Hewden Stuart Crane Hire was called in for three lifts in the construction of a site access bridge as part of the Cardiff Bay Barrage project in South Wales.
The heaviest of the three bridge sections was 76t in weight, 17m long, 12m wide and 2m deep.
Working on behalf of Rowecord Engineering, Hewden Stuart supplied a 500t Demag AC1600.
Rowecord was itself contracted to Noell Stahl und Maschinebau, Two lifts from inside a coffer dam around a section of the river bed proved straightforward, with the 45m boom height working at 16m radius. But the 24m-radius third lift, from the side, required planning in detail.
A jetty was specially constructed and piled, and channels were added to allow the lifting team to spread the mats in such a way that the outrigger loads were directed vertically down on the piles.
With 140t counterweight and superlift mast, the job of lifting the 66t deck unit was within the 69.4t safe working limit.
