The tandem roller (also called double drum roller) features two steel-tired cylinders of equal width — one at the front, one at the rear. Both drums vibrate and compact simultaneously, delivering more uniform compaction results than single-drum roller trains. Typical working widths range from 800 mm (small rollers) to 2,130 mm (heavy asphalt rollers).
In asphalt construction, tandem rollers are indispensable: they compact freshly placed asphalt with defined amplitude and frequency without leaving rutting marks. The choice of vibration settings — amplitude (0.2–0.9 mm) and frequency (30–50 Hz) — depends on layer thickness and asphalt mix design. Excessive amplitude on thin layers damages the aggregate structure.
BOMAG (BW series), Hamm (HD/DV series), and Caterpillar (CB series) are the leading manufacturers. Modern tandem rollers offer oscillation as an alternative to vibration: the drum oscillates horizontally rather than vertically, producing less vibration — ideal for work on bridges, in buildings, or on vibration-sensitive substrates.