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machine matters | Richard Ries MASS EXCAVATION The definition may be flexible but the machines are stout. I n general, mass excavation is the removal of large amounts of materials using big machines over an extended period of time and within a deadline. How much material? How big of machines? How long of a time? There is no hard definition of mass excavation and the answers to those questions are at least partly dependent on the size of the contractor who's asking them. "Mass excavation may be as little as 1,000 cubic yards to 100,000 or a million yards or more," says Michael Boyle, product consultant of excavators with John Deere and Hitachi. It's easier to define the equipment used for mass excavation than to define the term itself. Kent Pellegrini, global excavator specialist with Caterpillar, explains that on a mass excavator the car body is a reinforced version of the car body on its standard counterpart. The undercarriage is reinforced and likely has special guarding. The stick, boom, and their cylinders are stronger for improved breakout and bucket loading. Mass excavation machines are often modified to withstand high-volume work, says Doug Morris, director of product marketing, and Rob Warden, senior product manager of trucks with Komatsu America. Buckets have wear plates added and trucks may have par- tial or full liners. Warden notes that articulated haulers for mass excavation are in the 30- to 40-ton range and rigid frame trucks in the 30to 100-ton size. Key specs today and tomorrow "On any project, and especially in mass excavating, the loading tool usually defines the other equipment to be used," says Ken Emmett, product manager at Terex. Site specifics, from material density to altitude to production targets, are key considerations in spec'ing everything from the loader or excavator to the light towers. David Ellington, off-highway trucks subject matter expert at Caterpillar, says contractors have to see the big picture while selecting and spec'ing equipment. "Look at something you'll use for several years, not just for the current job. And look at equipment as a system, not individual pieces." For example, if you know you'll need rigid frame trucks to meet production numbers, you know you'll also need support equipment to maintain haul roads. It's good to know how versatile each machine must be, as well. Melvin Busch, senior account manager at Caterpillar, says mass excavation machines are often pressed into service in such areas as maintaining load floor areas and spreading materials. This will affect 24 October 2013 | EquipmentWorld.com EW1013_Machine Matters.indd 24 9/24/13 1:51 PM