Glossary
Construction equipment terms explained.
Demolition Excavator
Specialized excavator with reinforced superstructure and high-reach demolition boom for controlled deconstruction of buildings. Equipped with demolition grabs, pulverizers, or shears.
Demolition Shear
Hydraulic attachment for crushing concrete and masonry during demolition and deconstruction work.
Screed Plate
Vibrating screed plate on the asphalt paver that strikes off the asphalt to the specified height and provides initial compaction.
Axle load
Weight distribution of a construction machine per axle, relevant for road transport and bridge crossing.
Aggregate
Raw materials such as gravel, sand, and crushed stone used as base materials in construction material and asphalt production.
All-Wheel Steering
Steering system in which all four wheels turn, providing maximum maneuverability for wheel loaders and telehandlers.
Attachment
Interchangeable tool on the excavator arm such as bucket, grab, hammer or shear. Exchanged via the quick coupler and extends the machine's application possibilities.
Work Platform
Mobile lifting platform for work at height. Distinguished types include articulating boom, telescopic boom, and scissor platforms. Used on construction sites, for assembly and maintenance work.
Asphalt paver
A road construction machine that applies hot asphalt mixture uniformly onto the prepared base and provides initial compaction. The laying width is infinitely adjustable via the screed.
Asphalt Recycling
Process for processing reclaimed asphalt through crushing and screening to reuse the material for new asphalt mixtures or road construction.
Boom
Load-bearing arm of an excavator or crane that determines the reach and digging depth of the machine.
Concrete Pump Truck
Truck-mounted concrete pump with distribution boom for conveying and distributing fresh concrete on construction sites.
Autonomous Construction Equipment
Construction machinery equipped with automated systems that can execute work tasks independently with minimal or no human operator intervention. These machines use sensors, GPS, and control systems to perform operations such as grading, excavation, and material handling with high precision and consistency.
Jaw Crusher
Primary crusher for processing rock and construction waste. Two jaw dies reduce material through pressure. Typical feed sizes up to 1,500 mm.
Backhoe Loader
Combination machine with front loader and rear-mounted excavator arm. Particularly versatile in municipal earthwork and utility line installation.
Excavator bucket
Standard attachment for excavators used for digging and loading. Differentiated into digging buckets (for excavation), loading buckets (for loading), and specialized buckets (screening buckets, grapple buckets).
Excavator Mat
Load distribution plate made of plastic or wood for ensuring the stability of construction machinery on soft ground.
Rubber Track Drive
Elastic chain drive made of rubber bands instead of steel chains for gentle operation on paved surfaces.
Concrete pump
Machine for conveying fresh concrete through pipelines to the placement site.
operating costs
Expenses incurred during the operation and maintenance of construction equipment, including fuel or power consumption, routine servicing, repairs, and wear-and-tear replacement of components.
operating hours
Metric measuring actual machine and equipment runtime used to determine maintenance schedules, component wear rates, and operational cost assessments in construction and equipment management.
BIM (Building Information Modeling)
Digital method for planning, execution, and management of construction projects. 3D models contain all relevant component information and enable collaboration among all trades.
Ground slab
Bottom reinforced concrete surface of a building that transfers loads into the subgrade.
Drilling Rig
Specialized deep foundation machine for the production of bored piles and diaphragm walls. Working methods: rotary drilling, continuous flight auger (CFA), grab drilling procedure, or full displacement.
Crushing Plant
Mobile or stationary installation for crushing rock, concrete, and construction waste.
Wide Tires
Oversized tires for construction equipment to reduce ground pressure on sensitive surfaces.
Bulldozer
Tracked grading machine with front-mounted blade for pushing, leveling, and spreading soil. Optional rear ripper for hard ground.
Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)
Exhaust aftertreatment system in construction equipment for reducing soot particles in accordance with EU emission standards.
Tandem roller
Compaction roller with two cylindrical drums arranged side by side for asphalt and soil compaction.
Rotary Drilling Rig
Specialized machine for large-diameter bored piles in specialized deep foundation work that creates cylindrical shafts through rotary drilling.
Slewing Ring
Rolling bearing between the uppercarriage and undercarriage of an excavator or crane that enables 360-degree rotation of the uppercarriage. Core component for slewing operation.
Trolley
Mobile unit on the jib of a tower crane that carries the load hook. It moves horizontally along the jib and determines the radius of load.
Torque
Physical specification (Nm/kNm) for the rotational force of a motor or hydraulic cylinder in construction equipment.
