Advanced Materials Research Vols.

639-640 (2013) pp 263-268 Online: 2013-01-11

© (2013) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.639-640.263

Analysis of Steel Trestle for Huge Crawler Cranes

based on ANSYS
LI Qiu-lian1, a, XIONG Feng1 , GE Qi1 , LU Zheng-kui1
（1College of Architecture and Environment .Sichuan Univ. ，Chengdu 610065，China；
a
email : 770778137@qq.com）

Keywords: steel trestle ；static analysis；eigenvalue buckling analysis

Abstract: In a performing art center project, the roof system uses steel trusses with large-span, which
challenges the installation of trusses in construction. Two SCC400 hydraulic crawler cranes are
arranged to lift roof trusses. Since it is impossible to sustain the huge cranes for structural slabs, an
independent steel trestle will be constructed along the moving path of cranes. The steel trestle is a
special frame system with three kinds of levels. Constrained by constructed basement structures, steel
trestle has a complex shape and some long span members. It requires some members high capacity
and stability. To investigate its mechanics properties, especially the whole stability, a set of analysis,
including static and elastic buckling analysis, are carried out on this steel trestle by use of ANSYS
software. According to the working conditions of crawler cranes, the loads caused by walking of
cranes and hoisting trusses are considered. On the basis of the static analysis, the dangerous loading
areas are determined to conduct eigenvalue buckling analysis. The results show that the loads in
different positions have less impact on the force and deformation of the entire structure. The buckling
characteristic value of the first four modes in both load conditions is larger than 1, which indicates
that the system has enough stability.

Introduction
A performing art center, whose structure is divided into two parts shaped like two gyros, is a large
urban complex project including performing art venues, entertainment, commerce, office hotels and
residence. The roof system of the big gyro adopts biorthogonal space steel truss system with 152
meters long axis, 148 meters short axis and 46.3 meters structural elevation. Three vertical giant
trusses and eighteen radial trusses compose the main structure, and the middle part is made up of
twenty-one circle trusses and fourteen horizontal trusses, which are in the rear of three vertical giant
trusses.
According to the structure construction program, the roof trusses are arranged to be hoisted by two
SCC400 (Kawasaki) hydraulic crawler cranes. Crawler cranes must be located in the basement roof to
complete the lifting task limited to the site and the performance of crawler cranes. Since the huge
cranes may destroy the original structure slabs if working directly on the reinforced concrete structure
roof, an independent steel trestle will be constructed along the moving path of cranes. The structure of
the steel trestle is shown in Fig.1.

Fig. 1 Structure of steel trestle

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264 Advances in Civil Infrastructure Engineering

The steel trestle similar to a ring is separated from the completed basement structure. Since cranes
walking and hoisting loads are delivered to the steel trestle through the welded grillage slabs and
transferred to the basement foundation, the basement structure does not participate in the force.
The steel trestle is space frame system, consisting of vertical levers, level poles and braces. The nodes
are connected by welding. Vertical levers are laid out in an orderly fashion as much as possible,
avoiding the frame columns of the basement structure. Level poles are arranged per 3m along the
vertical levers, as well as the diagonal braces.
Due to the high ground pressure of crawler cranes, welded grillage slabs are used to spread loads. A
certain flexibility and strength material is placed between the slabs and the platforms to ensure the
crane loads are spread to the steel platform evenly. The welded grillage slabs whose size is 3m × 6m
are arranged side by side in the long side direction, covering along the circumferential direction of the
working path of crawler cranes. The radial direction is divided into two with 1.6m clear distance.

Finite Element Model

Based on finite element analysis software ANSYS, the steel trestle model is established. Fig. 2 shows
the plan and elevation of model. In this model, the BEAM188 unit and SHELL181 unit are used to
simulate steel levels and steel plates. The structure of welded connections determines that the nodes
of model are rigid. In addition, due to the vertical levers supported directly on the basement floor with
supports freely rotating, the supports in the mode are assumed to be hinged. The model only has a
kind of material, Q345, whose mechanical parameters are shown in Table 1. Rod cross-section and
plate sizes have been listed in Table 2.

