Crane fleet selection: the case of the PEI bridge

Efficient material management on job sites is generally attributed to optimized selection and location of cranes on those sites. Starting with the project characteristics and site constraints (e.g. planned construction sequence, schedule requirements and site constraints), this paper describes the selection and configuration of the fleet used for heavy lifts in the production of the pre-cast concrete elements used in the construction of the 12.9 km bridge connecting PEI and the mainland. The paper explains the nature of the information received from the general contractor, the process of selecting and locating each crane in the fleet, the transportation and assembly of the selected cranes on the job site, and their dismantling and demobilization. The paper also highlights the value of interactive communication between the end user (the contractor) and the service provider (the crane supplier) during the early planning stage, and later during construction.