Pneumatic hammer
Pneumatic impact tool for demolition and compaction work. Used as an attachment on excavators or as a handheld tool.
Dumper
Compact transport vehicle for bulk materials on construction sites, featuring a tiltable hopper and all-wheel drive.
throughput
The amount of material that a crushing plant can process per unit of time, typically measured in tons per hour.
Bucket chain dredger
Continuously operating extraction machine with circulating bucket chain for open-pit mining and wet dredging.
Single-axle dumper
Compact hand-guided or ride-on dumper with one drive axle for confined construction sites.
Operating Weight
Total weight of a construction machine in operational condition including fuel, hydraulic fluid, coolant, driver, and standard equipment.
Electric Excavator
Excavator with purely electric drive (battery or cable powered). Zero-emission, quieter, and designed for use in urban areas, indoor spaces, and tunnels.
Emission Class (EU Stage)
European exhaust emission standard for construction machinery diesel engines, currently Stage V since 2019.
Earthmoving
Umbrella term for all work involving excavation, transport, placement, and compaction of soil. Core trade in civil and road construction.
EU Stage V standard
European emission standard for mobile machinery and equipment with internal combustion engines. Regulates permissible limit values for nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
Transit mixer
Concrete mixer mounted on a truck chassis with a rotating drum. Transports fresh concrete from the batching plant to the construction site and keeps it homogeneous through rotational movement.
vehicle-mounted crane
A crane system mounted on a truck that enables mobile lifting operations at construction sites.
Remote Control
Wireless operation of construction machinery via radio remote control for work in hazardous zones.
Low-profile excavator
Excavator in particularly low-height construction for work with restricted headroom.
Flotation
Processing method in rock processing where minerals are separated by attachment to air bubbles.
Front Loader
Attachment mounted on the front of a tractor or compact loader with a bucket for loading, lifting, and transporting bulk materials.
Joint Saw
Construction machine with diamond or corundum blade for cutting expansion joints in concrete and asphalt surfaces.
fleet
The total inventory of vehicles and equipment that a company owns and operates for its business operations. This includes all motorized assets deployed for transportation, logistics, or field service purposes.
Counterweight
Ballast at the rear of excavators and cranes to stabilize against tipping moments during load handling.
weight class
Classification system for construction and heavy equipment based on total machine mass, which determines operational capacity, transportability, and field applicability. Weight classes standardize equipment specifications across manufacturers and define regulatory compliance requirements for operation and transport.
Track
Endless conveyor belt made of steel links or rubber on the undercarriage of tracked excavators and cranes. Distributes machine weight over a large area and enables traction on soft ground.
Slipform Paver
Self-propelled machine for continuous concrete paving of profiles such as curbs, gutters, and barrier walls.
GPS Machine Control
Satellite-based system for automatic positioning and grade control of construction equipment for more precise and efficient operation.
Trenching machine
Machine with rotating cutting chain for creating narrow trenches for cables, pipes, and drainage systems.
Motor Grader
Earthmoving machine with a long, adjustable blade positioned between the axles. Used for profiling, grading, and maintaining unpaved roads and subgrades.
Grab
Attachment for excavators for grasping and handling material. Types: sorting grab, demolition grab, wood grab, multi-shell grab.
Rubber track
Elastic track drive made of vulcanized rubber with steel reinforcements for mini excavators and compact machines.
Dealer model
A distribution structure in which a manufacturer brings its products to market through independent or authorized trading partners.
Port Mobile Crane
A specialized mobile crane for loading and unloading ships as well as for handling containers and cargo in ports.
Hook block
Lower block on the crane rope with load hook and sheaves to increase load capacity through pulley system principle.
Backhoe
Hydraulic excavator mounted on the rear of a tractor or backhoe loader for light excavation work.
High Shovel
Upward-opening excavator bucket for loading material above cabin height into dump trucks and lorries.
Aerial Work Platform
Mobile machine with work basket for personnel and tools. Working heights up to over 50 m. Types: articulated boom, telescopic boom, scissor lift, mounted on truck or crawler chassis.
Hoisting Moment
Physical characteristic of a crane: product of load capacity (tonnes) and boom reach (meters). Determines the maximum lifting capacity of the crane at a given boom reach.
Hybrid drive
Combination of diesel and electric motors in a construction machine. Recuperates braking energy during slewing or lowering and reduces fuel consumption by 20 to 40 percent.
