52
ACT
MAY 2014
SC&RA
JOBSOF THE YEAR
the12meter observatory site, the reflector
was trans-loaded to a6-lineGoldhofer
with a custom-built tilt frame.At that
point, thegrossweight jumped to246,000
pounds, the length to110 feet and the
height to35 feet 9 inches.However, the
widthnarrowed from40 feet to24 feet 9
inches after careful tiltingof the reflector
through innovative lifting features
designedbyPHH.
The second subassembly, thepedestal
with receiver cabin,washeavier than the
reflector by about 130,000pounds.After
determining the concentratedweight
of thepedestal couldonlybe supported
over threepoints, PHHdesigned two
identical sidebrackets boltednear the
given center of gravity that held87percent
of theweight at all time,while a fabricated
extension replacing theboltedpedestal
foodheld theother 13percent.Holding
the support brackets to thepedestalwere
108bolts; thebrackets also served as
securement points.
The configuration for thepedestal
on adual lanehydraulic spread11 axle
perimeter framewithKenworthT-800s
forpull andpush truckshad anetweight
of 143,000pounds and agrossweight of
472,750pounds. The transport length
was 185 feet 4 inches longby22 feet 8
incheswideby16 feet 6 incheshigh.After
switching to apedestal onto an8 line
Goldhofer from theKitt Peak staging area
to the12meter observatory site, thegross
weight dropped to398,000pounds and
the lengthdeclined to120 feet but raised
theheight to20 feet.
Themountainportionof the transport
was locatedonTohonoO’odhamNation
land,with a sidehill cut onone sideof
the road and canyonoff theother. Rock
outcroppings and trees lined the entire
route. The final 100 feet on an even
narrower access roadhadpower lines
andobservatorybuilding eves. The entire
job required the removal of 313 trees and
signs. Thanks tomonths of planning,
state-of-the-art equipment and the skills
of everyone involved, theworkwas
completedwithinbudget, onor aheadof
schedule andwithout accidents.
■
was to eliminate anyprobability that
the antenna itselfwouldhave an impact
withEarthduring a transit of over 1,276
total loadedmiles. Thatwasno easy task,
considering that the antenna’s reflector
was going tobe thewidest load ever to
crossNewMexico andArizona, and
a separatehaulwould requirebridge
engineeringbecauseof the extremeweight
created, inpart, by theneed for specialized
transport frame and lifting features.
Mountain climbing
Tominimize teardownof the antenna,
PHHdetermined that dividing the
unit into two subassemblies, eachof
which, in turn, required twodifferent
trailer configurations.One subassembly
consistedof themain reflector,which
needed tobe attached to the support
framebymeans of isolators, preventing
the sensitivepiece fromundergoing
random frequenciesproducedbymetal
components of frame andminimizing
vibrations from the transport. The
reflector on an8-lineGoldhoferhad a
netweight of 15,000pounds and agross
weight of 154,000pounds stretching
72 feet longby40 feetwideby15 feet 8
incheshigh. For the finalmountainous
climb from theKitt Peak staging area to
HAULINGUNDER 160,000 POUNDS
(Net)
A scientific haul
H
owon earthdoes an extremely
sensitive, 40-footwide
scientificmarvel travel across
two states, uponemountain, on roadshalf
itswidth?Thatwas thequestion facing
PrecisionHeavyHaul, Inc. (PHH) of
Tolleson,AZwhenaccepting the challenge
of transporting a$14million “Prototype
Antenna.”
TheAtacamaLargeMillimeterArray
(ALMA) antenna isused for thedetection
and collectionof dataon radio sources
as theyoperate in the radio frequency
rangeof the electromagnetic spectrum.
Antennas areusually set in an array,which
upgrades theirperformance significantly.
Locations of suchobjects are important
because electromagnetic interferences
from everydayobjects affect data
collection.
This transport originated at theVery
LargeArray site located approximately50
mileswest of Socorro,NM. Itsdestination
wasKitt PeakNationalObservatory, 55
mileswest/southwest ofTucson,AZ, at an
elevationof 7,000 feet. This observatory
gained famebyhosting the first telescope
used to search fornear-earth asteroids,
and calculating theprobabilityof an
impactwithEarth.
PHH’s responsibility, on theotherhand,
>54
PrecisionHeavy Haul
Transporting a $14million ALMA antenna required tedious planning through amountainous
obstacle course.
