How do wind effects differ for lattice boom cranes versus telescopic cranes?

• A. Lattice booms often handle wind better due to mass and stiffness, but wind still limits operations; telescopic booms are more sensitive to wind, especially at greater extensions; always follow manufacturer limits.
• B. Lattice booms are more sensitive to wind than telescopic.
• C. Wind affects only telescopic cranes.
• D. Wind has no effect on any crane.

Answer: (D)

Wind loads act on any crane, and how the crane reacts depends on the boom design. A lattice boom is a triangulated truss, which gives it high stiffness and a favorable mass distribution. That stiffness helps resist gusts and bending, so it handles wind better than a telescopic boom of the same height. A telescopic crane uses a slender boom with less inherent stiffness; when you extend it, the exposed surface area increases and the boom behaves more like a long cantilever, making it more sensitive to wind and gusts. As a result, wind effects grow with the boom height and extension, and the dynamic loads can be larger for telescopic configurations. Because of these differences, operators must always stay within the wind speed and configuration limits specified by the manufacturer, since those limits account for how wind interacts with height, extension, load, and stability.