Hydraulic Excavator
Excavator that moves the boom, arm, and bucket using a hydraulic system. The most versatile construction machine in earthmoving and foundation work, available as a crawler excavator or wheeled excavator.
Hydraulic Breaker
An attachment for excavators that breaks up concrete, rock, and hard stone through high-frequency impact movements.
Hydraulic Shear
Attachment device for cutting steel beams, reinforcing steel, and metal structures during demolition work.
Inductive charging
Contactless charging system for electric construction equipment in which energy is transmitted via an electromagnetic field.
Injection method
Ground improvement technique in which binders (cement, synthetic resin) are injected under pressure into soil or rock.
Internal Vibrator
Rod-shaped compacting device (vibrating bottle) for consolidating fresh concrete by immersion into the concrete mass.
Insulated Bucket
Specialized bucket with electrical insulation for earthwork near high-voltage power lines and cables.
Cable drum (crane)
Motor-driven drum on a crane onto which the hoisting rope or luffing rope is wound.
Cold Milling Machine
Machine for layer-by-layer removal of asphalt pavements in road construction, with the milled material being recyclable.
Cone Crusher
Secondary crusher for further size reduction. A rotating breaking cone crushes material against a fixed breaking mantle. Produces uniform gradations.
Chain Dumper
Tracked carrier for transporting bulk material on rough terrain, frequently used in landscape and water construction.
Tipping Load
Maximum load on a crane or excavator at which the machine just remains stable.
Articulated Dump Truck
All-terrain dump truck with articulated steering for transporting heavy loads on rough construction site terrain.
Compact Excavator
Umbrella term for excavators up to approximately 10 t operating weight. Includes mini excavators (up to 6 t) and midi excavators (6-10 t). Ideal for confined working conditions.
compact machines
Small to mid-sized construction equipment such as mini excavators, wheel loaders, or compactors designed for confined job sites, characterized by compact dimensions and superior maneuverability in tight spaces.
Cone Crusher
Crusher type with conical mantle for producing cubic aggregates.
Crane boom
Load-bearing structure of a crane that determines the reach (extension) and hook height.
Short-tail excavator
Excavator with a reduced tail radius that does not extend beyond the track width when slewing. Optimized for work next to traffic, walls, or in trenches.
Loading Dozer
Crawler with integrated loading bucket that combines grading and loading in a single machine.
Long-reach boom
Extended excavator boom for work at great depth or distance, e.g., waterway maintenance, slope care or high-rise demolition.
Load Hook
Standardized suspension element on a crane for safe attachment of slings and loads.
Undercarriage
Chassis of a tracked vehicle consisting of chains, idler wheels, track rollers, and tensioning devices. Determines the load capacity and ground pressure of the machine.
Pipeline Construction
Civil engineering division for the installation of supply and disposal lines (water, gas, electricity, telecommunications).
Dipper arm
Connecting element between the boom and bucket of a hydraulic excavator that determines digging reach.
3D Machine Control
GPS/GNSS-based system for automatic control of excavators, graders and dozers according to digital terrain models.
Material Handling
Loading, sorting, and moving of bulk materials, scrap, or piece goods with specialized construction equipment.
Mini Excavator
A compact hydraulic excavator with an operating weight under 10 tons, ideal for confined construction sites, landscaping work, and interior demolition.
Mobile Excavator
Excavator mounted on a wheeled chassis with road approval. Can travel independently between job sites (up to 20 km/h) and does not require a lowboy trailer.
mobile crushing plants
Transportable machines for crushing rock, concrete, and recycling material at varying job sites. They combine crushers and often screening devices in a compact design.
Mobile Crane
A transportable crane mounted on a road chassis that can operate at different job sites without extensive assembly. Load capacities range from a few tons to over 1,000 tons.
Monobloc boom
Single-piece, rigid excavator boom without articulation joint for maximum stability and lifting capacity.
Dump Body
Tipper bed of a dump truck or dumper for transporting bulk materials.
Dump truck
Heavy-duty transport vehicle for off-road use in mining and earthmoving. Payload capacities from 30 to over 400 tons. Design types: rigid or articulated.
Wet cutting
Cutting method with water cooling to reduce dust generation and protect tools when separating concrete and stone.
Leveling Laser
Rotating laser for height reference on construction sites for earthwork, concrete work, and road construction.
Zero Tail Swing Excavator
Excavator whose upper structure rear does not extend beyond the track contour when slewing. Enables 360-degree operation in confined spaces without collision risk.
