• Compaction Equipment By Katie Pullen A sphalt compaction success is driven largely by weight and vibration. In theory: weight and wider frequency ranges would equal greater compaction quality. But that's not always true. There is a time and place for each machine, and smaller "compact" compaction equip- ment provides advantages in a number of applications while weighing far less than full-sized machines, and costing consider- ably less over the life of the machine. Definition of 'Compact' Compaction Equipment Some of the most common full-sized, double-drum vibratory compaction equip- ment weighs in excess of 20,000 pounds, with others in the range of30,OOO pounds. Drum widths can reach about 83 inches. For the sake of this exercise, "compact" dou- ble-drum, ride-on compaction equipment is significantly smaller, weighing anywhere from just under 5,000 pounds to just over 10,000 pounds. Drum widths range from about 39 inches up to 54 inches. N16 July 2015 1. Ease of Transportation Transportation costs and logistics are a big part of any contractor's bottom line. With such a wide range of size options for asphalt rollers, the truck size, trailer needs, ,weight restrictions and driver cer- tifications all cost more as the equipment gets larger. A smaller ride-on compactor can alleviate some of those costs and pro- vide easier transportation. 2. Ease of Access and Maneuverability Smaller, narrower compaction equip- ment can access workspaces in some residential and commercial areas that might be difficult for full-sized rollers to access. Similarly, more compact asphalt rollers provide a tighter turning radius and excellent curb clearance for easy maneuvering in tight spots and around obstacles - all without sacrificing com- paction quality. 3. Lower Lifetime Total Cost of Ownership It's a universal truth in the construc- tion industry -larger equipment is more expensive to own and operate. That's not just the initial purchase price - smaller compaction equipment will also burn less fuel over the course of its lifetime, cost less in parts and service, and experience less total depreciation over the life of the machine. In the right application, a more compact asphalt roller represents a smart business investment. 4. Lower Risk of Over Compaction Over-compaction of asphalt happens for a number of reasons, one of which is too wide of an asphalt drum overlapping between passes and doubling the com- paction of the overlapped area. While the outer edges of the two joining passes may be the proper density, there is increased risk of disintegration in the center area that has been over-compacted. A smaller compactor with narrower drum width pro- ., vides greater versatility to the operator and more flexibility in how they break up their compaction passes. 5. Putting the OperatorCloser to the Work Full-sized compaction equipment fea- tures great visibility - but com- pact asphalt rollers put operators closer .to the action, giving them excellent sight lines down to the edge of the drum. This is