Tower crane cycle times: Case study of remote-control versus cab-control operation

Tower cranes commonly constitute the bottleneck of production on today's typical building construction projects, so shortening of crane cycle durations is often the key to increased site productivity. This case study examined one potential determinant of cycle duration that has been largely overlooked in the wide body of cycle time research, which is the operation mode (OM) of top-slewing tower cranes: from the cab or by remote control. This knowledge gap was addressed by providing quantitative substantiation to qualitative evaluations regarding the advantages and disadvantages of both OMs. The results revealed that there prevail certain conditions under which the two OMs may yield identical cycle times or even give remote operation an advantage. The study also identified that it is the balance between the fast-travel part of the cycle and the fine-maneuvering part that determines which of the two OMs will generate shorter cycle times. These findings will be useful for construction professionals who are charged with the task of selecting the OM best suited for their project when both OMs are optional or when assessing the cost of using a dictated OM. Equally important is the contribution for scholars of crane work as offered by the research method used in this study.