If you are a contractor, you may need to do a great deal of excavating for some projects. When you turn up a lot of soil or sand, the ground can get unstable once you recover your work. This is where you need high quality soil compaction roller equipment. But should you use a smooth rollers or a sheepsfoot roller for your compaction needs? Here is a closer look at both options to help you decide.
Soil Requirements
Some types of ground compacts or compresses easier than others. This depends on the hardness of the soil and how much moisture it contains. You can choose from three roller types, smooth, smooth (vibrating), and spiked or sheepsfoot roller equipment.
Smooth Rollers
You may select a standard smooth roller or one which vibrates. Standard rollers are best for ground which compresses or crushes easily. The drum is heavy enough to do the compaction work for you, and it can also crush things like small and medium size rocks. The drum weight determines how much crushing and compacting power you have.
Vibration
A vibrating drum type compactor combines the benefits of a standard roller and the force of vibrations. If you need more compacting power, then you might want to consider a vibrating drum compactor. However, when you have limited space, you can use a plate vibration compactor. This lets you get into tight areas with no problems.
Spiked Rollers
Finer soils are sometimes difficult to compact. This is especially true with areas around dams and steep embankments. A spiked or sheepsfoot roller has many spikes which increase the compacting pressure. The spikes help to maximize compaction, and you can choose large spiked rollers or special attachments made for your excavator equipment. This can increase the utility of your backhoes and excavators.
