Im looking at a pretty big fill project with dirt close but across active roads, and wondering if anyone has used conveyors rather than trucks to move dirt for a job like this before. I know it has been done, just wondering if anyone has personal experience with it.
there is a sand plant in the area that moves sand from the sand plant to the asphalt plant with conveyors.. probably 2 blocks of conveyors... But they don't have to protect from falling sand. The only thing we have used is a kruse conveyor.. I think that the name... but it was used to move dirt from the front to the back of the ditch on narrow streets..
One big project I know of was the Altanta airport a few years back. It worked pretty good for them from what I read. I know at least 3 projects in the West it has been done, but at least 2 were not happy with it. It is also common in the quarries here. I know several with 1 to 3 miles of belt line crossing streets and such. Biggest problem is if any 1 thing breaks, ALL production stops. If you do it, make sure to get top quality conveyor components, and don't skimp. Remember, if something is pushed to or past its rated capacity, it is more likely to have trouble than a system over built and then worked a little easier than it is capable of. Don't skimp on maintenance and best practices for conveyors and it will stay running better. I worked the cut end of a conveyor project, and we were down any time the belt had a hiccup. Other than that, it is much cheaper than trucks.
Thanks guys
Careful You can use conveyors to move dirt but it better be dry materiel or your going to have problems with the conveyor system. Not sure about conveyor type but I woud think open air with speacialized scapers. Also a reclaimer/stacker set up might prove top be pretty efificent in terms of keeping the materiel moving.