Payload
Maximum weight of the load that a construction machine or transport vehicle is permitted to carry.
Top Slewing Tower Crane
Tower crane with slewing mechanism at the upper section, typical for high-rise construction sites with large cantilever distances.
Upper Structure
Rotating superstructure of an excavator or crane that carries the cabin, engine, hydraulics, and work equipment.
Oil Cooler
Heat exchanger in the hydraulic system of construction equipment that maintains hydraulic oil temperature within an optimal range.
Off-road Tires
Specialized tires for construction equipment with reinforced carcass and coarse tread pattern for unpaved surfaces.
Pile Foundation
Deep foundation method in which loads are transferred through piles into load-bearing soil layers. Methods: driven piles, bored piles, displacement piles.
Pile Foundation Equipment
Machine for installing prefabricated piles or constructing cast-in-place piles as building foundations.
Dozer
Tracked vehicle with front-mounted blade. Applications: topsoil removal, rough grading, compaction of fill material. Synonym: Bulldozer.
PowerTilt
Hydraulic slew drive between boom and bucket that allows the bucket to slew up to 180°.
Impact Crusher
A size reduction machine that hurls material against impact plates using rapidly rotating hammers or blow bars. Used for softer rock and recycling construction debris.
Proctor Density
Laboratory-determined maximum dry density of a soil, reference value for compaction control in earthwork.
Pulverizer
Hydraulic excavator attachment for crushing concrete into small pieces for easier recycling.
Wheel Loader
Rubber-tired construction machine for loading, transporting and handling bulk materials such as gravel, sand and soil. Particularly maneuverable due to articulated steering.
Pile hammer
Impact mechanism of a pile driver that drives piles into the ground through free fall or hydraulic actuation.
Tracked Excavator
Hydraulic excavator mounted on a tracked chassis offering high stability and excellent terrain mobility, suitable for operation on soft ground.
Tracked undercarriage
Drive system with circulating chains (track bands) for optimal traction and low ground pressure on heavy construction equipment.
Crawler crane
Crane mounted on crawler undercarriage with high load capacity and stability. Can travel while loaded. Used in heavy lifting operations, wind power installations, and infrastructure projects.
Recycler
Road construction machine that breaks up existing surface layers in-situ using the cold recycling process, mixes them with binder, and reinstalls them as a new base layer.
Ripper tooth
Single steel tooth on an excavator arm or bucket for breaking up rock, asphalt, and hard ground.
ROPS Cab
Roll-Over Protective Structure designed to protect the operator in case of machine overturn.
Rotator
Hydraulic continuous-duty rotary drive for excavator attachments, enabling 360° rotation of grapplers and sorting devices.
Vibratory Plate Compactor
Hand-operated compaction equipment with a vibrating base plate. Applications: paving, trench backfill, compaction of bulk materials. Variants: forward and reversible.
Vacuum excavator
Machine that suctions soil and material using vacuum or compressed air for trenchless and non-destructive exposure.
Scissor lift
Aerial work platform with scissor-shaped lifting mechanism for purely vertical lifting movements. Large work platforms, typical working heights 6-18 m.
Slurry wall cutter
Specialized deep foundation equipment that creates narrow, deep slots in the ground using rotating cutting wheels. The slots are filled with concrete to form impermeable diaphragm walls.
Quick Coupler
A mechanical or hydraulic coupling system that allows excavator attachments such as buckets, grapplers, or hydraulic breakers to be changed quickly.
SCR Catalyst
Exhaust aftertreatment using AdBlue (urea solution) to reduce nitrogen oxides in construction equipment diesel engines.
Scraper
Earthmoving machine that loosens, picks up, transports, and dumps soil in layers in a single operation. Highly productive for medium transport distances.
Rope Shovel
Excavator with rope-controlled boom and tool (grab, dragline bucket). For specialized applications such as wet excavation, quarrying, and port handling.
Screening Plant
Machine for classifying bulk materials by particle size. Mobile or stationary, with vibrating, drum, or star screens. Complements crushing plants.
Sorting Grapple
Hydraulic attachment with grapple arms for sorting, gripping, and placing materials.
specialized excavator
Excavator machine with customer-specific equipment and attachments for specialized tasks such as recycling, demolition, or mining.
Sheet pile wall
Temporary or permanent shoring element made of interlocking steel profiles for securing excavation pits and riverbank reinforcements.
