Chapter 17

Cranes

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TOWER
CRANES
TOWER CRANES

Topless or flattop
tower crane
TOWER CRANES
The flexibility of its freely
suspended hook moving in
three planes provides a
tremendous advantage in
terms of load pick-up and
positioning.
 TOWER CRANES
Advantage of having both the operator
and jib above the construction site.
 NOMENCLATURE
Counterweight
jib

Cab Main jib

Counterweight
Trolley
Slewing ring
Tower
(mast)
 CAB
Climbing-rotating
operator cab for a
high tower crane.
REMOTE
CONTROL
 HOOK
MOVEMENT

Hoisting is
the vertical
movement of
the load.
 HOISTING
The hoist cable runs from
the hoist drum located on
the crane’s counter jib,
through the jib and then
to the trolley and down to
the hook.
HOIST
DRUM
The hoist
cable runs
from the
hoist drum
located on
the crane’s
counter jib.
 HOISTING
Through the jib to the trolley
and then down to the hook.

Trolley

Hook
 HOOK
MOVEMENT

Trolleying is the horizontal

movement of the trolley along
the jib, this allows adjustment
of the operating radius.
HOOK MOVEMENT

Slewing is when the jib

rotates around the
tower’s vertical axis.
 Trolleying

HOOK
MOVEMENT
Slewing
Hoisting
CONFIGURATIONS
SLEWING RING
LOCATION
Fixed tower-type
crane has the slewing
ring located at the
top of the tower and
the jib slews around
the vertical axis of
the tower
SLEWING
TOWER
Slewing ring
located at the
base of the
tower and both
the tower and
jib slew relative
to the base.
CONFIGURATIONS
Saddle jib - is fixed in a
horizontal position by pendants.
To vary the hook radius, a trolley
moves along the bottom of the jib.

Also know as a
hammerhead boom
CONFIGURATIONS

Luffing jib – is
pinned at its base
and supported by
luffing cables. The
hook radius is
varied by
changing the angle
of jib inclination
 CONFIGURATIONS

Luffing-jib tower cranes

of a different type
 MOUNTING
CONFIGURATIONS

Fixed base (stationary) – either
free standing or braced to the
building structure

Climbing – lifts itself on the
building structure as the work
progresses

Traveling – on rails or wheels
 FREE
STANDING
Fixed base – does not transfer any
load to the building structure.
 ANCHORED
TO THE
BUILDING

Anchors transfer
lateral loads to the
building structure
 FIXED
BASE
Some cranes are
assembled to a fixed
height by other
equipment at the
start of the project.
FIXE BASE

Some cranes are

erected (assembled)
to a fixed height by
other equipment at
the start of the
project.
FIXED BASE

Tower crane
based on piles
FIXED BASE
There are
self-raising
cranes which
can increase
their height
as the project
progresses.
 Climbing
CLIMBING frame
Usually climbs through
an opening within the Temporary shores

structure. Must insure

that the structure’s Temporary shores
framing has sufficient
load carrying capacity
to support the added Climbing
frame
stresses of the combined
weight of the crane and
the lifted loads. Temporary shores
 CLIMBING
Internal tower crane,
climbing through
openings left in the
ceilings of the
structure

Temporary shores
 CLIMBING
Internal tower crane,
climbing through
openings left in the
ceilings of the
structure

Upper climbing frame

CLIMBING

Hydraulic
climbing
mechanism
TRAVELING
Mounted on rails

(Bottom-slewing)
 TRAVELING

Electrical
power
cable
Rails on
sleepers
 TRAVELING
(Top-slewing)

Rails on concrete base

(precast inverse T beams)
 TRAVELING

Rails on high concrete

base (leaving storage
space on a tight site)
TRAVELING (Bottom-slewing)

Completely folded, in towing position

BOTTOM SLEWING

Telescoping
mast
 TERMINOLOGY
Maximum free
standing height is the
height to which a
tower crane can safely
rise from its base
without the need of
external bracing for
lateral stiffing.
 TERMINOLOGY
Maximum braced
height is the height to
which a tower crane
can safely rise from
its base with
additional external
bracing for lateral
stiffing.
TERMINOLOGY

Available head room

is the clear distance
between the maximum
height position of the
hook and the
uppermost work area.
 SELECTION
The most important factors
to be considered when
selecting a tower crane are:
 operating radius
 lifting capacity
 lifting speed
 WEIGHT OF LOAD

The weight of the hook block is

usually* considered as part of the
crane’s dead weight, but the rigging
system is taken as part of the lifted
load.
* Always check the manufacturer’s
load chart notes.
 LOAD RATINGS

The American Society of

Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
B30.3-1990 standard states that
under static conditions, load
ratings shall not exceed 67% of
the calculated tipping load.
 DYNAMIC LOADS

