North Carolina General Contractors Practice Exam

For a dozer on a positive 40% slope, how are blade capacity and production affected?

1. Stays the same, cut in half, cut in half

2. Cut in half, cut in half, double

3. Doubles, doubles, cut in half

4. Increases by 10%, remains constant, decreases by 20%

The correct answer is: Cut in half, cut in half, double

In the context of operating a dozer on a positive 40% slope, the dynamics of blade capacity and production are affected by the slope's steepness. When working on a slope, the effective capacity of the blade is reduced because a portion of the dozer's power is diverted to maintaining stability and balance rather than purely moving material. The answer indicates that blade capacity is cut in half, which reflects the reality of how slope affects machinery capability. As the slope increases, the ability to push material efficiently decreases because the machine must contend with gravity pulling the load down the slope, making it harder to move the same volume of material. Production taking a hit means the amount of material that can be moved in a given time frame is also reduced, which aligns with the assessment that production is cut in half. The mention of production potentially doubling is a misunderstanding because while the blade capacity may seem temporarily aided by efficiency in certain flat conditions, on a slope, the operational challenges outweigh those benefits. Overall, the understanding that both blade capacity and production diminish significantly on such a steep slope stems from practical machine operation considerations and the mechanics of working on inclines.