BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

Pablo Borbon Main II, Batangas City

College of Engineering, Architecture and Fine Arts

CE 420

Construction Methods and Project Management

Technical Report

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT: JACKHAMMER

Submitted to:
Engr. Mario G. Bukas

Submitted by:
Buquir, Sandra Alexa P.

CE – 4204
February 18, 2019
BUQUIR, SANDRA ALEXA P. CE-4204
CE 420 – CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
FEBRUARY 18, 2019
ASSIGNMENT NO. 2 (CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT)

JACKHAMMER

I. INTRODUCTION

Drilling is one of the most performed operations in the construction industry even
in the old times. This operation requires the right equipment and materials for the operation
to be performed correctly. Before, however, about twenty years ago, if someone wants to
dig a hole in rough ground, they would have used deer antlers as a tool. But now, a
jackhammer would be more useful and more functional for this type of job. And because
jackhammers offer the fastest way of breaking through hard materials like concrete and
stone, they aren’t just used for construction but for emergency works as well.

A. History of Jackhammer
Pneumatic tools, which are powered by compressed air, began appearing in the
1840s. They were typically used for mining, quarrying, excavating and tunneling. A C.
Brunton proposed a pneumatic drill in 1844. But the first ‘jackhammer’, which was the
percussion rock drill, was developed by Jonathan Couch in 1848 and was patented in 1849.
Couch’s former assistant, Joseph Fowle, patented a variation of this drill in 1851, in which
the steel was mounted directly to the drill’s operating piston. It promised to be more
successful than the Couch design but was doomed by lack of financial support.
The first compressed-air drill was patented in Europe in 1857. Meanwhile, in the
United States, patents were issued to G.H. Wood, J. D. Hope, and L.P. Jenks for
modifications to the steel and the use of springs to advance the steel from the force of its
recoil. Then a “portable” unit—weighing 590 pounds—that mated a drill to a steam engine’s
cylinder and valve motion was patented in 1861 by William Harsen. A Harsen drill was
tried at Hoosac Tunnel Construction and found wanting.
Herman Haupt’s ideas were next. He was awarded patents in 1864 and 1865 for a
piston that struck the steel like a hammer, a spiral ratchet to rotate the steel, and a gripper
to regulate feed. However, the gripper’s cams and collars were problematic, and these too
failed at Hoosac.
Steam-engine builder Charles R. Burleigh, with the help of S.F. Gates and one W.
Brooks, patented in 1866 an improvement on the ideas of Couch, Haupt, and Harsen. Their
pneumatic tool is capable of drilling 3.3 inches of 1.75-inch-diameter hole per minute, and
because of its productivity, the Hoosac Tunnel Commission ordered 40 of them. Weighing
more than 200 pounds each, they were gang-mounted on early versions of drill jumbos.
Although productive, they quickly pounded themselves to pieces; a quarter of them were
down for repairs at any given time. Burleigh reconceptualized and incorporated Fowle’s
idea of attaching the steel to the piston rod and the concept of rotating the piston and steel
as a unit from Harsen’s idea.
The redesigned drill was tested successfully on November 1, 1866 and deployed
shortly thereafter. Performance and reliability were greatly improved, and maintenance was
far less expensive.
The introduction of the Burleigh drill into the Hoosac Tunnel marked the beginning
of modern tunneling. Mechanically powered rock drilling became a practical reality because
of this.
 Figure 1. A Burleigh percussion drill on its rail-mounted carrier.
(Image courtesy of Cliff Shexnayder)

However, the first truly functional jackhammer with the chisel-shaped head was
invented by Englishman William Mcreavy who then sold the patent to Charles Brady King
of Detroit, Michigan on May 19, 1892, which paved the way to the development of the
jackhammer that most people know today.
In the early times, the jackhammer was specifically invented for the purpose of
mining, quarrying, excavating, and tunneling. Before the use of the pneumatic jackhammer,
steam engines were used in mines. But the problem with steam engines were they need fire
in order to run and due to the poor ventilation in mines and tunnels it became quite a
problem. Also, there is no way to convey steam from the surface to the bottom of a mine,
and if possible, it was dangerous to do so because mines and tunnels occasionally contained
flammable explosive gases such as methane. But it was not the same with compressed air.
Pneumatic drills operate with the use of compressed air, and unlike steam, this could be
conveyed over long distances without loss of its energy and it can also provide ventilation
for the mine or tunnel after it has been used. This caused the demand for jackhammers to
be very high.

