Municipal Works Manager — Machine Selection

Weight That Works

Working weight influences cutting, traction and ground loading, but weight alone does not establish grading performance. Ballast, a carried load and attachment weight also change the demands on the tractor, hitch and tyres. Consider the complete combination in both loaded and empty states.

Before moving material

Obtain the machine weights, hitch limits and tractor information.

Receiving operation and checks

Use a controlled trial to establish a workable pass depth. Observe slipping, rutting and unstable handling before chasing greater load.

More weight may damage soft ground and does not make a machine suitable for every tractor.

Machine Before - Dugong - Machine After

The machine before Dugong determines what material arrives; the machine after Dugong determines what surface must leave. An excavator can expose formation, a loader can deliver a stockpile, and a roller can compact the placed layer. The scraper's role is bounded by those interfaces.

Before moving material

Identify the upstream operation and its remaining defects.

Receiving operation and checks

Hand over the measured surface to compaction, cultivation, paving or turf preparation. Record which operation owns levels, materials and final acceptance.

The workflow can include Dugong where suitable; it does not assume Dugong replaces adjacent equipment.

Survey Existing Ground

Surveying existing ground is the first project-stage record of the surface to be changed. Agree the coverage before the survey so critical features are not omitted.

Before moving material

Define boundaries of work, reference control and required detail.

Receiving operation and checks

Issue the survey with datum, units and limitations stated. Check control-point agreement and representation of abrupt terrain changes.

A survey deliverable should not be confused with a legal boundary determination.

Record the job inputs

Use this checklist to turn the scenario into a specific brief. Retain the design revision and agree who accepts each completed layer.

• Existing condition, extent and the reason for intervention
• Required finished purpose, receiving operation and acceptance criteria
• Material type, layer role, source, receiving area and volume state
• Reference levels, datum, survey method and issued design revision
• Available tractor, implement configuration, travel route and turning space
• Checks before work, stopping points and evidence retained at handover

Checklist ticks apply only while this page is open. Include the completed brief in your project records.

Continue through the network

Surface and verification · Applications and rental · Equipment and technology