If you need to hire a roller, it’s important to understand what actually happens during the compaction process, as this will ensure you choose the best roller for the job. Knowing how a roller works to compact the surface will help you get the best out of your compaction equipment and leave you with a great result on site.
Why good compaction is so important
For roads and pavements, proper compaction significantly reduces the need for long-term maintenance, lowering their overall lifetime costs.
When vehicles travel on an inadequately compacted road, they create a pumping effect that pushes surface water deeper into the pavement, forming voids and accelerating its deterioration. Properly compacted roads are less permeable, meaning less water can seep in. This reduces the formation of potholes and ruts, ultimately minimising maintenance needs over time.
How to get the best result with your roller
A wide range of factors affect how well the surface will compact on your site. These include things like the material being used, how wet it is, how aggressively you roll the surface and how thick your gravel layers are.
The Sitex team has prepared some tips to ensure you get the best out of your compaction equipment hire:
- Monitor the moisture content of the material being compacted. If it’s too dry or too wet, you won’t achieve proper compaction.
- Ensure you’re using the right material for the job. Ideally, gravel should vary in shape and size, allowing smaller pieces to fill gaps between larger rocks for optimal compaction.
- Pay attention to the thickness of the layers being compacted. There’s an ideal range to avoid layers being too thin or too thick.
- Make sure the weight and type of compactor are appropriate for the job. The Sitex team can provide help and advice to ensure you hire a suitable roller.
- Check and adjust the machine’s frequency and amplitude if you’re not getting the desired result.
- Be mindful of how many times the compactor passes over the material. More isn’t always better, as over-compaction can occur. The machine’s travel speed can also affect compaction.
Need compaction equipment hire? Sitex can help!
If you need compaction equipment hire, Sitex has a wide range of rollers available for different projects and surfaces. From remote trench rollers to machines in the 12-14 Tonne range, our team is here to support you with reliable, well-maintained equipment to help you get the job done efficiently.
We’re the experts in equipment hire for civil construction, road construction, rail construction, utility civil works and demolition projects throughout NSW, with branches strategically placed in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.
Equipment hire is easy thanks to our Rapid Field Service (RFS) – Give our friendly team a call or book your equipment hire using our user-friendly online ordering system.
