Crane movement limiting device design for safe operation near power lines

Abstract

Performance of experienced crane operators in stopping rotational movements of a crane platform was compared with that of an automatic braking system. Sixteen certified crane operators performed boom movements towards a segment of a typical power line using a 100 tons lifting capacity crane equipped with a fixed-length 18 m long boom, a single lifting cable, and hard ball hook. The 18 m boom was later replaced with a 49 m boom to vary crane geometry and motion response. In all trials, a 1500 kg (3500 lb) load was hooked to the lifting cable. In critical operating conditions, the control input strategy used by the experienced crane operators could yield a stopping angle comparable to that of the automatic braking system. However, when compared with the automatic braking system, the operators had a better control on the oscillations of the load during the stopping maneuver. The data collected in this experiment were used to specify two key parameters in the design of a crane movement limiting device.