A Comparison between Vibratory and Impact Compactors
Contractors are often left battling their logic on which type of roller compactor to hire as these heavy machines apart from being classified from light to very heavy, compactors that are available for hire are also specific or specialized to meet specific compaction requirements which either use vibratory compaction or impact compaction methods.
It is crucial for new contractors running projects to understand the differences of both methods as each compaction method are objectively designed to compact different material configurations and surfaces that standard roller compactors may not be able to compact optimally.
Vibratory Compactors
Vibratory compactors come in many shapes and forms; some roller compactors inject vibration on top of the heavy drums that roll over surfaces. These rollers release high-frequency vibrations that rearrange the particles closer together which are effective on granular type soil. Coupled with the weight deeper compaction is achieved without having to add surface pressure.
These types of compactors are regularly used for compacting materials that are loose (soil composition of sand, gravel or both) and most often are used for compacting earth for the building of roads and highways. Other uses include subgrade preparation that are essential towards concrete lays or asphalt paving and construction sites that encompass large areas that require uniform compaction.
Impact Compactors
Impact compactors on the other hand rely on pure force. These machines strike surfaces with high force impacts that compress surfaces and are generally applied to compact cohesive soils which include clay and silt composition among others as this type of materials do not compact well using vibratory compaction alone.
The pounding mechanism of these machines on surfaces forces air and water out of the materials being compacted. This results in compaction that is not only deeper but also more consistent throughout the compaction area. Impact compactors are generally applied on clay like soil and for establishing foundations where deep stability is a crucial factor.
Based on the above it is critical that compaction equipment should be chosen carefully for any project that requires compaction. The key factors that must be taken into consideration before taking a roller compactor for hire includes soil type, site conditions and project size. In essence, it is the soil type that will determine the type of compaction needed followed by project size which will determine the size of the compactor.
The compactor size plays a critical role towards turnarounds based on the simple fact that larger and heavier compactors cover more surface area with each pass. Smaller projects may not require large compactors as they might be overkill, walk-behind and ride on compactors would be sufficient for projects involving patching a small stretch of road or car park.
The site conditions also influence the size of the compactor as some sites may not offer the luxury of space and may require the use of smaller compactors that are not only lighter, but also more manoeuvrable such as rammers and walk-behind rollers. Larger and heavier machines on the other hand are only practical for wide expansive areas that do not have too much obstacles.
