New Guidance on Ground Preparation for Wind Farm Construction
The International Crane Stakeholders Assembly (ICSA) has released new Guidance on Mobile Crane Ground Preparation for Wind Farm Construction. The soil bearing capacity of access roads and crane work areas are among the considerations that ICSA identifies for assessment during planning. Released in August 2021, the Guidance document provides industry best practices particular to using cranes for erecting and maintaining wind turbines. The 18-page document can be downloaded for free.
This is the fourth document from ICSA addressing crane operations. ICSA facilitates dialogue between crane industry stakeholders and promotes harmonization of industry standards. Seven organizations contributed to the development of the guidance, including North American representatives from Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Crane Rental Association of Canada, and Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association.
According to the Guidance, “When setting up cranes on wind farms for lifting tasks, an important factor to be considered during the planning stage is crane stability. Crane stability often depends on the integrity of the supporting ground. Effective assessment of ground conditions is essential to assist with safe set up and operation of cranes. There are two aspects that contribute to ground integrity; the soil bearing capacity and the ground level.”
DICA’s Engineered FRP Composite FiberMax Crane Pads provide exceptional stability and essential load distribution performance at a third the weight of traditional solutions for mobile cranes working in wind farm construction. With crush ratings up to 1,000 psi and capacity up to 400,000 lbs., FiberMax Crane Pads are a high-performance solution for mobile cranes with lifting capacity up to 500 tons.