Tandem (double drum) vibratory roller manufacturers don’t change models quite at the pace that earthmoving OEMs do, but there have been notable developments since the last time Construction Equipment covered the category.
There are now electric models to choose from on the smaller end of the spectrum, a relatively new player in the market reviving an old name (JCB Vibromax) and additional safety and technology choices.
First, some managers will have to make the call on tandems versus combination or single drum rollers.
“Due to their dual-drum design, these rollers can cover twice the area in a single pass—speeding up project completion while decreasing labor costs,” says Dustin Eusabio, director of strategic partnerships & general accounts, BigRentz. “Because they feature two large drums, one in the front and one in the rear, that are designed to compact surfaces both ahead of and behind of their machine simultaneously, they give greater efficiency and power than conventional machines with tires.
“However, depending on project requirements, this lack of tires could benefit or detract,” Eusabio says.
Eusabio lists jobs more suited to single drum rollers: leveling ground for sidewalks, driveways, and building foundations; compacting soil; paving smaller roads; and projects that require extra mobility and precision, such as working in tight spaces or making sharp turns.
For tandem rollers, he cites flattening heavy areas such as subgrades and subbase layers on roads, highway paving where efficiency and speed are important to return the area to traffic, and larger-scale projects needing multiple passes with a single roller for completion like thicker asphalt or dense soil.
“Consider all of your project requirements carefully—such as type of surface, compaction depth, and maneuverability needs—when choosing between single drum roller and double drum roller,” Eusabio says.
“Think carefully about how wide a drum you require relative to the size and scope of the area you need to compact,” Eusabio says. “Wider drums will enable you to cover more ground quickly, speeding up completion. And make sure your drum roller has enough weight and power to handle the materials or surfaces that require compacting.”
