Why are Graders Important in Road Construction?
One of the most extensively used heavy-duty machines for road construction and maintenance is the grader. Also known as the road grader, these machines are used to create broad, flat surfaces. In other words, it can be used to spread material and flatten it. As you might have guessed, this is incredibly important for road construction, as the flatter the spread is, the smoother and more durable the road becomes.
Today, we want to delve deeper into motor graders, highlighting exactly why they are so important for road construction:
Why Grade Roads?
For road construction, motor graders are the most efficient way to create safer and smoother roads. The idea here is to remove large rocks and even out areas. Further, by grading the road, you can create a lighter layer of asphalt over the existing layer of asphalt. As the layer of material that is newly laid down is lighter, it is easier to push into the underlying layers.
As you can imagine, the process of grading the road allows for a smoother and more robust final product.
How do Motor Graders Work?
Road graders are designed for use in large fields. Rather than performing the work of grading the road, they are used to prepare the road for maintenance. Typically, they are used for clearing sloped areas, creating building pads, creating ditches, etc. While you could theoretically use other heavy-duty machinery to perform these tasks, these machines are much larger and offer much more power.
As far as their design goes, graders are similar to tractors. They are large, powerful machines that can tackle almost any type of terrain.
Why Are Graders Important in Road Construction?
By creating a perfect surface, you can lay down an asphalt road that is not only smooth but that has the proper drainage. With proper drainage, the road can cope with any weather. Additionally, you’ll be able to lay down the asphalt in much fewer layers than you would if you didn’t grade the road beforehand. This makes the road not only cheaper to construct but much safer.
Another significant benefit of grading roads is that you can lay down a lighter layer of asphalt, which makes the road easier to push into the older layers. As the road will be used for vehicles, this is extremely important. It is also imperative that your road can withstand the weight of the vehicles that will be driving on it. Having a properly graded road will not only make it safe to drive on, but it will last much longer.
Conclusion
As you can see, graders are a vital part of road construction and maintenance. Without them, we would not be able to create the smooth and even surfaces we need for safe and reliable roads. While there are different types and sizes of motor graders, they all serve the same purpose. By creating a solid and even surface, we can lay down a new layer of asphalt which makes the road both safer and more durable. And of course, we’re able to do it all by using a single machine.
KEE Group is Australia’s civil and mining support service, offering hire, surfacing, transport, and fuel services to meet various needs. If you are looking for field services and more to meet your surfacing needs, work with us today!
