Sarens used a 500-ton LTM1400-7.1 all-terrain crane, a 100-ton Tadano GR1000XL rough terrain crane and eight 20′ x 4′ crane mats for the various configurations of the 180 metric tons of counterweight, testing the hardware to 125 per cent of its structural capacity.
Sarens is assisting in the testing of below-the-hook devices at its Surrey, B.C. depot for one of its current clients. During the process, Sarens has been appointed for this project due to its technical and engineering expertise required to conduct load testing on various adjustable spreader bars, beam clamps and lifting devices procured by the client, who is the prime contractor on a new construction project in the Vancouver area.
Sarens’ main assignment and objective was to test the hardware to 125% of its structural capacity, which was verified by the in-house engineer, in conjunction with an external engineering firm, prior to its use in the project works. The load tests were carried out over 3 days and will be performed again in the coming months with the arrival of the balance of the newly manufactured equipment.
Once the lifting equipment has been tested, including the assembly and dismantling of the equipment over a total of 4 days, the next step will be to implement the equipment into the clients planned heavy lift executions over the next few years.
Photos courtesy of Sarens.
To achieve the objectives of this project, Sarens relied on its 500-ton LTM1400-7.1 all-terrain crane (220k CWT and 16 lift line parts to achieve the required capacity) for load testing, its 100-ton Tadano GR1000XL rough terrain crane for equipment assembly and reconfiguration, and finally, eight 20′ x 4′ crane mats for the various configurations of the 180 metric tons of counterweight. In addition, the project had a crew of 8 professionals, with Sarens providing 2 crane operators, 1 crane and rigging supervisor, 2 riggers and 1 project engineer.
“One of the main challenges we faced was the fact that we had not seen the equipment until the day before the lifting tests, so with the help of our engineers, we had to determine the best crane and rigging configuration to maximize space and efficiency for testing and reconfigurations. Having performed a similar test on one of our past projects, the Sarens team already had the necessary expertise and machinery in place, which made the operations a success”, adds Drew Ferris – Branch Manager.
Sarens has extensive experience in the Canadian construction industry and on similar projects internationally. Among others, Sarens has recently worked on Toronto’s Finch West Station project, installing 30 precast ceiling panels of 3.25 tons each below ground level, and was also able to contribute to the renovation of Union Station, where the team carried out the lifting and subsequent installation of several 9.4-ton iron girders for the flying garden connecting the station’s north and south towers.
