Property:
Compressive Strength (MPa)
Nylanite:
123
Plastic (UHMWPE):
21
Ekki/Azobe Timber (D70):
34
Oak Timber (D40):
26
ALIMATS Aluminium (6005A):
280
Aluminium Crane Mats
A specifier's guide to aluminium crane mats, covering material properties, the patented modular interlock, module weights and independent safe working load verification, using ALIMATS® as the engineered example.
In short
Crane mats spread a mobile crane's outrigger loads over ground with a lower bearing capacity than the load itself, and aluminium outperforms timber and plastic mats because it combines high compressive strength with high stiffness, resisting bending under load rather than letting it flex through to the ground. ALIMATS®, the patented modular system engineered and manufactured by Brilliant Ideas Ltd from certified recycled 6005A aluminium, is a working example of the category, with module weights from 13kg to 48kg, configurations up to 8.07m2, and safe working loads independently verified by a Fellow of the Institution of Structural Engineers.
What are aluminium crane mats?
Crane mats are load spreading platforms that sit under a mobile crane's outriggers, a crawler crane's tracks, or the wheels of a mobile elevating work platform, distributing a concentrated point load over a wider area of ground. Where the ground's bearing capacity is lower than the point load the machine would otherwise apply, a mat brings the contact pressure down to a level the ground can safely support. Mats are traditionally made from timber or steel, with plastic (UHMWPE) and aluminium as the two newer materials in the category.
ALIMATS, engineered and manufactured by Brilliant Ideas Ltd (BIL) in Little Eaton, Derbyshire, is the patented aluminium example in this category, and BIL describes itself as the inventor and principal global distributor of the system. A temporary works engineer typically specifies the mat configuration required for a given crane, outrigger load and ground condition, and the contractor or crane hire company then builds that configuration on site.
At a glance
- Material
- Certified recycled extruded aluminium, alloy 6005A
- Module weights
- 13kg (Mini) to 48kg (Long / Extra Long)
- Configuration range
- 1.346m2 up to 8.073m2
- Safe working load
- Up to 80 tonnes, varying by configuration; suitable under cranes up to 150 tonnes
- Verification
- SWL data independently verified by a Fellow of the Institution of Structural Engineers
| Property | Nylanite | Plastic (UHMWPE) | Ekki/Azobe Timber (D70) | Oak Timber (D40) | ALIMATS Aluminium (6005A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Compressive Strength (MPa) | 123 | 21 | 34 | 26 | 280 |
Tensile Strength (MPa) | 78 | 28 | 42 | 24 | 270 |
Modulus of Elasticity (MPa) | 3000 | 1350 | 20000 | 13000 | 69000 |
Material Density (kg/m3) | 1380 | 960 | 1080 | 660 | 2700 |
Property:
Tensile Strength (MPa)
Nylanite:
78
Plastic (UHMWPE):
28
Ekki/Azobe Timber (D70):
42
Oak Timber (D40):
24
ALIMATS Aluminium (6005A):
270
Property:
Modulus of Elasticity (MPa)
Nylanite:
3000
Plastic (UHMWPE):
1350
Ekki/Azobe Timber (D70):
20000
Oak Timber (D40):
13000
ALIMATS Aluminium (6005A):
69000
Property:
Material Density (kg/m3)
Nylanite:
1380
Plastic (UHMWPE):
960
Ekki/Azobe Timber (D70):
1080
Oak Timber (D40):
660
ALIMATS Aluminium (6005A):
2700
Stiffness versus strength: why the bending test matters
A design guide referenced by BIL, Construction Ground Condition for Plant (October 2014), draws a distinction specifiers should hold onto: ranked by compressive strength, the order runs steel, aluminium, nylon, polyethylene, then timber. Ranked by stiffness, the order changes to steel, aluminium, timber, nylon, then polyethylene. A UHMWPE or HDPE mat can carry a high compressive load and still be a poor load spreader, because low stiffness lets the mat flex under load, so the load triangulates down to the ground beneath rather than spreading evenly across the mat's full footprint. A rigid test rig sitting on compressible packing such as Ethafoam can produce a safe working load claim that looks impressive on paper but does not reflect how a mat behaves on real, less forgiving ground.