Table 1 Mechanical Parameters of Q345

elastic modulus[Pa] poisson's ratio density [ kg/m3] yield strength[ MPa]
2.06e11 0.26 7850 310

Table 2 Rod Cross-Section and Plate Sizes [mm]

column main beam sub-beam brace plate
top-level top-level
axis axis
the rest axis main the rest the rest
A20-A32 A20-A32 φ133×6 6
A20-A32 beam
φ325×8 φ245×8 I50a I36a φ133×6 I22a I25a

Fig. 2 Plan of steel trestle

 Advanced Materials Research Vols. 639-640 265

Analysis of Working Conditions

According to lifting stations of cranes, the working conditions are divided into two. The loads caused
by walking of cranes and hoisting trusses are considered. The dead load of welded grillage slabs take
3.5 KN/m2 and the live load of plates take 2 KN/m2.The value of the partial safety factor for welded
grillage slabs is 1.2, for cranes and live load 1.4. Lifting components take the safety factor of 2.

Walking Working Conditions. The value of the machine weight for walking is 505t reference to
the technical parameters of SCC4000 (Kawasaki) hydraulic crawler crane. Considering the increasing
effect, we multiply the machine weight by 1.5 when crawler cranes turn. Due to the diffusion effect of
load, loading areas are calculated according to the length (10.59m) and wide (8.8m) of the slabs
which bear loads under crawler cranes.
Load calculation is shown below.
Welded grillage slabs: 3.5×1.2=4.2 KN/m2
Construction live load: 2×1.4=2.8 KN/m2
Crawler cranes: 5050×1.4×1.5/（10.59×8.8）=113.8 KN/m2
Sum: 120.8 KN/m2
In addition, we still should consider the horizontal force when the cranes start and brake. As there is
no code clearly pointing the values of the horizontal force currently, the horizontal forces being of
10% of the total vertical force are applied to the contact surface according to Load Code for the
Design of Building Structures 5.1.2.

Hoisting Working Conditions. The total weight is 785 tons when crawler cranes hoist trusses,
including 165t host weight, 40t central host weight, 250t lifting devices weight and 330t machine
weight. Crawler cranes hoisting in the unilateral crawler role is the most unfavorable working
conditions under consideration of lifting the maximum weight of 58t
Load calculation is shown below.
Welded grillage slabs: 3.5×1.2=4.2 KN/m2
Construction live load: 2×1.4=2.8 KN/m2
Crawler cranes: 7850×1.4/（10.59×6）= 173 KN/m2
Lifting components: 580×2/（10.59×6）= 18.3 KN/m2
Sum: 98.3 KN/m2

Static Analysis
Static Analysis under Walking Working Conditions. According to the moving path of cranes
and the layout of welded grillage slabs, we set an area along the trestle every 20m, then carryout static
analysis for each region in order to find the most unfavorable position. The load distribution are
shown in Fig. 3.When two crawler cranes, one walking clockwise and the other walking
counterclockwise, have the same number in positions, we calculate at the same time. The loads
including structure dead load, crawler cranes dead load, construction live load, loads of welded
grillage slabs are applied to the range of 15m × 13.6m within the value 120.8KN/m2, and the
construction live load 2.8 KN/m2 is applied to the rest of the site. The results are shown in Table 3.
266 Advances in Civil Infrastructure Engineering

g
k in
l
wa

walk
ing

Fig. 3 Distribution under walking conditions

Table 3 The result under walking working conditions [MPa]

number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
maximum equivalent
155 164 156 187 140 160 142 180 143 254 120 129
stress of column
maximum equivalent
151 149 148 157 142 119 129 131 144 247 120 139
stress of main beam
maximum equivalent
115 151 174 159 164 93 114 142 126 205 93 123
stress of sub-beam

Static Analysis under Hoisting Working Conditions. According to the result of the static
analysis in walking conditions, as well as the specific lifting positions of crawler cranes, we select the
positions as shown in Fig. 4 for static analysis. The result is shown in Table 4.

