How the Tower Crane Helped Build the Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is now the tallest and most established building in the world. From the initial designing of the building back in 2004 to the finished product when it was finally opened in 2010, so much thought, effort and manual labour had to be considered when building this magnificent structure. From the concrete foundations to the steeple at the top, the building stands at precisely 830m or 2716.5 feet. Just to give you some perspective, another large building you will be familiar with is the Empire State Building, which stands at381m (1250 feet). The Burj Khalifa is the 21st century’s eighth wonder of the world and has set many records in architectural affluence.

The backbone behind this amazement is a lot of man-hours. 22 million hours to be exact. This involved 60 different contracting and consulting companies with the help of 12,000 workers every day for 6 years to help contribute to the construction of the building. With the collaboration of assistance and aid of the tower crane, 163 floors; 58 lifts ( which run speed of 10 metres per second) 304 hotels and 900 apartments were assembled within the building.

How Cranes Helped Build The Burj Khalifa

Without the help and source of the tower crane, or tower crane(s) and other high-level cranes, none of this work would ever have been possible. The machines were working 24 hours for the majority of the production, with about 35 machine workers operating them around the clock. The loads on the cranes normally consisted of holding heavy steels; welding and scaffolding equipment. Diesel was also carried to help power the tower crane.

The assembling of the tower crane was pretty straight forward, as this required sections of the crane being moved up to a higher level. However, the dismantling of these cranes was not as smooth running. The first crane was lowered in 2007, another the year after, leaving one prominent crane stuck at the top. This left people wondering if this would be achievable to dismantle and descend. Another smaller crane was sent up to support and dismantle some aspects, then lowered. The last few components of the crane were dismantled automatically and independently. The disassembling process of the Burj Khalifa had to be an organised and well-formulated operation for everything to run as smoothly as possible.

The Burj Khalifa is the monarch of all architecture projects and nothing like we have ever seen before. This is and will continue to be a dazzling asset to the United Arab Emirates… until the next big skyscraper is designed (with of course the help of many different cranes.)

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The choice of crane you decide on hiring can have a big impact on the work you will be undergoing. Although there are plenty of different types of cranes, we typically narrow our cranes down to just two, mobile cranes and tower cranes. They have proved to be popular, efficient and each has strengths and weaknesses which make them unique to one another. In this blog post, we will describe in detail the benefits and functions of both cranes, helping to distinguish which of the two would be more favourable to you.

The Tower Crane

The tower crane is one of the most commonly used cranes for transporting and loading the largest and heaviest materials. They easily surpass other different types of cranes lifting capabilities and power due to its precision, efficiency and stability, in addition to their incredible power and strength, another characteristic’s tower cranes hold is their impressive height abilities as their height capacity can rarely be matched by any other type of crane. The tower crane has become a key component within the construction industry, due to the varied operations they can help facilitate.

Tower Crane Advantages

– Tower Cranes are able to outperform the loading and lifting capacity of any other crane.

Their height capacity cannot be paired with any other type of crane.

They have immense stability and can bear the most difficult lifting operations.

Tower Crane Disadvantages

– Tower cranes are notoriously expensive to buy and hire. They require money, time and effort to be manoeuvred and operated.

Tower cranes come with a high maintenance cost for repairs and depreciation

They are a difficult task to install

The Mobile Crane

The mobile crane is a cable-operated crane that is mounted on crawlers or wheels, designed to transport goods easily from site to site. They have an independently working hydraulic system and can range from a fairly simple machine, designed with a telescopic boom on its platform, to a giant crane, clamped and equipped with a diverse range of attachments.

Although they are significantly smaller than the average crane, they have many advantages. They have a great ability to access small and awkward areas, that many other different types of cranes couldn’t access freely. This crane is also powerful enough to lift, hoist and carry heavy materials to great heights. Due to their size, they are generally simple machines and are low-maintenance to assemble and dismantle. The comparison for the amount of power you need to set up a tower crane is enormous in comparison to the little energy a mobile crane requires.

Advantages of Mobile Cranes

– Mobile cranes are easier and faster to set up in comparison to other different types of cranes, making lifting operations more practical.

Mobile cranes do not require a lot of space, due to their flexibility and ability to access areas where other different types of cranes cannot access or reach.

They are a more cost-effective option as well as being more environmentally friendly in comparison to other cranes that are available to hire.

Practicality

There are many different lifting operations where using a tower crane is not a practical option. Operations that go ahead such as statue lifting or indoor lifts, which cannot be carried out using a tower crane, in some cases, it would be more beneficial to use a mobile crane from a construction point of view.

Mobility is another point to put across, the difference between mobile cranes and tower cranes is how they manoeuvre. As their names suggest, mobile cranes are able to move around independently whereas tower cranes are fixated to a single spot once they are set up. Mobile cranes are capable to move from site to site and are roadworthy, unlike the tower crane that cannot move around once set-up.

The versatility of the mobile crane exceeds the ability and capacities of most different types of cranes which give the crane dominance over others. However, the tower crane is the ideal machine for the operation of lifts on intense and heavy-duty construction sites.

NMT Crane Hire Services

Here at NMT Crane Hire, we pride ourselves on the strong reputation we have, based on our quality service and experience we have built up over the past 20 years in the industry. We continue to invest in new technology that you can feel confident in us ensuring we meet all of your needs.

