Crane selection is a crucial decision that has significant impact on construction project costs; employing the right crane(s) for a job not only solves all the anticipated lifting challenges but also minimises the total number of cranes required at the site, leading to huge savings for contractors.
Construction sites near residential communities and airports come with specific restrictions with regard to the height of cranes, noise levels and working hours. The methodology for crane implementation on such sites require the expertise of a lifting solutions expert that can map out the entire lifting operation, including selection of the crane(s) best suited for the job, transportation to the site, location of installation, erection, climbing, use to anti-collision systems, dismantling, training and support.
One such project that required the abovementioned expertise was the construction of the South View School in the Remraam residential community in Dubai during 2017–18. Kanoo Cranes, the engineered lifting solutions subsidiary of UAE-based Kanoo Group, supplied a Jaso J560 topless tower crane equipped with the SMIE anti-collision system to work alongside another crane.
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During the 12-month construction period, the Jaso J560 lifted precast panels ranging from 20 to 22 tonnes with jib length of 45m and a hoist speed of 24m/min for the heaviest panels. The final working height of the crane was 38 m.
Because working at night was not permitted at the site, Kanoo Cranes planned the transportation, erection and dismantling operations for the day; approximately 10 hours each were required for erection and dismantling of the J560.
Ahmad Wraikat, regional manager, Kanoo Cranes, explains: “The main challenge at the site was to minimise the number of cranes and to select the right location for the crane to avoid interference with the other crane. In addition, the cranes were required to operate under height restrictions because a part of the community was already developed and the developers didn’t want it to be in the line of sight always.
Ahmad Wraikat, regional manager, Kanoo Cranes.
The J560 was best suited for a ‘lift and place’ operation at the job site because of its lifting capacity, short tower top, winch (hoist) speed and low power consumption. The short tower top of the crane enabled fast installation at the site. The crane was able to handle the lifting of the precast panels easily as its maximum load capacity is 24 tonnes at a radius of 6.7m.
The efficient power system of the J560 helped reduce the operating costs of the project. In comparison to an equivalent crane model, the J560 provides up to 20% reduction in fuel consumption. This amounted to significant savings considering the 12-month duration of the project. Furthermore, the lift and place operation helped reduce the construction time.”
The J560 belongs to Jaso’s H Series in the Top Line range (T, Box and H) that includes large crane models with heavy load capacities. Jaso designed this series to provide high performance in construction for the lifting of prefabricated panels and /or heavy steel structures.
The Top Line cranes are equipped with high-powered, high-speed mechanisms, and advanced electrical and safety systems. Their quick assembly and dismantling and their freestanding ability make them an economical choice for large projects.
The H series has a short tower top, which allows a site to use several cranes simultaneously. In addition, these cranes can be used near airports where height restrictions may be imposed. This series has the ability to be incrementally erected and dismantled, thus assisting projects with tight site restrictions and where large mobile cranes are unavailable or expensive.
