Sarens loads TBM in Warsaw
21 February 2018For the construction of a new line in the expansion of Warsaw Metro's rapid transit system, Sarens was brought in to transport and load a tunnel-boring machine (TBM). The €209m expansion project began in 2016 and is expected to last for 36 months.
Sarens’ operation was performed at the C06 Ksie?cia Janusza underground station for the second metro line currently under construction.
Large elements first had to be transferred from the storage area to the work site. These included a 57t cutting wheel (1.9m x 6.3m x 6.5m) and 65t centre shield top (3.9m x 4.3m x 6.3m).
The Sarens team had then to assemble the boring machine. For this part of the operation, one of the biggest challenges the team faced was lack of space. Crawler cranes were chosen because of their ability to travel on the construction site. A Liebherr LR 1350 in the L configuration (36m, 125t + 38t) was used to build the TBM on the ground.
With the assembly completed, Sarens prepared to lower the TBM underground. The Terex CC2800-1 crane lowered the 400-tonne load using the SSL configuration (36m, 180t + 60t, 300t SL). The crane lift load was at a 13m radius with an extended radius to 16m and 90° slew. The load was rotated into position, and the crane drove six metres to lower the TBM in place.
"The greatest challenge was to fit the load and safely place it under the ceiling," says Mariusz Sudol, Sarens’ country manager for Poland. "The clearance was only 40cm and our team safely performed the operation."
Both cranes deployed on the project came from Sochaczew, Poland. Each was assembled within three days.
