INTELLIGENT POSITIONING OF MOBILE CRANES FOR STRUCTURAL STEEL ERECTION - Technical Report No. 18 - August 1990

Oct 23, 2026

The thesis addresses the high cost of cranes in structural steel erection by using artificial intelligence to determine an optimal plan. It develops a method to select crane paths and define the steel erection sequence, converting erection procedures into logic-based rules. Three steel erector case studies inform process and information needs, and a generic single-story steel framed building is modeled. A production rule system implements a Prolog program called PRECISE, which computes minimum crane positions and resulting members.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages175

Reading Time7 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

List of Figures

List of Tables

Glossary

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1. Introduction

Steel Erection

Problem Statement

Objectives

Methods

Scope

Summary and Reader's Guide

Chapter 2. The Structural Steel Planning Process and Information Requirements

Research in Construction Planning Using Cranes

Integrated Building Process Model

Definition of Information Requirement

Questionnaire Development

Selection of Experts and Data Collection

Interview Procedure

Responses to Planning Questionnaire

Information Requirements

Discussion

Summary

INTELLIGENT POSITIONING OF MOBILE CRANES FORSTRUCTURAL STEEL ERECTION by Karl A.Raynar Technical Report No.18CopyrightAugust 1990 Computer Integrated Construction Research ProgramDepartment of Architectural EngineeringThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park,PA 16802 iii # ABSTRACT The crane is the single most important equipment cost item required forerecting structural steel.This thesis uses arificial intelligence techniques to findthe minimum number of crane positions necessary to erect structural steel.Amethod is developed for selecting the crane paths and determining the steelerection sequence. Case studies are conducted of three steel erectors to determine theprocess and information requirements for planning structural steel erection.Ageneric single story steel framed building is developed consisting of basicstructural elements.The steel erection procedures are converted into logicbased rules.A control strategy is devised to analyze the various combinationsof possible crane positions.The generic building,rules and control strategy areincorporated into a production rule system.The result is a Prolog computerprogram called PRECISE,which will find the optimal crane positions and thestructural members erected from each crane position.The program istested on three different buildings using four different cranes.The application ofthe PRECISE program to compare costs and schedule times is presented. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………xi LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………xiii GLOSSARY……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………xiv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS………………………………………………………………………………………………xvi Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………………1 1.1 Steel Erection……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………1 1.1.1 The Structural Steel Erection Process……………………………………………………………1 1.1.2 Steel Erection Planning……………………………………………………………………………………4 1.1.3 Future Directions in Erection Planning……………………………………………………6 1.2 Problem Statement………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………8 1.3 Objectives……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………8 1.3.1 Understand the Process for Planning Structural Steel Erection and Define Information Requirement…………………………………9 1.3.2 Define a Generic Building and Develop Rules for Steel Erection Procedures………………………………………………………………………………………9 1.3.3 Develop a Program for Optimizing the Positioning of a Mobile Crane for Steel Erection………………………………………………………………………9 1.3.4 Test the Program…………………………………………………………………………………………10 1.4 Methods……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10 1.4.1 Understand the Process for Planning Structural Steel Erection and Define Information Requirements………………………………10 1.4.2 Define a Generic Building and Develop Rules for Steel Erection Procedures…………………………………………………………………………………12 1.4.3 Develop the Positioning Review and Evaluation of Cranes In Steel Erection(PRECISE) Program………………………………12 1.4.4 Test the PRECISE Program…………………………………………………………………………13 1.5 Scope ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………13 1.6 Summary and Reader's Guide………………………………………………………………………………14 V Chapter 2. THE STRUCTURAL STEEL PLANNING PROCESS AND INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS…………………………………………………15 2.1 Research in Construction Planning Using Cranes………………………………………15 2.2 Integrated Building Process Model………………………………………………………………………18 2.3 Definition of Information Requirement…………………………………………………………………20 2.4 Questionnaire Development……………………………………………………………………………………22 2.5 Selection of Experts and Data Collection………………………………………………23 2.6 Interview Procedure…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………24 2.7 Responses to Planning Questionnaire……………………………………………………………………24 2.7.1 Determine Scope and Coordinate Plan…………………………………………25 2.7.2 Select Erection Methods……………………………………………………………………………………25 2.7.3 Estimate…………………………………………………………………………………………………

FAQs

What problem does the report focus on in structural steel erection?

It targets crane positioning as the dominant equipment cost factor in erecting structural steel, aiming to minimize the number of crane locations required.

How does the thesis use artificial intelligence in the planning process?

It develops logic-based rules and a control strategy to analyze combinations of possible crane positions, then computes an optimal plan for crane paths and erection sequences.

What is the PRECISE program and what does it produce?

PRECISE is a Prolog computer program that determines optimal crane positions and identifies which structural members are erected from each crane position.

Oct 23, 2026

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