Crawler Crane Appointed Person Course Supporting Documentation About the Author About & Contact
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Crawler Crane Appointed Person Course Supporting Documentation About the Author About & Contact Andrew Lloyd Lead Lifting Engineer (Crawler Cranes, Hoists & Specialist Lifting) Brief Career Highlights, Cranes & Lifting Planning: Tower Cranes: Owen Street (Deansgate Square) Manchester, One Park Drive Wood Wharf, South Quay Plaza, 101 George Street Croydon, Battersea Power Station Crawler Cranes: Barking Riverside East Viaduct, Goodluck Hope, UCLE Marshgate, HS2, Hinkley Point C Hoists: Vine Street (Urbanest City), Edinburgh St James, Kidbrooke Village. 250 City Road Specialist Lifting: Battersea Power Station, Equinix LD11, Soho Place Ethos To offer the most cost effective and efficient lifting solution by focusing on the small details in the planning stages with comprehensive technical knowledge of the equipment. Contact Email: Infouk@selectplanthire and in the subject write [ENGINEERING] About this document This document is designed to be a supplementary reference guide for the NOCN Crawler Crane Appointed Person Module. It is not designed to be an exhaustive guide to replace any manual, guidance document or code/ standard; but as a reference guide to be consulted prior to completing the NOCN Crawler crane Appointed Person Course. Unless specific examples are cited all information is typical only. For specific information the relevant manual, authority, document must be consulted. For information or to book the course please email [email protected] OVERVIEW • Crawler cranes are lifting plant on tracks (crawler tracks) with lattice (fixed length) booms or telescopic (adjustable length) booms. They are highly flexible in their use due to the fact that they are supported only by the crawler tracks, which allows them to relocate quickly and immediately be ready for another operation, or that they can move whilst carrying a load. • Due to being tracked and supported by the ground crawler cranes are highly suited for a project in its early phases, such as piling, basement works, podium slab construction and the initial phase of jump/ slip form construction. • However, they can also be very cost effective in constructing the entire structure, especially when used with a luffing or fixed jib. • It is worth considering crawler cranes for all phases of construction from groundworks, structure, cladding installation and roof plant as the main lifting plant, or supplementary lifting plant. This guide will discuss the types of crawler crane, pros & cons of crawler cranes in relation to other types of crane, uses, jib site planning and rigging considerations. Overview TYPES OF CRAWLER CRANE Crawler cranes fit into three main categories; Heavy duty, lattice boom and telescopic boom. The benefits of a lattice boom is that for a similar length they are much lighter and offer much greater capacity, but a telescopic boom makes the crane even more versatile in that it can change the jib length between lifts – or while lifting in some cases. The laws that govern crawler cranes are most notably: HASAWA 1974, LOLER & PUWER. LOLER states that each lifting operation must be planned, supervised and carried out in a safe manner. The British standards are guidance with a special place in the law, the relevant standard for crawler cranes is BS7121-3 (Mobile Cranes) Lattice Boom Telescopic Boom Overview Machine Overview The 3 main types of crawler crane are shown below. HD Machine - Designed to different codes Lattice Boom - Typically designed to FEM Telescopic Boom - Very ‘lifting’ centred: to most cranes [DIN 15018 instead of 1.001, somewhere between tele and HD controlled lifting and setting down, FEM 1.001] without much tolerance for dynamic - Appropriate use falls under similar ‘lifting’ effects - Much less items in inappropriate Use, tasks, but with special modes of designed with materials handling(bulk), application (materials handling, barge - Appropriate use section of manual vibration, fast release of loads, etc. operations etc) relatively short *note: HD machines are still cranes and are not designed Cranes are designed for LIFTING, the definition of which is: for dragging loads across the ground and tearing/ ripping Controlled lifting up and setting down of load. If in doubt loose stuck loads, etc. They are designed to be used at ask: “is the crane experiencing this operation as a higher % of SWL but are more expensive so may not be a controlled lifting up and setting down of a load?” more cost effective solution than a larger lattice boom. Overview Machine Overview Basic Machine Overview Fixed Jib or A-Frame 1 Luffing Jib Rear Counterweight Carbody Counterweight Main Boom Uppercarriage Undercarriage Basic Machine Configurations There are a variety of combinations of additional jibs & attachments to enable the crane to fulfil different roles specific to the site requirements. Configurations