Load Test Procedures for In-Service Shiploaders

Transport Canada, the regulatory body that sets and monitors port and marine facility service standards in Canada, now requires that in-service load tests prescribed in the Canada Shipping Act be applied to bulk material shiploaders that have historically only been load tested during initial commissioning as proof of the design and construction prior to entering service. Load testing requirements include applying a Test Load equal to between 110% and 125% of the Safe Working Load (SWL) over the full range of machine motions, and these tests must be carried out every 5 years. The codes and standards used to design these machines do not require that lateral loads associated with the movements of the machine be taken into consideration in combination with significant loads, which were considered to be applied either statically or independent of other special loads. The SWL of the machine must first be determined, which represents the loads that could reasonably be foreseen as being applied to a machine over its operating life, typically a point load applied at the boom tip in combination with a number of distributed loads applied over the length of the boom. To verify the appropriateness of the SWL, detailed structural modeling is undertaken or original design loads and drawings are reviewed, if available, and a detailed visual, non-destructive condition assessment of the machine is completed. Finally, several methods have been developed to efficiently apply the Test Load in a manner that simulates the factored maximum in-service loads estimated to occur over the operating life of a machine. This paper is not intended to be a comprehensive manual on undertaking load tests on in-service shiploaders. Persons performing such tests must make their own determinations and assume sole responsibility for testing procedures, requirements and results.