Contractors do many types of construction activities that require many different types, sizes and groupings of equipment. Most new construction projects are connected to the earth by some type of foundation system. Utilities are located underground so they are less obtrusive and not in the way. Building sites must drain away from the structure and divert the water to a safe place. All of these activities require excavating and earthmoving.
The focus of this 3-hour interactive online course is "big iron" used for excavating and earthmoving. Discussion focuses on the basic principles for heavy equipment selection, grouping and simple costing. Earthmoving equipment discussed includes bulldozers, front-end loaders, motor graders, scrapers, and dump trucks. Excavating equipment discussed includes excavators, backhoes and trenchers.
Section Outlines:
Section 1: Equipment Selection Considerations
- Equipment Selection
- Match the Machine to the Work Task
- Equipment Utilization
- Tires or Tracks
- Buckets
- Blades
- Equipment Productivity
- Purchase, Lease, or Rent
Section 2: Bidding Fundamentals
- Costing for Bidding
- Hourly Costs
- Owning Cost
- Equivalence
- Operating Cost
- What Can I Do With the Hourly Cost?
Section 3: Earthmoving Equipment
- What is Earthmoving?
- Earthmoving Production
- Earthmoving Equipment
- Bulldozers
- Motor Graders
- Scrapers
- Front-end Loaders
- Dump Trucks
Section 4: Excavating Equipment
- What is Excavating?
- Basic Excavating Terms
- Excavating Equipment
- Excavators
- Backhoes
- Trenchers
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain the key factors to consider when selecting earthmoving and excavating equipment.
- Describe the procedure of costing for bidding on earthmoving projects.
- Identify the various types of earthmoving equipment and the factors influencing their production.
- Illustrate the different types of excavating equipment and their specific uses.