CALCULATING OUTRIGGER LOADS Richard Krabbendam returns toIC’s Safe View with a look at how to calculate outrigger loadings for mobile cranes. hen a crane Is set up on weak ground or on a surface which hnas a limited allowable load, we need to know what the maximum load on each outrigger willbe ia the required configuration. In particular, we are interested in the maximum possible outrigger loads far any given operating condition. To do this we need to calculate the erane's composite Centre of Gravity (CoG). We learned in a previous article (see Sale View, IC, June 1996) how to calculate the composite CoG of iflerent shaped loads. The same principles can be applied to calculate the CoG ofa mobile crane, with or without aload, The only difficulty is that it is not always easy to calculate the weight of each individual CoG of STAYWIRES 04 Ts crane part ~ this requires detailed construc- tion drawings which crane manufacturers are not always willing to provide. It is not unrea- sonable, however, to ask the manufacturer for the exact weight and location of the CoG of each crane part. These could include the lower carbody with outriggers, upper carbody, A- frame, main boom sections, as well as boom bottom and top sections, stay pendants iting blocks, wire ropes ete. If a backmast and Superlift are used, then these weights and Cot locations are also needed. ‘The location of the composite CoG of the unloaded crane can be calculated using the ‘same moment formula as used in the previous article. Here we wil only illustrate the method of calculating each outrigger load. All weights and locations of Co(s are estimates, and we have also assumed thet the CoGs of the crane parts are located on the centretine ofthe crane and that we only need to establish the location inthe X (horizontal) and Y (vertical) planes. For reference, we have placed the Y-axis 7216 mm from the font outrigger centre, See Figure | As we can see in Figures 1 and 2, the 84 tonne lower carbody is a fixed structure and the CoG location will not change in relation to the outriggers. This Is not the case for the upper carbody, the A-frame, staywires, htook- blocks, main boom and load. Once the CoG of the unloaded crane has been calculated then it is easy to calculate the CoG of the loaded crane, Note that as the load is freely supported by the liting tackle, the reaction force of this load is shifted to the top sheaves of the boomtp. Due fo the height of the load’s CoG, the overall crane CoG with load moves upwards significantly, To guarantee sufficient stability of a loaded crane, the manufacturers have based their capacity charts on stability criteria as well as oon the structurally allowable stresses. In the Netherlands, the capacity charts are based on 66.67 per cent of tipping load. This means that the tipping load is one and a half times the rated capacity (1/0.666). This is a rather con- servative value, but was no doubt established in part because ofthe relatively weak soll con- FORCE of MAIN BLOCK+LOAD ACT FROM TOPSHEAVE OF BOOM 53 T= CoG of MAIN BLOCK 3 Ts 0 CoG of 1mA0 190 Ts x AND’ BOOM TOP REACTION FORCE, EACH'7 Ts | e002 ii X-Axis ING. GUTRIGGERS G4 Te ALL VEIGHTS ond CoG LOCATIONS of CRANE PARTS ARE ESTINATED CoG of MAIN BOOM 14 Te CoG of ALFRAME 5 Te Ya BE SPLIT IN BOOM BOTTOM PIVOT REACTION | sm _| — nares FIG1 ‘MD ORLY SERVE TO ILLUSTRATE THE CALCULATION EXAMPLE 38(OUTRIGGER LOAD CONTRIBUTION OUE TO AXED CRANE PART = (G.00004470)/10000 x 84)/2 = 25:2 Ta ISLEWNG PART = 73.3 Te COMPOSITE CUTIGGER LOAD =-S6S Te 19000 OUTRIGGER LOAD CONTRIGUTIN DUE 70 SLEWING CRANE PART = ((@208)/10000 236.4)/2 = 73:3 Te Foren PART = fas Ts COMPOSITE OUTRIGGER LOAD = 92:1 Ts xco Baer = 232 Ts SLEWNG PART =_443 Te COMPOSITE OUTRIGGER LOAD = 681 Te COMPOSITE CoG OF FIXED CHANE, roc | PAT rxen ant SLEWNG PART = 449 Te (COMPOSITE OUTRIGGER LOAD = 63.7 Ts COMPOSITE Coo OF SLEWNG\PART OF CRANE WITH LOAS 275.4 TONNE, FIG2 ditions in the Netherlands. Capacity charts in Germany are based on 75% of