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Computer Aided Analysis of the Mobile Crane Handling System Using

Computational Intelligence Methods

Conference Paper  in  Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing · January 2018

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-67621-0_23

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 Computer Aided Analysis of the Mobile Crane
Handling System Using Computational
Intelligence Methods

Wojciech Kacalak, Zbigniew Budniak, and Maciej Majewski(B)

Department of Technical and IT Systems Engineering,

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology,
Raclawicka 15-17, 75-620 Koszalin, Poland
{wojciech.kacalak,zbigniew.budniak,maciej.majewski}@tu.koszalin.pl

Abstract. This article describes computer aided analysis using com-

putational intelligence methods for analysis and simulation research of a
crane system during sequential movements. A parametric solid model has
been specified, designed with a CAD/CAE environment, which allows to
evaluate its stability for selected configurations and conditions of opera-
tion. Neural-network-supported analysis of varying contact forces exerted
by the outriggers onto the ground, stabilizing and overturning torques,
mass centre during handling allowed to specify trajectories ensuring sta-
bility of the crane. The results of the simulation research have been
presented as changes of stability conditions depending on: angular posi-
tion of the column with its telescopic arms and booms, the position of
the telescopic arms themselves, the mass of individual components of the
load system, as well as the load value applied onto it.

Keywords: Machine control · Mobile crane · Interactive system ·

Computer aided analysis · CAD/CAE · Neural networks · Artificial
intelligence · Computational Intelligence Methods

1 Introduction

This study presents computer aided analysis of the mobile crane handling system
using computational intelligence methods based on the methodology developed
with the use of a simulation model built in the integrated CAD/CAE envi-
ronment. The model proposed consists of the main crane assemblies coupled
together: the truck with outrigger system and the base, the slewing column, the
inner and outer arms, the six-member telescopic boom, the hook with lifting
sling and the transported load. In the modelling of the crane system, the masses
of the majority of the equipment and the assemblies that load the system were
taken into account. An example of the application of the method proposed to
determine an optimal trajectory of the handling assignment being performed
was presented as the results of simulation testing.


c Springer International Publishing AG 2018
R. Silhavy et al. (eds.), Applied Computational Intelligence and Mathematical Methods,
Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing 662, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-67621-0 23
 Computer Aided Analysis of the Mobile Crane Handling System 251

2 Analysis and Simulation Research Methodology

In the computer aided simulation of the handling task of the mobile crane, the
methodology presented in Fig. 1 was used.

Fig. 1. Computer aided analysis and simulation of the mobile crane handling system.

The following are the basic elements of the method implemented:

– parametric modelling of the elements and the entire crane system in the CAD
system for the defined configuration;
– determination of the system stability conditions (a notation of equations that
constitute a mathematical model to calculate the following: the trajectory of
the mass centres of the elements of the crane system, the reaction of the base
on the crane outrigger system, the stabilizing torque M u and the overturning
torque M w as well as the safety indicator);
252 W. Kacalak et al.

– building of a kinematic model of the crane and carrying out simulation testing
in the integrated CAD/CAE system;
– an analysis of the kinematic and dynamic quantities of the crane system
during handling in connection with maintaining constant balance (stability);
– optimization of the trajectory of the displacements of the crane working ele-
ments for specified assignments taking limiting conditions into account.

Integrated CAD - SolidWorks software as well as the module for computations

and engineering analyses: CAE - SolidWorks Motion was used for the purpose
of the modelling and numeric tests of the crane handling system.

