Civil Experiences Best Education Blog

Join WhatsApp groups and get 100% Free product coupon/Week and many more... Join the largest community now.

Join WhatsApp Group
If you don't join, then you're missing something big.

5 Best Types Of Road Rollers | Road Roller Types Used In Construction

Rate this post
5 Best Types Of Road Rollers
5 Best Types Of Road Rollers

Road rollers, also known as steam rollers or asphalt rollers are heavy machinery used to compact soil, gravel, and asphalt during road construction and maintenance.

They play a crucial role in ensuring a smooth and stable surface for vehicles to travel on. There are various types of road rollers available, each with its own unique features and capabilities.

In this Civil Experience article, we will explore the different types of road rollers and their uses so must read the full information and follow us.

The Civil Experiences always keeps updating our Articles/posts with the latest civil engineering news, Structural Engineering Career tips, exam papers, Answer links Jobs & Information. So, Don’t forget to bookmark the Civil Experiences website and Please share this link with your friends to help them.

Follow Us

LinkedIn | Google News | Telegram | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Quora

Introduction To Road Rollers

Road rollers are essential equipment for road construction as they compact and level materials like gravel, dirt, and asphalt.

They typically consist of a metal drum and a roller body, and some models may have one, two, or three drums depending on the project.

The operator usually drives the machine, but in some basic models, a person pushes the roller body to create a level surface.

These machines are also known as Roller Compactors and are designed to make sure that the road surface is smooth and even, ready for further construction or paving.

Road rollers are primarily used for the compaction and leveling of large-scale engineering projects, such as airport runways, dams, railways, metro projects, highways, and other heavy construction fields.

The history of road rollers can be traced back to the 1850s when they were first used with horsepower.

However, in the 1860s, the horse was replaced with steam power. As technology progressed, steam-powered rollers were replaced by road rollers powered by other sources such as diesel by the 1900s.

This has greatly improved the efficiency and productivity of these machines, making them vital pieces of equipment for modern construction projects.

Different Types of Road Rollers

The following types of Road rollers are mostly used for road construction

  • Cylindrical Rollers
  • Sheep Foot Roller
  • Grip Rollers
  • Pneumatic Tired Rollers
  • Vibratory Rollers

Cylindrical Rollers

Cylindrical Rollers
Cylindrical Rollers

Cylindrical Rollers are a type of road roller that is cylindrical in shape and are mainly used for small-scale developments such as yard projects.

Cylindrical Rollers are powered by an engine and typically have a conventional cylinder drum, with either single or two drum rollers depending on the design.

Cylindrical Rollers types of rollers are useful for consolidating stone or similar materials into flat ground and are also effective in creating a flatter and smoother surface through the surface dressing.

Cylindrical Rollers are mainly used for the compaction of soil, gravel, and asphalt on small projects like parking lots, driveways, and paths.

Sheep Foot Roller

Sheep Foot Roller
Sheep Foot Roller

Sheep Foot Rollers, also known as Tamping Rollers, are a type of road roller that have multiple rectangular-shaped lugs or feet on the drum. These lugs or feet are good for compacting soil and silt clay during road construction.

The weight of the sheep foot drum can be increased by ballasting it with water or damp sand, or by fastening steel parts to it, making the compaction process more efficient.

Sheep Foot Rollers are mainly used on wet clay or other fine-grained soils at great depths.

To finish off sections that have been compacted by sheep foot rollers, a pneumatic roller can be used.

Sheep Foot Rollers are also good for creating a rough surface on the soil, which is useful for drainage and stability of the soil.

Grid Rollers

Grid Rollers
Grid Rollers

Grid Rollers are a type of road roller that consist of a cylindrical surface made up of a network of heavy steel bars that form a mesh with square gaps. This arrangement can be ballasted with steel attachments or concrete blocks to improve compaction efficiency.

Grid Rollers are specially designed for the compaction of well-graded coarse soil and weathered rocks. They are also known as “paddock rollers” because of their use in compacting horse paddocks.

The grid pattern on the drum surface allows for better penetration into the soil, resulting in more effective compaction. They are also good for creating a rough surface on the soil, which is useful for drainage and stability of the soil.

Pneumatic Tired Rollers

Pneumatic Tired Rollers
Pneumatic Tired Rollers

Pneumatic Tired Rollers, also known as Pneumatic Rollers, are a type of road roller that use compressed air to create the required inflation pressure. The correct pressure is determined by the contact area and the inflation pressure.

Pneumatic Tired Rollers typically have 9 to 11 wheels mounted on two axles and are fitted with pneumatic tires which provide complete coverage with each roller pass.

