1.

INTRODUCTION
Cranes are a broad class of construction equipment used to hoist and place loads. They are
the dominant piece of equipment the world over for construction of both building projects
and heavy civil projects. Cranes are the epitome of the growing construction industrialization
witnessed in the last decades. Each type of crane is designed and manufactured to work
economically in specific site situations; modem-day sites often employ more than one type of
crane and more than one crane of the same type.

Fig 1: On site picture of Crane

Because cranes are used to hoist and move loads from one location to another, it is necessary
to know the lifting capacity and working range of a crane selected to perform a given service.
The rated load for a crane, as published by the manufacturer, is based on ideal conditions.
Load charts can be complex documents listing numerous booms, jibs, and other components
that can be employed to configure the crane for various tasks. It is critical that the chart being
consulted be for the actual crane configuration that will be used.
2. CLASSIFICATION OF CRANES
Construction cranes are generally classified into three major families:
1. Mobile cranes
2. Tower cranes
3. Gantry Cranes
Mobile cranes are the machines of choice in North America, as contractors have traditionally
favored them over tower cranes. Tower cranes are usually used in North America only when
jobsite conditions make mobile crane movement impossible, or for high-rise structure. They
are, however, the machines that dominate the construction scene in Europe, whether in the
big cities or in rural areas.

CRANES

MOBILE TOWER GANTRY

CRANE CRANE CRANE

WHEEL CRAWLER Traveler/ Rail

Stationary Climbing
MOUNTED TYPE Mounted

Fig 2: MOBILE CRANE TOWER CRANE GANTRY CRANE

2.1 MOBILE CRANES

A mobile crane is a cable-controlled crane mounted on crawlers or rubber-tired carriers or a

hydraulic-powered crane with a telescoping boom mounted on truck-type carriers or as self-
propelled models. They are designed to easily transport to a site and use with different types
of load and cargo with little or no setup or assembly. Mobile cranes generally operate a boom
from the end of which a hook is suspended by wire rope and sheaves. The wire ropes are
operated by whatever prime movers the designers have available, operating through a variety
of transmissions. Steam engines, electric motors, and internal combustion engines (IC) have
all been used. Technology has advanced to the point that mobile cranes can lift and move just
about anything your heart desires, in a wide range of different situations. As a consequence,
they come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and heights.
In fact, their versatility is such that it can be hard to keep track of what kind of mobile crane
is required.
The most common mobile crane types are:

2.1.1 Crawler Crane

The full revolving superstructure of this type of unit is mounted on a pair of continuous,
parallel crawler tracks. The crawlers provide the crane with good travel capability around the
job site. The crawler tracks provide such a large ground contact area that soil failure under
these machines is only a problem when operating on soils having a low bearing capacity.
Before hoisting a load, the machine must be levelled and ground settlement considered. If soil
failure or ground settlement is possible, the machine can be positioned and levelled on mats.
When there are good supporting ground conditions, a crawler crane can move with the
hoisted load. This ability to carry a hoisted load along with the crane's capacity to travel and
work even in poor underfoot conditions is the main advantage a crawler crane has over a
wheeled (truck) crane. The distance between crawler tracks affects stability and lift capacity.
Relocating a crawler crane between projects requires that it be transported by truck, rail, or
barge. As the size of the crane increases, the time and cost to dismantle and load the crane,
investigate haul routes. and reassemble the crane will also increase. The durations and costs
can become significant for large machines. Relocating the largest machines can require 15 or
more truck trailer units. These machines usually have lower initial cost per rated lift·
capability, compared with other mobile crane types, but movement between jobs is more
expensive. Therefore, crawler-type machines should be considered for projects requiring long
duration usage at a single site.

Fig 3: Parts of Crawler Crane

Common dimensions and capacities for crawler cranes are

1. Maximum boom length: 100 to 400 ft
2. Maximum fly-jib length: 30 to 120 ft
3. Maximum radius (boom only): 80 to 300 ft
4. Minimum radius: 10 to 15 ft
5. Maximum lifting capacity (at minimum radius): 30 to 600 tons
6. Maximum travel speed: 50 to 100 ft/min (0.6 to 1.2 mph)
7. Ground bearing pressure: 7 to 20 psi

2.1.1 Wheel Mounted Crane

2.1.1.1 Telescopic Boom Truck Mounted: These are truck cranes that have a self-contained
telescoping boom. Most of these units can travel on public highways between projects under
their own power with a minimum of dismantling. Once the crane is leveled at the new
worksite, it is ready to work without setup delays. These machines, however, have higher
initial cost per rated lift capability. If a job requires crane utilization for a few hours to a
couple of days, a telescoping truck crane should be given first consideration because of its
ease of movement and setup.

