10 types of construction vehicles and their uses

Construction vehicles are necessary for the building industry as they play critical roles in various construction projects. They are used for excavation and earthmoving to material handling and finishing. Understanding the different types of construction vehicles, their variations, key features, and typical applications can help professionals in the construction industry make informed decisions when selecting equipment for their projects.

Whether you're a construction manager, general contractor, equipment operator, or simply someone interested in the world of construction machinery, this list of 10 common types of construction vehicles will help you know about the various construction vehicles.

Bulldozer

Bulldozers are strong construction vehicles that mainly assist with pushing, digging, excavating, demolition, and leveling materials like soil and debris at a work site. They come with large, heavy blades in the front that push material. Specialized bulldozers come with other modifications, like rippers in the rear, to help break down tough ground.

Cranes

A crane is a machine that is used to lift and move heavy loads, machines, materials, and goods for a variety of purposes. They are used in all different sectors of industry, from construction to manufacturing to shipbuilding and material loading. Cranes are common along skylines as they are necessary to build the skyscrapers we so often see in our cities today.

Dump trucks

A dump truck is a heavy-duty vehicle used for transporting and unloading loose materials such as sand, gravel, dirt, or debris. The dump body of the truck can be raised and tilted to allow the materials to be emptied onto the ground, and into a designated area or another vehicle, which reduces the need for manual labor and speeds up the unloading process.

Excavators

Excavators are heavy construction equipment consisting of a boom, arm, bucket, and cab on a rotating superstructure atop an undercarriage with tracks or wheels. These machines are used mainly for digging purposes as well as various lifting and carrying tasks in various applications. Together with special tools such as hydraulic breakers, cutters, shears, grapples, couplers, etc. at the end of the various boom and arm configurations, excavators can complete a wider range of jobs. They vary in size depending on what you’re using them for and what you're aiming for, such as productivity, fuel efficiency, and multi-functional purposes. Each size has its purpose, and some are highly specialized.

Forklifts

A forklift is a small industrial vehicle, having a power-operated forked platform attached at the front that can be raised and lowered for insertion under a cargo to lift or move it. Forklifts serve the needs of various industries including warehouses and other large storage facilities.

Forklifts are powered by electric batteries or combustion engines. Some Forklifts allow the operators to sit while driving and operating the machine while others require the operator to stand. It is being extensively used throughout the industry for transporting materials and goods.

Trenchers

Transportable trenchers are a type of construction equipment specifically designed for the excavation of terrain to construct a trench. These earthen depressions are characterized by measurements that are deeper than their width and are primarily used for the burial of infrastructure such as pipelines, utility mains, drainage and sewer systems, and power and telephone lines. Placing these components subsurface protects them from severe weather and misfortune, while also contributing to a better surface aesthetic.

Construction Mixer trucks

A cement truck, often referred to as a cement mixer, is a heavy-duty vehicle used in the construction industry. They carry ready-mixed concrete to buildings or construction sites. The mixer truck features a mixing drum and specialized mixing mechanisms. Concrete is mixed inside the rotating drum.

Compactors

Compactors are used to compress the soil and reduce its volume. They are essential for creating a solid base before laying asphalt or concrete. Compactors come in various types, including vibratory compactors, sheepsfoot compactors, and smooth drum compactors, each designed for different soil types and compaction needs.

Backhoe loaders

Backhoe loaders are heavy-duty pieces of equipment that can be used for a variety of tasks. Primarily excavation machines, they can do double duty because they have working implements on both the front and the back of a tractor body.

A backhoe can dig to depths of 12 to 14 feet and can range from 20 to upwards of 100 horsepower (hp). Their versatility makes them a popular piece of construction equipment for tasks ranging from uprooting trees to moving material on work sites.

Front loader

The front loader is a type of tractor that is normally wheeled and uses a wide square tilting bucket on the end of movable arms to lift and move material around. The loader assembly may be a removable attachment or permanently mounted on the vehicle. Oftentimes, the bucket can be replaced with other devices or tools, such as forks or a hydraulically operated bucket.

Larger style front loaders normally have only a front bucket and are known as front loaders, whereas the small front loaders are often equipped with a small backhoe as well and called backhoe loaders or loader backhoes. Loaders are primarily used for loading materials into trucks, laying pipe, clearing rubble, and also digging. Loaders aren’t the most efficient machines for digging, as they can’t dig very deep below the level of their wheels like the backhoe can.