3 Model of the Handling Crane

The assemblies of the truck crane type HDS Hiab XS (Cargotec Poland) in
relation to which the voice control system was proposed [1,2], include the design
of all the main parts and sub-assemblies as well as other important elements of
the construction [3,4]. The model of the support system (Fig. 2A) is composed
of the following crane assemblies that are coupled together: the truck frame,
the outrigger system placed in the crane base frame connected with the frame
of the truck chassis, the crane base, the slewing column, the inner and outer
boom with the installed six-member telescopic boom and the hook including
lifting slings loaded with the transported cargo. A method for computer aided
analysis for the mobile crane handling system’s configuration during operation
is proposed (Fig. 2B), which consists of mapping of the position of the crane’s
working elements using self-organizing networks [5].
Configuration of the mobile crane’s cargo handling system as a combination of
connected elements was analyzed as sets of local coordinate systems connected
with the crane’s components. The cargo’s position vector − →
q l , in the absolute
coordinate system Oxyz, is given with the following formula:
−
→
q l = L(xL , yL , zL ) = [xL , yL , zL ]T
=−→r f +−
→rb+− →r k +− →
r Ww + − → r Wz + −
→
r t+−
→
r h+−
→
rz +−
→ (1)
rl

where: − →rt=− →
r t1 + −
→r t2 + −
→r t3 + − →
r t4 + −→r t5 + −→
r t6
−
→ −
→ −
→ −
→ −
→ −
→ −
→ −
→ −
→
r f , r b , r k , r Ww , r Wz , r t , r h , r z , r l - vectors defining local coordinate sys-
tems origins’ positions located at points F , B, K, W w, W z, T , H, Z, L, which
belong to the truck f , the crane’s base b, slewing column k, outer Ww and inner
Wz arms, six-member telescopic boom t, hook h, lifting sling z, and the cargo l.
A change to the configuration of the crane system is connected with its work-
ing movements [3,4]. An analytical description of the configuration of the crane
kinematic system involves strenuous conversions of vector-matrix equations [3],
until explicit dependences have been obtained that determine the variable angu-
lar and linear quantities. Knowledge of these dependences is very desirable.
 Computer Aided Analysis of the Mobile Crane Handling System 253

Fig. 2. (A) Mobile crane handling system’s configuration during operation; (B) map-
ping of the position of the crane’s working elements using self-organizing networks.
254 W. Kacalak et al.

4 Kinematic Model of the Handling System

In simulation testing, a kinematic model was used of the mobile crane handling
system with four degrees of freedom. Considering a large number of elements
and their construction characteristics [3,4], a number of necessary simplifications
were used in the kinematic model (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3. (A) Simplified kinematic model of the crane handling system, where: 1 - truck
including outrigger system, 2 - slewing column, 3 - inner arm, 4 - outer arm, 5 -
telescopic boom, 6 - hook, 7 - lifting slings, 8 - cargo, τL - trajectory of cargo gravity
centre, τH - trajectory of point H = Z (hang point: lifting slings and hook); (B)
Deep convolutional neural networks for recognition of motion strategies or unexpected
obstacles and corresponding sets of parameters of the selected crane’s working elements;
(C) Deconvolutional neural networks for recognition of indicating symbolic forms of
motion strategies or unexpected obstacles.

In order to determine dependences between the configuration coordinates (ε,

εb , εe , α, αb , αe , β, βb , βe , δt, δtb , δte , where: b and e - indices for the initial
and end positions) and the base coordinates of the location of the cargo, tempo-
rary 3D bonds were introduced into the simulation model, which determine the
location of the handling system and its elements. In the model developed, drives
were defined that perform the rotary motion of the crane column with velocity
ε̇ and linear drives that force the rotary motion of the inner and outer arms
with velocities α̇ and β̇ as well as sliding out of the six-member telescopic boom
with velocity δ̇t. The computer aided analysis includes a method (Fig. 3B) based
on deep convolutional neural networks [6] for recognition of motion strategies or
unexpected obstacles and corresponding sets of parameters of the selected crane’s
working elements, and a method (Fig. 3C) consisting of deconvolutional neural
networks [6] for recognition of indicating symbolic forms of motion strategies or
unexpected obstacles.
 Computer Aided Analysis of the Mobile Crane Handling System 255

