Cranes for Deep Foundation Work: Everything You Want to Learn
Cranes are a set of versatile machines that come in different shapes, sizes and configurations. You can use them for hoisting and rigging heavy loads in warehousing, shipping and construction. They also come in handy for those who need to work with deep foundations. This can include new foundations being laid down for a new structure or repairing a bad foundation that is on the brink of collapse. When done, you can use the crane for dynamic compaction to ensure that the foundation's soil holds as firmly as possible. In this article, you will learn the important aspects of using a crane for deep foundation work in the construction world. Keep reading:
The Drilling Rigs
Crawlers and other types of cranes make excellent hosts for drilling rigs when you are working on foundations. Specifically, the cranes come in handy when carrying out continuous flight auger drilling for installing cast-in-place piles. The crane houses the drilling rig firmly to allow fast installation of pipes and other underground accessories. Usually, the drilling augers come with hollow shafts that allow the builders to pump concrete into deep sections of the foundation.
The combination of drilling rigs with cranes requires fixed leaders to be fitted on the crane's carrier. This allows the equipment to extend into hard-to-reach sections without endangering the operator.
Swinging Leaders and Piling Rigs
Leaders are vital to optimising the efficiency of construction equipment when using cranes. They support and guide the primary elements, such as foundation piles, to move in the right direction. They also support them against the resistance coming from stiff soil profiles. Swinging leaders are a great option when you are using cranes for foundation work because they attach to a special traverse. The setup allows you to drive long concrete or steel elements into the ground. Usually, this helps when you are doing foundation work on an embankment or sloping section.
Control and Assistance Systems for Cranes
Using cranes for deep foundation work comes with unique risks. Unlike hoisting applications, the dangers here lie in unprecedented hazards because some elements are beyond the operator's line of sight. It helps to select crane models that support modern control and assistance systems to keep the operators safe. For example, a boom up-and-down assistance system shows all the approaches to the crane's tipping lines. It will stop the machine automatically before the operator navigates it into an unsafe zone that they are not aware of. The operator can easily manouvre out of the danger zone without activating the bypass switch.