In winning Sector 6 of the Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) project in Jumeirah, United Arab Emirates, main contractor Al Shafar General Contracting Co. has opted for two new Liebherr luffing jib cranes on one of the project’s four high-rise towers; with six Liebherr tower cranes for the project’s other three towers and high rise link.
The two Liebherr 112HC-L luffing jib cranes were ordered through local distributor INMA. Both cranes, which feature a under-hook height of 240m, are designed for work on exceptionally tall buildings or on sites with restricted space.
With the steep luffing jib angle (15 to 70 degrees) these cranes can, says Liebherr, avoid on-site obstructions with other working areas and slew through 360 degrees under load at only 7m slewing radius.
Both cranes are climbing with the building’s concrete pouring cycle, with one floor being completed every six or seven days. The cranes are ‘jacked-up’ to remain on the upper construction level, floor climbing within the building’s core-shaft to the final height of the tower.
Al Shafar has installed both luffing jib cranes on a 46-storey tower which stands above a common four-storey podium across the entire area of Sector 6 and comprising a basement, grade level, a mezzanine and a plaza.
The project differs from others on the JBR project as it is a ‘stand alone’ podium which does not join up with the other podiums. It will, however, be connected by bridges. The basement, grade level and mezzanine floors are for parking and the plaza levels will provide retail space.
According to project manager, Ehab Edward Narouze, Al Shafar opted for the luffing jibs because of the limited space on Tower AO1, even though it occupies the biggest area. ‘It is also close to the road and cannot therefore swing across the road since it will interfere with the other sectors,’ he said.
Craneage duties on the remainder of Al Shafar’s Sector 6 project is provided by six Liebherr 8t capacity tower cranes.
The project also features a two 44-storey towers and a 26-storey tower linked together by a 40-storey building. All four towers and the ‘link’ building feature a four-storey podium and final heights vary between 107m and 172m.
JBR is a 22 million sq ft gross floor area development along a 1.7 beach frontage area in Jumeirah on the shore side of the Dubai Marina. It includes 36 residential high-rise towers, four hotels and beach clubs, to cater for a community of 25,000 people.