5 Handling System’s Stability

Owing to the performance of simulation testing in line with the methodology
proposed in Fig. 1, it is possible to determine the optimum trajectory of cargo dis-
placements for a selected handling assignment. The value of the moment required
to maintain balance in relation to the tip-over axis may constitute the measure
of the risk of the crane tipping over. Loading with the moment from the mass of
the crane elements and the loads is additionally summed up with the moments
that originate from inertia forces (caused by the movement of the cargo and its
parts) and from the load with wind. The overturning torque Mw is counteracted
by the stabilizing torque Mu with an opposite direction that is dependent from
the mass and the location of the mass centre of the crane elements (Fig. 4A). The
computer aided analysis methods (Fig. 4B) include probabilistic neural networks
[7] for classification of vertical reactions and weights of the crane system to the
classes: stabilizing torque, overturning torque, stability indicator.
According to international standards, it is accepted that the crane is stable
if at any position of the boom loaded with lifting capacity with an adequate
extension, the stabilizing torque Mu is greater than the overturning torque Mw
by the value of ΔM .
ΔM = Mu − Mw > 0 (2)

Fig. 4. (A) Diagram of forces and torques that act on the crane outrigger system:
where: Gu - total weight of the crane system; Gf - weight of the truck including the
outrigger system; Gb - crane base weight; Gk - weight of the slewing column; Gww
- weight of the inner arm, Gwz - weight of the outer arm; Gm1 , Gm2 - weights of
hydraulic cylinders; Gt1 , Gt2 ,.., Gt6 - weights of the arms of the six-member crane
boom; Gh - hook weight, Gl - cargo weight; Ry1 , Ry2 , Ry3 , Ry4 - vertical reactions
of the base; a&b - spacing of the crane outriggers; (B) Probabilistic neural networks
for classification of vertical reactions and weights of the crane system to the classes:
stabilizing torque, overturning torque, stability indicator.
256 W. Kacalak et al.

The following may also constitute the measure of the crane stability:
1. The value of the pressure on the base of the least loaded crane support and
the value of the changes of this force in time;
2. The location of the symmetric mass centre of the handling system of the crane
in relation to the support points. The system is stable if, in the projection on
the horizontal plane, the mass centre is located inside the quadrangle that is
established by the support points of the crane outrigger system;
3. Safety indicator W b. The authors presented a new effectiveness assessment
method of the handling assignment that permits the determination of the
value of the safety indicator W b as a criterion of the stability of the crane
system. The indicator W b accepts values from 0 to 1. The value of the indi-
cator of W b = 0 constitutes the lower limit of safe operation.
The stability indicator W b was defined as follows:
 
min(Ryi )t k2
W b = min ∈ − (3)
Gu ·k1 ·(1 − k2 ) 1 − k2 t

where:

t = te − t b t= Δtj (4)

– i = 1 - 4 - number of the outrigger,

– j = - number of the elementary fragment of the trajectory,
– min(Ryi ), kN - the smallest of the vertical reactions of the base on the out-
rigger i,
– Gu, kN - total weight of the crane system,
– k1 - index of the maximum load of the crane outrigger, Rymax = Gu·k1 ,
where: k1 ≤ 0.25 - for a crane with four outriggers,
– k2 - index that determines the minimum load of the crane outrigger, Rymin
= Gu·k2 ,
– t, s - time of the working cycle of the handling assignment,
– tb = 0, s - start of the crane working cycle,
– te , s - end of the crane working cycle.
In order to guarantee the stability of the crane system, the value of the
indicator W b should be greater than zero when min(Ryi ) > k1 ·k2 . The value of
the indicator k2 is determined considering safety on the level that depends from
the crane working conditions.

