1. Selection of Crane Based on Conditions

It should be properly protected for the severe weather conditions and you should start the curing of concrete as early as possible in aggressive conditions to protect the concrete from the cracking of concrete.

Weather conditions are crucial when selecting cranes for construction projects. Severe weather, especially high winds and heavy rain, can significantly impact the performance and safety of cranes. For safe operation, cranes must be protected from such weather elements, and for concrete work, special measures should be implemented to prevent cracking under harsh conditions.

Imagine a picnic on a windy day with your food flying everywhere. Just like you would find a safe spot to avoid the wind, cranes need to be chosen and positioned carefully to withstand severe weather conditions.

Another important factor which will affect the selection machine particularly the crane selection is a wind velocity. So, the lifting capacity of your crane will depend upon your wind velocity in places where the wind velocity is going to be very high, the lifting capacity will be significantly reduced.

Wind velocity directly affects the lifting capacity of cranes. In areas with high winds, the operational safety of the crane becomes a concern, and the lifting capacity is decreased. When wind speeds exceed 50-55 kilometers per hour, operations should be halted to prevent accidents, including the risk of cranes toppling over.

Think about flying a kite — on a calm day, it soars high, but too strong of winds can make it uncontrollable. Just like a kite, if the wind is too strong, cranes can't handle lifting loads safely.

In places with continuous heavy rainfall, the terrain will generally be poor with very high rolling resistance. Thus, we have to select the machine with the proper mounting and with the better horsepower capacity so that it can overcome the rolling resistance in the poor underfoot conditions.

Heavy rainfall impacts the ground conditions, leading to muddy terrain that can hinder crane operation. It is essential to choose cranes with suitable mounts and sufficient horsepower to navigate these challenging conditions effectively.

Consider trying to push a car through mud; if you have a vehicle with better traction and power, it’ll manage much better. Similarly, cranes need to be equipped for muddy terrains after heavy rainfall.

In snowy terrain, the traction for rubber-tire-mounted machines will be very poor. So, in that case, we have to go for the crawler type mounted machines, so that it will have better traction.

Snow creates slippery surfaces that reduce the effectiveness of rubber-tired cranes. Crawler-mounted cranes, which have tracks instead of wheels, provide better traction and stability, making them more suitable for snowy conditions.

Think of how a snow-plow truck with tracks can move better in the snow compared to a regular car with tires — the tracks spread the weight and grip the ground, preventing slipping. Crawler cranes operate in a similar manner.

The machines which we use at the construction site may be either operated with diesel as a fuel or it may be the gasoline operated or it may be based on electrical power operated.

When selecting construction machinery, the availability of power sources such as diesel, gasoline, or electricity is critical. Remote job sites often have limited fuel availability, making it necessary to verify that the chosen crane’s energy requirements align with what can be provided at the site.

Consider you’re on a road trip in a car; if your car needs special fuel only found in certain places, you wouldn't want to drive into an area where that fuel isn't available. It's crucial to check fuel availability to ensure your equipment runs smoothly.

The site location will limit the type and the size of the equipment. If you have to mobilize a heavy equipment to a very remote site, we have to check whether there are availability of the proper access routes or the haul routes to mobilize equipment to the particular remote site.

The accessibility of a job site is paramount in determining the type and size of cranes to be used. If access routes are inadequate or limited, it may not be feasible to bring in larger equipment, affecting operational efficiency.

Imagine trying to bring a large moving truck through narrow city streets versus wide country roads — the ability to access the site determines whether you can use larger trucks or need smaller ones instead.

When the machines work together, they should have compatible productivity or compatible size. So that cycle time is not wasted much.

In construction, when different machines work simultaneously, it's crucial that they are properly sized and matched for productivity. For example, if one machine is too small for the load another machine is handling, it can lead to delays and inefficiencies.

It's like a relay race; each runner needs to pass the baton efficiently without slowing down the overall time. If one runner is significantly slower than the others, the entire team's efficiency suffers.

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