--- title: "Factors in selecting construction equipment" subject: "Construction Management" chapter: 4 key: "semester_8/construction_management:equipment-selection-factors" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/construction_management/equipment-selection-factors site: BCT Engineering --- # Factors in selecting construction equipment Construction Management · Chapter 4: Familiarization with Construction Equipments - Asked in: 2079 Jestha, 2 marks; 2078 Kartik, 6 marks; 2073 Magh; 2073 Bhadra, 4 marks; 2072 Asoj; 2065 Baisakh (old course) (asked 6 times) - Video: [KEY FACTORS FOR SELECTING CONSTRUCTION PLANT AND EQUIPMENT I INFRA PROJECT I Construction Equipment](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAFFkmSekUw) — INFRAMECHANIZER - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/construction_management/equipment-selection-factors - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_8/construction_management/chapter-4 ## Question What are the factors (including economic and commercial considerations) to be considered while selecting appropriate construction equipment? Explain with examples. ## Short answer Selection depends on technical factors like work type, site conditions, time, capacity matching, versatility, operator skill, and economic factors like initial and operating costs, buy/hire decision, spare parts availability, resale value, mobility, reliability, and environmental limits. Example: backhoe with trucks for urban excavation. ## Answer The right equipment gives the required output at the lowest cost. Selection depends on the following factors. #### Technical factors 1. **Type and quantity of work:** earthwork, lifting, concreting, compaction; large quantity favours big machines. 2. **Site conditions:** soil or rock, ground bearing, slope, water table, space, access, haul distance, climate. 3. **Time available:** tight schedule needs high-output machines or more units. 4. **Capacity and output** matched with the other machines in the fleet (for example, number of trucks per excavator). 5. **Versatility:** a backhoe loader can dig, load and lift; one machine for several jobs reduces idle time. 6. **Operator skill, safety** and the working conditions. #### Economic and commercial factors 7. **Initial cost, operating cost** (fuel, repair, operator), depreciation, and **owning cost** against the hire rate. 8. **Buy, lease or hire:** depends on the utilisation hours and duration of the job. 9. **Availability of spare parts, service and dealer support** in the area (an important point in Nepal). 10. **Resale value and standardisation** of the fleet; fuel type available. 11. **Mobility and transport cost** to the site, mobilisation and demobilisation. 12. **Reliability and past performance**, warranty, and brand reputation. 13. **Statutory and environmental limits:** noise, emission and road limits. Example: for 20,000 m$^3$ of excavation in a limited urban site, a hydraulic backhoe with tipper trucks is better than a dragline, which needs a big space; for a remote hill road, a bulldozer with a small excavator suits better than big heavy shovels, which are hard to transport. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. Why is a versatile machine such as a backhoe loader preferred? A. It needs no operator B. It is always cheaper to buy C. It can dig, load and lift, so one machine does several jobs and idle time falls D. It has the lowest resale value Answer: C. One machine doing several jobs reduces idle time. (Key point: Versatility) 2. What mainly decides whether to buy, lease or hire? A. The brand's advertising B. The colour of the machine C. Utilisation hours and duration of the job D. The operator's age Answer: C. The choice depends on utilisation hours and job duration. (Key point: Buy, lease or hire) 3. Which economic/commercial factor is stressed as important in Nepal? A. Availability of spare parts, service and dealer support in the area B. Number of cab windows C. Machine paint D. Inventor of the machine Answer: A. Local dealer, service and spare part support is an important point in Nepal. (Key point: Spare parts support) 4. For a remote hill road, which machines does the answer suggest? A. Bulldozer with a small excavator, since big shovels are hard to transport B. Tower crane and gantry crane C. Only hand tools D. Large dragline and big heavy shovels Answer: A. Mobility and transport cost favour a bulldozer with a small excavator on remote hill roads. (Key point: Example of choice) ## Related in Construction Management - [Advantages and disadvantages of construction equipment](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Aequipment-advantages-disadvantages) — Construction Management, chapter 4, asked 6× - [Equipment for highway and pavement construction](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Ahighway-pavement-equipment) — Construction Management, chapter 4, asked 3× - [Equipment used in hydropower construction](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Ahydropower-equipment) — Construction Management, chapter 4 - [Prepare tender notice for commercial complex](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Aprepare-tender-notice-100mln) — Construction Management, chapter 5 - [Road construction equipment, paver and bitumen sprayer](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Aroad-equipment-paver-sprayer) — Construction Management, chapter 4 - [Equipment for concrete construction and functions](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Aconcrete-equipment-functions) — Construction Management, chapter 4 ## Related in other subjects - [Factors for selecting construction materials](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fcivil_engineering_materials%3Afactors-selection-construction-material) — Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 1, asked 9× - [Factors for selecting roof covering](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Aroof-covering-factors) — Building Technology, chapter 4, asked 2× - [Factors in selecting a gauging station site](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fengineering_hydrology%3Agauging-site-factors) — Engineering Hydrology, chapter 4, asked 4× - [Factors for selecting a motor](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Futilization_of_electrical_energy%3Afactors-selecting-motor) — Utilization of Electrical Energy, chapter 2, asked 2×