6 Handling Task
Simulation of the handling task was carried out for an example of a mobile
crane of the HDS Hiab XS-111 type. The configuration of the movement of
the working mechanisms of the crane during the execution of the four variants
of the handling assignment is presented in Table 1, where the denotations of
 Computer Aided Analysis of the Mobile Crane Handling System 257

Table 1. Parameters of sequential movements for four variants of handling assignment

Movement sequence I II III IV

◦ ◦ ◦
1 Δβ = 15 Δβ = 15 Δβ = 15 Δβ = 15◦
◦
2 Δε = 108 Δδt = 6 m Δδt = −2.1 m Δδt = 6 m
◦
3 Δδt = 6 m Δε = 108 Δε = 108◦ Δε = −252◦
◦ ◦
4 Δα = −9.3 Δα = −9.3 Δδt = 8.1 m Δα = −9.3◦
5 - - Δα = −9.3◦ -

the location parameters were accepted according to Fig. 3. The cargo located
in position A was to be transported and positioned in location B (Fig. 5A).
Proposed methods using computational intelligence for analysis of the crane
handling system and process to support handling assignment presents (Fig. 5B).
For simulation purposes, the following assumptions were accepted in simula-
tion testing:
– the crane is positioned on a stable horizontal base (inclination up to 1%);
– the rotation angle of the crane column was measured from the plane Ozy and
its range ε = 0÷360◦ was determined; the lifting angle of the outer boom,
measured in vertically, changed in the range of α = 34.13◦ ÷185.16◦ ; the value
of the angle of rotation of the inner arm was β = 9.9◦ ÷182.5◦ ,
– in the simulation testing, the following propeller speeds were accepted: ε̇ = 18
deg/s, α̇ = 2.5 deg/s, β̇ = 5 deg/s, δ̇t = 0,3 m/s.
– the value of the extension of the telescopic boom was in the range of δt =
0÷11.85 m,
– the value of the safety indicator was k1 = 0.25. This means that in the most
favourable position of the centre of the mass W u(xW u , zW u ) of the crane
system, in a projection on the horizontal plane, all the vertical reactions in
the outriggers are identical and they constitute 25% of the total load Gu.
– the value of the safety indicator k2 = 0.05,
– it was accepted in the simulation testing that the crane is not subject to
the wind pressure force (the wind speed is smaller than υw <8.3 m and it is
neglected),
– the working movements of the crane are smoothly controlled, hence it was
accepted that inertia forces can be neglected,
– the values of the masses of the crane elements and the locations of their
gravity centres were taken into account in modelling,
– the mass of the cargo carried is ml = 560 kg,
– in the initial position, the configuration coordinates of the individual working
mechanisms are as follows: εp = 175◦ , αp = 112◦ , βp = 139.8◦ , δtp =2.68 m.
The integrated CAD/CAE system with an additional computational applica-
tion was used in simulation testing, which permitted the following among others:
– an accurate determination of the coordinates of any point of the crane system
based on the mathematical model that describes its configuration [3,4],
258 W. Kacalak et al.

– establishing the trajectory of the gravity centre of the crane W u(xW u , zW u ),

– calculation of the reaction in the outriggers Ry1 , Ry2 , Ry3 , Ry4 = f {Gl , W u
(xW u , zW u ), t},
– calculation of the difference of the torques ΔM = M u − M w = f {Gl , W u
(xW u , zW u ), t},
– calculation of the safety indicator W b = f {Gl , W u(xW u , zW u ), t},
– determination of the values of the working loads and the crane lift curves,
– determination of the crane stability conditions in the function of its working
load and extension,
– evaluation of the stability of the performance of the entire crane handling
cycle,
– optimization of the movement trajectory of the crane working elements for
the accepted optimization criterion min W b or min Ll .

