Home Latest Edition Archive

COPIED

14 mins

MOVING EARTH IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES

The earthmoving industry is known for its massive machines, but Mitchell Keller reports that today’s modern trends and technologies are lending to functional uses for small and mid-sized movers

Every single day the construction industry digs into the ground to remove earth and then moves that earth to a different location. The equipment used for these tasks – both the digging and the transporting – is becoming more and more advanced.

Machines like dozers, dump trucks, wheeled loaders, excavators, and more are evolving all the time, as is the industry’s approach on how to move and use them. Whether it’s new developments of highly powered (but compact) machines or the creation of autonomous processes, the age-old action of digging is newer each day, and the earthmoving sector has quietly become one of the industry’s most advanced.

Autonomy and machine control

Perhaps the biggest technological advancement in the earthmoving industry is in autonomy and machine control. While the building segment of construction has, at times, struggled to incorporate autonomous tech en masse due to the segment’s dynamic nature, the repetitive aspects of earthmoving tasks (particularly in mining and quarrying) have done well with autonomous, machine-control and remote functions.

The Develon DL280-7wheeled loader at World of Concrete in January 2025

Sweden-based Hexagon, a tech firm specialising in sensor and positioning products, said late in 2024 that it was doubling-down on its long-term commitment in developing fully autonomous mining solutions. It announced the purchase of indurad, a Germany-based 3D-radar machine vision firm, which included haulage subsidiary xtonomy.

Hexagon noted three keys to the acquisition: enhancing mine safety, increasing productivity, and promoting OEM-agnostic autonomy for the mining industry. The acquisition from a large tech firm like Hexagon helps illustrate how important the industry views earthmoving autonomy, with more large sites serving as viable cases each year.

Q&A ON BOBCAT’S NEW B760 BACKHOE LOADER LAUNCH FOR NORTH AMERICA

International Construction caught up with Bobcat Company senior marketing specialist Ryan Saunders at World of Concrete in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, in January. Saunders discussed the company’s plan for a North American backhoe loader launch.

What sets the Bobcat B760 apart from other backhoe loaders?

Some of the key features, it comes standard-equipped with that extendable excavator arm. When it’s extended, the dig depth is about 15 ft, but you can extend that out to about 18 ft of dig depth. And that’s something that’s not commonly standard equipped.

It’s 96 hp. It has a turbocharged nondiesel particulate filer engine. So there’s no regeneration that’s required.

Ryan Saunders, Bobcat Company

Bobcat Company’s B760 backhoe loader at World of Concrete 2025

IMAGE: MITCHELL KELLER

It can go up to 22 mph. A lot of our customers are used to trailering a lot of their equipment, but for something like this, you have to do less trailering because you can go from job site to job site. Then on the front side, you can lift it up about a little over 11-ft high, and it has a lift capacity of close to 8,000 lbs.

What’s your expectations with this launch?

This machine is a popular model in other parts of the world, so it’s not something we built from scratch for the North American market. It’s done well in India and Latin America, and certain parts of Asia and Europe.

We know there’s a specific customer base for the B760, so it’s definitely not going to be something we are prioritising over some of our more compact equipment. And, again, we’re building this off of something that was built and initially successful more in India. So, for now, it is pretty basic in its functionality.

What are some segments you see purchasing the B760 in North America?

One of the big ones is municipalities. A lot of them will need highly versatile machines to be able to do a lot of different tasks. And we know that general construction and contractors, especially on the smaller side, some of them use [backhoe loaders] as a versatile, back-up machine. In case an excavator or a loader goes down, they have this as a catchall.

Develon’s Bill Zak points out the vision capabilities of the company’s 7-Series loaders at the recent World of Concrete show in Las Vegas, US

IMAGES: MITCHELL KELLER

One of largest fleets of autonomous earthmovers is at Roy Hill, an iron ore operation in Western Australia.

There, global mining equipment OEM Epiroc and automation specialists ASI Mining have worked together to create a nearly 100-machine end-to-end autonomous process by converting a mixed-fleet of machines from manned to autonomous use.

At the site, “haul trucks are running 24/7 in a dedicated autonomous operating zone, interacting safely with two excavators and numerous ancillary vehicles at intersections, waste dumps and load areas,” explains Epiroc.

Luc Le Maire, Topcon Position Systems

The theme, here, is visibility; visibility leading to safety

As of the last update, the fleet was expected to comprise more than 50 Caterpillar trucks and more than 40 Hitachi trucks. In addition, more than 200 modified ancillary vehicles are expected to interact with the autonomous haul trucks.

“The autonomous fleet is meeting desired safety and productivity metrics and achieving higher productivity than the conventional haul trucks, a key objective of the programme,” said Epiroc.

Near Copenhagen, a rainwater infrastructure build out has been aided by Topcon Positioning Systems machine control solutions, which the company says had led to workers realising a 60% efficiency increase.

“Machine control technology presents an immediate and powerful solution to help contractors meet demand,” Topcon senior vice president Luc Le Maire tells International Construction.