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If you require any further information on the different types of cranes we have available here at NMT Crane Hire, please visit our plant and crane hire page on the other products we provide, speak to one of our friendly professionals by filling out an online form or give us a call today on 0800 026 6985

How Temperature Can Affect Crane Safety

Working in construction can often strike up many complications when it comes to the weather. The winter brings the bitter cold, the rain and snow that can be problematic and time-consuming to your work schedule, whilst the summer can bring dry and hot conditions that can also cause major issues. Using heavy lifting equipment can be dangerous on a good day, but when you’re working in difficult weather conditions, crane safety becomes so much more important. This blog will explain how temperatures can affect your crane safety and the impact this can have on you as a worker. We will explain what you need to do to stay safe and how to keep your equipment in good condition.

Hot and Dry Weather

Operating cranes in hot temperatures can cause major issues in delaying and causing damage to your work. Hot weather conditions can cause issues such as rapid evaporation and absorption of water from mortar when there is a lack of moisture within construction materials; this can have a dangerous and negative effect when handling and lifting them with cranes. Ultimately, you need to be examining the materials before handling, lifting and moving them to protect yourself from accidents occurring.

When practising crane safety within hot conditions, it’s important to remember that heat can reduce the effectiveness of your crane seals. When these seals are damaged, this can lead to other broken parts causing further issues down the line. It is very important that you do not expose your seals to direct sunlight to prevent damaging your equipment (especially in hot conditions).

Operating cranes in hot weather can often form dust and dirt if cranes are not cleaned, maintained and looked after efficiently, the accumulation of dirt can cause problems with equipment. Make sure you are cleaning and lubricating your equipment to avoid damage and practise thorough crane safety to keep yourself and others from causing a potential accident.

Working outdoors in the heat can not only cause problems with the machinery, but it can also cause stress and discomfort for workers. As an employer, it’s your job to make sure your workers are safe and follow the correct guidelines that have been set out. We would suggest:

-Workers are made aware of the symptoms related to heatstroke/ stress.
-Workers are taking frequent, short breaks to ensure they can take a rest in the shade and keep hydrated.
-Workers should be wearing weather-appropriate clothing and protection in the heat.
-Ensure workers wear SPF/ sun cream or have this available for them to use.

Cold Weather Conditions

Working with cranes and other heavy lifting equipment in cold temperatures can have a really negative effect on crane operations. The cold weather can reduce cranes precision and strength, causing them to fail. Every area of the crane can be negatively affected by cold temperatures. So extra precautions need to be taken, especially when the temperature drops below 0 degrees.

Not only can the cold temperatures be dangerous and have a negative effect on the crane machinery and practising crane safety, it can also become a big danger to those who are having to work in the conditions. Physical effects from working in the harsh conditions can lead to frostbite, hypothermia and pneumonia. In order to combat crane safety and general well-being of construction workers, it is important that your company has a plan for coping with the cold temperature.

Things you can do to prevent danger can consist of:
Covering all skin exposed
Maintaining dry hands and feet using a moisturiser
Taking frequent breaks into the warmth/ regular hot drinks
Plenty of layers and extra pairs of socks
Keeping hydrated to regulate body temperature

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If you would like any more information on crane safety, or you would be interested in learning more about the services NMT Crane Hire provides, please get in touch with one of our friendly team members by calling us on 0800 026 6985, or fill out one of our online enquiry forms.

How to Operate a Crane In Bad Weather

Operating a crane is a job which requires nerves of steel and an eye for precision at the best of times, yet when this profession is combined with adverse weather conditions, the job requires a whole other level of expertise. As we head into the colder months, NMT Crane Hire explains how to operate a crane when the weather takes a turn for the worst?

Strong Winds

Unsurprisingly, the most pressing issue presented to crane operators is strong winds. Being such tall and slender obstacles, strong winds pose an imminent threat to the stability of a crane. Despite being equipped with counterweights of varying sizes to cope with different conditions, cranes are typically restricted to lifting in conditions in excess of 20 mph. The typical industry practice will see most lifts postponed if winds creep up to and around the 15 mph mark to err on the side of caution.

Due to the stature and structure of a crane, there is no definitive answer as to how to operate a crane is windy conditions. The general rule of thumb will be to wait until the wind settles as health and safety is the priority of any lift.

Thunder and Lighting

When storms are brewing, there are a number of other problems which must be considered by crane operators. Although there are no official guidelines which offer guidance for operating in thunder and lighting, it is generally advised to abandon any lifting once thunder is detected at least 10 miles away. If the last sighting of thunder has been detected 10 miles away, the very next strike could be in your location, no matter if it is raining or not. As cranes are large metal structures, they are more likely to be struck by lightning as they are conductors of electricity, which is why abandoning the crane once thunder and lightning have been detected is advised. Do not return back to the cockpit of the crane until 30 minutes has passed since the last thunder strike. Again, it is better to be safe than sorry.

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For more information on how to operate a crane or other industry-relevant topics, head over to our news page. If you wish to learn more about our services, contact NMT Crane Hire on 0800 026 6985 or leave us a message via our online contact form.