7 Simulation Research Results

The trajectories presented in Fig. 6A that are determined by the gravity cen-
tres W u(xW u , zW u ) of the crane system are located inside the tip-over outline
S1 S2 S3 S4 . This is confirmed by the courses of the formation of the value of the

Fig. 5. Computational intelligence methods for analysis of the crane handling system
and process to support handling assignment consisting in carrying the cargo from its
initial position A to position in point B, for four displacement variants.
 Computer Aided Analysis of the Mobile Crane Handling System 259

(A) (B)

-1,5 S1 S2
1 S2 S3 S4 1,0

-1,0 Wu ,zWu ) Indic

0,8
Wu
-0,5
0,6
zu, m

Wu
0,0

Wb
Wu
0,4

0,5
0,2
Wu(x Wu ,zWu )
1,0 Wu
0,0
E 4 1 S4
1,5 0 10 20 30 40 50
S4 S3
-0,5 0,0 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0 2,5

u,

Fig. 6. (A) Projection of the mass centre’s τW u = W u(xW u , zW u ) carrying trajectory

of the crane onto the Oxz horizontal plane for four handling assignment variants; (B)
Courses of the value of the safety indicator W b for the four variants of the handling
assignment, where: • - start and end of movement, ♦ - start and end of circular motion.

(A) (B)

30 18

28

16 Mmin
26
min
24
14
22
V

20
12
M , kNm
Ry min , kN

18

16
V 10

14
8
12

10
6
8

6 4

4
0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50

Fig. 7. Changes to the value of the base vertical reaction forces min(Ryi ): (A) and
values ΔMmin , (B) during displacement of the cargo for the four variants of handling
assignment.
260 W. Kacalak et al.

safety indicator W b that are presented in Fig. 6B. It is evident for the handling
assignment example presented that the minimum value of the safety indicator
for all of the three cases is greater than 0; hence, the crane system is stable over
the whole range. For the fourth variant of the handling assignment, however,
the value of this indicator W b = 0.002 is very small. This means that for the
trajectory of the load carried τH the working conditions are the least favourable
as there is a risk of a loss of the crane system stability. This is confirmed with
the diagrams from Figs. 7 and 8.
By analysing the courses presented it can be found that in spite of ensuring
the crane’s static stability, there may occur a risk to its operation (Fig. 7: variant
IV). In the time interval between the 9th and 11th second, the values of the hor-
izontal reaction force Rymin (Fig. 7A) and the torque differences ΔM (Fig. 7B)
are the lowest. The gravity centre W u (Fig. 6B) is located too close o the tip-
over axis S1 S4 : as little as in the distance of d = 0.34 m. This is also confirmed
by the diagrams from Fig. 8 for the fourth case of the handling assignment. The
values of the vertical reactions Ry2 and Ry3 and the torque difference ΔM are
the lowest for this variant.

(A) (B)

70 35

1 2 3 4 Mk1, Mk2, Mk3, Mk4,

60 Ry1 30
Mk1

50
Ry3 25
Mk3 Mk4
Mk1, Mk2, Mk3, Mk4, M, kNm
Ry 1, Ry2, Ry3, Ry4, kN

Ry4
40 20

30 15
Mk2

20 10
Ry2
M

10 5

Thea
0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Fig. 8. Courses of changes to the values of the vertical reactions of the base Ryi (i =
1, .., 4) for all the outriggers (A) and the difference of torques ΔMk (k = 1, 2, .., 4) (B)
in relation to all the tip-over axes of the crane outrigger system for the four variant of
the handling cargo.

8 Conclusion
In this article a crane simulation model allowing to analyze the crane’s stability
during sequential movements, that is rotation of its column, rotation of its inner
and outer arms as well as the extension pistons of its six-member telescopic
 Computer Aided Analysis of the Mobile Crane Handling System 261

boom. The model designed with a CAD/CAE environment allows to determine:

crane’s variable configuration setups in the Cartesian space, positions of mass
centres of the crane system, reactions and moments interacting with the out-
rigger system, as well as values of the safety indicator. The obtained results of
numerical simulations, which meet the stability criteria, allow to determine the
optimal trajectory of carrying the cargo for a given handling assignment. Imple-
mentation of trajectory correction of crane’s moving components may prevent
the outriggers from losing contact with the ground, which provides safe operation
in all conditions.

Acknowledgements. This project is financed by the National Centre for Research

and Development, Poland (NCBiR), under the Applied Research Programme - Grant
agreement No. PBS3/A6/28/2015.

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