Watching the awful tragedy caused by the earthquakes in Turkey, and in general, the biggest problem is obviously removing the rubble to rescue people, why do they not install a crane (2+ days) and use mobile ones in the meantime?
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Biggest issue with using cranes or other heavy machinery in disaster response is it’s almost impossible to control the resulting debris shift. With people trapped under tons of unstable steel and concrete, the smallest unintended shifting or settling could crush survivors. There’s also the possibility of rupturing gas lines or water mains that are already damaged by the collapse. Generally you don’t start using heavy machinery until you’ve given up on finding any more survivors and the priority becomes debris removal.
Biggest issue with using cranes or other heavy machinery in disaster response is it’s almost impossible to control the resulting debris shift. With people trapped under tons of unstable steel and concrete, the smallest unintended shifting or settling could crush survivors. There’s also the possibility of rupturing gas lines or water mains that are already damaged by the collapse. Generally you don’t start using heavy machinery until you’ve given up on finding any more survivors and the priority becomes debris removal.
Because the piles of rubble is not stable. If you lift one slab, you might be removing the only thing that keeps another piece from falling and crusing someone who is still alive.
Think about putting a pile of books on the end of a ruler sticking over the edge of a table, , then hanging a weight from the other end. If you lift the books, the ruler and weight fall.
Because the piles of rubble is not stable. If you lift one slab, you might be removing the only thing that keeps another piece from falling and crusing someone who is still alive.
Think about putting a pile of books on the end of a ruler sticking over the edge of a table, , then hanging a weight from the other end. If you lift the books, the ruler and weight fall.
The OP may be thinking of “cranes” with claws, like those used in scrapyards. If so, that’s a very specialized piece of equipment and there aren’t very many of them. Most cranes are for construction, and designed to lift large solid items, not a heap of loose material.
The OP may be thinking of “cranes” with claws, like those used in scrapyards. If so, that’s a very specialized piece of equipment and there aren’t very many of them. Most cranes are for construction, and designed to lift large solid items, not a heap of loose material.
You’ve already hit on the biggest reason: crane deployment is slow. The two days you cite are the difference between life and death for most trapped people.
Their primary purpose is to lift very heavy things precisely, not what you’re trying to do in a rescue situation where time is so critical.
Further, equipment flexibility: you can quickly roll in and use an excavator to lift things like a crane (rigging eye on the bottom of the bucket) but you can’t dig anything up with a crane.
You’ve already hit on the biggest reason: crane deployment is slow. The two days you cite are the difference between life and death for most trapped people.
Their primary purpose is to lift very heavy things precisely, not what you’re trying to do in a rescue situation where time is so critical.
Further, equipment flexibility: you can quickly roll in and use an excavator to lift things like a crane (rigging eye on the bottom of the bucket) but you can’t dig anything up with a crane.
You haven’t seen the right photos. I saw a photo with at least two cranes.
But beyond that… first you need cranes. Then you need a way to get the cranes where they are needed. I don’t know what the crane-availability situation is like in that region, but I do know that some of the major roads are so messed up that even aid agencies are having trouble getting to certain places.
You haven’t seen the right photos. I saw a photo with at least two cranes.
But beyond that… first you need cranes. Then you need a way to get the cranes where they are needed. I don’t know what the crane-availability situation is like in that region, but I do know that some of the major roads are so messed up that even aid agencies are having trouble getting to certain places.
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