SPOTCHECKSAFETY

Are rules needed on

trailer stability?
Heavy lift
specialist Richard
Krabbendam asks
whether there
should be
internationally accepted
stability criteria established
governing the transport of
over-dimensional cargo.

I
t was October 2009 when I addressed
the World Crane and Transport Summit
in Amsterdam with a paper entitled
‘Rules on trailer stability are needed’. CoG
The audience agreed with me that the
industry should work on some transportation
guidelines concerning stability issues. The
strange thing about this is that we do have
stability rules in place for ships (from the
International Maritime Organization) as well
as for cranes, but up to now nothing has been

2,577
1,780
agreed upon regarding stability criteria
concerning the transport of over-dimensional 14
cargo (ODC).
º
Although a committee was established by
ESAA (European Schwertransport-
Automobilkran Association) and the
Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association
(SC&RA), and input from various
companies has been discussed, there are still
1,000

no accepted rules concerning stability issues

1,190

of heavy and oversized loads being

transported on hydraulic platform trailer
(HPT) units. Let me try to discuss the
guidelines, which should be adhered to
when stability of a heavy and high load 3,000
becomes critical. Fig 1 Two axles front view
When a heavy load is being transported,
we first have to select the right trailer for the
job. Depending on the weight and the size asphalt, any cambers, turns and so on? areas, ravines and so on?
of the object the trailer can be selected on ! What kind of axle line loads can be ! What is the maximum allowable ground
the basis of various criteria, which are all accepted on the public roads and bridges? load?
determined by – but not limited to – a ! How high is the centre of gravity (CoG) Based on that set of criteria a good start to
number of issues such as: of the load above its base? select the right HPT is to take the weight of
! Is it a short distance site move or a long ! What obstacles are expected along the the load in tonnes and divide that by 25-tonne/
haul on public roads? transport route? axle line in order to establish the required
! What is the road condition? Dirt road, ! Are there any gradients, cambers, narrow number of axle lines needed. One axle line is

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SPOTCHECKSAFETY

50 m

Diamter 7.5 m
15 m 15 m

466 tonnes
Fig 2

defined as consisting of two axles, each with six-axle lines will be either 20 or 24-axle tipping angle between the vertical line
four tyres on a 3 m wide HPT (see Figure 1, lines. With saddles at 30 m apart from each through the CoG and tipping lines is less
page 71). The number of axle lines must be other, we cannot place a single 20-axle line, then 8°, we say the stability is critical. With a
rounded off to a multiple of four or six, as 3 m wide trailer under the load. With a load as shown in Figure 1, the theoretical
these trailer units are most commonly in use. trailer length of 20 m x 1.5 m (axle line tipping angle at a four-point suspension
distance) the HPT will be 30 m long and the system is Arctg (890/3577) = 14°, which is
Case study saddles will be on the far ends of the trailer, more than 8°, so it is acceptable.
resulting in an unacceptable bending A good rule of thumb is: when the load
Let us illustrate this with an example. We moment in the trailer frame. has a diameter that is twice the width of the
want to transport a large and long column Would a 3 m wide 24-axle line trailer be trailer, you need to watch out for possible
weighing 466 tonnes, with a diameter of okay then? Not really, as the trailer is now tipping of the load. How can we calculate
7.5 m, a length of 50 m and with transport 36 m long and only 3 m wide. With a the theoretical stability angle? To explain that
saddles 30 m apart symmetrical to the CoG diameter of 7.5 m this results in the load we need to learn a bit more about the
of the load (see Figure 2). Dividing the having a high CoG above the trailer and suspension system of a conventional
weight of 466 tonnes by 25, we get the consequently with critical stability. What is hydraulic platform trailer. Although the
number 18.64. The next multiple of four or critical stability? When the theoretical same principles apply to self-propelled
modular transporters (SPMTs) as well, I will
6 6 limit it to conventional hydraulic platform
trailers in this article.

