 Overhead travelling cranes are used in industrial buildings to

lift and transport heavy jobs, machines, and so on, from one
place to another.

 The crane system consists of a bridge over which a crab

(trolley), and a cabin which houses the operator moves .

 The rails on either side of the bridge rest on crane gantry

girders. The gantry girders are the girders which support the
loads transmitted through the travelling (moving) wheels of
the cranes as shown in figure 1.

 Gantry is usually laterally unsupported beams which

supports crane girder. Is supported on the columns with
bracket.

2
4
 FEATURES
• Design of Gantry Girder is a classic example of
laterally unsupported beam.

• It is subjected to in addition to vertical loads

horizontal loads along and perpendicular to its axis.

• Loads are dynamic which produces vibration.

• Compression flange requires critical attention.

9
These are subjected to the loads as follows.
1) Vertical load from the crane.
2) Impact load from the crane
3) Longitudinal horizontal force along the crane rail, due to
starting or stopping of crane
4) The lateral thrust, due to starting/stopping of the crab acting
horizontally, normal to the gantry girder.
 1) A gantry girder section is subjected to vertical loads and
horizontal thrust (surge loads) simultaneously. Therefore, the
allowable stresses are increased by 10%. This increase in the
allowable stress is not in addition to that allowed for erection
loads with or without wind or seismic forces.

 2) Either of the two horizontal forces specified in table should

be considered to act along with the vertical loads at a time.
 Partial safety factor for both dead load and crane load is 1.5
(Table 4, p. no. 29).
 Partial safety factor for serviceability for both dead load and
crane load is 1.0 (Table 4, p. no. 29).
 Deflection limitations (Table 6, p. no. 31).

Vertical loads
i) Manually operated… Span/500
ii) Electric operated.... Span/750
up to 50t
iii) Electric operated… Span/1000
over 50t
Lateral Deflection:
Relative between rails 10mm or Span/400
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13
 To resist heavy moment, I sections are required.
 Apart from bending and shear, these girders are
subjected to longitudinal and lateral on compression
flange.
 Compression flange needs additional strengthening.
 This is achieved by connecting a channel section on
compression flange of I section.
15
 Assume that the lateral load is resisted entirely by the top
flange of the beam plus any reinforcing plates, channels etc.
and the vertical load is resisted by the combined beam.

STEPS
1. Find the maximum wheel load: This load is maximum when
the trolley is closest to the gantry girder. This distance is the
minimum approach of the crane hook to the gantry. The
vertical reaction of the crane girder is transferred through its
two wheels on to the gantry girder. So maximum wheel load
is half of it. Increase maximum wheel load for the impact.
Lateral thrust due to cross travel of the crab can be neglected.

16
 The maximum vertical load on gantry girder is the maximum
reaction of crane girder. To get this , crab should be placed as
close to gantry girder as possible
 Ref fig below. Take moment about B
Lc= span of crane girder
L1= minimum approach of crane hook (distance between
CG of gantry girder and trolley)
W= weight of trolley plus the weight lifted
w= weigth of crane girder per unit length

Reaction from crane girder is distributed equally on the

two wheels at the end of crane girder

Maximum wheel load on each wheel of the crane= RA/2 kn

2. Calculate the maximum bending moment in the gantry girder
due to vertical loads. To simplify the calculations, add the
maximum bending moment due to dead load to the maximum
wheel load moment.
3. If a<0.586L Wheel load bending moment is maximum when
two wheels are in such a position that the center of gravity of
the wheel loads and one of the wheel load are equidistant
from the center of the gantry girder. In other words, the
quarter point of the span of the two wheels must coincide
with the central line of the girder.
4. If a>.586L Wheel load bending moment is maximum when
one wheel is at the center of gantry girder.

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3. The maximum shear force is calculated. This consists of shear
force due to wheel loads and dead loads from the gantry and
rails.The shear dur to the wheel load is maximum when one of
the wheel is at the support. Fig 4.

21
4. The lateral forces on the girder and the maximum bending
moments and shear due to these are calculated, The position of
the wheel should be same as that in steps 2 and 3 above
Calculate the horizontal surge.

