Working platforms for cranes – review of design approaches and recommendations for a safe design

This paper provides a technical insight into the essential aspects to be considered in the proper design of a safe working platform for heavy construction machinery. Considering the complexity of the operational boundary conditions, the uncertainties of the ground characteristics and the variability of the loads applied by the construction machinery, a clear understanding of the possible failure modes and the definition of a criterion for the design of countermeasures seems to be essential in this application. This can be better achieved by considering the significant increase in cost and time delays associated with the failure of the working platforms. This paper discusses various possible failure mechanisms in the working platforms and examines the advantages of using geosynthetic reinforcing elements to avoid the risk of failure.