Dump Trucks: The Engineering Marvels
Dump trucks are one of those automobiles that children’s dreams are made of.
‘Oh, how I wanted to ride in the box-bed of a dump truck!’
We all owned matchbox cars when we were kids. And the best ones were, of course, the dump truck ones. Now that we are older, we have realised why these trucks are built.
‘To transport materials?’
That’s right!
But these trucks are so much more–
1. Also known as a tipper or a dumper truck, dump trucks are used to transport materials, heavily used during construction and mining processes.
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2. A dump truck’s most distinguishing feature is its hydraulics-powered box bed. Hinged at the rear, the truck driver can “dump” materials behind it.
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3. It is known by different names in different parts of the world. In India, the term “Dump Truck” is reserved only for trucks used at construction sites, while non-construction dump trucks are called “Tipper Lorries”.
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4. Dump trucks first emerged in 19th century Europe. The steam-powered Dust Craft, developed by Thornycroft in 1896, is the earliest known iteration of it.
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5. Fruehauf Trailer Corporation, an American truck manufacturer, was the first company to introduce the first motor-powered dump trucks in the US.
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6. Dump trucks come in various shapes and sizes, varying according to the payload weight and the area of usage.
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7. A standard dump truck consists of a simple dump body attached directly to the truck chassis (the most common ones in the world).
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8. In Semi-trailer end dump trucks, hydraulic lifts are attached directly to the dump box bed. Though they can deposit heavy payloads, they are unstable in uneven or off-level deposit sites.
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- Haul trucks are used heavily by mining corporations due to their rigid frames and rear steering. Moreover, they can carry giant amounts of materials at once.
- (For perspective, a standard haul truck has a payload capacity of 350 tons. An average hatchback car weighs around 1.5 tons).
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These powerful machines are engineering marvels. Had it not been for them, the tall and beautiful buildings we see around us could have never been constructed. Plus, riding on top of them during the summers, with the wind blowing in your hair, must feel crazy-cool!
Blog Edited By Ritika Gupta
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