LCR has continued on its path of impressive projects with the completion of a series of complex lifts on the $2.3 billion Bruce Highway upgrade project in Queensland. The lifts involved the LCR team completing the installation of 10 super T bridge girders over the electrified rail network connecting Brisbane to Cairns.
Among several challenges, the 10, 85t super T bridge girders were 33m long and required pre-delivery and stockpile outside of transport curfews to allow lifting operations to occur over the SCAS (shutdown) period.
Use of a crawler crane and single lift option were deemed not viable due to site conditions and positioning of the pads within the limited workspace. Methodology and lift plans were adjusted several times due to an unprecedented three major flood events in the region – with careful examination of the site and updated civil works required to make the installations possible.
After consultation with site engineers and governing bodies, with consideration to site conditions and restrictions around the SCAS, it was agreed a mid-air transfer between a Tadano Demag AC1000/9 and Grove GMK7450 would be the best solution. The cranes worked with specialised transport equipment (LCR Jinker/Jinker combinations) for a lift and push placement.
The mid-air transfer was made possible by a girder specific triangle designed in-house. The triangle was purposefully designed in consultation with Edwards Heavy Lift to increase the distance between the tips of the cranes during transfer and to decrease the lifting radius of the secondary crane by a significant distance (2.5m).
The project
The $2.3 billion Bruce Highway Cooroy to Curra upgrade is funded by the Federal and Queensland Governments.
It involves a 62km realignment and upgrade to four lanes between Cooroy and Curra and is among Queensland’s highest priority road projects. It aims to improve safety, flood resilience, and capacity along the highway between Brisbane and Cairns. It is designed to meet strategic transport, improve safety, flood immunity and capcity on the Bruce Highway.
The cranes
LCR’s Tadano Demag 1000-9 was delivered July of 2021 and was the first to arrive in Australia. The crane was a momentous addition to the LCR (Qube) Lift fleet.
The AC 1000-9 is truly a superlative crane in the 1,200-tonne capacity class: With its 50m of main boom that comes as standard and the optional luffing jib, the crane reaches a maximum system length of 163.3 metres, which makes it unbeatable when it comes to large construction projects.
When it comes to the heaviest loads, the Tadano Demag AC 1000-9 is a true workhorse that refuses to give up even when handling large weights. The standard star-type outriggers, which reduce system deformation noticeably and accordingly provide for extraordinary stability at larger lifting capacities, play a crucial role in this.
The Grove GMK7450 is a 450t capacity crane on seven axles and a 60m twin-lock boom. The Grove comes with a graphic display load moment and independent anti-two block system with audio-visual warning and control lever lock-out. These systems provide electronic display of boom angle, length, radius, tip height, relative load moment, maximum permissible load, load indication and warning of impending two-block condition with lock-out hoist function.
The superstructure has a six-cylinder Mercedes-Benz engine producing 279 horsepower whilst the carrier has an eight cylinder Mercedes-Benz engine producing 571 horsepower with steering capable to all axles. It comes with an Allison automatic 4800 SP, 7 forward and one reverse speed, as well as transverse differential locks and a transfer case with two speeds and inter-axle differential lock.
The lifts
Prior to the commencement of operations, a mid-span launch ramp was constructed onsite to allow the girders to be pushed within radius. This meant updated methodology as the girders now required installation from the outside in. In addition, a temporary laydown was created along the alignment (400m from the bridge site) to store the 10 girders as lifting occurred outside of transport approved timeframes with nil exemptions available.
Constraints within the temporary works saw the crane pad construction occur an additional 6m away from the blade wall, increasing the SWL. Lift studies and approvals were updated to align with the changes.
The Tadano Demag was setup for the lift with 228t of counterweight, 45.6m boom and working at 91.2 per cent of its safe working limit (SWL). Rings, shackles and nylons in addition to the triangle were used for the rigging. The Grove had 120t counterweight, 30.5m boom, placing it at 88.5 per cent of its SWL.
On the day of operation, the rail network was isolated to maximise the safety for the teams involved. Due to the flooding events, the rail network isolation date was the only timeframe available to the project for the year and a maximum shutdown period of 18 hours was approved for the lifts due to the rail line being the main connection between Brisbane and Cairns. Due to the restrictions of the shutdown period and the multiple weather setbacks that had previously occurred, approvals were put in place to allow the project to be completed in severe weather conditions with the only weather event to stop the lifts being lightning. All weather appropriate PPE was issued to the crew in preparation.
On the day, the super T girders were loaded out from the alignment laydown to jinker/jinker transport combinations using two 200t capacity cranes. On the launch ramp, the jinkers were positioned so the rear of beams were within radius of the 450t crane for the attachment of the rigging.
Once the 450t was rigged, the weight of the girder was transferred from the rear jinker to the crane. The 450t then slewed towards the 1200t whilst the prime mover simultaneously traversed the launch ramp – the girder weight split between the Grove 450t and the rear jinker trailer.
The 1200t hook block was then positioned at the rear of the girder in line with the 450t hook block. The transfer triangle rigging was then attached to both of the cranes utilising personnel in an EWP to allow the load transfer to begin.
Both cranes then began to simultaneously winch up and down to transfer the weight of the girder from the 450t to the 1200t. The Groves rigging was then disconnected from the transfer triangle with the weight then passed onto the Tadano.
The 450t then returned to the lead jinker trailer and rigged up to the front end of the super T girder removing all of the weight from the trailer. The girder was then positioned on the head stock and the rigging removed. This process was completed another nine times within the 18-hour rail shutdown.
Whilst the project provided a number of challenges for the LCR team, they continued to work with the client to provide solutions to ensure that regardless of the continuous changes, the installation occurred within the project schedule. The project was completed within the time restrictions and with zero safety incidents, much to the credit of the LCR team on site.
National Key Account Manager Project Services Qube Heavy Lift Melira Lister discussed the importance of this project.
“Qube are extremely proud to be supporting the largest infrastructure project in Queensland. As a business, we recognise that we are only as good as our people, and we take pride in knowing that we have a great team onsite ensuring projects like this are executed to the benefit of our clients,” Melira said.