In a remarkable feat of engineering, WASEL GmbH successfully replaced an old concrete pipe bridge with a modern steel structure over the A42 motorway between Bottrop and Essen in Germany.
The complex project, which connected regional refineries to the Bottrop tank farm across both the A42 and the River Emscher, showcased the capabilities of two powerful Liebherr LR 11000 crawler cranes.
The project involved seven Liebherr cranes, including the two 1,000-tonne LR 11000 models. These colossal cranes performed tandem lifts to unload new bridge segments from a ship on the Rhine-Herne Canal. Each segment weighed 220 tonnes and measured 71 metres long, 7 metres wide, and 6 metres high.
Project manager Viktor Hein from WASEL GmbH explained the operation. He said, “The particular challenge with the first segment was to guide it between the two LR 11000s with centimetre precision in order to place it in the intended position.”
Crane operator Florian Lauschke praised the equipment’s performance: “The cranes worked brilliantly – as you would expect from Liebherr.”
The second phase involved dismantling the old bridge and installing the new segments. One LR 11000 crane was transported 1,000 metres along the A42 and reassembled on-site. To prevent structural damage during the removal of the old concrete bridge, steel corsets were employed.
Hein commended the cranes’ efficiency: “The two 1000-tonners impressed throughout the entire mission with their high lifting capacity, but also with their agility. The operator and assembly-friendly design meant that we were able to relocate one of the two in the shortest possible time from the pre-assembly area to the assembly area via the motorway.”
Thanks to meticulous planning, teamwork, and reliable Liebherr equipment, the project was completed two days ahead of its five-day schedule. Project manager Günther Lohaus highlighted the importance of early coordination: “The aim was to close off the motorway for as short a time as possible. The close cooperation with WASEL, a detailed logistics and assembly concept and reliable Liebherr cranes meant that we were actually able to beat the planned time window.”
The new bridge segments, manufactured by Schone & Bruns GmbH und Co. KG, were transported via various waterways to the site, underscoring the project’s extensive logistical planning.