As a material handler, the crane plays a vital role within the operations of the
manufacturing, construction, and shipping industries. Objects of all shapes and sizes are
conveyed with the crane to improve productivity and reduce worker fatigue. The crane's
capacity to operate efficiently and safely however, suffers from payload pendulations.
This cyclic motion of crane cable and payload produces schedule delays, property
damage, and high risk to personnel.
Current pendulation reduction systems have typically been applied to overhead cranes
within the manufacturing and shipping industries. The construction industry in contrast,
has failed to innovate tower and mobile cranes. This can be traced to the complexity of
the construction operation and the conditions under which the construction crane
performs.
This thesis aims to improve productivity and safety within the construction industry
through the application of damping systems on construction cranes. To achieve this goaL
an experimental model will be developed and tested. The design process will include an
analysis of operational constraints, theoretical design, and physical testing.
Tuned mass damping will be investigated as the basis for the damping control method.
Theory will be detailed and incorporated in a mathematical simulation. The tuned mass
damper, a cantilevered rod, will be designed and tested for application. The system will
then be coupled to a scaled crane model for testing. Data analysis will be used to define
the models effectiveness. From the theoretical analysis and physical testing, a conceptual
model will be defined. Subjects for future research will also be presented.
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