Distribution of Crane Load Beneath Matting

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PCL Industrial Management Inc. is a frequent user of mobile cranes for heavy construction projects. Mobile cranes need to be properly supported on the ground during heavy lifting to ensure safety against overturning and/or ground failure, and timber mats are typically used for this purpose. The design of the crane supporting systems is based on limited knowledge regarding the loads being imposed on the supports during crane operations. The transfer of the loads on the ground through the supports and the resulting distribution of ground pressure are also unclear. In order to compensate for this shortcoming, a large safety margin is usually maintained by overdesigning the support systems. This research is intended to overcome this problem by measuring the actual loads and pressures beneath the crane supports using pressure sensors placed in strategic locations. The analysis of the measured data will provide sufficient information to understand the transfer of loads from the crane, to the support, to the ground. The knowledge acquired from this research will aid the optimization of crane support design, ensure adequate safety, and potentially reduce the cost of heavy lift operations.