When Superstorm Sandy toppled a tower crane working at a high-rise building in midtown Manhattan this fall, engineers immediately began searching for clues to ensure the site was safe. Within days, the partially collapsed crane was secure, and workers began a delicate process of removing the steel wreckage. The job is still in the recovery phase.
The cause of the so-called dangling crane is believed to be an "act of God," Peter Stroh, who engineered the crane's connections to the building, recently told ENR. Below is a summary of this story and others about heavy equipment and materials that made headlines this year.