A tandem is a type of road roller that is smooth-wheeled. You most likely saw one working on the highway being constructed or on your estate road that is being repaired. If you were wondering what that machine that could probably crash your leg was, this article tells you all about it.
A tandem is a giant moving compactor with a circular wheel known as a drum that crashes or flattens surfaces. They have drums at the front and rear of the machine that is used as compactors to move the machine as they lack tires. The features, functionality, and uses are discussed below.
Features
This roller type has one steel drum at the front and another at the back of the machine. This feature ensures that the surfaces are flattened and smoothed simultaneously in front of and behind the driver. This feature helps the work to be done faster as it can compact the materials on the section of a highway very fast.
A double drum roller lacks tires. Instead, it has two steel drums that flatten the surface while simultaneously moving the machine from one point to another. This feature ensures efficiency as double the work is done at half the time, and it is suitable for heavy-duty jobs like road construction, especially those involving asphalt.
In these rollers, the drums have a large drum diameter depending on the size of the roller. A large strip of the road can be smoothed and flattened by just one roll, causing a significant fraction of the work’s time. They also have immense power from the pair of steel drums.
Most double drum rollers have a vibrated drum. The vibrating drums work so that as the roller drum compacts and flattens the surface, the drum vibrates. Using a roller with this vibration feature will keep the structure of the soil intact in that the soil or the asphalt will bind together firmly, eliminating the natural empty spaces they usually have.
Uses of a tandem
As they are most commonly referred to as road rollers, one of their primary uses is paving asphalt in a road construction project. After the asphalt has been poured, they are driven over it to flatten it and compact for the particles to bind tightly. Binding the particles closer helps make the road more robust and longer lasting, no matter the size and weight of the vehicle passing.
The most common use of a roller is in compacting soil or any other surface material. Compacting soil is also often done before construction to hold the particles together so that the base of the building is strong and the structure may stand firm. It also helps to even out the building’s ground as there are no bumps and lumps on the surface.
Tandems are also used for specialized projects like making a sports field flat or flattening your backyard for landscaping. They are also used for compacting landfill areas. They ensure the land is flat and lacks lumps or bumps that can hinder its functionality.
Advantages of a tandem roller
It emits pure power over the surface and is efficient as it simultaneously flattens characters in front and behind. A tandem roller can drive over most surfaces, which works excellently with asphalt. They can smooth entire sections of a highway fast and precisely. They can carry out heavy-duty tasks without a problem.
Conclusion
After reading this article, you probably know a lot more than you did and the features of a pedestrian roller. You now know that it has immense power, and it is best not to go near one unless you know how to operate it.