Soil Compactors

Soil compactors are those machines that are used for compacting soils in various construction projects like roads, highways and buildings. In soil compacting techniques, energy is applied to loose soil or other material which increases its density and consequently its load-bearing capacity. There are certain advantages of soil compacting which are as follows :

• Water seepage is minimized
• Contraction and swelling of soil is reduced to a certain extent.
• Prevents damage from frosts.
• Increases load bearing capacity.

Types of Soil Compactors
For different types of soils, different types of compactors are used. For example for thin layer of soils, static steel wheel and pneumatic rollers are used. For cohesive type of soils, impact machines like jumping jack rammers are applied. For granular soils and asphalt, plate compactors are applied. Plate compactors are vibratory compactor which depends upon frequency and amplitude. For soils with greater cohesive content, machines like vibratory rollers are used which is available in both single and dual drum models with either smooth or padfoot drums.

Applications
Soil compactor plays an important role in many infrastructure projects. They have their applications in the following areas :

• Soil compactors are useful for compaction in urban areas, roads and highways.
• They are also utilized for landfill and paving applications.
• Soil compactors are suitable for compacting mixed soils and cohesive soils in thin and medium layer thicknesses in large areas.
• They are also applied for landscaping and preparing sites for building construction.
• They have their great utility in compaction of soils and gravels in trenches, around retaining walls and or any other difficult job site.