BIL has run its own purpose-built three point bending test rig to demonstrate the difference directly, simulating a mobile crane outrigger through a 30mm deep, 500mm by 500mm steel plate. Across every load tested, the aluminium mat held its shape; the plastic mat did not, as the results below show.
| Test load | UHMWPE mat deflection | ALIMATS mat deflection |
|---|---|---|
1 tonne | 102mm (mat rated by manufacturer to 54 tonnes; 1.8m x 0.6m x 50mm, 52kg) | 2mm (1.74m x 0.58m x 60mm, 38kg) |
2.25 tonnes | 328mm (same UHMWPE mat) | 3mm (same ALIMATS mat) |
3.5 tonnes | 161mm (double layer, 100mm overall) | 8mm (single layer, 60mm) |
Test load:
1 tonne
UHMWPE mat deflection:
102mm (mat rated by manufacturer to 54 tonnes; 1.8m x 0.6m x 50mm, 52kg)
ALIMATS mat deflection:
2mm (1.74m x 0.58m x 60mm, 38kg)
Test load:
2.25 tonnes
UHMWPE mat deflection:
328mm (same UHMWPE mat)
ALIMATS mat deflection:
3mm (same ALIMATS mat)
Test load:
3.5 tonnes
UHMWPE mat deflection:
161mm (double layer, 100mm overall)
ALIMATS mat deflection:
8mm (single layer, 60mm)
That difference is the practical case for aluminium in this category. A mat that resists bending keeps contact pressure spread evenly across its full footprint and onto the ground beneath it, which is the entire purpose of putting a mat down in the first place.
Module range, weights and handling
Mini
0.58m x 0.58m, 13kg
Short
1160mm x 580mm, 25kg
Standard
1740mm x 580mm, 38kg
Long
2175mm x 580mm, 48kg; typically used in configurations around 5m2
Extra Long
3480mm x 290mm, 48kg; used in configurations from 6m2 to 8m2 and in the Powered Access Solution
No heavy plant needed
Every module is light enough to be handled by hand, with no crane, telehandler or forklift needed to build or break down a configuration
The patented interlock
What makes ALIMATS a system rather than a stack of individual plates is the patented interlocking design. Modules connect edge to edge so that load applied anywhere on the configuration is transferred between the interlocked mats and spread across the whole assembled area, not just the module directly underneath the outrigger or track.
That interlock is also what lets configurations be built quickly on site, since modules lock together without fixings or heavy plant.
Configuration range, safe working load and the Half Loader
Built from combinations of the module sizes above, the core ALIMATS configuration range runs from 1.346m2 (1.160m by 1.160m) up through 2.018m2, 3.028m2, 4.037m2, 5.046m2, 6.055m2, 7.064m2, and up to 8.073m2 (3.480m by 2.320m). Safe working load across the range runs up to 80 tonnes, varying by the configuration selected, and ALIMATS configurations sit comfortably under mobile cranes up to 150 tonnes, with the specific safe working load depending on the configuration and ground condition confirmed for that lift.
For higher outrigger loads, BIL also produces a Half Loader module, its newest development, which moves load away from the centre of the mat and spreads it across two locations instead of one, reducing pressure on the supporting ground beneath. It is used alongside a standard ALIMATS configuration rather than in place of it, and in some cases removes the need for a separate crane pad on the same outrigger.
Certification and independent verification
Safe working load figures for ALIMATS are independently verified by a Fellow of the Institution of Structural Engineers, giving temporary works engineers a third party check behind the numbers rather than a manufacturer's figure alone. That matters at the point of specification, where the person signing off a lift plan needs to be confident the load data has been checked by someone outside the manufacturer.
