Construction Plants

Construction Plants

The term plant refers to machinery, equipment and apparatus used for an industrial activity. Typically, in construction, plant refers to heavy machinery and equipment used during construction works.

At the smaller scale, there may be some overlap between what is considered plant, small plant, tools, small tools or equipment.Very broadly, tools might be considered to be instruments that are used by hand, whereas equipment might refer to a set of tools used for a single purpose.

It is a common fact that we find a wide variety of construction machines on every construction sites, which make the construction jobs easy, safe and quicker. It is therefore important for site managers and construction planners to be familiar with the characteristics of the major types of equipment most commonly used in construction. 

Commonly used Types of Construction Plants

1.Excavators

They are heavy construction equipment consisting of a boom, stick, bucket and cab on a rotating platform (known as the "house").

Excavators are used in many ways:

Digging of trenches, holes,foundations

Material handling

Demolition

General grading/landscaping

Heavy lift, e.g. lifting and placing of pipes

River dredging

Driving piles, in conjunction with a pile driver

2 . Back hoe  

Backhoes are mainly used to clean up construction areas, to dig holes in the ground, to smooth uneven ground, to make trenches, ditches  and to help remove deep roots from trees.

3. Front shovel

A front shovel (also stripping shovel or power shovel) is a bucket-equipped machine, usually electrically powered, used for digging and loading earth or fragmented rock and for mineral extraction.

4. Bulldozers

A bulldozer is a crawler (continuous tracked tractor) equipped with a substantial metal plate (known as a blade) used to push large quantities of soil, sand, rubble, or other such material during construction or conversion work and typically equipped at the rear with a claw-like device (known as a ripper) to loosen densely-compacted materials.

5. Grader

A grader is a construction machine with a long blade used to create a flat surface.

In the construction of paved roads they are used to prepare the base course to create a wide flat surface for the asphalt to be placed on. Graders are also used to set native soil foundation pads to finish grade prior to the construction of large buildings.

It is used for grading and finishing the upper surface of the earthen formations and embankments. They usually operate in the forward direction.

Graders are commonly used in the construction and maintenance of dirt roads and gravel roads. 

Compactors are machines frequently used to compact materials such as soil in order to increase its density for construction.

6. Smooth-wheel rollers

These are most suitable for compacting gravels, sand and such like materials. Examples are Three wheeled or macadam rollers and tandem rollers.

7. Sheep-foot rollers

For compacting earth work in embankments and canals (where compaction deep into the layer of the earth is required).

These gives best result in compaction when the soil is clay or predominantly cohesive and impervious.

8. Tamper or Vibrating plates

These are engine powered walk – behind machines that impact powerful vibratory compaction effort to loose materials .

Are used in compaction of small jobs

9.Single smooth drum roller

This roller uses vibratory action in conjunction with ballast weight of the drum to compact.

One of the most effective means of attaining density for cohesion less materials.

10. Rammer

Also known as a back fill tamper.  Self-contained hand operated for use in confined spaces.

11. Dumpers

A dumper is a vehicle designed for carrying bulk material, often on building sites. A dumper is usually an open 4-wheeled vehicle with the load skip in front of the driver.

12. Forklift

A forklift truck (also called a lift truck, a fork truck, a forklift, or a tow-motor) is a powered industrial truck used to lift and transport materials.

A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It is mainly used for lifting heavy things and transporting them to other places. 

13.Derrick cranes

Derrick cranes consist of a mast, a boom and a bull wheel on which the boom rotates about a vertical axis and  supporting members.

14. Mobile cranes

These cranes are mounted on mobile units which is either crawler type or wheel type,Truck cranes have high mobility while the crawler mounted cranes move slowly.Crawler mounted cranes are capable of moving on rough terrain.

15.Tower cranes

Tower cranes are actually a derrick crane mounted on a steel tower.Tower cranes are usually used for industrial and residential high-rise buildings.The tower has a truss structure welded from steel bars and channels.

 16. Concrete production plants

They are used for mixing different ingredients in required proportion, It consists of storage bins for storing materials like cement and admixtures.Aggregate is mix in it with the help of a hopper which is fixed in plant.

17.Concrete mixers

A concrete mixer (also commonly called a cement mixer) is a device that homogeneously combines cement, aggregate such as sand or gravel, and water to form concrete. A typical concrete mixer uses a revolving drum to mix the components. For smaller volume works portable concrete mixers are often used so that the concrete can be made at the construction site, giving the workers ample time to use the concrete before it hardens.

Considerations when using construction plant

Construction projects, in particular, large and complex projects, are increasingly dependent on construction plant, and there are a wide range of issues that need to be considered in its use:

• Public safety and  employee safety.
• Type of applications.
• Programme, Lead times and continuity of use
• Crane zones and lifting operations.
• Emissions.
• Storage and theft.
• Insurance.
• Power and fuel.
• Maintenance and breakdowns.
• Standards and regulations.
• Nuisance (noise, vibration, dust). 
•  Logistics, access, segregation and diversions. 

Health and safety in particular is vitally important in the deployment and operation of plant on site, particularly in relation to cranes, mobile plant and vehicles. There are a number of regulations that must be adhered to and there is a wide range of guidance available from the Health and Safety Executive.

Nuisance can also be a significant concern in the operation of construction plant, in particular in relation to encroachment onto neighboring sites, damage to neighboring property, noise, vibration, dust, mud, disruption to traffic and so on. Careful planning and the strict application of site rules to contractors and sub-contractors can help alleviate such problems.