Small Compact Equipment Supplier | Meiwa New Zealand

1. Rammers vs Plate Compactors Compaction of soil is one of the most crucial steps in construction projects. A compacted base is necessary for stability required for various support structures, sidewalks, roadways. The size of the equipment used for the purpose of soil compaction varies accordingly with the stature of the project. Small or medium-level construction projects don't have gigantic compact machines like roller compactors or padfoot roller compactors. You might have to consult a small compact equipment supplier to get your hands on smaller equipment that is perfect for use in smaller construction projects. When we talk about small compact equipment, there are multiple options to choose from. These compact machines are usually operated by pedestrians. Two widely used compact machines are rammer and plate compactor. People are not really sure about which machine would work better. While both these machines work better in certain conditions, it is necessary to assess the nature of the soil to analyze which machine would work better. Here is an overview of both types of compact machines: Analyzing Soil:

2. Before selecting any one of a rammer or plate compactor, it is important to understand the nature of soil you are working on. There are two main types of soil, known as granular and cohesive soils respectively. Granular soil type includes gravel and sand, is usually loose soil and tends to crumble when picked up. This type of soil lacks cohesive strength and is difficult to compact. Regardless of the presence of moisture or not, granular soils can’t be molded like cohesive soils. The cohesive soils usually include a high concentration of clay and, therefore, tend to hold together firmly. However, they need a specific amount of moisture for proper compaction. If they contain a high amount of moisture or lack a substantial amount of moisture, then it might result in the occurrence of air bubbles or improper compaction. Depending on the nature of soil both these compact machines can serve their purpose if used properly, let’s see which type of machine will be suitable for what kind of soil: Rammer: ● Rammers are also known as jumping jack compactors or simply jumping jacks. Their slim upright design enables them to be used on tight spots and trenches, where plate compactors might fail to work properly because of their difficult maneuverability. ● Rammers would work properly when applied on cohesive soils because of their plat size. Their smaller plate size enables rammers to be direct and more focused while compacting the soil. This focused impact helps while compacting the soil that needs additional force for compaction. ● Rammers are capable of compacting a deeper amount of soil as compared to plate compactors. The reason behind this fact is that the force from the plate of rammers is more direct. Therefore, a larger amount of soil is added to each layer that is helpful in making the pace of filling and compacting a hole of a trench much faster.

3. Plate Compactor: ● Plate compactors are the best option while working on granular soils because the vibratory action of their plates helps in settling the soil during the process of compaction. ● Their plates are wider as compared to rammers, this helps in spreading the weight and compaction force over a larger area. It also helps in settling the soil through vibrating action ● The ergonomic design and operating procedure enable plate compactors to work perfectly on larger, flat-surfaced areas.