Types of Cranes Used in Construction

Vehicle Mounted Crane
Tower Crane
Rough Terrain Crane
Crawler Crane
All Terrain Crane
Railroad Crane
Telescopic Handler Crane
Harbor Cranes
Floating Crane
Aerial Crane
Telescopic Crane
Level Luffing Cranes

1. Vehicle Mounted Crane

Cranes are required only during the construction as temporary structures. So, these are mounted to vehicles for easy movement. Mostly cranes are truck mounted except some heavy cranes. The wheels of vehicle mounted cranes are made with rubber. These wheeled vehicles can move faster than trucked but are not accessible to uneven areas. Outriggers are provided to the base of vehicle to provide stability to the crane while working.

2. Tower Crane

Tower cranes are widely used for construction of tall buildings as they can work up to 265 feet as well as lower to 230 feet. These have lifting capacity approximately equal to 20 tons and are fixed to the ground during construction period. These cranes are fixed using strong concrete base and anchored by large bolts which can be removed easily after construction.

3. Rough Terrain Crane

Rough terrain crane is special type of vehicle mounted crane. This crane is used for off-road construction work or rough terrain places where a normal vehicle mounted crane is not suitable. Specially designed rubber tires are used for this crane and outriggers are provided at the base of the vehicle to provide stability while working.

4. Crawler Crane

This is a movable crane but the movement of vehicle is done by tracks due to which they do not require outriggers for stability. Their lifting capacity is very high (40 tons to 3500 tons). Because of tracked system it can move to any site even in soft soils. It is capable of traveling with load and is used for heavy load transport in the construction site.

5. All Terrain Crane

It is also mobile crane which can move at same speed in the paved road as well as in rough terrains. It has more number of wheels than normal vehicle and they balance the vehicle without overturning in rough terrains. So we can use this crane instead of both truck mounted crane and rough terrain crane for dual purpose.

6. Railroad Crane

Railroad cranes are used for construction of railway line, repairing and maintaining of railroad. These have flanged wheels at its bottom which can be moved in rail track only.

7. Telescopic Handler Crane

Telescopic cranes are used to handle pallet of bricks, to install steel trusses at the top etc. and has forklift type part at the end of boom. They also have outriggers at its base. The crane part is rotatable to 360^o.

8. Harbor Cranes

Harbor cranes are provided in port areas for loading and unloading of ships.

9. Floating Crane

Floating cranes are required for bridge construction, port construction. They are also used to load and unload the ships. They have capacity up to 9000 tons. So these are also useful to lift sunk ships from water.

10. Aerial Crane

These are also called as sky cranes. It looks like helicopter and are used when the target is difficult to reach by land. Cables are used to lift the material.

11. Telescopic Crane

Telescopic crane has a large boom in which number of tubes are fitted one inside the other. These tubes extend outwards by hydraulic mechanism. It is used to build signal towers, rescue operations, lifting boats from water etc..

12. Level Luffing Cranes

Level luffing crane has a hinged jib which move up and down enabling the crane arm to move inwards and outwards. It is used in shipyards to place containers or to unload ships.