What Is a Tower Crane?
A tower crane is a lifting system designed to provide significant vertical height and horizontal reach across a working site. It typically utilises a vertical tower to support a jib and rotating upper structure, allowing loads to be lifted, positioned and moved across a defined working radius.
Tower cranes are available in several configurations, including self-erecting, luffing jib, flat top and hammerhead designs, alongside mobile tower cranes. The most suitable arrangement depends on the site, lifting requirements and wider project conditions.
Why Are There Different Types of Tower Cranes?
Construction projects can vary significantly in scale, layout and operating conditions. A restricted city-centre development, for example, presents very different lifting challenges to a large infrastructure project or industrial site. Factors such as building height, available lift radius, ground conditions, surrounding structures and wind exposure can all influence how lifting operations need to be planned.
Because of this, different types of tower cranes are designed to suit different site and project requirements. The most suitable configuration will depend on the space available, the height and reach required, the loads being handled and the wider conditions affecting the lift.
Types of Modern and Traditional Tower Cranes
Mobile Tower Cranes
A mobile tower crane is a tower crane mounted on a road-going wheeled chassis, allowing it to travel between sites as a complete unit. Its vertical tower supports a horizontal jib, with the lifting hook travelling beneath the jib to raise and position loads across the working area. This provides the reach and lifting characteristics associated with a tower crane in a format that can be moved between locations more easily.
Key benefits include:
- Quick setup and mobilisation
- Reduced foundation and site preparation requirements
- The ability to relocate more easily where site conditions allow
- Suitability for busy or restricted sites
These characteristics make mobile tower cranes a flexible option for projects where access, programme timescales and changing site requirements all need to be carefully managed. Ainscough’s mobile tower crane fleet is supported by experienced teams and a safety-led approach, with lift planning and managed delivery available where these form part of the agreed service scope.
Self-Erecting Tower Cranes
A self-erecting tower crane is designed to arrive on site in a compact, largely assembled configuration. Its tower and jib are then raised using the crane’s integrated erection system, reducing the assembly work required on site. Unlike a mobile tower crane, it is not permanently mounted on a road-going carrier.
Key benefits include:
- Fast installation and deployment
- Compact dimensions for restricted sites
- Reduced assembly requirements
- Potentially fewer transport requirements than some traditional tower crane arrangements
Their compact design and relatively quick erection make self-erecting tower cranes particularly useful for housing developments, low-rise buildings, refurbishment work and other projects where space is limited or efficient setup is important.
Luffing Jib Tower Cranes
A luffing jib tower crane uses a jib that can be raised or lowered to change its working angle and lifting radius. By adjusting the jib position, the crane can operate with a reduced working radius compared with a conventional horizontal-jib tower crane, while still providing the height and reach needed for complex lifting operations.
Key benefits include:
- Variable jib angle
- Smaller working radius
- More flexibility on congested sites
- Greater control of the working radius
This configuration is especially valuable on high-rise and city-centre projects, where the crane may need to operate close to buildings, other cranes or site boundaries. The ability to raise the jib helps reduce the space needed for slewing, making it easier to plan lifting operations within tightly controlled areas.
Flat Top Tower Cranes
A flat top tower crane is designed without a traditional tower head above the jib. Instead, the jib and counter-jib connect directly around the slewing unit, creating a more compact upper structure that can simplify transport, assembly and installation.
Key benefits include:
- No tower head above the jib
- Easier transport and erection
- More straightforward site installation
- Can support easier coordination on multi-crane sites
The flatter upper profile is particularly beneficial on busy construction sites, where several cranes may need to operate within the same area. With less structure projecting above the jib, cranes can be positioned more easily at different heights, helping site teams coordinate lifting operations within tighter working spaces.
Hammerhead Tower Cranes
A hammerhead tower crane uses a fixed horizontal jib extending from the top of the tower, with a shorter counter-jib positioned on the opposite side to help balance the crane. A trolley travels along the jib, moving the hook closer to or further from the tower and allowing loads to be positioned across a wide working radius.
Key benefits include:
- Large horizontal lifting radius
- Trolley system for controlled load positioning
- Wide working coverage from a fixed position
Hammerhead cranes are one of the most recognisable tower crane designs and can support projects that require consistent lifting coverage across a broad site area. Their long horizontal jib and travelling trolley allow loads to be moved efficiently at different radii without changing the angle of the jib.
How Do You Choose a Suitable Tower Crane?
The most suitable tower crane depends on the demands of the project as a whole. Lift capacity and radius are important, but so are the practical conditions around the crane, including site access, available space, ground conditions, building height and exposure to weather.
Project duration and lifting frequency also matter. A crane that works well for a short, concentrated programme may not be the best fit for a longer project with repeated lifts across different phases. Mobilisation, setup and operating requirements should therefore be considered alongside the overall cost and level of support needed throughout the job.
For more complex projects, crane selection is usually part of a wider planning process rather than a standalone decision. Through a managed Contract Lift, Ainscough can assume the agreed responsibilities for lift planning, crane selection, technical input and coordination, helping identify a suitable crane and lifting approach for the requirements of the operation.
Why Mobile Tower Cranes Are a Popular Choice
Mobile tower cranes are a popular option for projects where quick setup, flexibility and efficient use of site space are important. Their mobile configuration can help reduce some of the time, labour and infrastructure associated with more traditional tower crane arrangements.
- Quick setup: Reduced setup and dismantling requirements can help lifting operations begin sooner and support phased project programmes.
- Lower labour demands: With less assembly and dismantling needed on site, fewer resources may be required during setup and removal.
- Lower infrastructure requirements: Mobile tower cranes can require less installation infrastructure and supporting work than some fixed tower crane arrangements.
- Simpler site preparation: Their mobile setup can reduce the need for extensive foundation works and other site preparation associated with fixed tower cranes.
- Reduced mobilisation requirements: Fewer transport and setup requirements can help limit some of the fuel use, resource consumption and disruption associated with crane mobilisation.
- Greater flexibility: Their mobile configuration can make relocation between suitable working positions easier where site conditions and project requirements allow.
Interested In Hiring A Mobile Tower Crane for Your Next Project? Contact Our Specialists Today
If a mobile tower crane could be suitable for your project, Ainscough can help identify the crane support required around your lifting requirements. Where planning forms part of the agreed service scope, our technical team can also support crane selection and lift planning as part of a managed Contract Lift.
Explore our mobile tower crane hire service or get in touch to discuss your project. Call 0800 272 637 or email info@ainscough.co.uk to speak to one of our specialists.