
The situation reflects a common problem on soft terrain: heavy vehicles can easily sink if the soil is not well compacted or if there is pooling water.
It's quite common for heavy trucks to sink in soft ground. This happens for several reasons:
🔍 Why does it happen?
1. Heavy weight: Construction trucks, such as articulated dump trucks, can weigh tens of tons, especially when loaded.
2. Unconsolidated ground: Soft, wet, or freshly turned soils don't have enough load-bearing capacity to support that weight.
3. Contact pressure: Even with large tires, the weight isn't always distributed enough to prevent them from sinking, especially if part of the ground gives way.
4. Presence of water: Water reduces friction between soil particles, making it more likely to turn into soft mud or clay, where tires can easily become buried.
⚠️ Common risk factors:
* Recent rainfall or areas with a high water table.
* Edges of ponds, ditches, or rivers, where the soil is more saturated.
* Clayey or sandy soils without prior compaction.
* Lack of prepared roads or improper use of equipment.
✅ How to prevent it:
* Use of metal sheets or temporary roads with geotextile and gravel.
* Prior geotechnical assessment of the terrain.
* Selection of suitable vehicles (such as crawler or all-wheel-drive trucks).
* Load control (sometimes it's better to use a half-load).
* Training operators to recognize hazardous terrain.
In short, it's a common problem on poorly planned projects or in difficult conditions, but it can be prevented with good engineering and operating practices.