Pneumatic Tired Rollers come in a variety of load capacities and the roller’s gross mass ranges from 5 to 200 metric tons. Rollers with a mass greater than 50 metric tons are considered heavy-duty and are mostly used for large-scale construction projects such as highways and airports.

Pneumatic Tired Rollers are also known for their high compaction efficiency and are ideal for use on cohesive and semi-cohesive soils, granular materials, and asphalt.

Sheep foot Rollers

Sheepfoot Rollers also known as Tamping Rollers, are a type of road roller that have multiple numbers of rectangular-shaped lugs or feet on the drum. These lugs are specially designed to compact soil and silty clay during road construction.

The drum's weight can be increased by ballasting it with water, damp sand, or fastening steel parts to it, making the compaction process more efficient.

Sheepfoot Rollers are used on wet clay or other fine-grained soil at great depths and are very effective for creating a smooth and even surface.

Sheepfoot Rollers can also be used in conjunction with other types of rollers such as pneumatic rollers to finish off sections that sheep foot rollers have compacted.

Vibratory Rollers

Vibratory Rollers are a type of road roller that use vibration to compress and level materials like gravel, dirt, and asphalt.

Vibratory Rollers typically have two smooth drums, one at the front and one at the back, that rotate in opposite directions.

The vibration is created by a mechanism within the roller, which causes the drums to vibrate. This vibration helps to compact and level materials more effectively than traditional rollers.

Vibratory rollers come in a variety of sizes and can be used for a variety of projects, from small residential driveways to large-scale road construction projects.

Vibratory Rollers are mostly used for compacting asphalt, gravel, and soil in road construction and repair works.

Advantages of Rollers

Some additional advantages of rollers include:

  • Improved efficiency: Rollers can compress and level materials more quickly and effectively than manual methods, which can save time and labor costs.
  • Durability: Road rollers are built to withstand heavy use and harsh conditions, making them a reliable and long-lasting investment for construction projects.
  • Versatility: Different types of rollers are designed for different types of materials and projects, so it's easy to find the right roller for your specific needs.
  • Cost-effective: Using a roller can save money in the long run by reducing the need for manual labor and ensuring that materials are compacted properly, which can prolong the life of the surface and reduce maintenance costs.
  • Reduced Environmental Impact: Rollers can make the compaction process more efficient and effective, reducing the amount of energy required to compact materials and helping to minimize the environmental impact of construction projects.

Disadvantages of Rollers

The following are the disadvantages of using rollers:

  • The roller requires a skilled operator to operate it effectively.
  • The roller can cause damage to the underlying surface if used improperly.
  • The roller is not suitable for use in small or tight spaces.
  • The roller is not efficient in compacting rocky or hard soil.
  • The maintenance of the roller can be costly.

What are the Types of Rollers?

1. Cylindrical Rollers,
2. Sheep Foot Roller,
3. Grip Rollers,
4. Pneumatic Tired Rollers,
5. Sheep foot Rollers,
6. Vibratory Rollers.

What do you mean by Sheep Foot Rollers?

This Sheep foot Roller is also known as a tamping roller and it has multiple numbers of rectangular-shaped lugs or feet on it and it is good for compacting soil and silly clay during road construction.

Advantages of Rollers

Improved efficiency: Rollers can compress and level materials more quickly and effectively than manual methods, which can save time and labor costs.
Durability: Road rollers are built to withstand heavy use and harsh conditions, making them a reliable and long-lasting investment for construction projects.
Versatility: Different types of rollers are designed for different types of materials and projects, so it’s easy to find the right roller for your specific needs.
Cost-effective: Using a roller can save money in the long run by reducing the need for manual labor and ensuring that materials are compacted properly, which can prolong the life of the surface and reduce maintenance costs.
Reduced Environmental Impact: Rollers can make the compaction process more efficient and effective, reducing the amount of energy required to compact materials and helping to minimize the environmental impact of construction projects.

Disadvantages of Rollers

The roller requires a skilled operator to operate it effectively.
The roller can cause damage to the underlying surface if used improperly.
The roller is not suitable for use in small or tight spaces.
The roller is not efficient in compacting rocky or hard soil.
The maintenance of the roller can be costly.

The Civil Experiences always keeps updating our Articles/posts with the latest civil engineering news, Structural Engineering Career tips, exam papers, Answer links Jobs & Information. So, Don’t forget to bookmark the Civil Experiences website and Please share this link with your friends to help them.

Follow Us

LinkedIn | Google News | Telegram | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Quora

Author Aakash Dudhat

It is my pleasure to welcome you to civilexperiences.com, a website created and managed by Dudhat Aakash. In addition to having a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Leave a Comment

Join Our WhatsApp Group!