5. Select trial section: the following may be used to select a trail

section.
Zp = Mu / fy Zp (trial) = k Zp (k = 1.40-1.50)

Economic depth ≈ 1/12th of the span.

Width of flange ≈ 1/40 to 1/30th of the span.
Calculate Izz, Iyy and Zp for a trial section.

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6. Classify the section: preference to plastic section
b/tf < 8.4
d/tw <84

7. . Check for moment capacity of the whole section (as

lateral support is provided at the compression flange)
Mdz = b Zp fy/ m0 ≤ 1.2 Ze fy / m0 <Mu
When compression flange is laterally unsupported
replace fy by fbd (bending compressive stress) AND find
Moment capacity of compression flange about y axis.
Mdy.f = b Zpyf fy/ m0 ≤ 1.2 Ze fy / m0

8. Check local moment capacity of the girder

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9. Check for buckling resistance in bending

10. Check for Shear capacity, defelection etc

24
 Crane Capacity : 200KN
 Self weight of crane girder excluding trolley : 200KN
 Self weight of trolley, electric motor, hook etc : 40KN
 Minimum hook approach : 1.2m
 Wheel Base : 3.5m
 c/c distance between gantry rail : 16m
 c/c distance between columns ( span of gantry girder) : 8m
 Self weight of rail : 300N/m
 Diameter of crane wheels : 150mm
 yeild stress ratio = ε w= ε f = √ 250/fy = 1
 Steel of Grade Fe 410. Support bracket connections need not be
designed
 1. Design Forces:

fu=410 Mpa

fy = fyw=fyf=250 Mpa

Load factor = γm1 = 1.50

Partial safety factor = γm0 = 1.1

Maxm permissible deflections = L/500

ε ( yeild stress ratio) = ε w= ε f = √ 250/fy = 1

 1. Design Forces:

For manually operated overhead travelling crane:-

Lateral load= 5% of maximum static load (hand operated )

Longitudinal Load= 5% of weight of crab and weight lifted

Maxm concentrated Load on crane= 200+40 = 240 KN

Maxm factored load on crane= 1.5×240= 360 KN

UDL on crane= 200/16= 12.5 KN/m

Factored UDL on crane= 1.5 ×12.5= 18.75 KN/m

 For maximum reaction on the gantry girder the loads are placed on
the crane as shown in figure

Taking moment about B

RA ×16= 360×(16-1.2)+ 18.75 ×(16)2/2 = 483 KN
RB = (360 + 16×18.75) – 483 = 177 KN
Reaction from crane girder is distributed equally on the two wheels at
the end of crane girder

Maximum wheel load on each wheel of the crane= 483/2=241.5 kN

 since a<0.586L (4.96m) , For maximum BM the wheel loads
should be placed as below

Assume self weight of gantry girder as 2kN/m

Dead Load of gantry girder = w= self wt + wt of rail= 2000 + 300= 2300N/m

Factored Dead Load= 1.5 × 2.3= 3.45 KN/m

Position of one wheel load from the mid point of span= wheel base/4 =
3.5/4= 0.875m
Bending moment due to live load about “C” =
RD × 8 = 241.5 ×1.375 + 241.5 × 4.875
or RD = 188.67 KN

Maxm Moment = 188.67 × 3.125= 589.6 KNm

Bending moment due to impact = 0.1× 589.6 = 58.96 KNm

Total Bending moment due to live load= 589.6+ 58.96= 648.56 KNm

Bending moment due to dead load= wl2/8 = 3.45×8×8/8 = 27.6 KNm

Maxm BM= 638.56+ 27.6= 676.16kNm = 676.16 × 106 Nmm

Taking moment about D

RC ×8= 241.5×8 + 241.5 ×4.5

RC= 377.34kN

Hence Shear force due to wheels= 377.34kN

××××
Lateral Force transverse to the rail = 5% of the weight of
crane girder and weight lifted
Or Lateral Load = .05× 240= 12 kN
Factored Lateral Load = 1.5× 12= 18kN
Lateral load on each wheel= 18/2=9kN
For maximum moment in gantry girder the position of loads
is same as above except that they are horizontal
Hence by proportioning we get
Maxm BM due to lateral load by proportion = 9×589.6/241.5
= 21.97KNm
 Maxm shear force due to lateral load by proportion
 = 377.34× 9/241.5 = 14.06 KN
PREMILANARY TRIAL SECTION

