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Crane Mat Design - Engineering Research

Beginning in 2009, David Duerr, P.E. (ret.) conducted a detailed study of the strength and behavior of crane mats. The goal of this work was an improved understanding of the strength of mats, particularly timber mats, how mats on soil behave under the loads imposed by a mobile crane, and the development of a practical mat design method that provides a suitable level of reliability without using gross approximations.

The first product of this work was the paper "Effective Bearing Length of Crane Mats," which was presented at the 2010 Crane & Rigging Conference in Houston. This paper is used as a reference in Keith Anderson's book Rigging Engineering Basics in the chapter on load spreading for mobile cranes. The methods developed in this paper are greatly expanded upon and explained in detail in the Mobile Crane Support Handbook.

In January 2019, David Duerr, P.E. (ret.) began working with the North American Matting Association. NAMA is a new organization made up of suppliers and users of crane mats and roadway mats. The organization is currently developing a new standard for the manufacture of various types of mats. Timbers mats, laminated mats, and mats made of synthetic materials will all be covered. Updated information will be posted here as it develops.

Mobile Crane Support Handbook, second edition, is available from the Industrial Training International Bookstore as well as Amazon.com, IndieBound, and other online sellers.

Errata sheet for Mobile Crane Support Handbook, second edition.

Mobile Crane Support Handbook, written by David Duerr, P.E. (ret.), is a comprehensive reference that is focused exclusively on the design and engineering of supports for mobile crane installations. The book addresses the full range of subjects needed for the engineering of mobile crane support in construction job site situations. Topics covered include support reactions from crawler and outrigger-supported cranes, soil bearing capacity, analysis of subsurface structures, strength of crane mats, practical design methods, and industry standards and regulations.

Additional information about this book, including the full table of contents, is available on the Levare Press site.

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As of October 1, 2019, 2DM Associates, Inc. is no longer providing professional engineering services.