5.

Structural Analysis
5.1.

Global load effects

Structural analysis can be divided into the global and local analysis. The
global structural analysis is concerned with the crane runway as flexural
member and should, wherever possible, include the building frame. The
local analysis covers top flange and bearing details. The building frame
is not a static assemblage of members resisting reactions from the crane
runway, but an interactive system. Lateral spacing of the building
columns has to be related to the crane rail gauge and minimum
clearances dictated by the crane manufacturer. Figure 10 shows the
typical frame arrangement.
NF

SWL
CL

Gmin.
E

Fig 10.

ST

Frame / runway relation

Moving loads transmitted to the rails act simultaneously in three

directions: vertical, lateral and longitudinal thus 3D analysis is more
suited. Figure 11 illustrates the load effect diagrams. Global design
should be carried out generally in accordance with the AS 4100 and AS
1418.18. The runway code allows the design to be alternatively based
on the working stress method as specified in AS 3990. Most recent
graduates would find the working stress method cumbersome, having
been trained in the use of limit states design. This text only refers to limit
states design method except for the serviceability checks.

19

Crane Runway Girders -- Limit States Design

5.2.

Analysis for global loads

The global load effects include bending moments Mz and My at the

critical section, axial loads and shear forces. The determination of global
load effects is usually accomplished by moving the load train across the
beam in such a location that maximum bending moment be obtained.
The envelope of maximum bending moments and shears is often useful.
The influence line method can be very useful when analysing
continuous crane runways. The length of increments should be not more
than 0.05L in order to minimise the computational error. Figure 11
illustrates the method. For manual calculations and only two wheel loads
per side use can be made of Ref 36.
Resultant

c
P

m = midspan

*
1

x 2m
L
P *2 a
where x m = 0.5 L *
(P 1 + P *2)
Envelope curve of maximum bending moments at
all points along the beam is obtained graphically as
shown. The distance c to the resultant is
P *2 a
c=
*
( P 1 + P *2)
M *1 = M *max = (P *1 + P *2)

P *2

xm

M *2

M *1

ac
2

c2

a ---c

At the larger of the two loads, P1

M m2 = M m1 P *2 a

c
Parabola

M
m
BM Envelope

M *m1

P *1

P *2

*
3

R Amax = P 1 + P *2

(L a)
L

*
m2

P *4

The Influence line for the bending moment at mid point

m is constructed as shown.
The maximum ordinate for midspan BM is:
y m = 0.25
The load train is positioned by trial and error until the
maximum bending moment is obtained. For any distance
x it is necessary to compute the ordinates
y 1, y 2

y1

y2

y4
y3
y m = 0.25

Influence line for midspan section

Fig 11.

then the bending moment at m is

M *m = (P *1 y 1 + P *2 y 2 + P *3 y 3 )L
this is repeated for adjoining sections until the
maximum value of M *m is determined.

Bending moment envelope and influence lines

Global design consists of verification of:

Bending moment resistance, in vertical plane, inclusive off
lateral torsional buckling
Lateral bending moment resistance in horizontal plane
Shear resistance
Torsion resistance
Resistance to axial loads combined with bending

20

Crane Runway Girders -- Limit States Design

Lateral torsional capacity shall be determined in accordance with AS

4100 -- Steel Structures.
Capacity verification is required at the critical of cross sections: at
midspan, over supports, cantilever springing, change of girder depth
and for each relevant load combination.
Lateral load pattern is often different from the vertical load pattern as can
be seen from Figure 12, and thus it is necessary to consider all loads.
Where computer analysis is used it is convenient to combine the vertical
and horizontal load in the same load train to obtain the reliable maximum
BMs and shears and being weary of wheels which lay off span.
Load train
N *wi

ey

N *yi

Lateral Load, N *y1

ht
c1

*
h N y1

M *T1
h

H *31 = N *y1

h
H *21 =

Forces at position 1
H *12
H *11

H *11 =

SC
CG

M xmax

M *T1 = N *w1.e y + N *y1.h t

M *T1

Dead load of girder

rail and fixtures.

Shear centre
Centre of gravity

R * = resultant
N *w2

N *w1

M *T1
h

c1
h

c2

SC

c1
H *41 = N *y1

H *32
2

H *31
1

H *42
H *41
Beam
isometric

Fig 12.

21

M *yt2

H *22

M *yt1
M *yb2

H *21
M *yb1

Bending Moment
Diagrams

Global analysis for vertical and torsional loads

Crane Runway Girders -- Limit States Design

c2
h

Crane Runway Girders

Limit States Design
Second Edition 2003

AUSTRALIAN STEEL INSTITUTE

(ABN)/ACN (94) 000 973 839

Branko Gorenc

Contents

1.

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.

Runway & Crane System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.1.
2.2.
2.3.
2.4.
3.

