High Winds and Cranes - A Potentially Dangerous Combination

In September 2017, Hurricane Irma slammed the state of Florida. As vertical construction is underway in several high density areas of the state, construction sites were at high risk to damage from the powerful storm. In Miami, there were over 20 tower cranes fully erected and being used for various building construction projects.  Of those 20, two tower cranes suffered partial collapses during hurricane Irma. A third crane also suffered a collapse in Fort Lauderdale. The exact cause of the collapses has not yet been released, but high winds from Hurricane Irma were a contributing factor. As a recent article in ENR mentions, these hurricane related incidents will result in new attention to regulations relating to tower cranes.

The Construction depth portion of the Civil PE exam often features questions requiring various calculations related to tower crane loading and orientations. Two scenarios are very common for tower crane analysis: the first is the “in-service” condition and the second is the “out-of-service” or “weathervane” condition. In the in-service condition, both wind loads and service loads are applied to the crane analysis. In the weathervane condition, the swing brake is released and the crane jib is allowed full rotation, which greatly reduces the wind loading on the crane’s jib.  - Jason Savage, PE - Construction Instructor

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