RR250 - Active pendulation control system (APCS)
The uncontrolled pendulation motions of crane loads during offshore lifting operations not only present hazard to personnel and equipment but are also one of the key factors in limiting the operational efficiency of many offshore activities. This problem has been 'tolerated' for decades simply for the lack of a practical solution.
A research team at the University of Strathclyde has developed a feasible solution called Active Pendulation Control System (APCS), and so far has been able to show its effectiveness in model scale and in prototype trials. This set of reports describes the work carried out so far on this concept and discusses its potential applications.
Two main projects have been undertaken: one aiming to establish the technical feasibility of the concept mainly through model test and the other attempting to demonstrate its feasibility in full scale prototype. The work undertaken during these projects are outlined and the key results are presented.
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