It is a pumice loading crane. The pumice stone quarry is located on Yali island, to the north of Nissiros.

LAVA has been operating the quarry, owned by Nissiros Municipality, since 1952. This opencast quarry is operated using the method of vertical benches and it is one of the world’s largest pumice stone quarries.

The final products (variably-granulated pumice stone) are deposited through belt conveyors in outdoor specially formed stockpiles.

From there on, through tunnels as well as through a second series of belt conveyors the products are loaded into vessels and shipped to customers.

The vessels (ships) – in order to be loaded – approach the concrete pedestal, which is the base of the crane, at a certain safety distance.

The aim of the study was to check the crane’s adequacy in its present condition and its actual loads, and to extend the loading bridge, about 21 meters in length, in order to load ships of greater width.

The simulation was done for various positions of the bridge, as it can rise at an angle of about 75 degrees and descend at an angle of 15 degrees down.

It was also very important to take into account the increased loads and correspondent stresses that arise at the time of the accumulation of material due to malfunctions, as such phenomena have often been observed.

The proposed strengthening solution eventually provided for some local interventions and instead of extending the loading bridge, it was proposed to move its axis a few meters in the direction of loading.