Crane types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Crane runway girders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Monorail beams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Building columns and frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3
5
7
8

Classification of Cranes and Runways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3.1.
3.2.
3.3.
3.4.
3.5.
3.6.
4.

Reason for crane classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Utilisation Class Global design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Local Utilization class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Multiple Cranes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Structural Class v/s Group Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Duty Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9
9
10
10
11
11

Crane Loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12

4.1.
4.2.
4.3.
4.4.
4.5.
4.6.
4.7.
4.8.
5.

Load determination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Load combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dynamic factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Long travel acceleration forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wind on crane and hoisted load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Buffer impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Oblique travelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Approximate load determination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12
12
14
14
15
16
16
17

Structural Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

19

5.1.
5.2.
5.3.
5.4.
6.

Global load effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Analysis for global loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Curved monorail beams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Girder cross section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

19
19
22
22

Design Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

24

6.1.
6.2.
6.3.
6.4.
6.5.
6.6.
6.7.
6.8.
6.9.
6.10.
6.11.

Design for strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Torsion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Torsion Capacity by rigorous method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lateral stability of the runway girder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Box Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Design for fatigue resistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Local load effects in the top flange region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Web stiffeners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lateral restraints at columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
End stops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Monorail beams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Crane Runway Girders - Limit States Design

24
25
25
26
26
27
27
33
34
35
36
iii

7.

Design for Fatigue Resistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7.1.
7.2.
7.3.
7.4.

40

General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stress analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Number of stress cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fatigue Verification by AS 4100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

40
40
41
42

8.

Deflection Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

43

9.

Detail Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45

9.1.
9.2.
9.3.
9.4.
9.5.
9.6.
9.7.
9.8.
9.9.

Detailing practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bolted connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Welded joints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Splices in simply supported runways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Avoidance of lamellar tearing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Web stiffeners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
End bearing stiffeners and bearing details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Crane columns and corbels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Longitudinal Bracing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45
45
45
46
46
47
48
50
51

10. Rails and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

52

10.1.
10.2.
10.3.
10.4.

Rail splices and expansion joints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Rail fixings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Resilient bedding strips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

52
53
54
54

11. Materials, Fabrication, Workmanship and Tolerances . . . . . . . . . . .

55

11.1.
11.2.
11.3.
11.4.

Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Workmanship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Welding top hat sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tolerances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

55
55
56
56

12. Inspection and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

57

13. Numerical Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

58

14. Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

67

15. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

69

Crane Runway Girders - Limit States Design

iv

List of Figures

Fig 1.
Fig 2.
Fig 3.
Fig 4.
Fig 5.
Fig 6.
Fig 7.
Fig 8.
Fig 9.
Fig 10.
Fig 11.
Fig 12.
Fig 13.
Fig 14.
Fig 15.
Fig 16.
Fig 17.
Fig 18.
Fig 19.
Fig 20.
Fig 21.
Fig 22.
Fig 23.
Fig 24.
Fig 25.
Fig 26.
Fig 27.
Fig 28.
Fig 29.
Fig 30.
Fig 31.
Fig 32.
Fig 33.
Fig 34.
Fig 35.
Fig 36.
Fig 37.
Fig 38.
Fig 39.
Fig 40.
Fig 41.
Fig 42.
Fig 43.
Fig 44.

Types of overhead running cranes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Types of crane drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Runway Static System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Monorail beam and cranes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Relation between building frame and the runway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Inertial forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Buffers and Buffer impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Oblique travel forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Crane wheel loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Frame / runway relation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bending moment envelope and influence lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Global analysis for vertical and torsional loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Curved monorail beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Types of cross section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Top Hat (a) and lipped sections (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Localized effects in the top flange area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Web crushing (AS4100 method) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Buckling of the web panel due to patch load
acting in the plane of the web (AS 4100 method) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transverse bending of web due to torque . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transverse bending of top flange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elastomeric strips reduce transverse bending of flange . . . . . . . . . . .
Web stiffeners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lateral movement and rotation at girder bearing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Forces on end stops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Monorail bottom flange stresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Comparison of Becker(15) vs BHP plots for Cz
under the wheel load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stress range vs number of stress cycles for normal stress
and shear stresses (excerpt from AS4100) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deflection limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rail meandering in practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bolted intermediate web stiffeners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Welded girder splices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Web stiffener details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
End bearing stiffeners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bearings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unsatisfactory bearing details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Types of supporting columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Longitudinal Expansion due to temperature
and bracing of crane columns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
More bearings and crane rail splice details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Common rail fixings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Soft bedding of rails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Welding access to top hat welds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Applied Loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section and Girder Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Forces from trolley acceleration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Crane Runway Girders - Limit States Design

3
4
6
7
8
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
23
27
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
42
44
44
45
46
47
48
49
49
50
51
53
54
54
56
58
58
59
v