Road graders are large construction machines used to level uneven ground for various purposes, such as preparing highways, building and maintaining roads, and clearing snow. They have an adjustable blade that can create a flat or sloped surface. Some graders incorporate GPS technology for greater accuracy. They come in different sizes and are made by various companies.
The term road grader most commonly refers to a type of large construction machine used to level uneven ground, either to obtain a flat surface or a surface with a specific degree of slope or elevation. There are also smaller road graders that are a separate piece of machinery attached to a tractor or other vehicle. A large steel blade is attached underneath the grader and the angle, pitch and height of this blade can be adjusted to achieve the desired leveling of a surface. Road graders can be used for a variety of purposes, such as preparing the base of a new highway for paving, building and maintaining dirt and gravel roads, leveling land for construction sites, and clearing snow. These machines are also known as graders, motor graders, dozers and maintainers.
In construction, the purpose of road graders is usually to complement roughing done by other heavy machinery that can’t provide the same accuracy, such as a scraper or bulldozer. The leveler’s adjustable blade allows for precise leveling of a surface and this can be used to create a perfectly level area, for example for the construction of a large building. A grader can also be used to give a surface, often a road surface, a specific cant or cross slope to achieve better runoff from the surface once it is asphalted. Other common uses for road levelers are the maintenance of dirt and gravel roads by clearing out uneven surfaces, such as potholes and washboards.
The blade of a road grader can vary in size, usually between 8 and 24 feet (2.5 and 7.3 m). Some road graders, such as those used for clearing snow, may be equipped with two blades to increase efficiency. Engines also range in size from 125 to 500 horsepower. Some road graders incorporate GPS technology, which allows for greater control and accuracy when it comes to determining the length of road or area of land to be graded by the machinery.
Large grade road graders are most commonly used in road and highway construction and maintenance, site preparation in construction, snow removal and underground mining. Smaller graders, which are attached to another vehicle for use, are most commonly used for making and maintaining dirt and gravel roads and for smaller construction projects such as making driveways and parking lots. Several companies manufacture road graders, including Caterpillar, Volvo Construction Equipment, Komatsu and Liu Gong.
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