Building a platform of success

A working platform stabilised and reinforced with Combigrid geogrid composite under construction.

Safe and efficient working platforms with Naue Platform

The design and construction of safe working platforms for heavy machinery such as crawler cranes represent a critical challenge on many construction sites. Platform failure can lead not only to project delays and higher costs, but also to significant safety risks. To address these challenges, the Naue Platform software (available free of charge at www.portal.naue.com) provides engineers with a reliable and comprehensive tool for designing geogrid-stabilised and reinforced working platforms.

Unlike conventional approaches, the software incorporates both Ultimate Limit State (ULS) – including punching, rotational and overall stability – and Serviceability Limit State (SLS) design criteria, such as differential settlement and tilting. By doing so, Naue Platform ensures that stresses on the subgrade are reduced to safe levels, creating designs that are not only technically sound but also cost-efficient and sustainable.

Illustration of a geosynthetic layer system showing soil at the base, a geotextile separation layer, gravel, and a reinforcement grid between aggregate layers
Construction site plan with crane radius overlay, showing safety zones, access areas, and surrounding infrastructure.

A Practical Case: British Columbia, Canada

A recent project in British Columbia, Canada, illustrates how Naue Platform can deliver tangible benefits. An engineering consultancy required support in designing a crane working platform for the construction of a fish-friendly screw pump, spillway and diversion structure.

The site posed several challenges:

  • Soil profile of silty clay transitioning to clayey silt at 2.5 m depth

  • High moisture contents reaching up to 70 %

  • Use of a Kobelco CK2500-II crawler crane with a lifting capacity of more than 200 tonnes

  • Construction adjacent to a major waterway, with the crane boom extending over a public roadway

These demanding conditions required a robust, yet economical solution that would prevent punching shear, settlement and tilting failures.

Flexible Design Options with Naue Platform

All geotechnical data and crane geometry were entered into the intuitive Naue Platform interface. The software generated three design solutions:

  • Unreinforced platform – serving as a baseline for material use and carbon footprint

  • Single-layer design – using Combigrid® 40/40 Q1 GRK 4 C

  • Dual-layer design – combining Combigrid® 30/30 Q1 GRK 4 C with Secugrid® 30/30 Q1

This flexibility enabled the consultancy and Naue’s distribution partner White Cap Supply Canada to select a solution that best matched the available materials and construction timeline. The final choice was the dual-layer design, which provided the required performance while meeting tight scheduling requirements.

Proven Benefits

Compared to the unreinforced option, the Naue Platform solution delivered significant advantages:

  • 600 mm reduction in aggregate thickness, lowering material demand and transport

  • Faster installation due to reduced platform thickness and simpler handling

  • Lower construction costs thanks to optimised design and reduced excavation

  • Substantial CO₂ savings, achieved through reduced native soil excavation and minimised material volumes

  • Clear economic and environmental benefits compared to a conventional concrete pad

Confidence for Designers and Contractors

This case study demonstrates how the Naue Platform software supports engineers and contractors in balancing safety, reliability, cost efficiency and sustainability. By reducing uncertainty in design and providing verified, code-compliant solutions, the software gives project teams confidence in their working platform designs while simultaneously reducing environmental impact.

When heavy cranes must operate under demanding conditions, a Combigrid®-stabilised and reinforced platform designed with Naue Platform ensures safety, efficiency and a strong contribution to sustainable construction.