Loading Range

Fig. 4 Load arrangement under hoisting conditions

Table 4 The result under hoisting working conditions [MPa]

number 1 1# 2 2#
maximum equivalent stress of column 213 271 301 234
maximum equivalent stress of main beam 224 267 298 237
maximum equivalent stress of sub-beam 230 261 198 206

By static analysis under two kinds of load conditions, the results show that the cross-sections of the
steel trestle meet the strength requirements. Meanwhile, it can be calculated that the equivalent stress
of steel trestle is higher under loading when cranes standing and hoisting.
 Advanced Materials Research Vols. 639-640 267

Eigenvalue Buckling Analysis

The Theory of Eigenvalue Buckling Analysis. Eigenvalue buckling analysis which belongs to
the linear analysis can predict the buckling mode and critical load. According to linear elastic theory,
the equilibrium equation of the critical load is:

([K]+λ[Kσ])[D]=0 (1.1)

Where: λ is buckling eigenvalue; [K]is stiffness matrix; [D] is displacement vector; [Kσ] is stress
stiffness matrix.
Formula (1.1) can be used to determine the eigenvalue and the displacement vector. λ multiplied by
the load applied to the structure is critical load. The eigenvalue can be regarded as a safety factor. If λ
larger than 1, the steel trestle system won't be overall instability under the given load. If λ less than 1,
overall instability will result when the bearing capacity of the structure reaches limit value.
Eigenvalue buckling analysis, which only applied to the ideal structure, does not take into account the
impact of structural nonlinearity and initial imperfections, but the method is simple and it is the upper
limit value of the nonlinear buckling analysis, so it is still widely used[3,4].

Eigenvalue Buckling Analysis. Based on the calculations of walking conditions and hoisting
conditions, the more dangerous parts, number 2,3,5,10 under walking working conditions and
number 1 under hoisting working conditions, are selected to do eigenvalue buckling analysis. The
first four buckling molds of each position are shown in Table 5. Fig. 5-8 gives the buckling modes of
number 10.

Table 5 Buckling eigenvalue

buckling mode 2 3 5 10 1
first-order 43 53 51 34 50
second-order 61 63 62 42 55
third-order 68 65 66 44.6 55
fourth-order 70 68 73 53.3 57.6

Fig.5 First-order buckling mode of 10 Fig.6 Second-order buckling mode for 10

268 Advances in Civil Infrastructure Engineering

Fig.7 Third-order buckling mode of 10 Fig.8 Fourth-order buckling mode for 10

The smallest eigenvalue of the steel structure is 34, which indicates that the system has enough
stability. The smallest critical load is much larger than the maximum load of the structure. As can be
seen from Fig. 5-8, deformation occurs mainly in the outer column at that location.

Conclusions
Based on finite element analysis software ANSYS, the checking of the steel trestle program is carried
out. The conclusions are drawn as follow:
1. The buckling characteristic value of the first four modes in both load conditions is larger than 1.
The smallest critical load is much larger than the maximum load of the structure, which means
meeting the overall stability of the structure within the normal loads range;
2. In two working conditions, the loads in different positions have less impact on the force and
deformation of the entire structure. Therefore it only needs to consider the force and deformation in
the location where loads are applied;
3. For the construction of steel trestle, the main problem is strength. In the case of meeting the
capacity of strength, the system is overall stability.

References
[1] GB 50017-2003, Code for Design of Steel Structures (S), 2003.
[2] GB 50009-2001, Load Code for the Design of Building Structures (S), 2001
[3] Zhu Bofang, The Finite Element Method Theory and Application[M]., China WaterPower Press,
Beijing, 2009.
[4] Tu Fenglian, Eigenvalue Buckling Analysis of the Bearer Frame Based on ANSYS[J], Journal of
Hebei University of Technology . Vol.39 No.3,
[5] Huang Liang, Buckling Analysis of A Complex High Building with Hybrid Structure[J], Sichuan
Building Science. 2010(3):28-31.
[6] Wang Junjie, Calculation and Analysis of Reinforced Floor for Travel of Large Track Hoister[J],
Industrial Construction, 2008 (10):51-59.
[7] Tan Xuefeng, Stability Analysis on the Stepping Mechanism of the Steel-pipe Hydraulic Testers
Based on ANSYS[J], Shanxi Science and Technology. 2012(2):95-98.
Advances in Civil Infrastructure Engineering
10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.639-640

Analysis of Steel Trestle for Huge Crawler Cranes Based on ANSYS

10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.639-640.263