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Nov. 21, 2023 – DICA’s website now offers a new resource that helps users better assess and understand soil strengths and allowable ground bearing pressures.
Before setting up a crane or other equipment with outriggers, it’s essential to evaluate the ground conditions.
Knowing the strength of the ground helps planners and operators choose pads with the right area, strength, and stiffness to reduce bearing pressures to levels the ground can withstand.
“Undersized outrigger pads create risk and can lead to unstable conditions. However, oversized pads increase weight, product cost, and ongoing transportation costs,” said Kris Koberg, CEO of DICA.
Koberg added that DICA uses its Everyday Fitting Process to help equipment owners and users identify the right outrigger pad or support system for their needs.
The resource page, Determining Your Soil Bearing Capacity, defines important terms like Ultimate Bearing Capacity and Allowable Ground Bearing Pressure.
It also includes a soil bearing capacity chart that outlines the ground type and density to determine the ultimate ground bearing capacity and the allowable ground bearing capacity.
The resource page also includes best practices for determining soil bearing capacity, tips for equipment-specific planning, and lift-specific planning.
Determining Your Soil Bearing Capacity is one of a dozen resources available on the DICA website.
Others include 10 Tips for Safe Crane Setups, Crane Pad and Outrigger Pad Sizing Graph, a deep dive into the difference between Stiffness vs. Strength in Outrigger Pad Selection, and more.
All of DICA’s available resources are under the Resources tab on the website, www.dicausa.com.
