It is the most basic of earth moving machines, having a large metal blade at the front to push material around. Almost all are tracked vehicles. There may also be a ripper device at the rear of the bulldozer to loosen up compacted material.
You will find bulldozers deployed in all sorts of situations, from quarries and mines to construction sites and even military uses. The tracks of the bulldozer mean that they can work on the most difficult of terrain and at the same time their large surface area reduces ground pressure and helps the bulldozer to avoid sinking and becoming trapped on softer ground. They can also be fitted with even wider tracks to further decrease ground pressure and reduce compaction to the ground surface. The bulldozer\'s transmission has also been adapted to this tracked system to give excellent traction.
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This combination of qualities means that bulldozers are often used in situations that require powerful, mobile and stable major earth moving capabilities. A second type of bulldozer is the wheeled and articulated model. These will generally have four-wheel drive and an articulated steering system, with the blade mounted to the front of a hydraulically actuated articulation joint.
The bulldozer\'s main weapon is the blade and this comes in a number of configurations. An S, or straight, blade is straight and short with no curve or side wings. It is usually used for fine grading work. The U, or universal blade, is tall and curved with extensive side wings, which means it can move more material. There is also a combination, SU blade, with a slight curve and short wings, which is often used in quarrying applications.
The bulldozer has a long history, initially being an adaptation of a ploughing tractor and patented as a tractor attachment by two American inventors in 1923. Caterpillar was an early adopter of the technology, and the design was soon altered so that the bulldozer was to become a distinct machine in itself.