The Denmark-based project requires extreme precision over an extended time. Using machine-control and grading solutions, the scheme has helped maintain digging consistency from the fleet of excavators; the high-tech control solutions don’t require the same physical output from the operators, which makes for more consistent work, particularly toward the end of the workday.

FROM EARTHMOVING TO… MOONMOVING?

Forget about the earthmoving industry because the moonmoving segment is hot on its trail.

Of course, it may be several years (and more likely several decades) before such an activity takes place, but that hasn’t stopped Japan-based Komatsu from unveiling a prototype excavator meant for lunar construction.

The company unveiled the celestial-bound units at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, which was its first visit to the technology-based show. Komatsu said part of developing the prototype was to attract a new generation of diverse talent by showcasing innovations that go beyond tradition limits of the construction industry.

Taisuke Kusaba, chief technology officer and president, development division, Komatsu, said, “The core industries we serve, construction and mining, offer plenty of extreme applications that push our engineers, programmers and designers to problem-solve ground-breaking use of technology and product design to stay ahead of the needs of our customers.

The Komatsu prototype lunar excavator on display at CES 2025 in Las Vegas

IMAGE: BECKY SCHULTZ, POWER PROGRESS

“As a proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators, CES offers a unique opportunity to highlight some of the leading-edge concepts we have in the works, as well as the Komatsu innovations that are actively helping shape the world around us.”

The dozer manages material from many dump trucks

IMAGE: STEER

REMOTE-CONTROLLED DOZER FOR NORWAY’S LARGEST EARTHMOVING PROJECT

Technology company Steer has delivered a remote-controlled Caterpillar D8 dozer to Hæhre – one of Norway’s leading civil engineering contractors – which is now being used for extensive marine filling work at Frier Vest in Grenland, Norway.

The project is Norway’s largest earthmoving operation, resulting in 3,700 acres of commercial land and a port terminal.

The remote-controlled dozer is used to manage material from up to 14 dump trucks (Caterpillar 772G, 775G, and electric Sany trucks) at the marine filling site. The trucks unload their loads inland, and the dozer pushes the material outwards. The dozer operator works approximately 500m away from the machine, eliminating the risks associated with landslides and collapse.

“This technology allows us to efficiently deliver on demanding projects without jeopardizing operator safety,” says Asle Ståland, Project Director at Hæhre. “The experience has been very positive so far. Operators find the solution easy to use and comfortable.”

The efficiency of the remote-controlled dozer is said to be fully maintained, operating just as effectively as if it had an onboard driver. Steer has integrated Trimble machine control into the system, enabling the dozer blade to be automatically controlled via GPS.

Njål Gjermundshaug, CEO of Steer, says, “It’s a much safer method than equipping operators with life vests, oxygen tanks, and mechanisms for automatic window breaking.”

Gjermundshaug adds that there is significant interest in similar solutions for quarries and mines, where one operator can switch between controlling several loaders and dozers at dumping sites.

Le Maire says, “Using a combination of layout navigation solutions, GNSS technology, inertial sensors, and machine control technology, the operator can create or update a project plan, stake out or measure key points, and seamlessly move data directly to the machine.

“This data can then be used to dig exactly according to plan and can easily be adapted for layout and verification tasks, too.”

All sizes matter

Autonomy and machine-control lend themselves to the dirt-moving segments, but why haven’t we witnessed full adoption from the smallest up to the largest operations? “We found that only 42% of large contractors in Europe were using automated systems, and this plummeted to just 22% when looking at smaller companies,” Le Maire details.

“This highlights just how far we still have to go in digitalising construction – across the sector as a whole, yes – but especially when it comes to smaller projects, which make up a significant proportion of output.”

A fleet of John Deere earthmovers equipped with advanced grading technology

IMAGE: JOHN DEERE

Cost remains the biggest impediment for smaller projects and contractors, but another issue is access to technology for compact equipment. However, implementation of autonomous and machine-control solutions for the compact sizes of loaders, dozers and excavators has been improving in recent years. Case Construction Equipment, for example, released a new compact track loader – the TV620B – in 2021. It includes the company’s SiteConnect Module, remote connectivity capabilities and access to the Case Uptime Center, which promotes collaborate fleet management between the company, dealers and equipment owners.

George MacIntyre, product manager, Case Construction Equipment, adds, “The TV620B is built to simplify heavy work such as… mulching, heavy material handling, and loading high-sided trucks.”

John Deere has added big tech to its compact machines, as well. In October 2024, the company announced it’s next-gen SmartGrade technology onto its line of P-Tier small dozers.

Matt Costello, product marketing manager, John Deere, says, “As we build upon this technology with the rollout of the next generation of SmartGrade, starting with our small dozer line-up, customers will benefit from improved and expanded capabilities that help increase user confidence and productivity.”

Deere adds that the integration requires no daily set-up or calibration, and machines can also come with advanced solutions like, “EZ Grade with electro-hydraulic (EH) controls, Slope Control, SmartGrade-Ready with 2D grade control or 3D SmartGrade with Topcon or Leica.