B. Uses of Jackhammer
The jackhammer, also called pneumatic drill or demolition hammer, is a
percussive type of drilling machine used to drill and break hard to very hard rocks. This
equipment usually runs by high pressure compressed air, electricity, or by hydraulics.
Because of this function, jackhammers are usually used in demolition of walls, loosening
of hard soils, and dismantling of paving and concrete structures.
 Figure 2. A worker using a pneumatic jack hammer

C. Types of Jackhammers
Most jackhammers use compressed air to work, however, there are basically other
types of jackhammers used in the construction industry based on how they operate.

1. Pneumatic Jackhammer
The pneumatic jackhammer operates using compressed air. The jackhammer
is connected to an air compressor which supplies the jackhammer with the air it needs
to operate, the air compressor itself runs on fuel, by an air hose. The hose, which is
made of especially thick plastic, carries high-pressure air, typically 10 times higher than
the air around us, from a separate air-compressor unit powered by a diesel engine.

Figure 3. The pneumatic jackhammer works by the help of the air

compressor machine connected to it through a hose

Pneumatic jackhammers are lightweight and relatively inexpensive for the tools
themselves. The tools can last a long time and are fairly easy to repair. However,
pneumatic jackhammers require a large air compressor power source. They are loud to
operate, inoperable at low temperatures and a complete system can be pricy.

2. Electric Jackhammers
The electric jackhammer is probably the easiest to use of all the jackhammers.
It only requires a plug and electricity for it to work. Electric hammers are lighter in
weight than gasoline ones, and at the same time are not inferior to their counterparts in
productivity. It can also be used in cold temperatures, it is quieter to operate than the
 other breakers, and it is less expensive for a complete system. However, the electric
jackhammer also has its disadvantages. The shortcomings include sparks, lack of
mobility and the presence of a cord, which can constantly dangle under your feet. It is
also not as powerful as the pneumatic or hydraulic jackhammer. It needs to be near the
source of electrical power, it has more costly repairs and it cannot be operated around
water. The mobility of this jackhammer is very low, and there is also a risk of fires and
explosions when operating in environments where arcing cannot be allowed.

\
Figure 4. An electric jackhammer
(Image courtesy of Tristan Savatier)

3. Hydraulic Jackhammers
Hydraulic jackhammers work like the pneumatic systems where there is a
power source completely separate from the operating tool. Hydraulic jackhammers
provide the most power and torque as the fluid cannot compress like air. Its tools will
not freeze at low temperatures and it also has the capability of operating underwater.
The life span of a hydraulic jackhammer is long, and its parts require only low
maintenance as they only need to be continuously lubricated. It also works quieter than
the other jackhammers. However, the main problem with the hydraulic system is that
the initial costs are more than the other jackhammers. Also, if the line ever breaks, it
will be of great nuisance, cost greatly and will mean decrease in the productivity of
work.

Figure 5. Example of hydraulic jackhammer

4. Petrol Jackhammers
Petrol jackhammers do not depend on any external power source as they do not
need either electricity or compressed air. Aside from a gasoline bumper, there is no
constantly hindering cord or hose that ties the tool to an outlet or compressor. Fuel is
fed to the engine from the built-in fuel tank.
 This equipment can be used for any street work associated with the destruction
of solid materials or the opening of frozen ground. However, the petrol jackhammer also
has its drawbacks. It produces high level of noise and emits harmful substances. It also
needs constant refueling when used longer.

D. Different Types of Jackhammer Bits

Jackhammers make use of different bits according to what function it needs to
portray.

1. Spade — provides flat finish for concrete or edging in asphalt or dirt.

Figure 6. Spade bit

2. Flat tip — allows direction control or finer edge finish

Figure 7. Flat tip

3. Point — used for general breaking

Figure 8. Point Bit

4. Stake driver — drives concrete form stakes

Figure 9. Stake Driver

 5. Scabbler — finishes surface smooth or for cleaning prior to bonding

Figure 10. Scabbler Bit

6. Flex chisel — flexible metal blade (attached to shank with bolts) for tile removal and
scraping

Figure 11. Flex Chisel Bit

7. Bushing tool — multiple carbide points for cleaning up seams and knocking down
rough spots in concrete

Figure 12. Bushing Tool Bit

REFERENCES

Berry, T. (2018, July 16). The First Percussion Drill. Retrieved from
https://www.constructionequipment.com/first-percussion-drill
Jackhammer. (2019, February 01). Retrieved from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackhammer#cite_note-3
Raghavan, V. (2014, August 05). Analysis of Performance of Jack Hammer to Determine the
Penetration Rate on Different Rocks [PDF]. The International Journal of Engineering and
Science.
The History of the Jackhammer. (2018, January 16). Retrieved from
https://www.onestoprent.com/the-history-of-the-jackhammer/
Woodford, C. (2018, April 28). How do jackhammers and pneumatic drills work? Retrieved
from https://www.explainthatstuff.com/jackhammer.html