When do crawler cranes exert the greatest ground force?

Crawler cranes exert the greatest ground force when lifting over the corner of one of the crawlers. This is primarily due to the engineering and physics involved in lifting loads with such cranes.

When a crawler crane lifts a load, especially when that load is positioned over the corner of its tracks, the distribution of weight and the leverage involved creates significant downward force on the ground. The weight of the load combined with the moment generated by the load's position can cause the crane to exert disproportionate ground forces at that specific point. This scenario is compounded by the dynamics of stability; the load creates higher stress on the corners of the crawler, leading to greater ground pressure.

During travel, setup, or rotation, while the crane does exert force on the ground, these operations are generally more balanced and do not involve the same concentrated load forces that occur when lifting, particularly at the corners of the tracks. Hence, the point of maximum force exertion is specifically during the lifting operation when the center of gravity shifts and the load introduces additional leverage on the crane's structure.