Equipment selection plays a vital role in paving as well as pavement maintenance. Compaction equipment is used for compressing soil and other waste material. These tools are predominantly used by construction companies in preparing the construction area. It also plays an important role in paving and pavement maintenance. One such piece of equipment is a vibratory plate compactor which is used to compact asphalt and sub base in parking lots, driveways and other such repair works. You can now choose a suitable plate compactor based on its intended use. Determine whether the use is for soil or waste compaction or other factors like soil type and price.
Determine the Soil Type
Before buying suitable compaction equipment, consider the soil type since each has its own unique requirements. Based on the grain sizes, soil types can be classified into organic, granular or cohesive soil types. Each soil type can be compacted by using different compaction equipment.
For instance cohesive soils have a very small grain size when compared to the other two and hence need specialized equipment that can deliver maximum impact force. You need to equipment that not only applies high pressure to the soil but also sucks out all the air present in it. Ideal Compaction equipment for such soil types would be a vibratory roller or a rammer. Likewise, in case of granular soil that has medium to fine gravel and does not have enough cohesive strength, you require different equipment. Since granular particles are not small and do not require vibratory force, you can opt for a forward vibratory plate compactor.
Determine the Strength
When you want to use compaction equipment on material other than soil, consider its strength before use. This is because certain equipment has higher impact force when compared to others. What this means is that you have to choose equipment that delivers the impact you want. Take for instance road construction. The compaction equipment used for road construction is different from that of pavement construction. Since the impact force needed for soil compaction is lesser when compared to road construction, it is important that you choose a suitable vibratory paver compactor.
Types of Compactor
Another thing that you should determine is what type of plate compactor you want to use. There are three types of plate compactors. Namely: single plate compactor, high performance plate compactor and reversible compactor. Single plate compactors move in the forward direction only and are ideal for smaller tasks whereas reversible plate compactors can move forward as well as reverse direction. Likewise, heavy duty plate compactors are ideal for sub base and deep compaction purposes.
Cost Factor
Cost is an important aspect that you should consider when selecting a suitable vibratory paver compactor or plate compactor. The price may vary based on the use. Lastly, do not buy the cheapest compactor but one that offers full value for your investment.