The core industries we serve, construction and mining, offer plenty of extreme applications that push our engineers, programmers and designers to problem-solve groundbreaking use of technology and product design

“These options not only provide the customer with the capability to increase performance, but can also be upgraded to a more enhanced grade management solution.”

Safety remains top priority

Earthmovers aren’t all meant for the mines, and autonomy will remain elusive for many segments of the construction industry.

The next expectation from OEMs (before they can make entirely unmanned machines) is to create and improve autonomous safeguards for manned operations. And, of course, there are an endless list of trending tech solutions that can meet these goals.

Bill Zak, a product manager for South Koreanbased Develon in the US, tells International Construction that safety was the company’s top priority in developing the company’s 7-Series wheeled loaders. He showcased the DL280 – which is a medium/small size in the line – at World of Concrete.

“The theme here is visibility. Visibility leading to safety,” Zak says. “If you look above the axle, there’s two galvanised bolts, and there’s a little black circle between them. That’s a camera,” as he points to another lens on top of the cabin near the machine’s bucket.

While camera coverage isn’t new (Zak compared it, in theory, to the tech used in automobiles), Develon’s experimentation with it led to niche applications for construction.

“We’re doing the same thing as cars and trucks, but we’re looking beyond the bucket,” Zak explains, noting the orientation of the front-facing cameras acts like the human eye: it can fill in the contextual gaps caused by visual blockages.

Zak continues, “We call that our transparent bucket. It combines two images, even if there’s only a partial view of both, and you can piece it together.”

Sitting from the cab, Zak shows the camera screen as a person walks by the Develon expo booth at World of Concrete.

The Case Construction Equipment TV620B compact track loader

IMAGE: CASE

Despite the bucket blocking views of the lower camera, combined with the upper camera, the machine can create a single full-frontal image, including the passerby. Zak also noted that the camera system can identify hazards on-screen (in the shape of a red hazard triangle and subsequent light alarms), noting this type of technology is improving year to year.

But seeing is just part of the advanced safety tech endowing earthmoving machines.

Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) released what it called a ‘first-of-a-kind’ avoidance technology in 2023 (named the Collision Mitigation System), but dozens of OEMs have been chasing a similar feature: a achine that can stop and react to obstacles to avoid accidents.

Workers in Perth, Australia, assist remote operations of nearly 100 autonomous trucks at a mine site in Western Australia

IMAGE: EPIROC

“With wheel loaders spending an average of 40-50% of their time being driven in reverse, the Collision Mitigation System is a valuable solution for operators and site managers,” says Volvo CE.

Not meant to replace operators, the system will first slow the machine to better allow the worker to take evasive action.

“It works by identifying when there is a risk of collision and responding by automatically activating the brakes for two to three seconds to slow the machine down prior to impact or bring it to a stop to avoid it.

“This initiation of the braking alerts the operator to intervene,” adds Volvo CE.

The earth won’t move itself

Construction will always need machines for moving the earth. While, with each passing year, there’s vast improvements in sensing, grading, machine control, and remote operations, we will never fully take men and women out of the construction site. However, we might be able to remove them from the most dangerous aspects of machine operations.

Still, earthmoving machines in general construction simply won’t benefit from the advancing autonomy that mining and quarry projects enjoy.

These segments are where earthmoving of the future can be seen in real-time and, perhaps, with some patience and perfection of the programmes, the built environment could learn a thing or two from its sister segments along the way.

BIG JOB ON HAWAII’S BIG ISLAND

The Island of Hawaii is the location of a big earthmoving project. The scheme is simple in terms: it involves the installation of new sewage pipes and infrastructure across the island. It’s just a portion of a project that’s estimated to cost more than US$500 million across multiple islands on the Pacific archipelago.

But Hawaii’s volcanic history has made excavating and earthmoving a big more challenging due to the build-up of Hawaiian Blue Rock.

“The properties of the lava from eruptions varies from rocks containing gas bubbles and jagged edges to extremely dense and hard basaltic rocks from the cooled interiors of lava flows,” explains Wirtgen Group, which is providing a Kleeman MOBICAT MC 110i EVO2 mobile jaw crusher for contractor Goodfellow Bros Hawaii. “The Hawaiian Blue Rock is a hard basalt with a shiny bluish tint which is in high demand due to its exceptional quality, but it is particularly hard to crush.”

In order to account for the dense earth, a team of excavators, including a Komatsu PC 360 LC, load material into the Kleeman machine for the production of aggregate, which will then be used in laying more than 1,500 of wastewater sewer pipe for this particular leg of the project.

“Goodfellow Bros crushed the blue rock to produce aggregates for the sewer construction project in two grain sizes: 3/4-in minus for the base course pipe cushion and 4-in minus for backfill,” Wirtgen Group explains.

While the Kleeman machine’s main purpose is crushing, it brings a flexibility with its self-propelled track system, allowing it to act as an earthmover alongside the fleet of excavators.