Surface excavation

Rock hills along the route in road and railway excavations are levelled to the height of the planned road. The blasted or crushed stone created through excavation is used for road building.

When building harbours and canals, extensive storage areas are needed. The rock masses in the planned harbour are excavated at the time of construction and the blasted stone is used to build the storage areas, embankments, and pier fillings needed for the harbour.

Excavation is also necessary when making foundation pits for buildings. Cellars and parking areas in buildings are usually located preferably below ground level; in rocky areas, the pit needed for a building is excavated.

When establishing or expanding industrial plants, extensive excavation is often needed in order to level the area. The blasted or crushed stone created during the excavation is often used during construction to fill the area.

Rock quarrying and crushing is increasingly carried out in order to conserve gravel reserves and reduce transport costs.