Fig 4: Telescopic truck mounted crane Fig 5: Lattice truck mounted crane

Telescoping-boom truck cranes have extendable outriggers for stability. In fact, many units
cannot be operated safely with a full reach of boom unless the outriggers are fully extended
and the machine is raised so that the tires are clear of the ground.
Common dimensions and capacities for telescoping-boom truck cranes are
1. Maximum boom length: 70 to 170 ft
2. Maximum fly-jib length: 30 to 100 ft
3. Maximum radius (boom only): 60 to 140 ft
4. Minimum radius: 10 ft for most models
5. Maximum lifting capacity (at minimum radius): 20 to 120 tons
6. Maximum travel speed: 40 to 70 mph
7. Number of axles: 3 to 4
2.1.1.2 Lattice Boom Truck Mounted: The lattice-boom truck crane has a fully revolving
superstructure mounted on a multi axle truck/carrier. The advantage of this machine is the
lattice boom. The lattice-boom structure is lightweight. This reduction in boom weight means
additional lift capacity, as the machine predominately handles hoist, load and less weight of
boom. The disadvantage of these units is the time and effort required to disassemble them for
transport. In the case of the larger units, it may be necessary to remove the entire
Superstructure. Additionally, a second crane is often required for this task.
Common dimensions and capacities for lattice-boom truck cranes are
1. Maximum boom length: 170 to 470 ft
2. Maximum fly-jib length: 40 to 300 ft
3. Maximum radius (boom only): 130 to 380 ft
4. Minimum radius: 10 to 25 ft
5. Maximum lifting capacity (at minimum radius): 50·to 600 tons
6. Maximum travel speed: 40 to 60 mph
7. Number of axles: 4 to 8

2.2 TOWER CRANE

Tower cranes provide high lifting height and good working radius, while taking up a very
limited area. These advantages are achieved at the expense of low lifting capacity and limited
mobility, as compared to mobile cranes. Tower cranes are a familiar sight on
most construction projects. They are usually assembled and erected on-site with a horizontal
or luffing jib. Tower crane operators are capable of seeing most of the lifting operations from
the cab, although a banksman is required at ground level both for overseeing the loading of
the crane and for issuing signals and guidance to the operator.
Common features of tower cranes include:
 Lattice sectionalised tower.
 Jib (typically 25 m long) fitted with precast concrete counterweight blocks.
 Access ladder housed within the tower or attached to an outside face.
 Stay rods and support frame.
 Cab at the top of the tower in which an operator sits.
 Slewing ring which allows for rotation of the jib.
 Trolley and hoist block which can move along the length of the jib.

The most common Tower crane types are:

2.2.1 Static Tower Crane

2.2.1.1 Self Supporting Static Tower Crane : The tower (typically 30 m tall) is anchored
at ground level using mass or reinforced concrete bases. Piles may be required if the ground
conditions are poor. Lifting capacities range from 2.5 tonnes with the trolley at the minimum
radius and 1 tonne at the maximum radius at the end of the jib. This type of tower crane is
most appropriate on confined sites where there is not enough room for a travelling crane.

Fig 6: Self Supporting Static Tower Crane Details

2.2.1.2 Supporting Static Tower Crane:

Fig 7: Supporting Static Tower Crane Details

This is similar to a self-supporting tower crane but is used where high lifts are required. To
gain additional stability, the tower is tied at suitable intervals to the face of the structure, from
a minimum distance of 2 metres. This will induce additional stresses in the structure which
must be accommodated in the design and this is likely to incur additional costs.

2.2.2 Climbing Tower Crane

Along with the externally braced tower crane, the climbing tower crane is a common choice
of crane for high rise building construction; and is a lifting mechanism solution for buildings
exceeding the maximum-braced height tower crane limit. Structurally supported by the floors
of the building that is being constructed, the crane climbs on special climbing collars that are
fitted to the building's completed structural floors. The weight of both the crane and the loads
lifted is transmitted to the structure of the host building. Vertical movement of the climbing-
type tower crane is by a system of hydraulically activated rams and latching.
At the end of construction, there will be a tower crane at the top of the structure with no
means of lowering itself. Removal must be by external methods such as a mobile crane or by
use of a derrick. Because of the heights involved and the possible physical interference of the
completed structure, the dismantling operation must be carefully planned and given
consideration as early as when project equipment is initially selected.

Fig 8: Climbing Tower Crane

2.2.2 Traveling Tower Crane
The ballasted base of this type of tower crane is set on a pair of fixed rails (see Fig. 17.23).
This enables the crane to move along the rails with a load. The advantage is the increased
coverage of the work area that can be achieved. There are, however, cases in which the crane
is set on rails not for routine traveling but merely to enable its relocation with the progress of
the project, as a more economic option compared to crane dismantling and reassembly.
Maximum grade for traveling crane rails is model-specific, but is usually not greater than 1
%. Maximum traveling speed is 65 to 100 ft/min.

Fig 9: Traveling Tower Crane

2.3 GANTRY CRANE

Also known as portal cranes, gantry cranes typically consist of two ‘A’ frames connected by
a lattice cross member which straddles the work area. The lifting gear is suspended from the
horizontal cross member and can move along it on rails. On small gantry cranes, the
‘A’ frame is wheel mounted, whereas larger cranes are mounted on powered bogies that run
on rail tracks. Larger cranes tend to have the lifting gear mounted with a driving cab on the
cross member.
Lifting capacity: Small gantry cranes have a 10 tonne capacity, but larger versions can lift up
to 100 tonnes.
This form of crane is commonly used for repetitive work on low to medium-
rise developments, or in stock yards to move equipment and materials.

Fig 10: Gantry Crane