Approximate depth of section= L/12= 8×10 3/12 = 666.6mm

≃600mm

Approximate width of flange= L/30= 8×10 3/30 = 266.6mm

≃300mm

App section modulus required= Zpz = 1.4 Mz/fy =

= 1.4 ×676.16×106 / 250 = 3786.5 ×10 3 mm3

Properties of I section

Area=17038mm2

Depth of section h= 600mm

Width of flange b = 250mm

Thickness of flange t f = 21.3mm

Thickness of web tw = 11.2mm

Ixx= 106198.5 cm4

Iyy= 4702.5 cm4

Properties of Channel section
ISMC 300 @ 351.2 N/m

Area=4564mm2

Depth of section h= 300mm

Width of flange b = 90mm

Thickness of flange t f = 13.6mm

Thickness of web tw = 7.6mm

Center of gravity Cyy = 23.6mm

Ixx= 6362.6×104 mm4

Iyy= 310.8 ×104 mm4
Moment of Inertia and Modulus of combined section
The distance of NA of the built up
section from the extreme fiber of
compression flange ie y.

y = [A beam (h/2 + tf channel)+ Achannel. Cyy] /

Abeam+Achannel
y = [17038 (600/2+7.6)+ 4564×23.6 /
(17038+4564.23)
= 247.59 mm

Gross moment of Inertia of built up

section
I z gross =I z beam +Iz chan

= [106198.5 × 10 4 + 17038 . (307.6-

247.59) 2] + [310.8 × 104 + 4564(247.59-
23.6)2 ] = 135453 × 10 4
I y gross= I y beam + I y chan

= (4702.5 + 6362.6)× 104

= 11065.1 )× 104

Zez= Iz /y

= 135453 × 10 4 / (600+7.6-
247.59)

= 3764.98 × 103 mm3

PLASTIC MODULUS OF SECTION
Equating equal area (ignoring fillet)
A comp = A tenion

or 4564+250×21.3+ y1×11.2=
250×21.3+ 11.2×(600-2×21.3-y1)

Or y1=74.95b(from lower of top flange)

Plastic section modulus of the section

above equal area axis=
[300×7.6×(74.95+21.3+7.6/2) + 2×(90-
7.6)×13.6×(74.95+21.3-(90-7.6)/2]
+250×21.3×(74.95+21.3)
+74.95×11.2 × 74.95/2 = 838.77 ×103
mm3
PLASTIC MODULUS OF SECTION

Plastic section modulus of the

section below equal area axis=
250×21.3×(600-21.3-74.95-21.3/2)
+[11.2 × (600-2×21.3-74.95)]/2 =
3929.202×103 mm3
Total Zpz = 838.77 ×103
+3929.202×103 = 4767.9 ×103
Greater than required
Outstand of flange of I section, b= bf/2= 250/2= 125mm
b/tf of I section= 125/21.3= 5.86<(8.4 ε = 8.4)

Outstand of flange of Channel Section= , b= bf-tw

= 90-7.6= 82.4mm
b/tf of flange of Channel Section= 82.4/13.6= 6.05<8.4

d/tw of web of I section= h-2tf/tw= 600-2×21.3/11.2=

49.76< 84
Entire section in plastic range
( b =1)
Local moment capacity
Mdz = b Zp fy/ m0

Mdz = 1×4767.97×103×250×10-6/ 1.1 =

1083.63KNm

≤ 1.2 Ze fy / m0 or 1.2×3764.98×103×250×10-6/ 1.1 =

1026.81KNm
moment capacity of section= 1026.81>
676.16KNm
Trial section seems to be safe.
 Mdy.f = b Zpyf fy/ m0

Mdy.f = 1×824.76×103×250×10-6/ 1.1 = 187.44KNm

≤ 1.2 Ze fy / m0 or 1.2×580.92×103×250×10-6/ 1.1 =

158.43KNm
moment capacity of flange Mdy.f = 158.43 KNm