Bulldozer in Road Construction

Bulldozer in Road Construction

          Probably the most common piece of equipment in forest road construction is the bulldozer equipped with straight or U-type blades. These are probably the most economical pieces of equipment when material has to be moved a short distance. The economic haul or push distance for a bulldozer with a straight blade is from 17 to 90 meters depending on grade. The road design should attempt to keep the mass balance points within these constraints.
The road design should consider the following points when bulldozers are to be used for road construction.

1. Roads should be full benched. Earth is side cast and then wasted rather than used to build up side cast fills.

2. Earth is moved down-grade with the aid of gravity, not up-grade.

3. Fill material is borrowed rather than pushed or hauled farther than the economic limit of the bulldozer.

4. Rock outcrops should be bypassed. Unless substantial rock blasting is specified requiring drilling and blasting equipment, solid rock faces should be avoided (This, however, is primarily a road locator's responsibility.)