58
ACT
FEBRUARY 2014
SITE REPORT
LIFTING
fitted with good safety systems,” Sanchez
said. “Everything related to the set-up
and rigging went very smoothly. Obvious
challenges included the lack of space on
the jobsite, however the AC 500-2 is one
of the most maneuverable and compact
cranes in its class, which helped.”
Quick rigging
The time taken for the Terex AC 500-2
units to drive to the jobsite was about 30
minutes and another hour was needed
before they were fully rigged and ready
to lift. Between four and five people were
involved in the rigging process of the
cranes, and just two additional low loader
ballast wagons were needed.
Some column sections weighed up
to 425 metric tons and measured 118
to 157 feet long and 13 to 21 feet wide,
depending on the number of lanes they
carry. Horizontal sections weighed up to
350 metric tons. In total there were about
20,000 pre-cast components made from
high-strength concrete, including about
500 columns varying in height from 16 to
82 feet. Sections were prefabricated using
a process that took just 48 hours. Once
cured, the units were transported and
placed into position onsite.
“The Terex AC 500s are lifting at an
average height of about 20 meters (65 feet)
and carrying out either single or tandem
lifts between 10 to 220 metric tons at a
radius between 10 to 15 meters – typical
low radius heavy lifting,” said Bernardo
Quintana Kawage, general director, ICA.
“First the cranes are positioned onsite and
the modular elements to be lifted arrive
in sequence. Once lifted and positioned
they are welded and secured. Then the
next element arrives and the process is
repeated over and over. When the cranes
need to move, they remove their own
counterweight onto a low-loader and then
move to the next jobsite. In all, between
seven and 15 people were needed to set-up
the cranes and carry out the lift.”
Precise positioning
Efficient logistics are critical to
enable the construction to keep to the
14-month schedule with three to four
massive sections being installed each
night. Because of the size of the main
elements, they are erected one at a
time, although smaller elements can be
erected simultaneously. The support
columns feature an integrated shoe and
head design. This makes the erection
process much quicker, although precise
positioning of the columns is needed to
its class, according to Terex. A maximum
working height of 478 feet can be achieved
with a luffing fly jib. The crane offers
power across the full lifting capacity range,
and features include and improved design
of the main boom cross-section and the
reinforced sideways superlift system. The
star-shaped outrigger layout provides
good stability and short set-up times. The
crane’s engine delivers 80 kW / 653 hp at
1800 rpm.
With over 65 years in business, ICA
has constructed more than 10,000 km
(621 miles) of highways and has built
more than 220 km (136 miles) of metro
lines. ICA is the largest civil engineering
company in Mexico and one of the largest
in Latin America. The project was set to be
completed in early 2014.
■
The Terex AC
500-2 all terrains
were rigged to
lift at an average
height of about
65 feet and
carried out either
single or tandem
lifts weighing
between 10 to
220 tons.
locate each unit into deep foundations
prepared in advance.
“A delay either from transporting the
elements or erecting them would be
catastrophic to the construction schedule,”
said Kawage. “What really helped with the
progress was that the cranes performed
flawlessly, helped by the excellent support
from Terex and Maquinter, its distributor
in Mexico, which supplied rapid technical
support and assistance when needed.
Although the cranes were very hi-tech,
they were reliable, easy to operate and
suitable for the level of operators available,
giving all the information needed for the
field engineers to make the necessary
decisions.”
With a 56-foot long carrier, the AC 500-2
is the most compact eight-axle crane in
