Spotlight Cranes
100-year-old bridge. Originally built in 1928 and designated as part of the Dixie Highway, this structure was evaluated and selected for replacement out of a pool of 2,300 Georgia state bridges.
The bridge to replace it, a single-span concrete structure that’ s 90 feet long by 40 feet wide, will stand above Georgia’ s Cedar Creek and feature two 12-foot lanes, fourfoot-wide shoulders and exterior barrier walls. The Link-Belt crawlers are helping construct abutments on the bridge’ s north and south sides, first auguring 16-inch diameter holes that are 20 feet deep and then driving 80 foot-tall, 14-inch shell composite steel pile.
The cranes have been especially efficient working in tandem to place 90-foot-long, 116,000-pound precast concrete bridge beams, noted Griffin Bridge Division Manager Darryl Jaquith.“ Without needing to move a single crane to either side of the creek as work progresses,” he said,“ we’ re saving time and money by using both cranes at once.”
According to Griffin’ s crane operator Teddy Webb, a veteran with 50 years of experience, the 218 | V is capable of auguring and driving pile effectively while still being mobile and easy to access.“ The Link- Belt handles the auger with leads and the hammer in the 60 foot-tall leads well,” he said.“ On the smaller jobs, the 218 | V is easy to get in and out of and on dirt roads and places like that.”
Webb related that he especially likes the 218 | V’ s features, such as its line pull controls and its thumb button to control the hydraulic pump. Paired with the crane’ s winch functions and controls, he added that the crane operates smoothly and is easy to adjust as needed.
The crane’ s fine metering and computer systems and cameras, which feature a rearview, side-view and drum-view angle, are also extremely helpful for Webb.“ Compared to older cranes, operating the 218 | V is much simpler,” he said.“ There’ s really no comparison; it’ s like night and day.”
For Jaquith, crawlers that offer new and advanced crane technology are paramount to the future of the construction industry.“ With our new Link-Belt cranes, we can be more efficient,” he said.“ They will lead to greater productivity and lower costs.”
Ideal Use as Multi-Purpose Machines
At Liebherr, according to Wolfgang Pfister, head of strategic marketing & communications, a stable market outlook and the quick availability of crawler cranes help drive their ideal use as multi-purpose machines on any construction site.
The newest crawler crane in the Liebherr lineup is the 110-ton LR 1100.1 lattice boom model with a maximum hoist height of 195 feet. The smallest crawler crane in the company’ s LR series features independent and quick assembly of the side frames, the car body and rear counterweights, two hoist winches and boom elements and is easily transported with boom foot and crawlers on the crane and catwalks folded down.
The LR 1100.1 is powered by a Liebherr diesel with the manufacturer’ s Eco-Silent Mode system so engine speed can be reduced to a predefined level, and has Automatic Engine Stop Control during
������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������
��������������������������������������������
������������
���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� https:// kitocrosby. com / troops
24 CRANE HOT LINE ® October 2024 • www. cranehotline. com