Case Study Laing O’Rourke
Laing O’Rourke
When Laing O’Rourke had a problem fitting inserts into a Steel reinforced concrete Beam at their Explore Manufacturing facility they called on J.H.Kemp to assist.
The problem was that the new inserts need to be fitted into the bottom face; this meant that the beam needed to rolled over, not so much of a problem you might think until you consider that the beam weighted 40,000kg, was 16metres long, was constructed with a positive camber and both sides of its entire length had exposed reinforcing.
J.H.Kemp suggested using Versa lifts and operating on a steel support frame. Firstly the 4 support steels were laid down, levelled and set at equal distances apart to form a working platform over which the beam could be rolled, onto the steels machined hard timbers were placed, that would support the beam and also allow it to be rolled without the rebar coming into contact with the support frame.
The beam was then unloaded from transport using 2 x versa lift trucks and positioned onto the support steels with the hard wood timber beneath, more hard wood timber was then secured into the gaps between the rebar so that as the beam rolled around these timber would support the weight, next was to set the versa lifts between the support steels so that they could drive forward as the beam was lifted thus staying directly above the centre of gravity and therefore keeping the beam under control as it moved from horizontal to vertical and back to horizontal. Large round slings were then passed around the beam and chocked above the nearest top edge to the Versa lift, edge protection was placed below the slings and the weight taken.
As the Versa lifts went up together they moved forward and the beam rolled over into a vertical position the slings were loosened off and moved back to the nearest top edge again, and the process was repeated once more.
The beam was now upside down and it was time for others to Core drill the large holes and for the new inserts to be fitted and grouted, but once this was completed J.H.Kemp repeated the rolling operation until the beam was back on transport in its original configuration, ready for delivery to Manchester airport terminal 2 where it was to be the datum beam for the new road bridge above the rail terminal.
Laing O’Rourke
When Laing O’Rourke had a problem fitting inserts into a Steel reinforced concrete Beam at their Explore Manufacturing facility they called on J.H.Kemp to assist.
The problem was that the new inserts need to be fitted into the bottom face; this meant that the beam needed to rolled over, not so much of a problem you might think until you consider that the beam weighted 40,000kg, was 16metres long, was constructed with a positive camber and both sides of its entire length had exposed reinforcing.
J.H.Kemp suggested using Versa lifts and operating on a steel support frame. Firstly the 4 support steels were laid down, levelled and set at equal distances apart to form a working platform over which the beam could be rolled, onto the steels machined hard timbers were placed, that would support the beam and also allow it to be rolled without the rebar coming into contact with the support frame.
The beam was then unloaded from transport using 2 x versa lift trucks and positioned onto the support steels with the hard wood timber beneath, more hard wood timber was then secured into the gaps between the rebar so that as the beam rolled around these timber would support the weight, next was to set the versa lifts between the support steels so that they could drive forward as the beam was lifted thus staying directly above the centre of gravity and therefore keeping the beam under control as it moved from horizontal to vertical and back to horizontal. Large round slings were then passed around the beam and chocked above the nearest top edge to the Versa lift, edge protection was placed below the slings and the weight taken.
As the Versa lifts went up together they moved forward and the beam rolled over into a vertical position the slings were loosened off and moved back to the nearest top edge again, and the process was repeated once more.
The beam was now upside down and it was time for others to Core drill the large holes and for the new inserts to be fitted and grouted, but once this was completed J.H.Kemp repeated the rolling operation until the beam was back on transport in its original configuration, ready for delivery to Manchester airport terminal 2 where it was to be the datum beam for the new road bridge above the rail terminal.
