LinCon’s Elevated Work Platform (EWP) fleet is well known for reaching great heights, however its Barin-manufactured under bridge inspection units access some of the more intricate locations within Australia’s infrastructure.
A fleet of 15 specialised vehicles in Australia can access tight spaces and tackle complex bridge maintenance works via its booms, baskets and platforms. Australian crane company LinCon Hire and Sales owns and hires the truck-mounted boom lifts.
Since starting in 2001, LinCon Hire and Sales has built its specialised fleet to include around 150 units and the under bridge inspection units add to the versatility of this large fleet. These specialised units include booms varying from six metres to 23 metres in length.
“We have made a significant investment in this product. We are the largest provider of under bridge inspection units in Australia and we are certainly growing this aspect of the business,” said LinCon Chief Executive Officer Craig Lindores.
LinCon first introduced the Barin under bridge inspection units to its fleet of truck-mounted towers, after identifying a gap in the market.
“We saw a demand for a product that could service under bridge inspections, construction, repairs and remedial work. We conducted an extensive research of the global market and saw an opportunity with the Barin range,” Craig said.
“LinCon Hire and Sales has always invested in products designed to increase the safety of operators involved in construction and maintenance works, and the Barin range is an excellent example of this.”
The Italian designed and manufactured under bridge inspection unit can move between inspections with ease, as Craig explains.
“If we are simply deploying one of our Barin under bridge inspection units for routine inspections and service work, they are so quick and easy to set up, they are capable of completing up to 20 jobs per day, obviously depending on the amount of work involved,” he said.
These machines have enormous working reach upward and downward and are highly flexible for inspection and maintenance activities. When onsite, the under bridge inspection unit is typically operated from the boom basket and the operator is able to assess any damage to the structure which might have been caused by a storm or a road accident.
Due to the flexibility of the under bridge inspection units, the approach to traditional bridge and infrastructure inspection processes are changing, negating the need to involve barges, pontoons and scaffold infrastructure.
“The more traditional methodology has been to build a scaffold structure under the piece of infrastructure, be that a wharf or bridge. Alternatives also include barges and boats, however working with a rising and receding tide these may present base instability and therefore safety risks,” said Craig. “The benefit of mounting a truck with a boom basket on a bridge is that it increases safety and limits the number of factors that are beyond the control of the inspection team.”
Craig highlights how an under bridge inspection unit provided the required safety measures during a maintenance project in Darwin in 2024.
“The bridge spanned a crocodile-infested river and if the job had utilised a boat for example, any instability could have seen workers fall into the water.
“We determined the safest way forward was to access the underside from on top. That day, our AB23 under bridge inspection unit played a pivotal role in mitigating any risk of workers being in danger of falling into the river and being attacked by crocodiles. It also eliminated any risks involved in navigating the tidal river, countering strong currents etc.”
The AB23 under bridge inspection unit hire leads the LinCon fleet in dexterity and versatility. The basket model weighs 33,700 kilograms, has a maximum downward reach of 28m, and a maximum outreach of 23m. It also provides ample capacity for equipment and operators, supporting a basket load of up to 300kg. The AB23 is ideal for larger structures where scaffolding access is not feasible.
AB23 also boasts a 180-degree rotating turntable below ground, therefore offering flexibility and problem-solving under bridges with multiple obstacles such as pillars and ladders.
For operators looking at heavier loads, the ABC180 platform-based features a total weight of 33,520kg, overall length of 12m, and transport dimensions of 2.5m x 4m. It also boasts a maximum downward reach of 9.1m, and an outreach of 18m, and can support a platform load of up to 550kg.
LinCon’s under bridge inspection units include up to three knuckles to improve the dexterity and productivity of the unit.
“Multiple knuckles enable the baskets to climb to positions other than just up and down. Similar to the function of one’s elbow, the forearm is on a pivot point and can rotate in multiple directions,” Craig said.
The AB16SL, AB16SM, AB22 and AB23 models all include baskets with multiple knuckle functions.
Another important feature of these units is their ability to move slowly forward and backwards, providing ideal manoeuvrability from within the basket to conduct detailed inspections.
“The benefit of all our under bridge inspection units is that they can all transverse. With one operator on top of the bridge in the truck and another under the bridge in the basket, the truck can slowly drive forward whilst work continues under the bridge,” said Craig.
To navigate the basket to multiple areas under the bridge, the truck, using remote control, can extend the boom 90 degrees in and out.
“Furthermore, the truck can drive along the whole length of a bridge, essentially without interrupting the ‘under bridge’ works. The under bridge inspection unit is strong and stable when operating due to its counterweighted spare wheels, which are exactly in line with the operational wheels, so they don’t add to the width of the truck,” Craig said.
The additional set of wheels act as outriggers designed to stabilise the vehicle once the boom is extended. The weight is transferred below the line of the vehicle.
The deliberately narrow design of the truck has produced positive results on some of Melbourne’s most used and important infrastructure, including the 2.5m wide Barin AB16SM, which performed structural inspection works on an arrivals ramp at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport mid-2024.
“The AB16SM was sitting on top of the ramp and being only 2.5m wide meant only one lane was partially closed. With the help of traffic management, we successfully carried out our maintenance and structural testing that day,” said Craig.
LinCon’s under bridge units can also be deployed for vegetation projects, including the removal of plant and tree growth within bridges and infrastructure which can ultimately weaken the structures.
Craig said LinCon will continue its linear trajectory with the expansion of its truck-mounted Elevated Work Platforms (EWPs).
“We have purchased more products from our lifting equipment providers including Bronto and Palfinger.
“Our Bronto units arrived late in 2024 and almost immediately went into action,” said Craig.
He said LinCon’s continued investment in a diverse range of leading products and technology is a commitment to service it provides customers.
“If a customer is purchasing a specific product and they are choosing from multiple providers, they are likely to choose the provider with the best service,” he said.
“We believe, in the truck-mounted boom and access equipment industry, we are the ‘provider of choice’. We invest in the very latest technology from globally leading brands which enables us to meet the specific needs of customers.”