Hello. I have a question. I work at CAT and this last week I had to get a roller ready for sale. It was one of those pneumatic rollers.. a CW I believe, that has the rubber wheels on either side. I asked a guy I work with what kind of roller that was since rollers usually have drums. He said he thought it was like an asphalt finishing roller but wasnt positive. I told him I would ask the buyer... Whom I never saw. So, I was hoping the people here could help me out. I guess I could have asked more people at work like salesmen or something, or I can Monday, but then I remembered this site. Thank you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swgOeF9qw-4 I guess it would have helped if I did a better search... This one was in '9 wheel roller'. I guess that answers my question about its use... But for the sake of the thread... Why this one as opposed to a steel drum type? Do the drum types get used on asphalt during the process?
All depends on what the compaction specs are,type of mix,road use,etc.Yes,you are correct,usually smooth drums are the norm for everyday paving and compacting road base.
More commonly known as a traffic roller, the rubber in the wheels flexes ever so slightly which results in a "kneading" effect. The kneading "mashes" the blacktop together, The end result is a tighter mat, which I believe helps shed water better and provides for a higher quality road.
Thank you. That makes sense.
The other thing the 9 wheel does is push independently on each tire, so if there is an imperfection in the subgrade it forces the material down into it and compacts where a smooth drum may bridge over it and leave a weak spot in the mat that may develop into a pothole later on.
You sure don't see them being used like they used to, years ago it seemed like they were on every road job
Thanks for the info JDOFMEMI. HATCHEQUIP: I think youre right. There are 3 major companies in my area that we deal with and they have huge projects going on all around and I have not seen them at all... The guys here have been pretty good at explaining the uses of equipment, especially stuff I dont see too often at work. Im glad I found this forum.
Out here they are called pneumatic rollers and are the choice of counties doing seal coat type pavement. Seal coat is liquid asphalt sprayed down on the existing surface and then rock chips or fine gravel spread over the top. I've also heard it called chip coat or chip seal. I've been told the vibratory rollers tend to bust up the chips which is why the pneumatics are preferred for this.
45 years ago every hot mix asphalt and the all of oil and chip contractors had at least one of them. There use was part of the paving contract. Around here they were commonly referred to as a wobble wheel roller.I remember being told that they would bring a small amount of oil to the surface. Plus they did a real nice job of taking the creases out that the steel drum rollers left. It was the roller all the operators wanted to run on hot mix because it would usually work an hour later than the breakdown rollers.