How can incorrect load weight estimation lead to tipping?

• A. Heavier-than-expected load combined with wind or soft ground can cause tipping.
• B. Lighter loads never cause tipping.
• C. Only the wind determines tipping.
• D. Tipping is unrelated to load weight.

Answer: (A)

Stability comes from the balance of forces and the size of the crane’s base of support. When the load weight is estimated incorrectly and the actual load is heavier than expected, the moment the load creates around the crane’s base increases. Add wind acting on the load or ground that’s soft, and those destabilizing effects push the combined force closer to or beyond the edge of the stabilizers’ footprint. If the resultant force moves outside that base, tipping occurs. Soft ground can cause outriggers to sink, shrinking the base further, while wind adds a sideways tipping moment. So an incorrect (underestimated) load weight raises the tipping risk, especially in gusty wind or on poor ground.