McKay United has deployed two of its Grove all-terrain cranes to complete a series of dual lifts on the new Parkdale Station as part of Victoria’s Level Crossing Removal Project.
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Contracted to lift and install bridge beams, the Melbourne-based crane outfit mobilised its Grove GMK7450 and GMK6400 to lift the bridge beams into place to further the development of the new Parkdale Station.
The Parkdale Station project involves the installation of 38 spans, each consisting of four L-beams weighing 127 tonnes, and 12 super-T beams weighing 86 tonnes.
McKay United executed the tandem lift using its GMK7450 with mega-wing-lift, featuring a 35.3m boom and 160-tonne counterweight configuration, as well as its GMK6400 with a 30.1m main boom and 115-tonne counterweight configuration.
The project faced numerous challenges, including height restrictions, NBN wires, electrical wires and electrical cabinets and pits that couldn’t be removed at the time of the lift.
To address these challenges, McKay United performed lift simulations for all spans and provided real-time input from the site to keep the lift plans updated. This dynamic approach allowed the crane hire company to adapt to changing conditions on-site and implement lift plans effectively.
To help configure the two Groves, McKay United also mobilised its Franna AT40 as an auxiliary crane, its 100-tonne hydraulic telescopic crawler crane and an LTM1120-4.1.
The seven-axle Grove GMK7450 possesses a maximum lifting capacity of 450-tonnes on a seven-axle carrier, making it the flagship all-terrain crane in Grove’s inventory. Further to its lifting capacities, the crane possesses a five-section main telescopic boom length of 60m that can be enhanced by Manitowoc’s trademarked MegaWingLift technology that provides extra lifting capacity. The crane can reach a maximum hook height of 136m thanks to its optional add-ons of a 79m luffing jib and 70m fixed jib, and is capable of carrying 160-tonnes of counterweight.
The GMK6400, on the other hand, is one of the newest all-terrain cranes in Grove’s line up, and presents the best load chart in its six-axle class – an achievement underscored by the machine earning Manitowoc the ESTA award for innovation in 2013. The crane’s 400-tonne lifting capacity is bolstered by a similar boom configuration to the aforementioned 450-tonner, with a 60m main boom length and 136m main hook height.
McKay United comprises Williamstown Crane Hire, East Side Crane Hire and Tasmanian company Elliot’s Crane Hire. The company possesses a fleet size ranging from its 13-tonne Kato through to its 650-tonne Demag crawler crane.
The new $450 million Parkdale Station is being delivered by an alliance of Acciona, Coleman Rail, WSP and Metro Trains Melbourne.