Liebherr model LR 1130 and LR 1160 lattice-boom crawler cranes, have been ordered by a U.S. construction joint venture consisting of Skanska USA, Granite, and Lane (SGL Constructors).
The cranes will be used for completely revamping parts of Interstate 4 (I-4) in central Florida, one of the state’s busiest motorways. “I-4 Ultimate” is a path-breaking infrastructure project in Orlando, Fla. It comprises
the construction and reconstruction of 15 major interchanges and more than 145 bridges, four new toll express lanes in the median, and rebuilding of general use lanes along a 21-mile-long corridor stretching from Kirkman Road in Orange County to State Road 434 in Seminole County.
SGL Constructors opted for cranes ranging from maximum lifting capacities between 100 and 160 metric tons (115 to 200 short tons). All cranes are equipped with both free fall winches and auxiliary winch so that the contractor can use them for regular lift work as well as with leader systems.
Meeting the demands of Florida climate
In addition, all cranes have an auxiliary power unit to power air conditioning. The auxiliary power units are integrated into the machinery house and allow the operator to turn off the engine while still running the air conditioning – a major benefit in regions with hot climate such as Florida. Moreover, turning off the engine in periods when the crane is idle saves fuel and is both economically efficient and also environmentally friendly.
However, the auxiliary power units are not the only additional devices installed to meet the requirements posed by Florida's weather. All cranes are also equipped with new lightning rods on the main boom head. They prevent damages of the cranes’ electronics caused by possible lightning strikes.
The ordered crawler cranes are part of Liebherr’s popular LR-series, which features excellent performance, high mobility, and easy handling. Their flexible boom systems lets them work in a variety of applications.
All also include a proven control system with integrated load-moment limitation.
State-of-the-art training
In order to prepare crane operators and mechanics for their future tasks, Liebherr offers state-of-the-art simulator training directly on the jobsite, thanks to the containerized solution of the brand new simulator for crawler cranes. The simulators offer realistic training in a virtual environment. Housed in a container, the simulator can easily be transported from one jobsite to another and train crane operators in different scenarios.
Construction work on the interstate is scheduled to be completed within the next six and a half years. The cost of the entire “I-4 Ultimate” project is estimated to be more than $2.3 billion.
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