Integrated Building Information Model to Identify Possible Crane Instability Caused by Strong Winds

Abstract

Large scale construction projects often involve the lifting of heavy equipment. With increases in equipment size, lifting operations create new challenges in crane selection. In terms of safety, stability is one of the most important factors to consider when selecting cranes. Although practitioners often apply simulation tools to select appropriate cranes, the effect of wind on crane stability is not yet considered in the selection process. Considering that cranes are among the most expensive types of equipment, contractors need to plan the crane operations properly to improve safety and reduce cost and time. This paper presents a methodology to implement the safe operation of cranes by identifying possible crane instability caused by strong winds using Building Information Modeling (BIM), a tool which prepares smart designs to integrate and coordinate cross-disciplinary designs, the construction process, and facility management decisions. A methodology is proposed to integrate wind effects on crane operations which can be considered a major step in developing future BIM. Through a case study involving multiple heavy lifts in an industrial project, the benefits of the proposed methodology are identified.