Culture of Using Mobile Cranes for Building Construction

While tower cranes traditionally are identified with high-rise, congested urban building construction, and mobile cranes primarily are associated with heavy civil and infrastructure construction, there exists a vast population of building projects where both are feasible. The question, then, is: why are different crane types used under similar project conditions in different geographic areas (e.g., tower cranes in Europe, mobile cranes in the United States)? This paper examines the culture of using mobile cranes for building construction, as observed in the southwestern United States. Project-specific and environmental characteristics are identified, classified, and described, while comparatively relating to tower crane practice. The role of non–project-specific factors (such as planning culture, operating style, employment patterns, and market organization) is emphasized in shaping the mobile crane culture. A rather homogeneous population of projects with distinct features, such as short construction duration, spacious sites, and supportive terrain, creates the grounds for this culture's evolution. Understanding the relationships between and within project and environmental characteristics is vital for a construction market that is becoming global and for a fresh examination of traditional equipment selection practices.