Crane pad thickness

[Lincolnshire Ian]

Hi all

Our groundworker has quoted for a 200mm thick crane pad. The crane contractor wants 350mm thick crane pad. The ground is heavy clay.

We need a 40T crane.

Due to the shape of the plot, overhead lines etc we need to put the crane in an area which will ultimately be garden, not driveway etc and would like to mimimise the depth of the dig to keep hardcore and muck away to a minimum. 

What thickness of crane pad has anyone used before? 

Thanks everyone 

[Iceverge]

I would sway towards the crane contractors side on this one. 

 

 

 

 

[nod]

Neither 

Hire four steel plates 

[Lincolnshire Ian]

3 minutes ago, nod said:

Neither 

Hire four steel plates 

The crane will get bogged down before it reaches the designated area. It's for the vehicle as well as the stabilisers. 

[nod]

1 minute ago, Lincolnshire Ian said:

The crane will get bogged down before it reaches the designated area. It's for the vehicle as well as the stabilisers. 

Surely you have already got a road in for concrete lorries etc 

Should be first job 

[Lincolnshire Ian]

3 minutes ago, nod said:

Surely you have already got a road in for concrete lorries etc 

Should be first job 

The access road is under power lines. The crane can't operate within 3 metres of the power lines, which is pushing the crane way down the site - we have a long, thin plot.

[Kelvin]

The crane driver is the most experienced and knowledgeable on what his crane needs I’d have thought. At least if there’s a problem it’s on them. 

[markc]

When you say pad, I presume this is just an area of hardcore, if so then no need for muck away. And hopefully you can use the hardcore as fill or for driveway etc. later.

a crane rep will over spec the crane and what’s needed - they don’t like crane drivers shouting at them if the job is hard. Unless you are doing heavy lifts a smaller crane with fly jib or even an Alu crane will be easier. Shop around a few crane hire places. If you have the heaviest weight to be lifted and radius to centre of crane or a plan with some dims, post it here and I will take a look.

[BadgerBodger]

Have you considered a designed solution, technically this is temporary works and should be considered by an appropriately qualified engineer based on ground residual ground bearing pressure of the outriggers and the bearing capacity of the substrate…

 

if not at the very least, go with the crane suppliers advice. And, if you know you have „bad ground”, throw some geo grid and terram down under the stone for good measure, it will help act a a separation membrane when you’re digging it back up later. 
 

the last thing you want is a crane going over!