Four Liebherr self-erectors for bridge project

26 October 2020

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Two Liebherr 81 K.1 and two 53 K self-erecting tower cranes are currently being used for a bridge project in Meppen, in north-west Germany.

The cranes are performing concrete work and formwork transport for the construction of the 211m-long  Versen floodplain bridge. The bridge will replace an older one, to assist with the management of a floodplain in the Emsland region for the next 100 years. The 85 bored piles, which are more than 20m in length, are already in place.

The bridge requires a total of 5,000 cubic metres of concrete and more than 700t of steel – all will be lifted by the four Liebherr tower cranes. The heaviest parts: formwork tables with infill zones, weigh between 2.2t and 3.1t. Overlapping operating areas have been created through the insertion of tower sections to ensure that all loads can be handled without the help of mobile cranes.

As the entire length of the bridge requires optimal coverage, Maschinen & Anlagen Reparatur & Montage (MARM) selected the four Liebherr tower cranes. The two 81 K.1 are operating with a 48m radius and a hook height of 29m, while the two 53 K with a 40m radius and a hook height of 23.8m.

“Alongside their reach, it was the high handling capacity of the cranes, a result of Liebherr’s in-house produced drives, that proved to be a decisive factor for this choice,” said Liebherr.

 “The project will be completed before the end of 2020, half a year ahead of schedule,” said Peter Herbers, managing director of the Meppen-based building contractor working on the €6.5m project.

He sees the fast disassembly of the K series cranes as a particular advantage, “On two occasions, the cranes have had to be dismantled and removed from flooded areas virtually overnight.”

As the construction of the floodplain bridge enters its final stages, the next assignment already awaits; the realisation of the longest bridge in the Emsland region, the River Ems and floodplain bridge in Rhede (Ems), which will measure approx. 300m.

For the completion of this new replacement construction, the family-owned company will again be relying on the crane experts and solutions of Liebherr and its local dealer, MARM GmbH, in Lingen.

Liebherr’s K series cranes in operation at the bridge construction project in Meppen.
An early start for the K series cranes in Meppen.