Haider Crane Co.

Crane Design Basics

A brief introduction to Crane Design is presented with the
are new in this field and have no knowledge of how a crane
is built.
This work is motivated due to the lack of presence of
literature for crane design on the web. The author was
compelled to put up some effort to have at least some stuff
on the web which can at least give a introductory level
information to engineers and students.
Feel free to send me a mail with questions or comments
Beam Calculatorcrane_calc.xls
12/25/07

Compute Moments
Dead Load Bending

Haider Crane Co.

P

L = Span

Span

Live Load Bending

P1

P2
y

Span

l 2
Max Moment =

Pl
+
8
4

P = Center drive + Controls

w = Footwalk + Beam + Lineshaft
Dynamic Mx = Max Moment x factor
Dynamic My = Max Moment x factor

If P1=P2, use the Case 41, otherwise use Case

42. Also calculate the Max moment using the
formula PL/4. In other words, to be
conservative, use the largest value obtained.
12/25/07

Compute Stress

Haider Crane Co.

Dynamic Mx = LL Mx + DL Mx
My = LL My + DL My

f bxT

Mx
=
0.6 Fy
Sbott

f bxC

Mx
=
STop

f byC =
f bxC
Fbx

a
b

Girder Beam
Available to 60 ft max. length

My
STop
f byC
0.6 Fy

10
.
b

Fabricated/Box Beam
L/h should not exceed 25
L/b should not exceed 65
DL Dead load, LL = Live Load, Fy = Yield normally @ 36 ksi for A36 material, Fb = Allowable Stress
12/25/07

Compute Deflection

5wl 4
=
384 EI
Pl 3
=
48 EI

12/25/07

Haider Crane Co.

For Trolley:

For Uniform Load

For Conc. Load

LL + TW
P=
2
Pa
3l 2 4a 2 ]
=
[
24 EI

Allowable Compressive Stress Fb per CMAA 74

Haider Crane Co.

1/600
1/888

= 0.6 y

12000
=
d
L
Af

12/25/07

Use when the flanges

are not welded on the
top and bottom

Allowable Compressive Stress

rt

102000

L
Fy And
rt

Otherwise, Fb3 =

Fb1 =

510000

Fy , Fb 2

Haider Crane Co.

2

F
2
y
rt
Fy
=
3
1530000

170000

rt

12000
( perCMAA)
d

L
Af

Fb = 0.6 y

Select Allowable Stress which is the Greatest of all. Then check for the following:

Tensile < 0.6 y

comp x
fb
12/25/07

comp y
0.6 y

<1
6

Lower Flange loading per CMAA 74

Haider Crane Co.

This is a empirical formula

For a crane where the trolley is running on the bottom flange, it is necessary to check the local bending of
flange due to the wheel load. The flange must be OK before a beam selection is made.
12/25/07

Lower Flange loading per CMAA 74

12/25/07

Haider Crane Co.

Lower Flange loading per CMAA 74

12/25/07

Haider Crane Co.

Lower Flange loading - Alternate procedure I

Haider Crane Co.

The lower flange of the crane beam must be checked for:

1) Tension in the web. 2) Bending of the bottom flange.
Refer to the figure, the length of resistance is seen to be 3.5k. The 30 degree angle is a
consensus figure used for many years. Assuming 4 wheels (2 pair) at each end of the
crane, each wheel will support P/4 delivered to the supporting crane beam. Two wheels
cause the web tension, so the load is P/2. Tensile stress in the web is:
3.5k

P
P
P
ft =
=
=
2 A 2t w ( 35
. ) 7t w

tf
30 deg
Flange bending depends upon the location of
the wheels with respect to the beam web. This
dimension is e as shown in the figure. The
wheel load is P/4. Longitudinal length of the
flange participating in the bending resistance
is 2e per yield line analysis. Bending stress is:

P/2

tw
P/4

Bottom Flange

tf

0.75 P
M Pe 6
Pe 6
fb =
=
=
=
4 bd 2
4 2et 2f
S
t 2f
12/25/07

k1

e
Point of Load

Refer to Engineering Journal, 4th quarter, 1982, Tips for avoiding Crane Runway Problems by David T. Ricker

10

Lower Flange loading - Alternate procedure II

Haider Crane Co.

