Bulldozers – what do they do?

We all know what bulldozers are, with their front shovel and heavy-duty tracks, it is always seen as a brute of a machine that is the muscle of the site, shifting large amounts of material where it is needed. However, a bulldozer can be found in other situations too, roadbuilding, demolition, and site preparation for construction projects, so what do they get up to in these different environments?

Bulldozers in construction

For any large construction site, the first heavy machinery on site is often the bulldozers. While we associate them with pushing large amounts of material around, they can be used in a much more precise way when required. Preparing a site for construction, by skimming away a layer of topsoil or debris, and removing plantation and weeds to allow foundations, channels, and so on to be marked out accurately is an important part of the construction process. Bulldozers are the perfect tool for this, with precise control allowing operators to take just enough of the topsoil away as required, while their impressive ability to move material is great for clearing even the heaviest of rubble away.

Roadbuilding

An important part of the construction industry, roads are constantly being built or resurfaced around the country, and on any project, you will find the bulldozer. Here bulldozers perform two tasks, firstly, removing the topsoil so that a road can be built, because a road needs solid foundations to be effective. But a bulldozer is also used after the foundation, the gravel and fill that makes up the roadbed, has been dropped in place. Here, the bulldozer is used to smooth the surface ready for the top coat of asphalt or other material, so really is an important part of the road-building process.

Demolition

Bulldozers are made in a variety of sizes, and you often find the larger ones involved in demolition. A large bulldozer is quite capable of demolishing a house, saving the time and safety concerns that come with taking it apart piece by piece manually, and of course, bulldozers are also very good at removing the resulting rubble when the site needs clearing.

Earthmoving

Whether at mines, construction sites, or other projects, moving large amounts of material is what the bulldozer was built to do, and it does this very well. Bulldozers use tracks that provide excellent grip in all conditions along with a powerful motor to push sparingly heavy loads, and it can quickly move substantial amounts of material wherever it is required.

It is easy to forget that bulldozers are capable of carrying out much more than just earthmoving, and for bulldozer operators, there are always new jobs and industries looking for their skills to further their careers. When looking for a career in heavy equipment, a bulldozer operator is definitely a great choice and a fantastic opportunity.