Why don't tower cranes fall over?
Why don't tower cranes fall over?
Why don't tower cranes fall over? After all, the loads can reach hundreds of tons, yet the crane remains level and doesn't break.
Crane stability is ensured by a complex set of design features:
A massive base on which the tower crane stands.
A counterweight, which is mounted at the rear of the rotating platform and balances the boom and load.
Crane design. At the center of each square section, the diagonals intersect the verticals. These points of force run throughout the structure, from top to bottom, providing incredible strength.
The crane's own weight. This creates a restoring moment equal to the product of the mass and the lever arm.
Another way to improve stability is to install outriggers.
Crane falls do happen, but quite rarely. Causes can include improper crane installation, faulty components, incorrectly selected lifting capacity, and weather conditions. Hurricane-force winds can topple even a fairly heavy crane.
Leave a comment with any other interesting information you'd like to know about cranes.