Recently, Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift and Shift (TBHLS) delivered one of the most complex lifts in Australia, a lift which didn’t just happen, it took years of planning, thousands of decisions and with every detail checked and rechecked. More than 1000 tonnes of curved beams were installed above one of Melbourne’s busiest freeways.
The lift involved 12 spliced steel girders forming an entire bridge spanning approximately 100 metres in length, 16 metres wide and weighing over 1080 tonnes, including the rigging gear. TBHLS secured the scope of works for this span, along with other lifts it has completed or is working on. The project was awarded through a competitive tendering process.
The complexities of the lift related to:
Developing a workable solution that allowed for lifting, tracking, slewing and placing the assembled span into position.
Completing the assembly of the span in a tight working area adjacent to the live freeway.
Completing the lift during a weekend closure of both inbound and outbound carriageways which involved constructing a crane platform on the carriageway, traversing the span to the pick position by using Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) which was also completed by TBHLS. Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift deployed 48-axle line configuration to traverse the assembled bridge span from the assembly area to the pick position, a critical and complex element of the overall operation.
Underpinning the SPMT operation was a newly expanded capability from Tutt Bryant: a range of heavy-duty support beams and stools, purpose-designed to serve as the interface between the SPMT deck and the bridge structure. Engineered to handle the immense loads transferred during transportation of the span, these beams and stools ensured the load was distributed safely and effectively across the SPMT configuration throughout the move.
The design and execution of this interface solution was managed entirely by Tutt Bryant’s highly skilled in-house engineering team, which developed the bespoke arrangement to suit the specific geometry and load requirements of the span.
Having this expertise in-house allowed for a seamless and fully integrated approach across the lifting, transport and placement phases of the project, and was a key advantage in delivering such a complex operation within the tight timeframes of a weekend road closure –lifting and positioning the span and then removing everything from the freeway in time for reopening it for Monday morning traffic.
TBHLS mobilised two SANY SCC8000A 800 tonne lattice boom crawler cranes for the dual crane, pick and carry lift. Each Sany featured 48 metres of main boom, plus full 350 tonnes Superlift. The dual lift pick and carry saw Crane One lift at a radius of 15.5 metres, then luffed down to 16.25 metres before traveling about 15 metres forward before placement of the load. Simultaneously, Crane Two lifted at 17.75 metres, luffed up to 16.5 metres and travelled about 15 metres backwards. Both cranes were required to stop and slew to adjust the span position along the travel path. Key TBHLS personnel involved in the lift and shift included SPMT Project Manager Ben Neilson, Project Manager Carl Rigby, and Matt Fussell, TBHLS Victoria State Manager along with crane technicians (crane operators) and riggers.
SANY SCC8000A 800t
Sany’s 800 tone crawler crane boasts a Cummins QSX15 engine and a maximum lifting moment of 12,016 tonne-metres. Its safety features are also noteworthy, including a fully automated load moment indicator, boom angle limit and closed-circuit monitoring system.
One of the standout features of the SCC8000A is its flexibility relating to its boom. This standard crane features a 99 metre main boom. With the super lift attached, it extends to 111 metres. The mixed main boom, suitable for heavy and light loads, reaches 123 metres in the standard crane and 147 metres when combined with the full super lift. Additionally, the crane includes a 168 metre power boom, incorporating 3.5 metre sections that are already fitted. The Sany SCC8000A also boasts a superpower boom comprising two booms side by side for a specific segment of the main boom. The crane features a short fixed wind jib suitable for installing wind turbines exceeding 100 tonne at a hook height of 175 metres. It has a full luffing fly of 96 metres capable of lifting up to 68 tonne at a hook height of 194 metres.
Dynamic Rigging provided the rigging gear required from the hook to the shackles that attached to the bespoke underslung lifting beam.
The rigging gear for the lift included:
• Two 700 tonne Maxirig lattice spreader beams.
• Four 400 tonne adjustable link plates from Maxirig.
• More than 20 Van Beest shackles with up to 500 tonne working load limit (WLL) sourced from Holland
• 410 tonne and 365 tonne high-modulus polyethylene (HMPE) lifting slings from United Sling Co. Western Australia.
The shackles, 400 tonne and 500 tonne, were sourced from Van Beest in the Netherlands. About two dozen units were ordered and shipped in.
For the slings, the project had a preference for Australian manufacturing. Dynamic engaged United Sling in Western Australia to produce 410-tonne and 365-tonne round slings using HMPE.
Even with the high performance thread making them smaller, a 400-tonne sling is still bulky and heavy and they are not easy bits of kit to work with. The centrepiece, however, was the new 700-tonne lattice construction spreader beam. Based on an earlier 240-tonne design, the new unit was scaled up in every dimension – thicker steel, larger joining plates, more bolts and greater overall width. The collaboration between all parties was key to ensuring the lift was a success. Both TBHLS and Dynamic Rigging were outstanding in their expertise and professionalism through the duration of the project.
