mobile gantry crane design

[Qris]

I am looking for reference documents/books for the design of gantry crane like the one in the picture.
More specifically, for a given maximal load, how are the variables a,b,c,h1,alpha and beta choosen to obtain maximum stability and strength.

What are the best way to holds all these piece together without weakening the beam and post if wood is used as material?

Reference documents and mathematical relationship are prefered.

 

[dhengr]

Qris:
That’s a really tough one to do in wood, mainly because of the joints. Moment joints in small wood sections are vary difficult to do. The diag. kickers are tough to do well too. That gantry crane is much easier to design and build with light steel sections and pipe. You haven’t given any loads, span lengths, trolley and lifting equip. info., but they are essential for the discussion. Some of these span 150-200’ at ship yards and carry 100tons, while others span 8’ and lift a light motor block, which is it? You won’t find any grand text on this specific subject, it’s just std. struct./mech. engineering design. Dig out your engineering mechanics and strength of materials texts and go at it. The dimensions are yours to determine and design around. a & b are usually equal, what trolley travel span and total span do you want/need, angles are usually 45°, but they need not be. Google these cranes, you’ll see 100 variations on the theme, some details better than others, etc. and that’s your guide. Otherwise, it is straight forward engineering design.