When extreme winds blow, cranes sometimes collapse. If one tie-down fails, a crane can break loose and roll down the rails, destroying neighboring cranes. Although other crane structural failures can occur during extreme winds, crane to-wharf tie-down systems are often the weak link for full crane collapse, and thereby deserve more attention.
The likelihood of catastrophes in ports can be greatly reduced if the design and fabrication is sound and the tie-downs are maintained. Locations that experience tropical cyclones (also called typhoons or hurricanes) nearly always require ship-toshore (STS) cranes be tied down to the wharf structure to prevent overturning. Due to increases in crane height and outreach, without commensurate increase in the width and gage of cranes, overturning moments in storm wind conditions are now reaching magnitudes…