Main Boom The main boom is the largest and strongest jib which offers the maximum lifting capacities. Generally suits lifting closer to the crane and over low obstacles or below ground level. When lifting capacity is the only consideration main boom is often the optimal and most cost effective solution due to the high lifting capacities and shorter rigging times. Configurations Main Boom + Auxiliary Jib Auxiliary jib fixes to the end of the main boom allowing an additional hook (of lower capacity) usually only 1-2 falls of rope. Enabling faster hoisting speeds for lighter objects than the main boom, or to be used simultaneously with the main boom hook to turn objects (but only if both the auxiliary and main boom has the capacity to lift the load individually. Configurations Main Boom + Fixed Fly Jib A fixed fly jib is an additional smaller jib which is fixed to the end of the cranes main boom. Although it is fixed it can be set during the rigging at different angles. The drawing shows the options of a Hitachi Sumitomo at 10° and 30° but the options depend on the model of crane. Due to being smaller than the main boom they offer higher capacities at larger radii than the main boom, so are often an option when lifting lighter loads at larger radii, as well as if additional height is required. A hook can be used on the main boom as well as the fixed fly jib, as shown below, to allow the larger capacities of the main boom to be used as well as turning loads by lifting from both hooks. Configurations Main Boom + Luffing Jib Luffing jibs are an additional jib attached to the main boom which are able to move, or luff, independently of the main boom. This provides unrivalled flexibility, especially when combined with the ability to track the crane. The lifting capacity is especially good for lifting high above the ground, or up and over obstructions. The main boom and luffing jib can be operated simultaneously while a load is being lifted, the angles shown in the specification sheet are arbitrary angles chosen to illustrate the capacities at different positions and are not exhaustive. Configurations Main Boom + Luffing Jib – Piking the Jib If the wind speed is forecast to exceed 50mph but be below 100mph when a crawler crane is fitted with a luffing jib then it is to have the nose of the jib lay down in the piked position. The exact piked configuration will be provided by the crane supplier prior to the rigging, however it is the responsibility of site to ensure that a suitable area is provided and to monitor the wind forecasts. Typical Uses Crawler cranes are well suited to all aspects of construction, the main uses are shown on the next pages. Groundworks & Piling Being tracked & thus able to relocate over the entire job site during the groundworks phase makes crawler cranes the ideal solution, especially when coupled with high lifting capacity in a main boom only configuration. For the hire rate crawler cranes have high safe working loads for their size and hire rate when compared against mobile cranes. When comparing against tower cranes it is worth checking the feasibility of a crawler crane. The ability to track around a structure with high SWLs makes crawler cranes worth considering for pre cast concrete and also modular construction projects. Pre-Cast Concrete Construction Steel Erection Steel Erection Due to the versatility and cost effective lifting capacity – especially when fitted with a luffing jib for many projects crawler cranes are suited to providing all lifting needs. Complete Construction Envelope Pros & Cons Pros • Versatility • Many sizes of machine with combinations of jib length and type • Main boom offers high lifting capacities • Fixed jib offers increased height & higher capacities at larger radius • Offset fixed jib offers the ability to reach up and over • Luffing jib offers an increased ability to reach up and over, with high capacities and the ability to use a hook on the jib and a hook on the main boom for an extremely versatile machine • Position – due to being able to track and relocate quickly, additionally in the ground works phase it is typical that a large area is able to support the crane and thus the crane can be in any position required. • Lifting Capacity • For example, in the Select Plant Hire fleet the smallest Liebherr can lift 104.5 tonnes and the largest 300.5 tonnes. • Using a luffing jib can offer very cost-effective solutions to lifting up and over obstructions. For an example, an LR1300 is capable of lifting over a 60m high obstruction and lift 18.1t at a 40m radius. • Tracking • The ability to quickly relocate the crane allows for potentially a much smaller and much more cost- effective solution than other types of lifting plant. Especially for projects spread over a large area • Crawler cranes offer an almost unique ability (especially when lifting heavy loads) to move whilst carrying a load. This makes a crawler crane the only option for some type of operation.