A Full-Scale Destructive Boom Buckling Test

This paper describes the testing of a 50 ft crane boom in accordance with SAE J987, Crane Structures - Method of Test. The purpose was to compare the difficulty of compliance with the new report against that of compliance with established design standards. The conclusion is that the SAE J987 strength margins are more conservative that AISC design standards for compression members because the former takes into consideration secondary effects which cannot be calculated, includes effects of member straightness and fabrication error, and tends to exaggerate stresses after the proportional limit has been reached.