DICA launches resource page for ground conditions

DICA has released a new manual on its website to help users better assess and understand ultimate 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 to properly position the equipment and to use appropriate pads (area, strength and stiffness) to keep the equipment upright.

Also included on the resource page are best practices to determine soil bearing capacity, tips for equipment-specific planning and lift-specific planning.

Knowing the strength of the ground helps planners and operators identify the pad area needed to reduce bearing pressures to levels the ground can withstand, the company said. 

“Undersized outrigger pads create risk and can lead to unstable conditions,” said Kris Koberg, CEO, DICA. “However, oversized pads increase weight, product cost, and ongoing transportation costs. DICA uses its Everyday Fitting Process to help owners and users determine and define assumptions, which results in identifying the right outrigger pad or support system that aligns with 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 of State to determine the Ultimate Ground Bearing Capacity and the Allowable Ground Bearing Capacity.