Dump Trucks
A dump truck is a heavy-duty type of transport, designed for carrying large amounts of loose materials and debris such as sand and gravel. On a typical construction site, it is imperative that raw building materials are brought in, while waste materials such as dirt are removed. Open-bed trucks are not generally suited to transporting large quantities of loose materials, so dumper trucks are used instead. It is important that this material is moved efficiently and quickly, which explains why dump trucks are often colossal in size.
Dumper Trucks
The dumper truck operates in a fairly simple fashion. The desired material is loaded onto the truck at the site, often by way of an overhead hopper or a front end loader. A protective cover may then be used to stop the material from blowing or falling out of the back of the truck during transport. This is particularly important when transporting fine and light material such as sand. Upon reaching the destination site, the dump truck simply releases the gate at the back of the truck bed, having raised it up by means of a front-end hydraulic lift. The material then slides out of the bed and into a pile, and the emptied truck is free to make another trip.
Dump Truck Parts
As with other heavy-duty earth moving machinery, there are different parts and accessories that can be outfitted onto the truck to make it more suited for specific tasks. Some of these configurations include:
- Transfer Dump Trucks. While the basic principle of this variety is the same as of the regular dump truck, it differs in that it has a separate trailer instead of an open bed on the back of the truck. It allows an increase in both manoeuvrability and payload.
- Articulated Dump Truck. Similar to the transfer dump truck, this truck has an articulated hinge between the cab and the truck bed. While not a separate trailer as in the transfer dump truck, this particular configuration still allows for ease of manoeuvring and is perfect for use on rough and uneven terrain.
- Off Road Dump Trucks. This configuration is massive in size and is generally used for off road mining work. It is also ideal for hauling away the waste generated from digging up roads.
- Semi-Trailer End Dump Truck. This configuration is ideally suited for rapid unloading of materials and operates with a hydraulic hoist contained in the trailer. It allows material to be laid in a wind row, and can also be comfortably and easily operated when in reverse.
Used Dump Trucks
When purchasing a used dump truck, as with other machinery it is necessary to take into account both the size and type of work that is to be carried out. The distance that the material must be transported will affect the size of and weight of the truck used, as larger, heavier trucks, although able to carry a much greater load, will have greater journey times.
Dump Truck Drivers
Dump truck drivers must also be properly trained in the usage of the machinery, as any vehicle with a large weight in the rear is at risk of tipping over. Adequate signalling must also be used at all times, as the visibility of a dump truck driver can be reduced when performing certain manoeuvres.