Many Hands Make Light Work: A Construction Blog

Self-erecting tower cranes are very helpful when you are setting up a high-rise building or other infrastructural project. It has a series of levers and hydraulic units that enable it to shift from a flat-packed machine into a tall, strong structure for moving various loads. A great benefit that comes with the self-erecting crane towers is that they are pre-assembled and ready for delivery on your site when you need them. This saves you the hustle of setting them up with a big team of technicians. It only takes a remote control to move the levers and hydraulic units into work position. Despite this ease of setting them up, you shouldn't overlook other important things when you hire a self-erecting tower crane.

Crane Ties

As they span several feet into the air, self-erecting tower cranes must be adequately supported along their cross-sectional length. This is where crane ties come in handy. They ensure the stability of the tall crane as its height increases. You need to secure the crane ties to an adjacent supporting structure at intervals recommended by the manufacturer. Before hiring one, a professional should inspect the site to make sure that existing structures have adequate room for the crane ties. If not, you may have to get additional material such as steel beams to provide the much-needed strength.

Crane Footing and Foundations

Crane footings and foundations provide a base for the self-erecting crane and the load it is carrying. Preferably, you should carry out a geotechnical assessment of the conditions at the site before hiring and installing the crane on your site.  If there are any limitations on the weight that the ground can sustain, then you will make the necessary adjustments to the site before hiring and installing the crane. A good example is setting up concrete slabs.

Remember that the structural modifications should be overseen by a certified professional such as a structural engineer. Engineering principles and standards should be followed when setting up the footings and modifications.

Counterweights

Make a list of the materials and equipment you will use the crane to carry. This will help your service provider to approximate their weights and provide you with counterweights that match the weight of your load. This is key to ensuring the stability of the crane. If the counterweight is light, the boom configuration can make the crane turn over in the direction of the load suspended from the crane. On the other hand, extremely heavy counterweights will make the crane fall over in the opposite direction of the load suspended.