ICSA Guidance for Crane Ground Prep in Wind Farms
Wind farm construction relies on heavy mobile cranes performing lifts under demanding site conditions. Cranes for You includes the ICSA guidance on crane ground preparation because understanding soil capacity, hardstand design and stability control is essential for Goal Zero in lifting, hoisting, and specialised transport operations.
Summary of the Ground Preparation Guidance
- Assessment of soil bearing capacity — determining whether the ground can safely support crane loads, outrigger forces and dynamic effects.
- Hardstand layout & dimensions — defining minimum pad geometry, access routes, turning areas, and safe crane positioning for turbine construction.
- Managing groundwater & drainage — ensuring a dry, stable sub-surface to prevent settlement, wash-outs or softening during crane operation.
- Temporary works & reinforcement — guidance on using geotextiles, mats, stone layers or engineered solutions when soil strength is insufficient.
- Monitoring and verification — recommendations for pre-lift and continuous checks to verify pad stability, settlement, and crane support during lifting.
Practical Relevance for Wind Farm Projects
This ICSA guidance helps project teams:
- reduce ground-related incidents during turbine erection and maintenance;
- design safe, cost-efficient hardstands for crawler and mobile cranes;
- avoid delays caused by inadequate soil preparation or unexpected settlement;
- create consistent standards for EPCs, contractors, and crane suppliers;
- strengthen lift plans with verifiable data on soil support and ground capacity.
Official Source
The document is published by the International Crane & Specialized Transport Association (ICSA), which provides global best practice for safe heavy lifting across industries.
Visit the organisation here: https://icsa-crane.org
Related Knowledge Articles
- Crane Stability & Ground Pressure – CICA & CANZ
- Ground Conditions for Construction Plant
- STOWA Hardstands for Wind Turbines
Ready to Strengthen Your Wind-Farm Lifting Safety?
You can download the full ICSA ground-preparation guidance from this page and use it to improve planning, design and execution of turbine lifting operations.
For additional support, Cranes for You provides lift-plan reviews, ground-capacity assessments and heavy-lift consultancy for wind-farm construction sites.
