Sarens Siba recently pulled off an amazing lift with its CC2500 crane, helping a client in the Western Cape of South Africa remove a 90-tonne bridge deck and install a new 200-tonne deck in its place. To do it, Sarens used its 500T crawler crane with 48m main boom and extensive rigging set-up. 

A primary concern going into the project was devising an appropriate rigging strategy, and a preliminary study was created based on limited project information. When Sarens conducted a subsequent site visit, it was determined that the initial lifting points identified would not be suitable. Instead, Sarens proposed an alternative solution using 10 different lifting hoops: an out-of-the-box lifting and rigging solution.

Sarens took on the challenge of implementing a tackle system that would use only vertical lifting forces based on the five lifting hoops on each side of the bridge. Considering time constraints, the client was provided with a tackle combination consisting of one main 19-metre spreader connected to two smaller 3-metre spreaders. This system alone created a lifting strategy for 10 points. The intermediate lifting hoops utilised 30T chain blocks which could be adjusted in stroke as necessary, ensuring no slag. 

The CC2500-1 crane used for this operation was brought from Johannesburg to the Vredendal project site, some 1.300km from the Sarens Siba office. Because of the limited space and road availability, Sarens had to plan carefully for the crane and parts to arrive on site in an ABC fashion, with trucks lining up accordingly. The crane was used on-site for a total of four days, in addition to six days for mobilisation and demobilisation.

The crew involved in this project included one crawler crane operator, two crane operators, one supervisor, one engineer, two rigging crews, and a truck driver. Sarens would like to commend everyone involved on a unique solution and a job well done!