Bulldozer Basics

Unless folks work in construction or excavation, most don't sit around thinking about the bulldozer. But this big, powerful and usually yellow machine is more significant than you might think. A bulldozer has the body of a tractor outfitted with wide, rubber treads that balance it and enhance its movement. The front of the bulldozer is equipped with a large blade, which helps distinguish it from other machinery.

Use

Bulldozers are ideal for a number of jobs that require clearing and cleaning out large areas. They are commonly used to raze land for replanting, since they can rip out and remove any existing shrubbery, greens, small trees and other foliage in their path. Bulldozers are also used in the construction field to remove debris and structure remains as well as level the ground. Landfills may also use bulldozers to level or move the heaps of trash.

Blade

The blade is what makes the bulldozer different from other types of heavy equipment. The blade is generally one of three types, depending on the job at hand. One blade type, used only for grading dirt, is the straight blade. It has neither side wings nor a curve in the center. The second blade type, used for moving large loads of material, is the universal blade. Also known as the U blade, this type is tall and curved and has side wings to help move the material. A third type of blade is the combination blade, which is basically a miniature version of the U blade.

History

The bulldozer first rambled onto the scene in the 1920s. The mechanics were new, but the concept was not. The flat blade of the bulldozer resembles the flat, wooden blades that had been in use years before, powered by either humans, horses or other livestock. The bulldozer was adapted from the tractor, onto which the blade was outfitted. The term "bulldozer" had also been around, used to describe a press that bent and shaped metal, according to an article by Ralph Harrington at HNN.us (see References section).

Evolution

As with any other piece of equipment, the bulldozer has been modified over time to suit a number of jobs that it originally may not have been able to perform. Bulldozer blades were replaced with large, toothed buckets and a hydraulic arm to lower and raise the buckets for scooping and dumping. Welcome the loader tractor. While the initial bulldozer evolution saw them become larger and more powerful, smaller models, too, evolved. These smaller versions are ideal for tight spaces in which the monstrous, full-size bulldozers could not function. Some of the smaller bulldozers, known as "calfdozers" are compact enough for use in tunnels and caves.

Significance

The bulldozer played a huge role in development across the world. America used the bulldozer extensively on its home turf and then to construct necessary facilities during World War II, Harrington said. In fact, Harrington's article cites U.S. Navy Admiral William F. Halsey listing four technologies that made beating Japan possible. One of them was the bulldozer.