tipping load and, inthe USA some charts go upto 85% of tipping, When the location ofthe CoG of the erane ~ with or without load —has been calculated tis relatively simple step to caleulate the load on. ‘each outrigger. Bear in mind that the outrigger loads depend on: © ‘Typeand self weight of erane © Siewing angle of the crane ‘Boom length and configuration © Outrigger base © Radius © Theload beinglifted ‘The outrigger loads are again calculated using the moment formulas, Inthe example cal- ‘culation, which is shown In Figure 2, we have used estimated weights of the various crane parts. (In practice, the exact weights of each crane part must be known if the outrigger load Is to be calculated accurately.) To calculate crane outrigger loads under diferent slewing angles, a personal computer with a spread sheet program can be of great help. ‘Table I shows the calculation of the com- posite CoG of the crane loaded with 100 tonnes. The CoG of bath the fixed part (lower carbody with outriggers) and the slewing part (upper carbody, boom, load, stay wires ete.) have to be calculated. The composite CoG of the slewing partis located 13,420 millimetres from the Yaxis in the X direction, which Is 6,204 millimetres from the outriggers’ centres. The CoG ofthe fixed partis 4.479 millimetres away from the outrigger centres. Each CoG contributes a certain load to each ‘outrigger. The load contribution can be calcu- Jated by using the moment formulas shown in Figure 2. In our example we have placed the slewing part ofthe crane at right angles to the lower part, which makes the load contribution caleulation relatively easy. The load contribu: ton varies with the slewing angle. AAs has been shown In the above example, it requires a lot of calculating work to obtain the ‘outrigger loads for a certain boom lengti, boom configuration (use of Superlit or not, fly jib length), load and radius. To make the calculation ‘easier, ou should use vertical reaction forces for ‘each individual boom length at the boom top as Weight [Distance x] Moment [Distance Y| Moment ¥ ‘Composite CoG for fixed part oF crane Tower Cameay, nah ouiggers| aa] 11.686] 9az.ae] 1.625) 1385) “Tanne | —w— | Tafarter|——W_—[Tonnemeter (Composite CoG for stewing parFof crane TpparGamaey| 34] 0.808] —so0s7a] sms] 158.0 Beam PivokBotom| 7] 14.5t6| —foi.si2] 3.4] 23.8 ‘Arame|——8|— 875i] 43.786| 6-382] 343 Caunterveini| Go| 6.075] 485] 468] 372] Stay Wires] 04] 10.764] _43086| 2.08] 9.43 Boom Tap] 7] 1.866] 190,648] 34.02] 236.14 Load+Loadbiock| 103] 19.858] 2045.374| 33.152] _3414.656| Bisd|—— 134] 347.866] 17.88] — 4226.79 Tonne [—M—[Tennemeter| —M__ Tannemeter 39 INTERNATIONAL CRANES MAY 1996 ‘wells the boom bottom pivot point, This should also be done forthe staywires. The crane mane factuer should beableto proidethis data. ‘The outrigger load caleulation can then be setup ina compute spreadsheet in which we only have to type in the crane type, boom length and configuration, slewing angle, radius and load. All relevant crane data, such as Weights of individual crane parts, should be stored in a database and used in the spread- sheet when required To spread the concentrated point load of cach outrigger onthe ground surface steel load sprealing pontoons should be used in order to reduce the average ground load to acceptable limits (between 5-10 Tonnes2). I the allow- able ground load is below these values then one solution is to drive piles under each outrigger centre, The calculating principles used here also apy fr telescopic cranes. Q eee “Richard Krabbendam Is VicePresident of Jumbo Shipping Company's Special ‘Transport Division. He has a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the ‘Technical University of Delft and was project ‘manager with Van Seumeren Holland until 1989. Before that he was managing director ‘of Itree BV Holland. He has been in the heavy lift and transportation industry since 1973. hee Pon cr International Cranes. Re: Soe lish always refer back to the See eee) Berra