Now, the angle is changed from 30 degree to 45 degrees.

tw

Capacity = 6000 lb

P/4

Hoist wt = 1000 lb
Load = 6000 +1000 = 7000

tf
k1

Wheel load = 7000/4 = 1750

With 15% impact = 1750(1.15) = 2013 lb

b =11.5, e = b/2 = 5.75
Tf = 0.875

45 deg

M = 2013(5.75) = 11574.75
Stress = M/S = 11574.75

b=2e

(6)/(11.5)(0.875)^2 = 7890.15

Load
Moment = 7000(1.15)(30)(12)/4 + 110((12)(30))^2/(8(12)) = 873000 lb-in
Stress= 873000/280 = 3117.8

. 2 + 3117.8( 789015
. )
= x2 + y2 + x y = 3117.82 + 789015
Stress = 9827 << 0.6 Sigma y (21600)

12/25/07

OK

110 lb/ft
30 ft Bridge
Span

11

EXAMPLE Simple Approach

Haider Crane Co.

P1

Capacity: 2 Ton (4000 Lb), Span: 20 Ft (480 in)

114

Hoist Wt: 200 Lb, Hoist W.B: 12 in

P2
12

P=2100lb

Vertical Impact factor = 15%, Hor. Impact = 10%

Solution:

a
wL
P
+
L
8
2L
2
2

Mx =

Beam must be checked for

Lower flange load, if the
trolley is under running

. 2402 2100 115

.
318
12
Mx =

+
.
240 = 2945711
12
8
2 240
2
M
2945711
.
x = x =
= 8092.6
Sx
36.4
M y 2945711
. 11
. 01
.
x =
=
= 3039.5
Sy
9.27 115
.
2

240
Say, for example, we select a A36, S beam
S12x31.8#, Ix=218, Iy=37.1, Sx=36.4,
Sy=9.27, d/Af=4.41
P=2100 lb, w = 31.8/12 lb/in

comb = 8092.6 + 3039.5 = 11132.1

all1 = 0.6 y = 0.6 36 = 216000

(3 L2 4a 2 )
5wL4
12000
12000
=
+ Pa

=
=
= 11337.8
all 2
384 EI
24 EI
d
240 4.41
L A
2
2
4
f
5(318
. )240
(3 240 4 114 )
=
+ 2100 115
. 114
all = Min _ of all1 , all 2 = 11337.8
24 218 E
384 12 218 E
L
comb < all .
= 0.4
= 0.237 <
OK
OK
600
12/25/07

12

EXAMPLE Conservative Approach

DLF =

. 1.05 +
11

Br . speed
1.2
2000

Haider Crane Co.

P1

= 1.10
114

HLF = 0.15 0.005( HoistSpeed ) 0.5

= 1.15

IFD = 0.078( Bridge _ acc. ) 0.025

= 0.39

C T _WB X 1 X 2
T _ Wt
( HLF ) +

( DLF ) = 2410
T _ WB
2

Wheel Ld (P1/P2) = 2

Moment A = HLF x M (whichever is greater) =P1 > P2 , M =

12

P=2100lb

240

L WB P2
PL
( P1 + P2 ) 2
X , X = 0.5
,
OR
,
M
=
= 166290

P
P
L
+
4
1 2

Moment B = IFD x M (whichever is greater) = 56394

Beam must be
wL2
PL
checked for
+
Static Moment =
= 19080
8
4
Lower flange
Moment C = DLF x Static Moment = 20988

P2

load, if the trolley

is under running

5wL4
d1 =
= 0.0181
384 EI
PL3
d2 =
= 0
3 EI

Moment D = IFD x Static Moment = 7441.2

P1 + P2 ) [ 3 L2 4a 2 ]
(
Moment Mx = A+C = 187278
= 0.2188
d3 =
a
Moment My = B+D = 63835.2
2
24 EI
P1 L3
Tensile Stress = = Mx Sxb = 5.15 < 0.6(36) OK
d4 =
= 0.1098
48
EI
Mx
Comp. Stress X = =
Sxt = 5.15
My
Total Deflection = d1+d2+(Greater of d3 and d4)
Comp. Stress Y = =
Sy = 17.07
Deflection = 0.0181+0+0.2188 = 0.2369 in

17.07
Cy
515
.
Cx
+
<1 =
+
= 103
. > 1 ERR
216
.
216
.
f b 0.6 Fy
12/25/07

Deflection 0.2369 < L/600 (0.4)

Above calculation is for S12x31.8 Beam

OK

13