Dynamics and swing control of double-pendulum bridge cranes with distributed-mass beams

Motion-induced oscillations of crane payloads seriously degrade their effectiveness and safety. Significant progress has been achieved with reducing payload oscillations on a single-pendulum crane with a point-mass payload attached to the end of the cable. However, large payloads and the actual configuration of the hoisting mechanism may transform the crane to a double-pendulum system with a distributed-mass payload. The manipulation task can be more challenging because of the complicated dynamics. The dynamics of bridge cranes transporting distributed-mass beams are derived. A command-smoothing scheme is presented to suppress the complex payload oscillations. Simulations of a large range of motions are used to analyze the dynamic behavior of the cranes and the robustness of the method. Experimental results obtained from a small-scale double-pendulum bridge crane transporting a distributed-mass beam validate the simulated dynamic behavior and the effectiveness of the method.