Moving and removing mud: dumpers in emergencies

It happens more and more often that mud moving and removal operations concern not only construction sites, gardening and agriculture, but also emergencies due to floods and landslides. In these delicate contexts, it is even more important to act promptly and equip with the best equipment: the goal is to restore the viability in a short time and, moreover, to return to a situation as close to normal as possible.

Especially within territories characterized by natural fragility, dumpers can prove to be the best support to cope with emergencies. What distinguishes this vehicle, what characteristics to consider when choosing it, and how, in practical terms, does it become a valuable ally of rescuers in situations of need? In the next paragraphs we answer these questions, along with a concrete example of using Cormidi dumpers during an emergency in the Italian territory.

What is the dumper and in what situations to use it?

The dumper, or wheelbarrow, is a motor vehicle used in all those contexts where it is necessary to transport different kinds of materials in large quantities, for example: earth, sand, gravel, crushed stone, rubble, concrete remains and much more. Precisely because of this main function, it is widely used in the construction industry and in the fields of gardening and agriculture, but in recent years it has also found use in emergencies caused by natural disasters.

In many countries, in fact, the consequences of climate change, combined with a natural fragility of the land, have produced unforeseen and major floods and landslides: to cite one example, according to some technical assessments made by experts in the field, almost 94 percent of Italian municipalities are at risk of hydrogeological instability and subject to coastal erosion. The number of floods producing damage is increasing year on year.

In these contexts, the wheelbarrow proves a useful aid in clearing roads and buildings of mud, dirt, and debris left behind by water. Even more so during emergencies, it is essential to pay attention to the reliability and safety of the vehicle. In addition to this, the dumper must provide top-level performance with reduced manpower utilization. To achieve these goals, it is necessary for the machine to be equipped with special technical arrangements. Here are the 3 main ones.

Maneuverability

For moving and removing mud within areas affected by landslides and overflows, it is first and foremost essential that the wheelbarrow ensures stability and excellent maneuverability. In these areas, in fact, it happens to have to move over rough and steep grounds, slopes and uneven terrain: the greater the ability of the vehicle to maneuver, the greater will also be the efficiency in carrying out the operations. Stability can be ensured by the presence of durable rubber tracks and an undercarriage with oscillating rollers, which are ideal elements for greater grip on the ground. In addition, it is always a good idea to opt for a small-sized dumper, which will allow for the best possible clearing of narrow passages and roads.

Speed

If in ordinary work in construction contexts acting quickly is important, in extraordinary work during emergencies, it becomes essential and not only on a practical level: earthmoving operations allow the clearing of otherwise unusable areas and, in addition, lead to a progressive and rapid return to normalcy. A psychological factor that is as crucial as ever for civilians hit by the emergency.

Thanks to the choice of machines specifically designed to ensure brilliant performance in any working context, it will be possible to reduce downtime and optimize the operations of moving and removing mud. Thus a dumper equipped with a powerful, state-of-the-art engine will be able to move much more soil, and in less time, than a traditional wheelbarrow.

Transport capacity

High earth-carrying capacity is another unavoidable factor in selecting suitable wheelbarrows to best cope with emergency situations. This is where the excavation bucket comes into play, which is used to pick up materials at surface and depth, lift them and dump them into the dumper. Thanks to an advanced undercarriage system, which is coupled with the considerable breakout and lifting force of the dump arm body system kinematics, the bucket is able to perform this task with the greatest of ease. Not only that, an even larger container and the particularly robust design of the wheelbarrow enable it to move huge amounts of material quickly.

A practical example: dumpers from Cormidi in Ischia

When the emergency calls, Cormidi provides its know-how and dumpers to answer “Present!” It happened in the beautiful island of Ischia, hit in November 2022 by a landslide followed by torrential rain that, in addition to causing loss of life, damaged houses, cars, public buildings-all those elements and places that are part of the daily life of the island’s nearly 20,000 inhabitants.

In this sensitive context, Cormidi’s dumpers supported volunteers and rescuers in the city’s recovery phase. The tireless and unstoppable dumpers worked to clear the streets of dirt and bring back, as much as possible, a semblance of normalcy to the lives of the people involved in this tragedy.