Selection of mobile cranes for building construction projects

Abstract

The complicated process of selecting cranes for construction projects can be divided roughly into two main phases: (1) a general decision on the type of crane, mobile or tower; and (2) selection of the particular model according to the required size and technical specification. Several determinants of this second phase of the selection process in a typical mobile crane culture were investigated through on-site interviews with representatives of major construction companies. Factors affecting mobile crane selection were identified, classified, and rated according to their degree of influence. The involvement in equipment planning and crane selection was characterized with regard to project stages and planning parties. The findings were analysed with a view to the changing participation level of each party throughout project life. The conclusions of the study portray a picture that is different from the common assumptions about mobile crane selection, with respect to both influencing factors and the process itself. The study underlines the weight of non-project-specific factors, and shows that equipment planning is not merely a one-time technical exercise executed by a planner, but rather a process carried out throughout project life by a joint effort of several parties.