1 3 Suspension systems
Hydraulic platform trailers are ideal transport
means to equalise the loads between all axles.
2 4 All axles are suspended by hydraulic
cylinders, which are connected to each other
Symmetrical four-point suspension by built-in hydraulic oil pipes and valves.
Opening and closing the right valves can
group the axles in a so-called three or four-
point suspension system as shown in Figure
1
3 3. The lines between the coloured virtual
suspension points are the tipping lines.
Figure 3 shows a 12-axle line platform
trailer that can be switched to either a three
2
or four-point suspension system. It is just
the opening or closing of one valve that
separates group three and four. When the
Asymmetrical three-point suspension valve is open, the oil can easily flow from the
suspension cylinders of point three to axles
in point four and vice versa. So when do we
1 use a three-point suspension system, and
3
when is a four-point suspension system
applied?
From a mechanical point of view, we
2 know that a three-point suspension system is
statically defined, while the four-point
suspension system is not. Compare it with a
Fig 3 Symmetrical three-point suspension table on three legs where all the table legs
will always be supported, even on an uneven

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 SPOTCHECKSAFETY

trailers, instead requiring 12-axle lines (3 m

wide). The transport contractor can load
Fig 4 both 12-axle line HPTs on top of each other,
as well as the two turntables, and at the
client yard take them apart and assemble one
12-axle line HPT into a double wide six-axle
line unit with turntable.
By leaving the other 12-axle line HPT as a
single unit, it saves the client the time
required to assemble the unit into a double
width HPT, and then after the job having to
dismantle it again. The stability of the load is
guaranteed by the double width HPT
combination at the rear. Another advantage is
that the longer 12-axle line trailer will point
so far forward that the tractor ballast does not
ground surface. When we take a four-legged with two six-axle lines coupled side by side. interfere with the column head, which could
table on uneven ground it will always In order to cope with the support saddles so have been the case when a double width six-
wobble between various legs. Most of our far apart, we need to outfit our double width axle line HPT was selected. HLPFI
tables are equipped with four legs, as it offers platform trailers with turntables. So a good
the best stability and they stand on an even choice would be to configure the two sets of ! The next article in this series will analyse some
ground surface. double width six-axle line HPTs with examples of trailer transport that have tipped over.
Only when we need to roll over uneven turntables (see Figure 5). But as you can see
ground surfaces do we prefer a three-point in the picture, it seems that they are using a Please note, this article is intended for guidance only.
suspension system, as it equalises the loads single wide 12-axle line platform trailer at Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the
between the axles automatically, despite the the front and a double width 6-axle line accuracy of the contents, no responsibility will be
fact that it is a less stable transport trailer at the rear. All of them are equipped accepted by the publishers for any errors.
combination. But we have to watch the with turntables. Why has the transport
Richard Krabbendam has been a heavy lift specialist
stability, as it is a lot less than with a contractor selected this combination and not during his whole working career after which he formed
four-point suspension system. two units, double width with six-axle lines? Krabbendam Advies Service. A Master of Mechanical
From Figure 3 it is obvious that an Engineering from Delft University of Technology, he has
worked with BigLift and Mammoet, and was a co-founder of
asymmetrical suspension system offers Economic reasons ITREC. He helped to set up Jumbo Offshore and was involved
better stability than a symmetrical
in the development of its super heavy lift carrier fleet, the
three-point suspension system. It is for economic reasons that a single 3 m J-Class, which uses two 900-tonne mast cranes for subsea
As the diameter is too large for a single wide trailer was chosen at the front and a installation works. Since his retirement from Jumbo he has
3 m wide trailer, we have selected to use double width six-axle line trailer at the rear. been working as a freelance trainer/engineering consultant.
24-axle lines and configure them into two The HPTs cannot be moved to the client
www.jumbo-offshore.com www.heavyliftspecialist.com
double width trailers (2 x 2 x 6 lines), each over public roads as 6.2 m wide, six-axle line

Fig 5

www.heavyliftpfi.com May/June 2013 75