Rammer
Hand-operated compaction device with vertical impact motion. Used for narrow trenches and areas too confined for vibratory plates.
Asphalt Paver
Specialized machine for uniform placement of asphalt or concrete during the construction of road surfaces.
Road milling machine
Machine for layer-by-layer removal of asphalt and concrete pavements. A rotating milling drum with chisels breaks up the material, which is then conveyed onto a conveyor belt.
Outrigger
Extendable support on mobile cranes and truck-mounted concrete pumps to widen the support base.
Telematics
Remote monitoring system for construction equipment. Captures position, operating hours, fuel consumption and error codes and transmits the data to a web platform.
Telehandler
Construction machine with a telescopic boom for lifting and placing loads at height. Widely used on construction sites and in agriculture.
Low-bed trailer
Specialized transport vehicle with a low loading deck for transporting construction equipment on public roads. Load capacities exceeding 100 tons.
Deep bucket
Attachment for excavators used to excavate trenches and foundation pits. The teeth point toward the excavator to convey material upward.
Tiltrotator
Combined slew-rotate device on excavator boom for 360° continuous rotation and ±45° tilting of the attachment.
Tonnage
Weight classification of construction machinery in tonnes as a primary sizing characteristic.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Total cost assessment of an asset across its entire lifecycle, including acquisition, operation, maintenance, and disposal.
Load capacity
Maximum load that a crane can safely lift at a specific outreach. Specified in load charts and depends on outreach, boom configuration, and support conditions.
capacity
Maximum load in tons that a crane can safely lift and move in a standardized position.
subbase
The lowest layer of a road construction below the wearing course, which distributes loads and supports the subgrade. It is frequently made from recycled asphalt.
Travel Chassis
Undercarriage of a mobile construction machine for movement on the construction site or in road traffic.
Dry Excavator
Excavator for work on dry land, in contrast to amphibious excavators and dredgers.
Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)
Full-face cutting machine for mechanized tunnel advancement. Excavates the entire cross-section in a single operation while simultaneously installing support segments (tunnel linings).
Tower Crane
A stationary or climbing crane with a rotating jib for high-rise construction. Lifts loads to great heights with significant outreach.
Material Handler
Excavator with elevated cab and extended boom for material handling in ports, scrap yards, and recycling facilities. Typically equipped with grapple or magnet attachments.
Luffing jib tower crane
Tower crane with slewing mechanism at the tower base, compact and quick to assemble for smaller construction sites.
Shortfall
Failure to achieve the required compaction degree, bearing capacity, or specified elevation in earthwork.
Undercarriage
The chassis and load-bearing structure of an excavator or crane on which the rotating superstructure sits.
Shoring device
Steel frame system for securing trench walls against collapse during excavation and utility work.
Compaction Roller
Machine for compacting soils, gravel, or asphalt through static pressure or vibration. Essential in road and earthwork construction.
Variable boom
Excavator or crane boom whose geometry is hydraulically adjustable. Enables different working radii and digging curves without repositioning or changing equipment.
Vibration hammer
Vibratory pile driver for low-vibration installation and extraction of sheet piles and piles.
Vibrating Plate
Hand-operated or mountable compaction device that compacts soils and base layers through vibration. Commonly used in road and utility construction.
Pre-screening
First screening stage in aggregate processing to separate fines before the crusher.
maintenance intervals
Scheduled periods determined by time or machine operating hours at which preventive maintenance operations must be performed to ensure optimal equipment performance and prevent unexpected breakdowns.
Dewatering
Measures for lowering and draining groundwater in excavation pits and trenches.
Weighing System
Onboard scale on wheel loaders, dump trucks, and excavators for real-time recording of loading and transport quantities.
Winch
Cable hoist device on a crane or excavator for raising and lowering loads. Distinguished types include main hoists, auxiliary winches, and secondary winches.
Luffing jib
An adjustable crane boom that can be raised and lowered for use in confined airspace and when multiple cranes are operating in close proximity.
Sprocket Ring
Toothed steel component on the slewing ring through which the slewing drive rotates the upper structure.
Towing Hitch
Trailer coupling on construction equipment for towing trailers, rollers, and compressors.
Clamshell Grab
Hydraulic grab with two shells for excavation, material handling, and underwater dredging.
Dual-mode excavator
An excavator that can travel both on roads (wheel undercarriage) and on rails (additional rail wheels). Used for track construction work and railway infrastructure projects.