Bragg’s Liebherr LR 1300 for airport construction
16 November 2010Bragg Crane Service’s Phoenix division has been working on the construction of the Sky Train transit network, in Arizona, USA.
The Liebherr LR 1300 has been at work on the elevated guided rail system at the City of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona. Based between Terminal 4 (the busiest at the airport), the Metro Light Rail station and the East parking lots, erection of the steel structure was completed in September.
Most of the overhead structure is already in place, ready for construction to begin, currently scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2013.
Bragg is working with Texan firm, Pro-Steel Erectors, and used a Liebherr LR 1300 lattice boom crawler crane to lift and install over 1,200USt of steel for the project.
The LR 1300 was used with 68m (223ft) of main boom, 124USt of counterweight, and 57USt of car body weight. A 28m (93ft) derrick was rigged with a further 75USt on a suspended counterweight tray for the heavy lifts to be made at a 46m (150ft) radius.
Due to the airport’s safety requirements, in order to operate the crane within 30m (100ft) of stationary aircraft, Bragg had to address issues including boom height, working hours and underground tunnels. For example, Bragg only worked between 10pm and 6am to enable airport gates to remain open throughout construction.
Matting also provided a challenge during the project, as woodchips could potentially present a hazard to airplane engines. Bragg’s solution here was to use rubber conveyor belt sections, provided by a number of its customers from the sand and gravel industry. This helped protect the jet engines from damage by thick concrete and loose particles.
Bragg is also erecting 131 precast concrete girders in two phases for another aspect of the project. In August the firm set 79 girders in nine days, then in September, the second phase of 52 girders was completed in a week and a half. Each girder weighs between 40USt and 63USt and span up to 30m (100ft): the firm used 300USt truck cranes for the lifts.
The Phoenix Sky Harbour is set to extend the guided rail system to connect with other terminals in the future.
