Damaged Used Mast Section and Reused Bolts

The section should remain rejected and quarantined, physically tagged and separated from usable components. It must not be installed. Overnight straightening and welding is not acceptable because the manual specifically prohibits it without written manufacturer approval. The reasons are structural, not bureaucratic: a dent in a main chord reduces the section's buckling and compressive capacity, and the adjacent splice hole is a stress concentration. A crack in a diagonal-to-chord weld indicates that the joint has already been overstressed; welding over it without removing the crack can leave a hidden defect. Heat straightening changes the steel's properties and can introduce residual stress, and a field weld may not match the manufacturer's weld procedure, preheat, or inspection requirements. The correct path is to obtain the manufacturer's written repair procedure and approval, or replace the section with a matching approved component. If the manufacturer permits repair, the work must be done to that procedure and inspected as specified, not simply 'welded by a certified welder.' Production pressure is not a basis for changing the acceptance criteria. The project should be told immediately that the erection date is at risk.

The bolts are part of the crane's structural connection, so they must match the manufacturer's specified grade, diameter, length, finish, and torque. Reusing bolts with flattened threads or missing washers is unacceptable: damaged threads prevent reliable preload, and missing washers change the bearing area and friction. The crew should sort and quarantine damaged hardware, verify that replacement bolts come from an approved source with traceability, and use a calibrated torque wrench per the manual. 'Good and tight' is not a torque value. Every remaining mast section should be inspected for bent chords, dents, cracked welds, elongated splice holes, corrosion, and previous unauthorized repairs. Splice holes that are elongated or cracked can allow joint slip and should be rejected. The inspection should be recorded by section number. The jib and counter-jib connections should receive the same scrutiny because the crane is used and has been transported. If any section is questionable, the manufacturer or a qualified engineer should determine disposition. Only after hardware and sections are accepted should the erection pre-task plan and lift plan be finalized.

The site team should escalate the shortage as a schedule risk, not as a reason to lower the standard. The project manager, crane owner, and erector should be notified in writing that the section is rejected and that the pour date is at risk unless an approved replacement or written repair procedure is obtained. The documentation should include the inspection findings with photos and measurements, the hold tag number, the manual prohibition, the disposition decision, and the names of the people informed. If a replacement section is sourced, its history and compatibility with the crane model should be verified. If the manufacturer approves repair, the approval, procedure, welder qualification, and inspection results should be filed with the crane's assembly records. The crew should be briefed so no one installs the tagged section on a later shift. Schedule pressure is a predictable cause of shortcutting; the defense is a written hold and a clear statement that the erection cannot proceed until the component is accepted. The competent person should sign off on the final assembly inspection before the crane is placed in service.