How to Select Floor Protection Mats for a 10-Ton Steel-Tracked Spider Crane
Taking a steel-tracked spider crane onto a factory floor involves two different questions: how to protect the surface, and whether the floor can safely carry the equipment. A mat that prevents scratches is not necessarily capable of distributing crane loads.
For the Onchtech 10-ton spider crane, assess travel loads and lifting outrigger reactions separately. The specified machine weight is approximately 10.5 tonnes, with 300 mm-wide steel tracks. These figures identify important starting conditions, but they do not establish actual contact pressure, required mat dimensions or floor suitability.
Crane specifications that matter for floor access
The following published specifications help define access requirements. They are not a substitute for configuration-specific loading information or a structural assessment.
| Crane specification | Published value | Planning relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Machine weight | 10.5 t | Starting point for travel-load assessment; confirm the actual operating configuration. |
| Track construction and width | Steel tracks, 300 mm wide | Relevant to surface damage and local contact loading; effective contact length is also needed. |
| Overall dimensions | 5.9 m long × 1.8 m wide × 2.3 m high | Check doors, route clearance, turning space and mat placement. |
| Maximum outrigger spread | 6,960 mm longitudinal; 5,900 mm rear; 6,620 mm front | Check deployment space against the approved setup drawing, including the proposed mats. |
The 10-ton crane designation is not the machine weight or an allowable load at every radius. Use the applicable load chart for the planned lift.
Assess travel and lifting as separate load cases
Travel: track contact loads along the access route
Travel assessment requires the actual machine configuration, effective track contact area and relevant operating conditions. Track width alone is insufficient to calculate ground contact pressure. Turning, braking, uneven support and crossing mat edges can change local loading and must be considered.
- Check the complete route, including thresholds, joints, trench covers and changes in floor level.
- Confirm that mats support both tracks continuously and remain stable during permitted manoeuvres.
- Review surface shear and abrasion risks, especially where steel tracks turn on coated or finished floors.
Lifting: concentrated reactions beneath the outriggers
During outrigger-supported lifting, use the support reactions for the planned configuration—not travel contact loads. Reactions depend on factors such as lifted load, radius, boom position, attachment configuration and outrigger arrangement.
Do not divide machine weight or combined crane-and-load weight equally by four to size outrigger mats. Obtain the governing reactions for the intended lifting envelope, and have the mat-and-floor system checked for those loads.
Check the floor before choosing the mat
A floor's general load rating may not establish its capacity for concentrated track or outrigger loads. A qualified structural engineer should review the relevant drawings, condition and loading criteria, including:
- Floor construction: slab-on-ground, suspended slab or another structural system.
- Structural details: slab thickness, reinforcement, supporting structure and, where relevant, subgrade conditions.
- Local vulnerabilities: cracks, joints, slab edges, openings, service trenches and underground voids.
- Existing loads: machinery, stored materials and other loads acting in the same area.
A larger mat does not automatically make an inadequate floor suitable. Floor bending, punching shear, local bearing and support conditions may still govern.
Select area, stiffness and surface compatibility together
Effective load-distribution area
As a preliminary bearing check, required effective area can be estimated by dividing the design support load by the applicable allowable bearing pressure, using consistent units and an approved design basis. This is not a complete mat or slab design: the full physical mat area cannot be assumed effective unless its stiffness and support conditions justify that assumption.
Mat strength and stiffness
Assess the mat's ability to resist bending, shear and local crushing under the actual track or outrigger contact. Steel, engineered timber and composite systems require product-specific verification; material name or thickness alone does not establish suitability. Request documented capacity information applicable to the proposed loading and support arrangement.
Surface protection and stability
A compatible protective layer may help limit marking or abrasion. Check slip resistance, compression, coating compatibility and cleanliness at each interface. Avoid loose or improvised stacked layers that can shift, create uneven support or invalidate the mat's capacity assumptions.
Information to prepare for a project review
- Document the site: floor drawings, structural loading information, condition photographs and the proposed travel route.
- Define the crane configuration: machine specification, attachments, operating weight and available track contact information.
- Define the lift: load weight, radius, height, boom configuration, outrigger positions and governing support reactions.
- Submit the proposed mat system: dimensions, material, stiffness, capacity documentation and protective layers.
- Approve the method before access: coordinate the crane supplier, mat supplier, site team and structural engineer, then inspect the installed arrangement before use.
Common floor-protection questions
Can mat dimensions be selected from the 10.5-tonne weight alone?
No. Travel requires effective track contact and operating-load information. Lifting requires configuration-specific outrigger reactions. Both require verified floor capacity and a suitable mat design.
Does a 1.8-metre machine width mean the crane can lift in that space?
No. Machine width relates to access. Lifting also requires adequate outrigger deployment, mat space, boom clearance and the setup specified for the applicable load chart.
Can a protective layer make an upper-floor lift acceptable?
No. Any elevated-floor deployment requires assessment of the entire supporting structure and access route. Surface protection cannot establish structural capacity.
Discuss your planned crane configuration with Onchtech
Onchtech is the machinery brand of Hunan Hongchang Machinery Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of construction equipment, attachments and customized machinery solutions. For a factory-floor project, share your access constraints, intended lift and required machine configuration when requesting product information.
Confirm the configuration-specific loading information available for engineering review before selecting floor protection mats. Final floor acceptance and mat selection should follow a qualified assessment of the actual site and lifting plan.
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