Aluminium also holds up differently to timber over repeated use: it does not rot, splinter or absorb water, and every ALIMATS mat returned from hire is fully inspected, cleaned and quality checked before it goes back out on the next job, so a hired configuration performs to the same standard as a new one. The aluminium itself is certified recycled material, extruded to the 6005A alloy specification covered above.
Crane mats or crane pads: getting the category right
Crane mats and crane pads are not interchangeable, and getting the category wrong at specification stage is a common mistake. Crane pads are for smaller outrigger loads, generally up to around 1.0m2, and are supplied as single round or square units; BIL only recommends Nylacast Big Foot pads, made from certified Nylanite, for this category, not standard HDPE pads. Crane mats, including ALIMATS configurations, are for larger outrigger loads, typically above 1.0m2, where a single pad's footprint is not large enough to bring contact pressure within the ground's bearing capacity.
The two are often used together rather than as alternatives: a Nylacast pad is frequently placed on top of an ALIMATS configuration to optimise load transfer from the outrigger foot and to protect the aluminium surface. A temporary works engineer should confirm both the outrigger load and the ground's bearing capacity before deciding between a pad, a mat, or a combination of the two, and BIL's technical team supports that specification process.
Portakabin
“
The ALIMATS® system works well – we use them on 9/10 jobs. Our temporary works team look at the ground, do the calculations and there’s never a problem with specifying these mats to spread the load. They interlock and are easy to set-up without heavy plant
Hire, delivery and where ALIMATS has been used
ALIMATS is used by more than 80 percent of the UK's top twenty Tier 1 contractors, and is available for single day, weekly or long term hire, or for outright purchase, with painting in corporate colours available on request.
Delivery runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, nationwide, through BIL's own FORS Bronze fleet of vans under 3.5 tonnes, with BIL's own CSCS card holding drivers, most of them CPCS certified, and a fully automated proof of delivery process. ALIMATS configurations have been deployed on projects including HS2, Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, Hinkley Point C, Euston Station, Manchester's Co-op Live Arena, and Grangemouth Refinery.
Frequently asked questions
What are aluminium crane mats used for?
They sit under a mobile crane's outriggers, a crawler crane's tracks, or an MEWP's wheels, spreading the machine's point load over a wider area of ground so contact pressure stays within what the ground can safely bear. They are specified by a temporary works engineer based on the outrigger load and the ground condition at the site.
What is ALIMATS made from?
ALIMATS modules are manufactured from certified recycled extruded aluminium, alloy 6005A. Aluminium combines high compressive strength with high stiffness, which means the mat resists bending under load, keeping the load spread across the mat's full footprint rather than letting it flex through to the ground beneath, as lower stiffness materials such as UHMWPE plastic can do.
How is the safe working load of ALIMATS verified?
Safe working load data for ALIMATS is independently verified by a Fellow of the Institution of Structural Engineers, giving specifiers a third party check on the figures rather than relying on manufacturer claims alone.
What is the difference between a crane mat and a crane pad?
Crane pads are single round or square units for smaller outrigger loads, generally up to around 1.0m2; BIL recommends Nylacast Big Foot pads, made from certified Nylanite, for this category. Crane mats, such as ALIMATS configurations, are for larger outrigger loads above 1.0m2, and the two are often combined, with a Nylacast pad placed on top of an ALIMATS configuration to optimise load transfer.
Can aluminium crane mats be hired, or do they have to be bought?
Both. ALIMATS is available for single day, weekly or long term hire, or for outright purchase, and can be painted in corporate colours on request. Every mat returned from hire is fully inspected, cleaned and quality checked before it goes back out.
How much does an ALIMATS module weigh?
It depends on the module size. The Mini module weighs 13kg, the Short module 25kg, the Standard module 38kg, and the Long and Extra Long modules 48kg each, all of which can be handled manually without a crane or forklift.
Ready to specify aluminium crane mats?
Build the configuration your lift needs and get a price instantly using the ALIMATS configurator, or request full specifications and drawings for your temporary works engineer to review through the specs form on the ALIMATS page. Both routes are available directly on the live ALIMATS page.
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