Wind is the biggest cause of delays and downtime on a construction site and is becoming more erratic every year. For safe and successful lifting operations, it is recommended to have accurate and detailed wind forecasts suitable for your project to better plan your daily and weekly lifting.
To measure the speed of wind an anemometer or wind speed sensor device is required.
You can use a handheld anemometer which are useful portable devices to gauge wind speed and sometimes direction. However they can be limited when it comes to measuring at a height and keeping track of your data.
You can also use an online wind monitoring system which is connected to an anemometer and allows you to view live wind conditions remotely as well as historical wind conditions.
An online remote wind monitoring system can be very useful when measuring wind speed on a tower crane, hoist or structures that are very high, because you can get a true reading of the wind speed at that height.
HAND HELD ANEMOMETERS |
ONLINE WIND MONITORING SYSTEM |
To obtain the best result or accurate reading, the device must be pointing perpendicular towards the wind. The accuracy can therefore vary greatly from device to device, or at different locations. | Can be installed at the point of interest to measure the correct speeds at that point. This gives an increased accuracy of your exact location to detect dangerous wind conditions reliably. |
Readings and reports need to be measured manually and sent to the key personnel. | Automatically sends and stores data to project managers and other key personnel. |
The device must be held near the operator so he can read the wind speed, this makes it difficult and very dangerous to use at a height or in harsh weather conditions. | Safe to use at any height or location as the wind speed readings can be accessed remotely via App or computer. |
You need to carry the device around with you and do continuous spot checks, measuring the wind speed at that exact time and location. |
The device is always connected for a constant stream of real time monitoring. Data can be monitored on site or remotely at any time of the day using a mobile phone and internet connection. |
Gathering continuous wind data with a handheld anemometer, especially at a height, can be a challenge. They are however easy to carry around and can usually fit in your pocket. If you are looking for a quick way to measure the wind speed at specific times on ground level, then a handheld anemometer can be a useful tool.
Wind conditions at ground level don’t reflect the real wind speeds experienced by cranes and other hoisting equipment. There are more obstacles for the wind near ground level. This means you will measure a much lower speed, compared with a measurement by an anemometer attached to the boom of a crane. The wind speeds that are critical for project safety occur in spots where manual readings with a handheld anemometer are difficult or dangerous.
In this case an online wind monitoring system can be an advantage as you can then check weather conditions remotely or on site during the entire project with a constant live feed of wind data. In particular, WINDCRANE can gather unlimited data because it connects to a cloud database which allows you access your wind reports daily and weekly.
The WINDCRANE application integrates seamlessly with all wind monitors across your project sites, and it sends automatic alerts when weather conditions start to worsen and project managers are notified immediately when weather conditions start becoming dangerous.