavy machinery requires expertise and skill. Project managers and heavy equipment operators who know how to properly and efficiently utilize this machinery can have a significant impact on a project's outcome. With this essential equipment, completing heavy construction projects would be much more efficient.

Heavy equipment is used for many purposes and encompasses a broad range of machinery. Here are several different types of heavy construction machinery commonly used in civil engineering projects, offering a detailed look at each's capabilities to help you determine which ones are best for your projects.

1. Skid Steer Loaders

Small skid steer loaders can serve several purposes on a job site. You can use loaders to move materials like logs, rocks and debris. Most skid steer loaders are compatible with several attachments, making them versatile machines. You can use skid steers for jobs like road work, excavation and demolition.

2. Backhoe Loaders

Backhoe loaders have a bucket in the front and a backhoe on the back. You can both push and carry materials with this equipment. Backhoe loaders work as multifunctional machines at job sites involving construction, excavation, digging and more.

3. Material Handlers

Mobile material handlers have been designed and built for metal scrap handling, wood log handling and bulk material handling such as minerals, grain, sand, aggregate, etc. These aggressive machines deliver fast, mobile, efficient performance whether equipped with a grapple, clamshell bucket or magnet. This material handling machine is available in Track Material Handler and Wheel Material Handler.

4. Blast Hole Drills

You will commonly find these drills at mining sites. This piece of heavy equipment can drill a hole into rock. You would then fill the hole with explosive material. When the material detonates, it creates cracks in the rock, assisting mining activity or more drilling.

5. Pile Drivers

Pile drivers are used in the construction of deep foundations, providing the necessary support for large structures. These machines work by driving piles—long, heavy beams of wood, steel, or concrete—deep into the soil using a heavy weight or hammer that is dropped repeatedly onto the pile. This method helps to provide a stable base for the construction of buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure

6. Cranes

Cranes come in several sizes, ranging from smaller options to those as tall as a building. This equipment can lift heavy loads, including large material quantities or other machines, from one job site area to another. A crane machinery will have either a telescopic or fixed boom.

7. Road Graders

Road graders flatten and smooth out the surface of roads. Often, you use motor graders to prep an area for paving, though you can also use them for maintenance on dirt roads. Motor graders are helpful when you need to lay a foundation for other structures, as well.

8. Excavators

Excavators are another type of multiuse tool used at construction sites. They can operate on either tracks or wheels and come in several sizes, e.g. Mini Excavators and Large/ Ultra-large Hydraulic Excavators. While you will commonly use an excavator with a bucket attachment, they are also compatible with other tools. You can use a mini excavator for anything from digging to landscaping or snow removal. Excavators are adaptable to a broad range of tasks and project conditions, making them one of the most widely used types of heavy construction equipment.

9. All-Terrain Forklifts

Heavy duty forklifts are a common choice when you need to move, load or unload heavy materials and packages. This type of heavy equipment works well for warehousing applications. There are also all-terrain forklifts that work outside and inside and are available in several types and sizes. Use this machinery to move items around your work site with ease.

10. Bulldozers

Bulldozers are one of the best types of heavy construction machinery for large-scale projects that demand mobile, powerful, and stable earth-moving equipment. Bulldozers have three blade options, so you can push anything from rock or soil to snow. You can also carry loose materials or use the blades for breaking and loosening other items. Bulldozers are valuable pieces of heavy equipment for construction, forestry, mining and more.

11. Feller Buncher

Feller bunchers are used in the logging industry to harvest trees. The metal arms wrap around the tree and remove it from the base. You can then use the machine to carry the entire tree to your collection area.

12. Asphalt Pavers

Use a paver for laying and packing asphalt at road construction site. A dump truck carries the asphalt while the paver follows behind, laying the material. Whether you need to make a public road, recreation area or driveway, an asphalt paver machine helps you create the final product.

13. Soil Compactors

Compactors are heavy construction equipment designed to apply downward pressure on materials such as dirt, soil, or gravel, helping to compress the ground and eliminate air pockets. These machines are available in various types, each designed for different needs on a construction project. For example, vibratory rollers are typically used for compacting asphalt and granular materials on roads and foundations, whereas plate compactors are better suited for smaller, more confined spaces.

14. Wheel Loaders

Wheel loaders are powerful and versatile machines commonly found on construction sites. They are equipped with a large bucket that can lift materials such as rubble, gravel, soil, debris, and dirt, perfect for loading into trucks for transport around the job site. These machines are available in mini, compact, and large versions, allowing for a diverse range of work.

15. Dump Trucks

Dump trucks are the primary means for transporting loose materials such as soil, gravel, sand, and demolition debris on and off a construction site. These vehicles are designed to handle heavy loads, allowing for the movement of substantial volumes in fewer trips, which can accelerate the construction process.

16. Telehandlers

Telehandlers are lifting machines celebrated for their extended reach and multifunctionality. They possess a telescopic boom, allowing them to handle a variety of tasks from lifting heavy loads to the precise placement of materials at heights that other lifting equipment can’t achieve. This capability is particularly beneficial on projects where materials must be lifted over obstacles or positioned at elevated positions.

Other heavy equipment and machinery includes: stationary crane, mobile material handler, scrap handling crane, scrap handling manipulator arm, pedestal rock breaker boom system, material handling excavator, container handling equipment, tunnel boring machine and more. Because of their versatility, the heavy equipment is widely used for various applications including bridge construction, agriculture, emergency response, forestry, oil & petroleum, railroad, airport, sea port, quarry, earthmoving, concrete, demolition, excavation, electrical, new energy, recycling & scrap handling, road building, utility, waster transfer & handling, and more different industries.

Heavy Equipment and Machinery Manufacturer in China

YUANDA is a leading manufacturer of heavy machinery and construction equipment in China. Our company specializes in forestry, scrap, bulk material handling and heavy construction applications that demand continuous & reliable heavy equipment in production settings. With thousands of parts and fully assembled machines, we offer you a wide selection of new or used heavy construction equipment for sale.