What is a common use of a backhoe in excavation projects?

A backhoe is primarily designed for digging and often used in excavation projects to excavate trenches. This equipment features a digging bucket on the end of a pivoting arm, allowing it to scoop out soil and create deep trenches or holes with precision. Its versatility makes it suitable for various tasks, but its main strength lies in its excavation capabilities, particularly when depth and narrowness of trenches are required for utilities, foundations, or drainage systems.

The other options represent tasks that are typically suited to different types of equipment or methods. Compacting soil is more effectively accomplished with a compactor or roller. Grading slopes generally involves a grader, which can create smooth and even surfaces more efficiently than a backhoe. Suppressing dust is typically managed using water sprayers or dust control chemicals, not with a backhoe. Thus, while a backhoe can perform multiple functions, its primary and most common use in excavation projects is for digging trenches.