What is a Tamping Roller?
What should you know about tamping rollers?
- Functions of a Tamping Roller
- Uses of a Tamping Roller
- The Difference Between Tamping Rollers and Smooth Drum Rollers
What is a tamping roller? The tamping roller is a type of road roller that’s mainly used in compacting dirt effectively. It works similarly with a normal smooth drum roller but the main difference you can find is the actual texture and shape of the tamping roller. Instead of a smooth drum, you’ll find that the drum has a lot of bumps and knobs. There’s a lot you can do with a tamping roller and here’s what you need to know about it.
Functions of a Tamping Roller
What can a tamping roller do for you? The tamping roller can be used for compacting soil effectively. Soil tends to be a bit harder to compact, especially if the soil has other components like solid rocks and formations. If you want to effectively compact soil, try using a tamping roller. Heavy clay is no match for a good tamping roller. There are two types of tamping rollers, one uses static force and another uses vibratory force. The second type functions similarly to a smooth drum roller.
The effectiveness of the tamping roller can be increased depending on what kind of drum and lugs are being used on the drum itself. Some say that the most effective drum should have a gradual and tapered texture to be able to successfully compact heavy soil. The pressure added and used while rolling can make each pass more effective depending on how you decide to operate the tamping roller. The grooves penetrate the soil and insert pressure. The most effective pressure you can achieve with the tamping roller is by using it when it’s in a vertical position.
Uses of a Tamping Roller
Tamping rollers can be used for compacting soil in dams, embankments, subgrade layers, and railroad projects. Most soils in these sites tend to be much heavier and it might not be effectively compacted with a smooth drum roller. The tamping roller can add extra force with its knobs and bumps to create a greater force that can compact the heavy soil.
The Difference Between Tamping Rollers and Smooth Drum Rollers
The difference between tamping rollers and smooth drum rollers can easily be spotted visually. The knobs, bumps, and lugs are the most obvious visually. But did you know that these bumps actually cover less ground compared to a smooth drum roller? The drum covers around 8% less compared to a normal smooth drum road roller. The contact pressure can depend on how heavy the drum is but the texture of the roller gives it a fluctuating and uneven pressure which can help with compacting heavy soil.
Another difference is speed. Advanced technology may allow tamping rollers to have a better speed but on average you can reach 8-10 kilometers per hour. This can be slow compared to a smooth drum roller but it helps the road roller function well under intense circumstances. You can increase the pressure on the feet by filling the drum with wet sand or other similar materials. This creates a greater force but it may not be as strong as heavy smooth drum rollers depending on the model.
If your tamping roller doesn’t include a vibratory function, you’ll mostly rely on static weight and kneading from the tamping roller drum. The minimum amount you can compact with your tamping roller has an estimate of 5 centimeters but this can depend on the kind of tamping roller drum you have. Remember that if you repeatedly pass over an area, the layers you can penetrate tend to decrease. You need to keep this in mind when you’re using your tamping roller for your projects. The results you get can vary from models and the type of project you have.
If you’re doing a lot of projects that require heavy-duty compaction for the subgrade, a tamping roller could be your first solution. If you want to effectively compact your heavy projects, the tamping roller can help you out. It combines the sheer pressure of a large machine and the effective layout of each foot on the roller. Even if you cover less ground compared to a smooth drum roller, you can get deep into the layers of the heavy soil so you can make your compaction much smoother. Use your tamping for great results on your subgrade layers and more.
Key Takeaway
The tamping roller is a simple and effective heavy-duty construction equipment you can use for projects that are a bit meticulous and heavy. Heavy soil is much more difficult to compact with just a smooth drum. Save yourself the hassle by using a tamping roller instead.