Load charts are based on a static

loading condition for tipping.
When a load is moved from a
condition of rest or is stopped,
dynamic loading will occur. This is
one of the reasons only 67% of the
static load is taken as the capacity.
 LOAD RATINGS
The ASME standard further states
that when wind* is considered the
combined effects of static and wind
loads shall not exceed 77% of the
tipping load.
* The manufacturer’s load chart
should state the maximum
permissible in-service wind velocity.
 WIND LOAD
Tower cranes are wind-sensitive
machines because of their high
contact surface area. Operations
should be discontinued when wind
velocities exceed the manufacturer’s
maximum permissible in-service
wind velocity, this is usually in the
30−
−40 mph range.
 LOAD RATINGS
STRUCTURAL COMPETENCE

The ASME B30.3-1990 standard requires

that for structural competence
dynamic effects associated with hoisting
and slewing, and wind at maximum
service velocity, be considered. But there
is no safety factor requirement as with
tipping conditions.
WEIGHT OF LOAD
Therefore because of how tower
cranes are load rated and from
experience, the Construction
Safety Association of Ontario
recommends that a 5% working
margin be maintained on every
tower crane lift.
SAFE LOAD LIFTING

Weight of load 15,000 lb

Weight of rigging 400 lb
Total weight 15,400 lb
Working margin 1.05 Safety
Required capacity 16,170 lb
 LOAD CHART
Lifting capacities relative to jib
length and operating radius are
listed on the crane’s load chart.
Table 17.3, page 563 & 564
Jib lengths on these charts are listed
across the top.
The first row states the jib model.
The second row states the maximum
reach for the particular jib.
 LOAD
CHART

Jib lengths
LOAD CHART

Table 17.3, page 563 & 564

Operating radius (hook reach)
is listed in the right hand
column.
 LOAD CHART
Lifting capacities relative to jib length
and operating radius are listed in the
crane’s load chart.
Table 17.3, page 563 & 564

Note the charts are different: one

(p.563) is for a trolley with a two-
part line and the other (p.564) is a
four-part line situation.
two-part line four-part line
 SAFE LOAD
You are to place a 16,170 lb
load (previously calculated)
using a tower crane for which
Table 17.3 is valid.
The crane has a L7 jib and a
two-part line. The load must be
placed at a radius of 142 ft.
SAFE
LOAD

Two-part line
Table 17.3, p.563
L7 jib
Radius of 142 ft
 SAFE LOAD
From Table 17.3 capacity
is 16,400 lb
16,400 lb > 16,170 lb
Therefore crane can
safely make the pick.
 MAXIMUM LOAD
Under different hoist line
configurations, two-part or
four-part, a tower crane
will have different lifting
capacities at a given
operating radius.
 MAXIMUM LOAD
Capacity comparison two-part
vs. four-part line with a L6 jib.
Hook Reach Two-part Four-part
10’ 3” 27,600 lb
13’ 6” 55,200 lb
88’ 2” 27,600 lb
90’ 0” 27,700 lb
180’ 13,200 lb 11,500 lb
 MAXIMUM LOAD
Operating radius less than 90 ft
the crane has a greater lifting
capacity with the four-part line.
Operating radius exceeds 90 ft
the crane has a greater lifting
capacity with the two-part line.
 MAXIMUM LOAD
OTHER FACTORS
Weather: Extremely cold
temperature will cause a crane’s
structure to become brittle. Zero°
Fahrenheit is the prohibiting
temperature for operations.
Ice, snow or rain will increase the
weight of the item being lifted.
CRANE LOCATION

A tower crane needs 360° of

clear space without
obstructions for jib slewing.
A minimum of 10 ft should be
maintained between the jib tip
and any obstacle.
 CRANE
LOCATION
When there are
multiple cranes on
a site with
overlapping
slewing, erect at
different heights so
that each will have
360° of clear space.
CRANE LOCATION

Overlapping work envelopes

of multiple tower cranes
CRANE LOCATION

Multiple cranes on a site with

overlapping slewing.
 EXERCISE
You are selecting a tower
crane configuration to
place a 24,200 lb load. Use
Table 17.3 data.
The load must be placed at
a radius of 100 ft.
 EXERCISE
The pick will require a
2,300-lb spreader bar
attached to a 423-lb set of
slings.
What is the required
capacity for this pick?
EXERCISE SAFE LOAD
Weight of load 24,200 lb
Weight of rigging 2,300 lb
423 lb
Total weight 26,923 lb
Working margin 1.05 Safety
Required capacity 28,270 lb
 EXERCISE
Required capacity 28,270 lb
Maximum capacity of a
two-part line
configuration is 27,600 lb.
Therefore must use a four-
part line configuration.
 EXERCISE
Required capacity 28,270 lb
With a four-part line
configuration can lift
30,700 lbs at 100 ft 9 in.
using a L1, L2 or L3 jib.
 INFORMATION
www.liebherr.com
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Hazardous site: overlapping cranes working
near high-voltage power lines.

SAFETY
SAFETY
SAFETY