Rollers help flatten or compact gravel, asphalt, soil, concrete, and other surface materials. While there are various reasons for using a roller in driveway construction, the primary reason is to apply direct pressure to crush or put loose materials into the ground. Below are the most common types of rollers available today:
Cylindrical Roller
The cylindrical roller is a type of walked-behind roller. It is lightweight and must be pushed. Cylindrical rollers are typically used for small projects. They usually have a diameter of 1 meter and are made of stone, iron, or concrete.
Grid Roller
Grid rollers come with a network of steel bars creating a grid-like pattern on their steel drum. You can increase the contact pressure of the grid by adding steel attachments or concrete blocks. Grid rollers are usually pulled or towed by a tractor or other heavy machines. Grid rollers are ideal for coarse soils, sub-base and sub-grade road constructions, and weathered rocks.
Sheepsfoot Rollers
Sheepsfoot rollers are also known as tamping rollers or Padfoot rollers. They have several rectangular feet or lugs. They are ideal for compacting silty clay and soil for road construction. You can add damp sand and water to the roller to increase its drum’s weight. You can even mount steel sections into it to increase its weight and provide an efficient compacting job. This type of roller can be used for projects involving wet clay and other fine-grained soils.
Pneumatic Rollers
A Pneumatic roller is also called a pneumatic tired roller. It is a large, ride-on roller with many rows of rubber tires at the front or back end. These rubber tires cover 80% of the area and put uniform pressure on the surface. Pneumatic rollers are commonly used for pavements.
Vibratory Rollers
Vibratory rollers are similar to smooth wheel rollers but have a specialized vibrating component. The roller will vibrate as it flattens and compacts any surface. Typically soil, concrete, or asphalt have natural empty spaces that can make any building warp and sink and damage its structure. A vibratory roller helps maintain the building’s structural integrity. These rollers can also be used for compacting crushed gravel and rock.
Static or Smooth Wheeled Rollers
Smooth wheeled rollers are also known as static rollers. There are two types of smooth-wheeled rollers – Double Drum and Single Drum. The double drum or tandem roller has one steel drum in the front and one at the back. The roller moves as the two drums move. This roller can flatten entire sections of a highway efficiently and quickly. The Double Drum roller is ideal for gradual surfaces like asphalt because of its little traction.
The single drum roller, also called the three-wheeled roller, is one of the most common types of heavy-duty machinery. It usually comes with a steel drum in the front and two special wheels behind to prevent flat tires. These drums can work in tight spaces due to their small size. They help create foundations for buildings and pave sidewalks and highways.
Tips to Choose the Right Roller
You must choose the right roller for your construction project. The wrong roller can lead to poor workmanship and air pockets that will sink the structure. It will also lead to uneven spaces that are dangerous.
Below are three important factors to consider when choosing a roller for your job.
Job Type
The first factor to consider when choosing a roller is the type of job you need it for. What are you going to be doing with the roller? You must know the kind of compaction you need the roller for. For instance, if you need uniform compaction that preserves the density and the surface’s viscosity, then a single drum roller may be useful. But if you need deeper compaction, you may have to pick the double drum roller.
Job Size
The size of the job also matters when you decide what kind of roller you need. You will benefit from a double drum roller for lengthy projects that need a lot of space. The double drum roller requires space to maneuver around due to its lack of wheels. Smaller compaction and leveling projects like village roads, sidewalks, and driveways will benefit from single drum rollers. They can be maneuvered easily in tight spaces and can easily compact inclined driveways and roads. You can use a Padfoot or Sheepsfoot roller for even tighter spaces.
Surface Type
The kind of surface you will be working on plays an important role in choosing the right kind of roller. You can use smooth drum rollers for bitumen or asphalt surfaces. If you are working on granular soil, you can use single or double drum rollers and Padfoot rollers if you are working on loam, silt, or clay.
Rollers are very useful when it comes to improving surfaces and making them sturdy. If you want to know more about rollers and why you should use them, visit Dobson Excavations. They offer services like driveway constructions, pool excavation, site works, and septic tank installations. They also provide interesting information about rollers and their uses.
