A handy tool for every type of tunnelling roadheaders

Roadheaders have the distinct advantages over the conventional drill and blast system providing an uninterrupted operation and excavation. As a matter of fact they incorporate three functions: excavation, loading and transporting. They are versatile, relatively cheap, highly flexible, and can cut selectively. All these features make the roadheader very attractive. For long, coal producers remain much the most significant users of roadheaders. In fact, a decade ago the number was, for example, 2000 in Russia, more than 800 in UK and over 300 in Poland. Now, because of the growing demand for mechanized excavation in civil engineering, this sector also uses quite a number of roadheaders. Consequently, these machines are constantly being required to cut harder, more abrasive rocks than they were originally designed for. Another important requisite was being able to cut in one stationary position a minimum 70m² and even more cross section. The authors are not intended to give full information for neither roadheaders nor the rocks. Only some selected subjects for both of them are being dealt with.