Crane Design and Use – Part 1

Construction workers are exposed to many hazards and face new challenges on a daily basis. It is well- known that more complicated construction works raise the risks of injuries and death at construction sites. The cranes are the most common machines used in the construction industry, and they play a vital role in many construction processes. Unfortunately, the cranes are very often associated with many serious injuries and accidents. Actually, many surveys show that the cranes in Australia are involved in one of three construction accidents, which is a serious percent. People that are involved in the construction business need adequate knowledge and training on the safety of the cranes in Australia.

Since the introduction of the high-strength steels in the 50s, many different types of cranes have been seen on the construction sites, and each one comes with specific features and specifications. The presence of the cranes in the construction industry is impressive, with about 100,000 operating cranes in Australia. Larger construction projects can include over 100 cranes. However, there are two main types of construction crane designs: tower and mobile cranes.

These cranes can be found in many different sizes and with different configurations. For instance, the mobile cranes in Australia are more used, because they are equipped with telescopic or lattice boom and can be mounted either on tires or on tracks. The mobile cranes are quicker and easier to set up, and are capable of doing everything that tower cranes can. There are truck-mounted, rough terrain, pick & carry, all-terrain, side-lift, aerial, crawler and other mobile crane types.

The working principle of the mobile cranes is very simple. The telescopic boom cranes consist of few sections that can be extended by a hydraulic cylinder. The boom angles are controlled by using one or more hydraulic cylinders, which are usually located between the boom base and the turntable of the crane. The lifting capacity is different and it depends on the model. From small and compact mobile cranes with lifting capacity of up to 70 tonnes to large mobile cranes with lifting capacity of up to 1,000 tonnes. Plus, the mobile cranes can also be equipped with tower attachments.

The tower cranes, on the other hand, can be mounted inside or outside the building, and include a climbing section in their structure. The tower cranes usually come with horizontal boom with a hoist. The lifting capacity of the tower cranes also varies. It depends on the load weight and the distance from the hoist to the center of gravity. The tower cranes in Australia can reach heights of over 250 meters, while the boom can be extend to over 300 meters and can lift up to 25 tonnes.