Analysis of defects in metal structures of coal gantries
M.D. Lukashuk1, V.S. Velikanov1,2, D.S. Stozhkov2, A.V. Ugol’nikov2, Yu.N. Stroganov1
1 Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation
2 Ural State Mining University, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation
Russian Mining Industry №1/ 2026 p. 38-42
Abstract: More than 3,000 cranes of various types are in operation at mining facilities supervised by the Urals Department of the Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service of Russia (Rostekhnadzor). These cranes are used at industrial sites and storage facilities of underground and surface mines, quarries, flotation and processing plants. Statistics show that the fleet of lifting machines has aged significantly, and currently about 80% of the lifting machines have reached the end of their standard service life. The number of accidents and incidents involving lifting machines is fairly stable, and in some cases is increasing. Each element in the design of a lifting machine has its own specific types of defects. The more complex the design is, the higher the number of different types of defects is. This paper presents the results of systematizing data on defects in coal gantries and gantry cranes obtained during technical diagnostics. The most common defects and damage found in practice are described, and the most likely causes of their occurrence are indicated. Defects which were caused not by shortcomings in the installation and operation of the lifting machines, but by the incompetence of the maintenance personnel, were excluded from the analysis while collecting the statistical data. This summary and analysis will enable implementation of a set of routine maintenance and repair activities aimed at ensuring long-term uptime of the lifting equipment and a high level of safety in mining operations.
Keywords: gantry, gantry crane, defects in metal structures, defects in mechanisms, metal structures, safety of mining operations
For citation: Lukashuk M.D., Velikanov V.S., Stozhkov D.S., Ugo’lnikov A.V., Stroganov Yu.N. Analysis of defects in metal structures of coal gantries. Russian Mining Industry. 2026;(1):38–42. https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2026-1-38-42
Article info
Received: 02.11.2025
Revised: 16.12.2025
Accepted: 13.01.2026
Information about the authors
Mikhail D. Lukashuk – Postgraduate Student, Department of Hoisting and Hauling Machines and Robots, Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation
Vladimir S. Velikanov – Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, Department of Hoisting and Hauling Machines and Robots, Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation; Professor, Department of Automatics and Computer Technologies, Ural State Mining University, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5581-2733; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dmitriy S. Stozhkov – Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, Ural State Mining University, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation; https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8962-9357; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Aleksandr V. Ugol’nikov – Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Ural State Mining University, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8442-4841; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Yuriy N. Stroganov – Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Associate Professor, Department of Hoisting and Hauling Machines and Robots, Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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