Crane Platforms
Strong, reliable crane pad design for a fraction of the cost
Operating cranes apply extremely high static loads to the subsoil where they are situated. The consequences of subgrade failure or excessive settlement can be catastrophic in terms of the cost of equipment damage, lost time and injury to site staff. Tensar has extensive experience in the use of geogrid technology to enhance the performance of crane platform structures. Extensive cost savings can be attained, and in most cases, construction time can also be drastically reduced.
Mechanically Stabilized Platform
When unbound aggregate is placed on top of an InterAx geogrid, the coarser soil particles partially strike through the apertures and lock into position. This effect, commonly referred to as mechanical interlock, leads to lateral confinement of the unbound aggregate and a general stiffening of the layer. A stiffer, mechanically stabilized platform distributes load more efficiently onto the underlying soil, a critical improvement when the underlying subgrade is less than competent.
For a given aggregate thickness, adding Tensar InterAx geogrid results in an increased factor of safety against bearing failure and a reduction in vertical settlement. Alternatively, for a given target factor of safety, the thickness of the crane platform can typically be reduced by 50%.
Designing Crane Platforms
The performance of granular platforms stabilized with Tensar geogrid under static load has been studied extensively over several decades. Based on this research, it is possible to accurately quantify the reduced pressure imposed on the subgrade soil as a result of including layers of Tensar geogrid within a granular platform.
The combination of aggregate, Tensar InterAx geogrid, and design methods creates our proven crane platform construction solutions. In addition, a team of expert engineers is available to provide anything from a conceptual design to a fully stamped set of engineering drawings.
Crane Pads in Extreme Conditions
In more extreme soft soil conditions where global and edge stability may be of concern, Tensar’s high-strength uniaxial geogrid can be used in addition to the multi-axial geogrid to provide a stable construction platform to support cranes and their heavy loads.