The Construction and Use of Tower Cranes
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If you live in a city then you have likely seen them: tower cranes! These majestic tall tools are essential to most high constructions but how are they built?
First, let's clarify what they are used for. These metal monsters are built to move items such as steel, concrete, large tools, and other machinery from one location to another almost effortlessly.
To create these useful tools you first need a pile of prefabricated components and sections. You then follow a series of steps the first of which is to mount the base section into the ground using specially designed foundations.
The foundations must be set absolutely correctly, or engineers risk the whole crane crashing down once erected. Once the foundation is set concrete is poured and cured.
It is estimated that a 40-foot (12.2 m) crane requires 16 no. 2 5/16 inch (5.9 cm) bolts to be torqued with a hydraulic wrench. This step must be done near perfectly and must not exceed a deviation of 1 inch in 500 (2.54 cm in 1,270 cm) in the vertical.
Following this phase, more mast sections are then continuously added until the crane reaches its required height. It seems the crane's construction requires as much work as a building's but wait it's not even over yet. Watch our video to find out more.