Last reviewed 16 Sept 2026 · 6 min read
Classification and selection
Classification by function
| Function | Equipment |
|---|---|
| Earthmoving / excavation | Bulldozer, scraper, power shovel, backhoe, dragline, clamshell, loader, trencher, motor grader |
| Hauling | Dump trucks, dumpers, tippers, wagons, belt conveyors |
| Compaction | Rollers (smooth wheel, sheepsfoot, pneumatic, vibratory), rammers, plate compactors |
| Hoisting / lifting | Cranes (mobile, crawler, tower), hoists, derricks, winches, forklifts |
| Concrete | Mixers, batching plants, transit mixers, concrete pumps, vibrators |
| Paving | Hot mix plant, paver finisher, bitumen distributor, slip-form pavers, milling machines |
| Foundation / piling | Pile drivers, hydraulic rotary piling rigs, diaphragm wall grabs |
| Tunnelling / rock | Tunnel boring machines (TBM), drill jumbos, rock breakers, compressors |
| Dewatering | Pumps, well points |
Factors in selection
- Nature of work and job conditions (soil/rock type, moisture, haul distance, space).
- Output required and project duration.
- Economy — owning and operating cost per unit output.
- Availability of equipment, spare parts and service.
- Standardisation — fewer makes and models simplify maintenance.
- Versatility — multi-purpose machines.
- Operator skill and availability.
- Transportability and site access.
- Environmental (noise, emissions) and safety constraints.
- Buy, hire or lease decision.
Earthmoving equipment
| Equipment | Working | Best suited for |
|---|---|---|
| Bulldozer (crawler/wheel) | Tractor with a front blade (straight, angle, universal) | Short-haul pushing (economical up to about 100 m), clearing, stripping, spreading, ripping (with rear ripper), pushing scrapers |
| Scraper | Bowl that cuts, loads, hauls and spreads in thin layers | Large earthwork with medium hauls (roughly 100 m to a few km); loosened soils; often push-loaded by dozers |
| Motor grader | Long wheelbase with adjustable central blade | Levelling, shaping, grading, spreading, trimming slopes, maintaining haul roads, road camber |
| Power (face) shovel | Bucket pushes upward and away from the machine | Excavation above track level (the machine stands at the bottom of the face), hard soils; loading trucks |
| Backhoe (hoe) | Bucket pulled towards the machine | Excavation below track level — trenches, basements, pits; precise digging |
| Dragline | Bucket suspended from a long boom, thrown and dragged towards the machine | Excavation below track level over a large reach; soft, wet, underwater soils — canals, ponds, dredging; less precise |
| Clamshell | Two-halved hinged bucket dropped vertically | Vertical excavation in confined spaces — deep pits, shafts, cofferdams, well sinking; loose materials; rehandling |
| Loader (front-end/wheel/crawler) | Front bucket | Loading loose material into trucks, stockpiles; short carries |
| Trencher | Bucket chain or wheel | Continuous narrow trenches for pipes and cables |
| Excavator (hydraulic) | Versatile — backhoe or shovel attachments, breakers | General excavation and demolition |
Mnemonics:
- Shovel — above level, hard.
- Backhoe — below level, trenches, precise.
- Dragline — below level, wet/soft, long reach.
- Clamshell — vertical, confined, loose.